Halls of Torment conquered Steam as a near-perfect Vampire Survivors and Diablo hybrid. Let’s see what HoT and VS have in common!

Blending shoot ’em-up traits mixed with Roguelike and bullet hell features, Vampire Survivors became famous for its engaging gameplay and relaxation value.

On the surface, the game looks almost too simple – but its rewarding mechanics can lure everyone, regardless of their experience with video games. Many claim Halls of Torment is perfect VS copy, but is that true? This ultimate comparison answers that question!

CategoryVampire Survivors (VS)Halls of Torment (HoT)
Difficulty Initially challenging, relaxing afterward. More unforgiving, but wins feel more rewarding.
Atmosphere Insanely epic, colorful, and spectacular. Dark, Diablo-like environment.
Gameplay More fun, addictive, and undemanding. Challenging, without the same dopamine rush as VS.
Playtime Main story – 14h, main with sides – 26h, completionist – 49.5h. Main story – 11h, main with sides – 25.5h, completionist – 52.5h.
Mechanics Power-Up system; weapon and passive system allows for weapon evolution and gold purchases. Unique weapon abilities per character, no weapon evolution or gold purchase option; loot drops from bosses.
Visuals and Art Style Colorful, spectacular minimalist pixel art with an epic soundtrack. Dark, isometric, Diablo-inspired style with a gritty and immersive atmosphere.
Character Progression Over 50 playable characters with similar builds. Seven unique character classes tied to gear progression and best loot.
Challenge Proven build combinations can allow semi-autonomous play after mastering mechanics. Mistakes impact the gameplay significantly, offering a rewarding yet challenging experience.
Audio and Immersion Powerful, epic soundtrack enhances the heroic atmosphere. Immersive, atmospheric soundtrack complements the dark, brutal world.
Value for Money Priced at $3.74, with high replayability. Priced at $6.66, also highly replayable with over 52 hours for completionists
Conclusion Ideal for relaxation, colorful and spectacular but less rewarding for hardcore players. Offers a challenging experience with dark lore and rewarding progression for dedicated players.

Difficulty

VS – Initially challenging, relaxing afterward.
HoT – Is much more unforgiving, but wins feel more rewarding.

Atmosphere

VS – Insanely epic, colorful, and spectacular.
HoT – Dark, Diablo-like environment.

Halls of Torment
Halls of Torment

Gameplay

VS – More fun, addictive and undemanding.
HoT – Challenging, but it doesn’t promise a dopamine rush like VS.

Playtime (according to howlongtobeat.com)

VS – Main story – 14h, main with sides – 26h, completionist – 49.5h.
HoT – Main story – 11h, main with sides – 25.5h, completionist – 52.5h.

Mechanics

Both video games focus on fierce duels against constantly approaching enemy waves. What makes these titles remarkably similar is the 30-minute duration of the runs and brutal boss encounters after that time.

Also, the Blessing System in HoT works remarkably similarly to the Power Up system in VS. In both titles, players try to survive as long as possible to accumulate experience points and gold, so are there any differences? Of course!

Halls of Torment
Halls of Torment

HoT does not feature the Weapon and Passive system from VS. Instead, each character uses a different weapon equipped with unique abilities.

Also, there is no Weapon Evolution system. Furthermore, HoT doesn’t offer the option to buy new characters – they eventually unlock and appear at the bonfire in the camp. Players cannot purchase equipment items for gold either, as loot drops from defeated bosses. That makes it much more engaging than VS. Last but not least, you can aim or stop the attack yourself.

Visuals and Art Style

At first glance, you’ll notice VS is much more colorful, while HoT offers a noticeably darker style. Even the most uncomplicated attacks in the former feel like a spectacular display of visual effects set in minimalist pixel art graphics.

Players are accompanied by a rather epic soundtrack, encouraging them to complete more runs.

Visually, HoT resembles Diablo 1. Its isometric viewpoint, gritty graphics, and depressing environment correspond to classic RPGs and hack-and-slash titles from the late 90s. If you’re a fan of that vibe, definitely go for HoT.

Vampire Survivors
Vampire Survivors

Character and Skill Progression

While VS offers over fifty playable characters, HoT has only seven character classes. That may sound modest, but the latter makes up for it with its character progression system. In VS, most of the available heroes feel pretty similar.

Meanwhile, HoT ties character evolution to gear, motivating players to get the best loot possible. They can buy over 50 unique items with gold in VS to create endless combinations of character builds – but the process doesn’t feel as engaging.

Difficulty and Challenge

What makes VS so memorable is the fact that the proven combination of equipment, skills, and upgrades allows you to leave the game playing itself and return after a while without fear of losing your character’s life.

However, that’s only possible after grasping the mechanics. Once you reach this level, the game becomes less complicated and relaxing.

Vampire Survivors
Vampire Survivors

HoT provides a much less forgiving approach. Even the tiniest mistake or unlucky decision can dramatically affect the course of the events to your disadvantage.

Because of that, however, each run seems more rewarding than in VS. Sure, this title is more challenging, but the whole experience feels incredibly satisfying. All that, paired with HoT’s Diablo-like graphics, makes it perfect for those craving a challenge.

Audio and Immersion

In contrast to the deliberately powerful soundtrack of VS, HoT uses music to emphasize the environment’s atmosphere. It’s not as epic but creates a greater immersion in this brutal and dark world. The soundtrack of VS exists to make you feel like a mighty hero of the 90s golden classics.

Value for Money

VS costs $3.74, while HoT’s price is $6.66. Their content is definitely worth the money; HoT and VS offer great replayability and fun. Since the total cost is $10, we recommend buying both!

Vampire Survivors
Vampire Survivors

Conclusion

So, is HoT a perfect VS clone? As you can see, not necessarily. Both titles share similar features, but the overall atmosphere, character progression, visuals, and mechanics set them apart.

If you prefer a more challenging yet rewarding experience set in dark lore, HoT is your best bet. The game offers over 52 hours of fun in the completionist approach, but its replayability guarantees more.

VS provides a similar amount (35 hours in the completionist approach). However, many Steam users consider it a much bigger game than HoT. It’s also more colorful, epic, and spectacular – but doesn’t offer as rewarding an experience. Nevertheless, it’s ideal if you seek relaxation.