Dark Romance: Vampire Origins > iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac & PC Game

Overall rating

5 / 5

45 of 76 found this review helpful

ONE OF THE BEST GAMES IN THE DARK ROMANCE SERIES. DOMINI NAILS THIS ONE!

PostedSeptember 25, 2020

biscuitsmama

fromI’m not generally a fan of vampire games but I really loved playing Vampire Origins. Bravo Domini!

Key Contributor
This "Key Contributor" plays, rates, and reviews a lot of games. We think you'll trust their thoughts and opinions about games.
Key Contributor

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Over the years I have played many of the Dark Romance games and some were great while others were not. I am happy to say that Dark Romance Vampire Origins is a terrific game. I enjoyed everything about the game beginning with an excellent storyline that developed as the game moved forward. The ongoing theme in all of the Dark Romance games is that the story develops as it is told by each of the “lovers” while switching between the two. In this case we have Gabriel who is a half human-half Vampire and then his human sweetheart Sabrina. Early in the game we are introduced to Tamash who is the original vampire but he needs the power of Gabriel to become the most powerful vampire of all time. The one thing that stands in his way is Gabriel’s love for Sabrina. As you play the game you will need to overcome obstacles to reunite with your beloved and hopefully have a happy ending.

I loved everything about this game, which was a bit of a surprise. I’m not a huge fan of vampires or other ghoulish type characters but I was determined to find a way to overcome the evil vampire so that my lovers would have their happily ever after.

As you may know I’m not a fan of puzzles, but I found the puzzles in Vampire Origins to be much better than the HOS. I found the HOS to be watered down with many of them being rather different than the norm. I prefer the original list type HOS and don’t care much for the simplistic mini-HOS where we must find a limited number of items to complete an item we need and, IMHO, there were too many scenes that were that type or ones where we much match items. My favorite HOS is the one where we move various rings to complete the fish to match the ones we need to find. That one was fun as were the larger list find HOS.

Every puzzle I played in Vampire Origins was great. There were several that I really enjoyed and maybe one or two that I’ve not previously seen. One puzzle that I haven’t seen in ages is the one where we had to move candles so that all of the red ones were inside with the blue ones on the outside. This has always been a favorite puzzle of mine and even though it took me a while to get it right, I finally did it. So much fun! Bravo, Domini Games because I think you have created a game that I not only enjoyed playing when it was released as a CE but one that I will enjoy just as much when I play it again in the future.

When CE games were first introduced sometime around 2010, I was thrilled because they had the in-game strategy guide. Those were the days when I was fairly new to playing HOPA games and often needed the strategy guide to get me through the tricky parts when I was stuck. It made sense to purchase the CEs, so I didn’t have to leave the game to open the strategy guide to find the help I needed. It wasn’t too long before the developers began adding collectibles and other extras to their games, which made the CEs even more valuable. In recent years many developers have watered down the collectibles in their games but Domini Games is still a developer who adds value to their games with all of the collectibles and extras. Generally there are several different types of collectibles to find and, of course, I want to find them all. and that adds more enjoyment to the games.

With Dark Romance Vampire Origins, I don’t think it will matter which version of the game you decide to purchase because the game will be enjoyable in either version. Even though I believe that Dark Romance Vampire Origins is one of the best games in the series, I always recommend that you try the demo to see if it is a game you will enjoy as well. Happy gaming! Show less

I recommend this game!

+14points

45of 76voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes45No31

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

5 / 5

32 of 58 found this review helpful

A Half Vampire And A Human As Sweethearts

PostedSeptember 25, 2020

HeavenBound7729

fromOcala, Florida

Key Contributor
This "Key Contributor" plays, rates, and reviews a lot of games. We think you'll trust their thoughts and opinions about games.
Key Contributor

Skill Level:Expert

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

A dangerous relationship that makes an interesting vampire tale. This really got my attention and it turned out to be a very good story. I rated the CE version with 5 stars and enjoyed every minute of the game. It was very entertaining, the story held my interest to the end, boredom never crept in.

I really liked the appearance and voices of the characters, the graphics were excellent and full ...Show more

I really liked the appearance and voices of the characters, the graphics were excellent and full of color appropriate to this kind of fantasy setting. The gothic touch was just right and the music was fitting to the vampiric atmosphere, so I wasn't bothered by it. Music in many games just drives me up the wall and I turn it off.

The HOPs and puzzles were all of average challenge. The HOPs are always the major attraction for me, other than the storyline. Not a puzzle fan, really, but these didn't involve a lot of time or frustration. There was a good variety of both to please everyone. I love Domini. They do a splendid job, putting together a quality package with great games, beautiful graphics and solid stories.

