Home /
Arcade

Vampire Hunter 2: Darkstalkers Revenge

Arcade

Arcade

A competitive fighting game similar to the vast majority of Capcom titles released in the '90s. The arcade game was only released in Japan. Vampire Hunter 2 (ヴァンパイアハンター2, Vanpaia Hantā) was released August, 1997 simultaneously with Vampire Savior 2. Both games were not direct sequels but altered...

Download

0/5 Votes: 0

Report

Developer
Capcom

Released on
1997

Size
1–2 Players

Version
Arcade

Requirements
Arcade

Downloads
Fighting

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

Wikipedia
View article →

Report this app

Images

Vampire Hunter 2: Darkstalkers Revenge 1

Vampire Hunter 2: Darkstalkers Revenge 2

Vampire Hunter 2: Darkstalkers Revenge 3

Description

A competitive fighting game similar to the vast majority of Capcom titles released in the ’90s. The arcade game was only released in Japan. Vampire Hunter 2 (ヴァンパイアハンター2, Vanpaia Hantā) was released August, 1997 simultaneously with Vampire Savior 2. Both games were not direct sequels but altered versions of Capcom’s original, Vampire Savior. The main difference between Vampire Savior and Vampire Hunter was removal of Jedah Dohma, B.B.Hood, Q-Bee and Lilith. In their place the missing Night Warriors: Darkstalkers’ Revenge characters, Pyron, Donovan Baine and Huitzil who did not appear originally in Vampire Savior were used.

Vampire Hunter 2 features the same character roster and soundtrack as Night Warriors: Darkstalkers’ Revenge (which was known as Vampire Hunter in Japan). The game play is the same as with Night Warriors, though slightly tweaked so that the characters play similar to their appearance in Vampire Savior; it also features the double-health bar system from the aforementioned game. Changes were made to accommodate the added characters. CPU opponents appear in different costume colors and background stages, from Vampire Savior, received new colors. Donovan Baine’s stage was added and the Pyron boss fight now takes place inside the “Fetus of God.” All character, aside from Pyron, were given one shared ending.

There were implied plans to create an English version of the game, which would’ve gone under the title Night Warriors 2, but was dropped possibly due to time constraints. This was evident with the Night Warriors 2 logo found in the game’s graphics data.

Vampire Hunter 2: Darkstalkers Revenge

Overview & History

Released exclusively in Japanese arcades by Capcom in 1997, Vampire Hunter 2: Darkstalkers Revenge is a fascinating revision of the beloved gothic fighting game. Rather than serving as a true sequel, this iteration runs on the same enhanced CPS2 hardware architecture as Darkstalkers 3 (Vampire Savior), effectively retrofitting the original roster of Night Warriors: Darkstalkers' Revenge into a tighter, faster engine. The storyline plunges players back into the dark fantasy realm of Makai, where monstrous beings—ranging from the noble vampire Morrigan Aensland and the mummified Pharaoh Anakaris to the brooding werewolf Jon Talbain—must unite or clash to defeat Pyron, an alien tyrant consuming worlds. While it never received a standalone home console port outside of rare arcade compilation discs, it remains a cult classic for purists who prefer the original 10-character lineup and distinct aesthetic over the mechanics introduced in later revisions.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Vampire Hunter 2 discards the traditional round-based health system of standard fighters, replacing it with the innovative "Gratitude" damage system where health bars regenerate slightly between rounds if the player performs well. It retains the signature ES Special moves (enhanced versions of standard specials executed by pressing two attack buttons) and Exceed/Dark Force capabilities that allow characters to manipulate their frames or summon clones. The game speed is noticeably snappier than its 1995 predecessor, rewarding aggressive air-dashing, instant overheads, and rapid chaining of normal attacks into devastating specials. Visuals boast meticulously hand-drawn sprite animations that capture fluid, grotesque, and mesmerizing transformations for every character, accompanied by a moody, atmospheric synth-rock soundtrack.