Van Helsing
About the Game
Van Helsing brings the film’s monster hunter to Game Boy Advance in an isometric action adventure. You guide the hunter through encounters with creatures including Dracula’s servants and Mr. Hyde, moving from a Paris opening toward the dangers of Transylvania. The handheld game uses its own elevated viewpoint and level design, giving this cartridge a distinct identity alongside the home-console adaptation.
The setting combines gothic streets, supernatural enemies and a practical collection of monster-hunting weapons. Your attention stays on reading the surrounding space, finding a useful position and surviving the next group of attackers.
Gameplay & Experience
Blades, firearms and an automatic crossbow provide different ways to approach a fight. Close attacks and ranged weapons ask different things of your positioning: moving toward an enemy may create an opening, while keeping a little distance can help you react to threats coming from another direction. The diagonal view makes it useful to watch the whole encounter rather than focusing only on the closest target.
From Paris to Transylvania
The opening introduces the game before the journey moves into the film’s monster-filled setting. Streets and other compact locations give encounters a clear shape, with enemies and obstacles changing how you move through them.
Watch for useful pickups
Collecting special items can improve the health bar. Searching the surroundings therefore has a practical purpose as well as helping you progress through the current location.
Boss encounters
Fights with recognizable monsters punctuate the smaller enemy encounters. These confrontations reward paying attention to the opponent’s position and attacks instead of treating every threat as another ordinary enemy.
Standout Features
- Isometric action designed for Game Boy Advance
- Blades, guns and an automatic crossbow
- Gothic locations including Paris and Transylvania
- Single-player encounters with monsters from the film
Quick Specs
| Platform | Game Boy Advance |
|---|---|
| North American Release | 2004-05-06 |
| Publisher | Vivendi Universal Games |
| Developer | Saffire |
| Genre | Action / Shooter |
| ESRB | Teen |
| Physical Media | Game Boy Advance Game Pak |
| Players | 1 player |
| Average Critic Rating | 32% — 7 Game Boy Advance critic ratings, MobyGames |