The extras in the CE were not abundant as in other Domini games, but that certainly was not a negative. If you always opt for the SE edition, you will still be well entertained with this Dark Romance release. Although the collectibles and morphs are a good bit of extra fun, their absence does not change the quality of the game. I gravitate to the CE mostly for the Strategy Guide and Bonus Chapter.

Vampire Origins was a good purchase for me. Vampire stories that are not silly, that have a decent plot are hard to come by. So, naturally, I added it to my collection, and hope more vampires find their way to Big Fish. Not to mention that Halloween is right around the corner. Show less

I recommend this game!

+6points

32of 58voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes32No26

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

5 / 5

2 of 3 found this review helpful

a great HO

PostedNovember 8, 2020

denniann2

fromharrisonburg, virginia

Key Contributor
This "Key Contributor" plays, rates, and reviews a lot of games. We think you'll trust their thoughts and opinions about games.
Key Contributor

Skill Level:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Match 3

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

i played on the easiest level. a great hint system. it is about a man whose wife died in childbirth after a vampire bit her after she got pregnant. her son, gabriel, was half human and half vampire but his father raised him as human and hid the vampire side from him. the vampire was sealed away but somehow regained his powers and came after his son. the father rescued him at the last minute and killed the vampire. gabriel and sabrina fell in love and her love kept the vampire side from coming out. she didn't know about it until after the vampire came after and his father had to tell her the details. the play goes back and forth between the two of them. you play as one or the other during the entire game. there is a surprise at the end!!!!! Show less

I recommend this game!

+1point

2of 3voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes2No1

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

4 / 5

35 of 45 found this review helpful

DARK ROMANCE #13 VAMPIRE ORIGINS RELEASED JUST BEFORE BEFORE HALLOWEEN !!!

PostedSeptember 25, 2020

skullfun

fromI enjoyed this edition because it reminded me of Dark Romance Vampire in Love...the VERY FIRST DARK ROMANCE GAME!

Key Contributor
This "Key Contributor" plays, rates, and reviews a lot of games. We think you'll trust their thoughts and opinions about games.
Key Contributor

Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle

Current Favorite:

Edge of Reality: Call of the Hills Collector's Edition

(46)

Fun Factor

4 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

3 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

Transylvania awaits you in this latest edition to the Dark Romance game series! Join Gabriel Dracula and his fiancé in the Carpathian Mountains as Gabriel’s vampire bloodline slowly unravels. Stop the evil vampire Tamash from unleashing his power over Gabriel and turn the handsome young man into a corrupted vampire...are prepared for the task in this semi spooky adventure?

This marks the second ...Show more

This marks the second time that the Dark Romance series has dabbled in the territory of vampires, the first time being the series’ very first game – "Vampire in Love". Now with years of HOPA experience under their belt, Domini Games is able to deliver the vampire romance fantasy through a more engaging plot and better-paced storytelling. Although no elements in the storyline are entirely unique, the charming characters are definitely still worth rooting for.

While it might not be as creatively executed as in the series’ previous games, the two-perspectives of gameplay still remains interesting. This type of gameplay allows the player to gain insights into each protagonist’s mind and adds even more context to the storyline. It is a shame that the gameplay of Dark Romance: Vampire Origins cannot elevate this further, as it includes an overwhelming amount of recycled tasks and mundane puzzles (IMHO). The hidden object scenes are sufficiently creatively, nothing groundbreaking but enjoyable.

If you are a fan of Domini Games’ visual style, then you are in for a real treat. Dark Romance: Vampire Origins is a total stunner! With detailed artwork, amazing animations, and deep colors – the game perfectly captures its dark fantasy theme through visuals that are both alluring and imaginative. The background music also does an effective job soundtracking the game and sets a mysterious mood without being REPETITIVE.

Which to choose CE or SE ??? (I chose Collector's Edition).

Dark Romance: Vampire Origins has a satisfying length of roughly four hours of gameplay, plus an hour-long bonus chapter. "The Collector’s Edition" contains all the extras you would want; a strategy guide, wallpapers, concept art, videos, soundtracks, replayable hidden object scenes, replayable puzzles, achievements, collectibles, morphing objects, and a salon to decorate. I'm glad I purchased this one to add to my collection, perhaps you will be too. Cheers!

Also in this series:

Dark Romance: Vampire in Love
Dark Romance: Heart of the Beast
Dark Romance: The Swan Sonata
Dark Romance: Kingdom of Death
Dark Romance: Curse of Bluebeard
Dark Romance: Romeo and Juliet
Dark Romance: The Monster Within
Dark Romance: Winter Lily
Dark Romance: A Performance To Die For
Dark Romance: Hunchback of Notre-Dame
Dark Romance: The Ethereal Gardens
Dark Romance: Ashville
Dark Romance: Vampire Origins Show less

I recommend this game!

