The purpose of the game vampire survivors is to survive as long as possible under the assault of waves of monsters in order to earn access to new playable characters, weapons, and relics in subsequent playthroughs. Despite the title and cover art, none of the many monsters players will face in this game are vampires.
The player takes control of one of several characters, each of whom begins the game with a unique arsenal and set of abilities, and advances through an infinite stage whose layout is produced randomly each time. The player's weapons go into automatic attack mode, and the objective is to hold out against waves of creatures that deal damage upon impact. You can gain experience gems, which are required to level up, and the "floor chicken," which restores your health, as well as other useful goods, by defeating monsters and exploring the stage.