Vampires and outer space – two common themes in video games, but very rarely do you see them together in the same title. Lunar Knights, developed by Konami for the Nintendo DS, combines these two game clichés into a singular action/RPG and somehow makes them new again. However, not even this awesome fusion can save the title from it’s ultimately mediocre gameplay.

Developed by Kojima studios, the masterminds behind the Metal Gear Solid and Boktai series, Lunar Knights drops the player into a world plagued by darkness and ruled by vampires. A lone, mysterious vampire hunter named Lucian is on a quest for revenge, while a rebel organization of humans plots to overthrow their vampire overlords with guns that shoot sun energy. Aaron, a fledgling member of the rebels, eventually meets Lucian, and the two (reluctantly on Lucian’s part) work together to take down the vampires while unraveling the mysteries behind the paraSOL and the mysterious Immortals. The story is one of the strongest aspects of the game. While it starts out as a clichéd quest for revenge, it soon grows into an interesting clash of morality while raising thoughtful questions about the nature of both humans and vampires. As the game wears on, it becomes quite philosophical; a typical trait of Kojima-helmed titles. The ending is not quite as satisfying as the rest of the story, but it gets the job done.