+25points

35of 45voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes35No10

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

4 / 5

5 of 7 found this review helpful

Vampire Curse

PostedOctober 24, 2020

deddu

fromCalifornia USA

Key Contributor
This "Key Contributor" plays, rates, and reviews a lot of games. We think you'll trust their thoughts and opinions about games.
Key Contributor

Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Mahjong, Match 3, Puzzle

Fun Factor

4 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

4 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

Great, long SE game. It had all the elements that I like: a good story, plenty of hidden objects to find (or play match 3), puzzles (but not too many) and good graphic design. Others have described the story so I won't go into that but a definite must for this time of year.

I recommend this game!

+3points

5of 7voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes5No2

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

4 / 5

1 of 3 found this review helpful

Good Game but

PostedNovember 21, 2020

Deejaycee522

fromCherry Hill, NJ

Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Strategy, Word

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I thought it provided good game play. However, I don't care for games involving vampires, ghosts and goblins.

I recommend this game!

-1point

1of 3voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes1No2

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

3 / 5

45 of 57 found this review helpful

DOMINI GAMES HAVE GREAT STORYLINES BUT LATELY THEY HAVE BECOME REPETITIVE AND FAR TOO SIMPLISTIC TO THOROUGHLY ENJOY :(

PostedSeptember 25, 2020

pennmom36

fromGR8 game 4 beginners or those who don't mind an "auto-pilot" kind of game

Top Reviewer
This "Top Reviewer" is one of our most frequent game reviewers. We think you'll trust what they have to say and find their reviews helpful and informative.
Top Reviewer

Skill Level:Expert

Fun Factor

3 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

3 / 5

Level of Challenge

3 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

Completed Game approximately 5.5 Hours
(including completion of all puzzles & CE Bonus Chapter)
24 Main Game Scene Locations +10 CE Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner

Who's your Daddy? Gabriel is all grown up now, and what a handsome young man he's turned out to be. Even though his mother died of a rare infliction during childbirth, Gabriel hasn't suffered nearly any side effects other than a touch of insomnia. But the truth about his mother's death has been kept a secret for his entire life, but he's always suspected that's there's something different about him, something that's not quite right, not quite human!

☭Gadgets/Helper:☭
Dark Romance is usually about 2 lovers being torn apart by unseen forces as you swap between players. Unlike the clever writing team of Ashville where they changed things up a bit with a journal that as one person pens an entry in the year 2000, it appeared to the person in the year 1985. The problem with this game is that someone got the bright idea that they should do a game similar to their first game Vampires in Love, except now Domini has really bright colorful graphics with an overabundance of yellows, pinks, and purples and they decided to give the original Vampire a stupid floaty cloak that reminded me of the Seer's antlered cloak in Saga of the Nine Worlds. To make matters more ridiculous they gave him a huge comb-over to the point that you laugh every time you see him. I can't take any of it seriously, why would you ruin a Vampire story with a G-rated version? [insert glitter-bomb]

☽☾Collectibles & Morphing Objects ☯(CE Version Only):
Once again, Domini has surprised us with no surprise when it comes to their completely predictable Collectibles & Morphing Objects. Once again there are 15 Morphing objects...this time they are Blood Sample Vials (AB-yum?) 15 Jewelry Items (Vampires=Jewelry...I totally see the connection here...okay, no I don't really see any connection here?) Once again, the entire town is littered with a gazillion Missing Notes, I have a confession to make, in my spare time I jot down all my thoughts and nefarious plans, one page at a time, on a single sheet of paper and then I place a single page in random places all over town just for grins and giggles (sometimes when I'm really bored, like now, for example, I take the Unicorn...his story's coming up, keep reading)...what are the chances of the same person finding all of those pages? There are 70 Coins to pilferage that are hidden away in the darkest corners of some of the Zoom Zones. They aren't your coins, they aren't in your house, they are in someone else's house, the people who live in those houses look like they need those coins more than you do, but you'll take them anyway, even worse, you'll both take them, it's okay, no one's looking, seriously, no one can see you, well technically, the owl is watching you but "whooo's" he gonna tell, Gabriel? He took some too, Sabrina, she just swiped a handful, it's a match made in heaven, Vampires In Love... oh wait, that was the first game lol.

◔Hidden Object Scenes◕
There are 9 Hidden Object Scenes +4 in the CE Bonus Chapter and an alternate Match 3 Game available, which btw, doesn't allow you to make consecutive matches quickly. (you have to wait for all tiles to stop falling before you can make the next match) They include Interactive List Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Keywords in Sentence Finds, Descriptive Item Finds, Find 12 Odd Items withing several Pictures, and one that I thought was pretty creative where you turned discs to align two halves of a fish, shown as Silhouetted Shapes. When the fish were aligned, they would come to life in full color (mostly colorful male Beta fish) and jump into the center pond.

