Skip to main content

Vampire Therapist asks: can a game really teach the fundamentals of therapy?

Freud or fraud?

A screenshot from the visual novel-style game Vampire Therapist. In it, we see the upper body of a fairly typical looking cowboy - a rugged old white man with a large moustache, longish hair and a cowboy hat and waistcoat and shirt on. He - Sam - looks uncomfortable. Maybe it's because he's standing in a red-lit goth club.
Image credit: Eurogamer / Little Bat Games

Of all the places I expected to learn some fundamental lessons about therapy, playing a game about vampire therapists was not one of them. Yet I have, and now I wonder why I excluded such a possibility in the first place. Games do have a unique power in their interactivity that's perfect for education (though I've sat through enough awful corporate training videos attempting to do the same thing). That Vampire Therapist can teach me concepts usually associated with stuffier education shouldn't really be surprising, then. What's surprising is no one has tried this approach for this topic before.

Vampire Therapist is a game about seeking and then giving therapy, specifically cognitive behavioural therapy. I've experienced a bit of this in my real life. From what I understand, it's a way of altering thought patterns to identify unhelpful ways of thinking. It also offers skills to help cope with problematic situations. It's the talking part of the therapy I've seen the game focus on, though I've only played a few hours. And it has been developed with the help of licensed therapists, so it's not all a bunch of hooey.

Excuse the American slang, but I've picked it up from the character in the game you will play as: Sam Walls, a cowboy from the Wild West who left a life of bloody gunslinging behind him to sort out his head and come to terms with the bad things he'd done. It's in the name of this quest he heads to Leipzig, Germany, in the present day, to meet millennia-old vampire therapist Andromachos and learn more. Sam already has the makings of a therapist - he's come to many realisations himself - but it's Andromachos who formalises his training and helps shape him into the therapist he becomes.

Where else would you establish a vampire therapy business than upstairs at a goth German nightclub? Many jokes about this are made.Watch on YouTube

It's a visual novel kind of affair, a conversational kind of game. Gameplay almost always revolves around two talking-head characters chatting (with voice acting). The only time I've seen that change is when I had to bite someone's neck - I had to time my button-press to stop my fangs directly over someone's jugular, which was quite fun. Most of the time though, it's conversations.

In those conversations you have a couple of dialogue choices but the point is really to provide a place where you can highlight cognitive distortions when you see them. Cognitive what-nows? Exactly - it's here the game gets therapy-ish, but it never swamps you. Cognitive distortions are ways of talking that aren't helpful. Already, at the beginning of the game, Sam has worked out a few for himself. He's given them his own names: Hot Branding, High Noon Mind, and Saloon Thinking.

A screenshot from visual novel game Vampire Therapist showing your detailed journal in the game. It's a yellowed paper book with scrawled handwriting in.
A screenshot from visual novel game Vampire Therapist showing a neck-biting section. Fangs hover over a character's neck, and we can see the red or blue-coloured arteries below. We'd better get the right one.
A screenshot from visual novel game Vampire Therapist showing the player character Sam, a cowboy, on the right, talking to a dramatic actor on the right. Here, the blue spirit of vampire therapist teacher Andromachos has interrupted because Sam - the player - was incorrect with one of their assumptions.
I love the jibe about gaslighting - it can be a very funny game. That humour does a lot of heavy lifting keeping the tone light, too. | Image credit: Eurogamer / Little Bat Games

Hot Branding is where people call themselves names - Sam likens this to branding oneself with a hot iron. High Noon Mind refers to someone talking in all-or-nothing extremes, as if a situation were do or die. And Saloon Thinking is how someone might talk in a bar, either full of confidence or full of self loathing. Andromachos formalises these as Nosferatu Thinking (a play on it being a black-and-white film and the statements being black and white; High Noon Mind), as Labelling (Hot Branding), and as Control Fallacy (Saloon Thinking), and he soon adds a couple more: Disqualifying the Positive, and Should Statements. These then appear as buttons beneath conversation text, which can be pressed whenever you recognise someone talking in that way.

As I said, you're eased into this gently. The Sam character is good at thinking out loud about things, Andromachos is a good teacher, and there's a detailed but not too dense journal with extra information if you want it. A lot of effort has been made to make the information approachable. The game moves slowly: first it's Andromachos probing Sam, then it's Sam probing patients, the complexity building the more you play. That the game doesn't take itself too seriously - it cites famous Vampire properties like What We Do in the Shadows as inspiration - helps alleviate any stuffiness enormously. I've barked out laughs a couple of times; it's a game that's fond of a joke. It helps that Sam is likeable too - he reminds me a lot of Ted Lasso, both in his accent and his relentless enthusiasm, and in his constant willingness to philosophically pick people up, while Andromachos is patient and calm.

