Version tested: PC (Steam / Press in early access)
Norse mythology has always been a thriving garden of dreams and tales able to influence an important part of the Western narrative tradition with its fruits.
Furthermore, its immense stratification has also formed the foundation of what is now called High Fantasy, whose most important works of the genre are certainly freely drawn from the myths of Odin, Thor and Loki. And it is from this huge book of dreams and tales that Valheim draws to tell a slightly different story, but with a common denominator the ascent to the glory and the gates of Valhalla.
Iron Gates AB's work certainly has a very different nature from Hellblade's delicate and disturbing one and certainly less original. "Trivially" our goal is to conquer glory and to do so we will have to do great deeds.
What game is it?
Valheim is a sandbox where exploration is the cornerstone of the gameplay. The combat system is very similar to a very simplified hack and slash, despite the "woodiness" of the movements that refer a lot to the titles released at the turn of the last decade.
The RPG mechanics are very peculiar, seen very few times in such a pushed version, even in more noble productions. In fact, to level up, no experience points are required; the growth method is, indeed, completely left to the player's actions. This means that if you want to refine your run, your alter ego will have to run a lot; if you want to improve the mastery of your fists you will have to engage in fights with bare hands and so on.
The game editor - initially present - is rather bare, but allows you to take care of the appearance of your character with sufficient precision and thoroughness. Beard, hair, skin tone and “blond” are the parameters that can be used for customization.
Once the character has been chosen, it will be possible to either join the world of another player (but for a maximum of 10 people) or create and play on your own. Beyond the choice, it will then be possible in the following to create your own settlement, modify it and fortify it.
The game worlds - finally - are generated by the game in a procedural way, making each experience unique for every user who wants to get lost in this adventure.
Why play Valheim?
Valheim is a very interesting indie. Among the things we liked most there is certainly the setting that offers truly suggestive views despite the technical aspect not being sufficiently taken care of.
However, it is the game mechanics that will make you appreciate this indie with high hopes: the possibility of building your own settlement, being able to play in company and having access to always different worlds, made the Valheim experience really pleasant.
If you want to lose yourself in an imperishable, completely renewable world and you don't want to follow a specific path, Valheim is the perfect game.
Why not play Valheim?
The reasons not to play it, in reality, are few. The first, in detail, concerns localization. Valheim is a completely English game, therefore, if you are not English speakers or in any case you do not speak and read English fluently, you can find it hard to keep up with some dialogues and texts. Nevertheless, for the niche to which it is dedicated, a precise and punctual localization would have generated more wonder.
Furthermore, Valheim is exactly that kind of game not suitable for those looking for an adventure on rails, scripted and outlined and for those who want to play a story that ends in a few hours.
Finally, there are some graphic bugs, but - given the production budget - these are certainly a negligible detail that all fans of the genre must absolutely recover.
Conclusion
Valheim is a niche title that meshes slowly but then captivates you thanks to the beauty of the settings and the charisma of Norse mythology. Pitfalls and reflections will accompany the journey to Valhalla, but no matter how long and uphill the road is, it will be worth it for every single inch of the way. Absolutely to be recovered if you live on bread and bifrost.
