V Rising: Here’s what to expect when you enter Dracula’s frozen domain of Mortium

V Rising is a survival game with action RPG elements and razor-sharp skill-based combat coming to PlayStation 5 later this year. Wake up as a Vampire after centuries of withering slumber, your kin having been forgotten after a catastrophic defeat at the hands of the Church of Luminance. Emerge from your crypt, explore a vast open world, hunt for blood, and build a sprawling castle on your quest to reclaim your former glory.

But what glory is there to reclaim? What is the Vampire promised?

Earlier this year when we announced V-Rising was coming to PS5, we provided a glimpse into its storyline, gameplay mechanics, and expansive open world. Today, we want to focus on one corner of the realm, the dangers that await within, and, of course, the Vampire King plotting his return from the heart of its overcast lands: Dracula.

Legend of the Immortal King

In the world of V Rising, Dracula was both a conqueror and tyrant, ruling from his throne in the frozen realm of Mortium, untouched by sunlight at the heart of the Vampire empire. From there, he waged a great war and brought humanity to the brink of extinction. Humanity’s desperate prayers were answered in the form of a divine power that appeared suddenly, for the first time, allowing them to repel not only Dracula’s Legion of Noctum but felled the Immortal King himself.

Yet for Dracula, defeat was not death.

In the eons since, the nocturnal lord has resided in a weakened state in the Shadow Realm, strengthening himself and planning his return. That time has come. Dracula has sent out a call to arms… rousing untold legions of Vampires from their centuries-long rest. Yet, not all who awaken are content to serve. Some are more ambitious than others and would instead seek to take the throne for themselves. In V Rising, you are one such Vampire.

Enter the Ruins of Mortium

The Vampire empire’s core lies in Mortium, a cold and regal snowscape famously untouched by sunlight. This was once the heart of the powerful Vampire civilization, ruled by the legendary Dracula. But now, after ages have passed, the grand spires and fortresses of the Legion of Noctum lay in ruins, abandoned and forgotten.

In the depths of Mortium, life stirs anew, inhabited by servants and fanatical cultists devoted to Dracula, along with newfound dangers. Unbound by conventions, the lord of the night has thrived in the Shadow Realm, and his imminent return brings forth creatures from distant realms. Behold the Draculin, creatures from the Shadow Realm that appear to be tainted by Dracula’s blood-soaked influence.

These creatures from another world bring with them a unique blood type from the realm of darkness, and drinking it provides unique bonuses for you to utilize. Depending on the quality of the blood type, you’ll be able to move more quickly at night, heal more easily, and have multiple advantages that allow you to secure kills more easily and more often.

You’ll also face the Vampire Generals of the Legion of Noctum, some of Dracula’s oldest and most fervent followers. Overcoming them will unlock ancient powers tied directly to your Vampire lineage, uncovering secrets that will allow you to expand on your connection to deeper Vampire magics.

Dracula Rises

The final challenge on your Vampire journey will be to fight your way into the deepest depths of Mortium, where Dracula’s forces gather at the foot of his castle. Once great and mighty, it stands as a testament to what the great king of Vampire kind once achieved and of the domination he seeks to bring on his return.

Here in Mortium the Legion of Noctum is hard at work performing dark rituals to flood the world with Draculin from the Shadow Realm so that they may gather blood, fueling the magical engine that will bring the full return of Dracula. It will be up to you to go and disrupt these invasions, shattering their dark rifts and collecting the essence of magic left in the aftermath.

You will be able to use these resources to tap into powerful Vampire powers, craft and empower weapons, and eventually even craft the key required to strike the very core of the Immortal King’s operation. After attaining knowledge and power by draining the blood of Dracula’s closest and most powerful servants, you’ll acquire all you need to infiltrate the Shadow Realm and face Dracula yourself.

This final battle will test the limits of your abilities and force you to prove that you are truly worthy of the title of apex predator of Vardoran.

The Hunt begins in 2024

Embrace your darkest desires in V Rising, whether you venture alone or alongside companions. Feel the pulse of a heartbeat under your fingertips with the DualSense controller as you drain the life out of your prey. Feel the thrum of power vibrate in your palm as you summon magic to wreak havoc on your foes, and the rush of explosive contact as great beasts crash into the earth beside you.

The hunt is on in 2024 on the PlayStation 5 with V Rising.