A screenshot from visual novel game Vampire Therapist, in which cowboy Sam talks to two goths at a red-hued bar. They will let him drink from them. They get a kick out of it. It's mutually beneficial.
A screenshot from visual novel game Vampire Therapist. Cowboy Sam interrogates big-in-the-Renaissance character Isobella.
That goth clubber Reinhard - they're voiced by Critical Role's Matt Mercer. | Image credit: Eurogamer / Little Bat Games

What still surprises me about Vampire Therapist, though, is how potent an easy-going game can be when teaching real, weighty therapy concepts - though there's a wider question about whether that's a responsible thing to do; it can be a dangerous thing to self-diagnose, or worse, impose your views on someone else. But the impression I get from the game in this regard is a responsible one. It seems more concerned with heightening understanding about cognitive behavioural therapy rather than in any way replacing it. It also never loses sight of the fact that it is a game - that it is entertainment. Partly, that's why it's so easily absorbed. You just watch a bunch of conversations and try to identify cognitive dissonances as they surface, and if you get it wrong, it doesn't matter: Andromachos says try again.

Gradually it sinks in - and I mean really sinks in. I'm taking on board advice and lessons I learnt in the game. I'm watching for "shoulds" in my sentences and all-or-nothing declarations I make. I'm looking for ways I've pressurised situations needlessly, and how I might relieve that. I'm being a bit kinder to myself, and it's nice. It's positive. And it's remarkable how quickly and subtly a game can have that effect.

A copy of Vampire Therapists was provided by Little Bat Games.