♙Mini-Games:♘
There are 21 Mini-Games +6 in the CE Bonus Chapter. You can choose to play them in an Easy or Hard difficulty mode and you can choose which mode to have them start out in the Custom Setting (you can still switch between modes for each individual game) Here's a list of some of my personal favorites:

1-Shoot bats 3 times each, bats move forward after each shot.
2-Arrange flower petals according to the hint by rotating discs.
3-Climb a rope by adjusting 3 levers to align the target over each knot 1 at a time.
4-Use free slots to swap gears to their matching colored flowers, and then place gears so they fit correctly on the pegs.
5-Use directional arrows to rotate inner & outer edges so red candles are on the inside and blue candles are on the outer edges.
6-Use directional arrows to move counter or clockwise either 3-4 or 6 spaces to land on the correct symbols.

✯Bonus Chapter✯ (CE Version Only)
This Bonus Chapter takes us back to the "Origins" of Dr. Helsing and why she dedicated her life to pursuing Vampires. Honestly, this character is more interesting than all the other characters combined, but again, I just can't take a Vampire game seriously when Domini has flooded the scenes with their cutesy, over-abundance of rainbow fantasy colors. I was ready to see a pink Unicorn pop up from behind the trees at any moment to attack its victims with a silvery-purple glitter-bomb as it whinny-giggled its way back into the forest! This is an above average-length chapter (surprise!... [insert glitter-bomb]) spanning over a whopping 10 scene locations with 6 additional Mini-Games and 4 Hidden Object Scenes. You will continue your search for the final 4 Morphing Blood Sample Vials, 4 Jewelry Items, and 15 Zoom Zone Coins which allows you to purchase the final Salon decorations...surprise with these same ole, same ole collections, it's always the same scenario with different names (it's even the same amount to collect) there's no surprise, so you don't get a unicorn glitter bomb this time :(

♕Collector's Edition Extra's♕ (CE version only)
15 Wallpapers, 15 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 30 Movie Video Cutscenes, 39 Achievements (the same achievements offered in all of their games and notice how you earn them in the order shown AND you earn them when you didn't really earn them because they are given to you at specific set-points, not by randomly earning them. In other words, you won't earn the 5th achievement first because that's not when the game is programmed to award them...seems rather disappointing now doesn't it?), 18 Replayable Mini-Games, 17 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 15 Morphing Blood Sample Vials, 15 Jewelry Items, a gazillion Missing Notes...again! 70 Zoom Zone Coins to purchase 15 Boring Salon Items placed randomly in the middle of the floor, 6 Main Chapters (filled with cliche, repetitive tasks) +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.

DARK ROMANCE SERIES LIST
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating

1-Vampire in Love (March 9-2014) 3.7
2-Heart of the Beast (May 22-2015) 4.0
3-The Swan Sonata (November 15-2015) 3.8
4-Kingdom of Death (May 20-2016) 4.0
5-Curse of Bluebeard (November 11-2016) 4.4
6-Romeo and Juliet (March 26-2017) 4.4
7-The Monster Within (October 6-2017) 3.3
8-Winter Lily (February 16-2018) 4.2
9-A Performance to Die For (August 24-2018) 4.0
10-Hunchback of Notre Dame (March 8-2019) 3.4
11-Ethereal Gardens (October 4-2019) 3.3
12-Ashville (April 24-2020) 3.2
13-Vampire Origins (September 25-2020) n/a

by: Domini Games Show less

I don't recommend this game.

+33points

45of 57voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes45No12

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

3 / 5

4 of 7 found this review helpful

Okay Vampire legend

PostedNovember 6, 2020

peanutlee33

fromMichigan

Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object

Fun Factor

3 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

3 / 5

Level of Challenge

2 / 5

Storyline

3 / 5

I absolutely tried hard to get into this game, but no luck. While the graphics were decent, it became cumbersome grade school level with ridiculous oversized objects 'floating' as I clicked on them, and opening scenes and the characterization moving too slowly. I've played other vampire tales before, but they were adult octane level compared to this.

I don't recommend this game.

+1point

4of 7voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes4No3

Flagged as inappropriate.

Browse by Genre:

Browse by Genre:

Dark Romance: Vampire Origins

Reviews

Dark Romance: Vampire Origins

, share your thoughts about this game!

Dark Romance: Vampire Origins

Heres what your review will look like once it’s posted.

Click Submit if you’re happy. Your review should appear soon. To make changes, use the Edit or Cancel buttons.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts about this game!

You’ve already shared your thoughts about this game.

Thanks for submitting the review below.


	, share your thoughts about this game! Dark Romance: Vampire Origins When the dead return with a vengeance... Heres what your review will look like once it’s posted. Click Submit if you’re happy. Your review should appear soon. To make changes, use the Edit or Cancel buttons. Thanks for sharing your thoughts about this game! You’ve already shared your thoughts about this game. Thanks for submitting the review below.