Toplitz Drops Gothic Bloodsuckers and Frozen Wastelands at gamescom 2025—Here’s What’s Actually

Toplitz’s Double Feature: What’s Real Behind the Trailers?

Every gamescom, publishers bring a wave of flashy trailers and ambitious claims-and let’s be honest, half are quick hype jobs that fade after launch. But when Toplitz Productions dropped new gameplay for Vampires: Bloodlord Rising and Permafrost ahead of gamescom 2025, it genuinely grabbed my attention. Here’s why these two games-one a brooding vampire power fantasy, the other a frozen post-apocalypse-could (finally) deliver something different, and why I’m eyeing both with cautious optimism and a gamer’s skepticism.

• Vampires: Bloodlord Rising leans into open-world gothic action, letting you play as the ultimate antihero and build your own castle. The premise alone is a breath of fresh bloody air in the tired vampire genre.
• Permafrost takes survival horror into full-on climate catastrophe, baking in persistent cold, dog companions, and (actual) multiplayer co-op.
• Both aim for Early Access on PC this year; Bloodlord Rising is confirmed for October 23—perfectly timed for Halloween.
• Developer pedigrees add intrigue, but also raise questions about ambition versus reality.

Vampires: Bloodlord Rising—A Real Vampire RPG at Last?

Let’s face it: The vampire RPG space has been dead quiet since Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines, with every new entry promising “moral choices” and “urban horror” but rarely offering real freedom or power. Bloodlord Rising looks set to shake things up. You play as Dragos—rising from darkness, transforming into a bat, fighting inquisitors, and building that classic spire of gothic excess. I’ve seen enough “live as a vampire” tags to be wary, but what grabbed me most in the trailer was actual transformation gameplay and the chance to build a proper vampire lair.

The developer, Mehuman Games, includes talent from Lust from Beyond, which, for its flaws, at least had the guts to go all-in on deep atmosphere and narrative weirdness. If they keep that same energy while ditching the clunkiness, Bloodlord Rising could finally deliver the predatory freedom we crave—choosing brutality or seduction, ruling with terror, and (hopefully) not being another “stealth in the shadows” simulator.

I’m bullish on the idea, but here’s the rub: Open world, base-building, and open-ended morality are hard to deliver. If they actually nail even half of it in Early Access, it’ll be a win for fans tired of waiting for Paradox’s eternally delayed Bloodlines 2. But I’m keeping expectations in check—bad combat or shallow choices will kill the mood fast.

Permafrost—Survival With Teeth, Not Just Chilly Crafting

I confess, I’ve gotten numb to “another post-apocalypse survival game” announcements—but Permafrost has a few elements that shake up the formula. The shattered moon and endless winter aren’t window dressing; the gameplay focuses on relentless cold as an adversary, forcing you to think tactically and (finally!) team up with an AI (or real dog, more likely) to survive.

SpaceRocket Games is new on the block, but their vision isn’t just about scrounging for canned beans—it’s about rebuilding society, uniting (or clashing with) factions, and actual cooperative struggle. If they can pull off dynamic faction gameplay and true environmental threats beyond simple resource grinding, Permafrost could land somewhere between Frostpunk’s brutal extremes and The Long Dark’s eerie isolation.

I’m both excited and wary here. Too many survival games promise deep systems and end up with fetch quests and a hunger bar. But the persistent snowstorm backdrop, plus proper co-op, gives me hope they’re aiming for the higher bar set by recent genre standouts.

Why These Toplitz Titles Might Actually Stand Out

Toplitz’s reputation has been built on mid-budget, sometimes quirky management and sim titles (Medieval Dynasty fans know what I mean). Here, they’re taking a real swing at “immersive worlds”—and backing teams with track records for dark atmosphere and ambition.

The real question isn’t just whether these games look cool in a trailer (they do), but whether they use Early Access for real player feedback or as a dumping ground for half-finished ideas. Gamers aren’t biting on “potential” alone anymore; you’ve got to deliver progress and polish, or get buried in the Steam wilderness.

TL;DR: Two Worlds Worth Watching—If They Stick the Landing

Vampires: Bloodlord Rising could finally bring gothic power fantasy back if Mehuman nails their ambitious scope. Permafrost wants to unfreeze the survival genre’s tired tropes with real consequences and co-op. Toplitz is moving beyond safe bets, and if these games grow past their hype, PC gamers hungry for fresh worlds might just get a bloody good treat and a chill worth braving.