Read this next

seductrice.net
universo-virtual.com
buytrendz.net
thisforall.net
benchpressgains.com
qthzb.com
mindhunter9.com
dwjqp1.com
secure-signup.net
ahaayy.com
tressesindia.com
puresybian.com
krpano-chs.com
cre8workshop.com
hdkino.org
peixun021.com
qz786.com
utahperformingartscenter.org
worldqrmconference.com
shangyuwh.com
eejssdfsdfdfjsd.com
playminecraftfreeonline.com
trekvietnamtour.com
your-business-articles.com
essaywritingservice10.com
hindusamaaj.com
joggingvideo.com
wandercoups.com
wormblaster.net
tongchengchuyange0004.com
internetknowing.com
breachurch.com
peachesnginburlesque.com
dataarchitectoo.com
clientfunnelformula.com
30pps.com
cherylroll.com
ks2252.com
prowp.net
webmanicura.com
sofietsshotel.com
facetorch.com
nylawyerreview.com
apapromotions.com
shareparelli.com
goeaglepointe.com
thegreenmanpubphuket.com
karotorossian.com
publicsensor.com
taiwandefence.com
epcsur.com
southstills.com
tvtv98.com
thewellington-hotel.com
bccaipiao.com
colectoresindustrialesgs.com
shenanddcg.com
capriartfilmfestival.com
replicabreitlingsale.com
thaiamarinnewtoncorner.com
gkmcww.com
mbnkbj.com
andrewbrennandesign.com
cod54.com
luobinzhang.com
faithfirst.net
zjyc28.com
tongchengjinyeyouyue0004.com
nhuan6.com
kftz5k.com
oldgardensflowers.com
lightupthefloor.com
bahamamamas-stjohns.com
ly2818.com
905onthebay.com
fonemenu.com
notanothermovie.com
ukrainehighclassescort.com
meincmagazine.com
av-5858.com
yallerdawg.com
donkeythemovie.com
corporatehospitalitygroup.com
boboyy88.com
miteinander-lernen.com
dannayconsulting.com
officialtomsshoesoutletstore.com
forsale-amoxil-amoxicillin.net
generictadalafil-canada.net
guitarlessonseastlondon.com
lesliesrestaurants.com
mattyno9.com
nri-homeloans.com
rtgvisas-qatar.com
salbutamolventolinonline.net
sportsinjuries.info
wedsna.com
rgkntk.com
bkkmarketplace.com
zxqcwx.com
breakupprogram.com
boxcardc.com
unblockyoutubeindonesia.com
fabulousbookmark.com
beat-the.com
guatemala-sailfishing-vacations-charters.com
magie-marketing.com
kingstonliteracy.com
guitaraffinity.com
eurelookinggoodapparel.com
howtolosecheekfat.net
marioncma.org
oliviadavismusic.com
shantelcampbellrealestate.com
shopleborn13.com
topindiafree.com
v-visitors.net
djjky.com
053hh.com
originbluei.com
baucishotel.com
33kkn.com
intrinsiqresearch.com
mariaescort-kiev.com
mymaguk.com
sponsored4u.com
crimsonclass.com
bataillenavale.com
searchtile.com
ze-stribrnych-struh.com
zenithalhype.com
modalpkv.com
bouisset-lafforgue.com
useupload.com
37r.net
autoankauf-muenster.com
bantinbongda.net
bilgius.com
brabustermagazine.com
indigrow.org
miicrosofts.net
mysmiletravel.com
selinasims.com
spellcubesapp.com
usa-faction.com
hypoallergenicdogsnames.com
dailyupdatez.com
foodphotographyreviews.com
cricutcom-setup.com
chprowebdesign.com
katyrealty-kanepa.com
tasramar.com
bilgipinari.org
four-am.com
indiarepublicday.com
inquick-enbooks.com
iracmpi.com
kakaschoenen.com
lsm99flash.com
nana1255.com
ngen-niagara.com
technwzs.com
virtualonlinecasino1345.com
wallpapertop.net
casino-natali.com
iprofit-internet.com
denochemexicana.com
eventhalfkg.com
medcon-taiwan.com
life-himawari.com
myriamshomes.com
nightmarevue.com
healthandfitnesslives.com
androidnews-jp.com
allstarsru.com
bestofthebuckeyestate.com
bestofthefirststate.com
bestwireless7.com
britsmile.com
declarationintermittent.com
findhereall.com
jingyou888.com
lsm99deal.com
lsm99galaxy.com
moozatech.com
nuagh.com
patliyo.com
philomenamagikz.net
rckouba.net
saturnunipessoallda.com
tallahasseefrolics.com
thematurehardcore.net
totalenvironment-inthatquietearth.com
velislavakaymakanova.com
vermontenergetic.com
kakakpintar.com
begorgeouslady.com
1800birks4u.com
2wheelstogo.com
6strip4you.com
bigdata-world.net
emailandco.net
gacapal.com
jharpost.com
krishnaastro.com
lsm99credit.com
mascalzonicampani.com
sitemapxml.org
thecityslums.net
topagh.com
flairnetwebdesign.com
rajasthancarservices.com
bangkaeair.com
beneventocoupon.com
noternet.org
oqtive.com
smilebrightrx.com
decollage-etiquette.com
1millionbestdownloads.com
7658.info
bidbass.com
devlopworldtech.com
digitalmarketingrajkot.com
fluginfo.net
naqlafshk.com
passion-decouverte.com
playsirius.com
spacceleratorintl.com
stikyballs.com
top10way.com
yokidsyogurt.com
zszyhl.com
16firthcrescent.com
abogadolaboralistamd.com
apk2wap.com
aromacremeria.com
banparacard.com
bosmanraws.com
businessproviderblog.com
caltonosa.com
calvaryrevivalchurch.org
chastenedsoulwithabrokenheart.com
cheminotsgardcevennes.com
cooksspot.com
cqxzpt.com
deesywig.com
deltacartoonmaps.com
despixelsetdeshommes.com
duocoracaobrasileiro.com
fareshopbd.com
goodpainspills.com
hemendekor.com
kobisitecdn.com
makaigoods.com
mgs1454.com
piccadillyresidences.com
radiolaondafresca.com
rubendorf.com
searchengineimprov.com
sellmyhrvahome.com
shugahouseessentials.com
sonihullquad.com
subtractkilos.com
valeriekelmansky.com
vipasdigitalmarketing.com
voolivrerj.com
zeelonggroup.com
1015southrockhill.com
10x10b.com
111-online-casinos.com
191cb.com
3665arpentunitd.com
aitesonics.com
bag-shokunin.com
brightotech.com
communication-digitale-services.com
covoakland.org
dariaprimapack.com
freefortniteaccountss.com
gatebizglobal.com
global1entertainmentnews.com
greatytene.com
hiroshiwakita.com
iktodaypk.com
jahatsakong.com
meadowbrookgolfgroup.com
newsbharati.net
platinumstudiosdesign.com
slotxogamesplay.com
strikestaruk.com
trucosdefortnite.com
ufabetrune.com
weddedtowhitmore.com
12940brycecanyonunitb.com
1311dietrichoaks.com
2monarchtraceunit303.com
601legendhill.com
850elaine.com
adieusolasomade.com
andora-ke.com
bestslotxogames.com
cannagomcallen.com
endlesslyhot.com
iestpjva.com
ouqprint.com
pwmaplefest.com
qtylmr.com
rb88betting.com
buscadogues.com
1007macfm.com
born-wild.com
growthinvests.com
promocode-casino.com
proyectogalgoargentina.com
wbthompson-art.com
whitemountainwheels.com
7thavehvl.com
developmethis.com
funkydogbowties.com
travelodgegrandjunction.com
gao-town.com
globalmarketsuite.com
blogshippo.com
hdbka.com
proboards67.com
outletonline-michaelkors.com
kalkis-research.com
thuthuatit.net
buckcash.com
hollistercanada.com
docterror.com
asadart.com
vmayke.org
erwincomputers.com
dirimart.org
okkii.com
loteriasdecehegin.com
mountanalog.com
healingtaobritain.com
ttxmonitor.com
nwordpress.com
11bolabonanza.com