Valheim Early Access Preview – Shake off the Rust

If you asked me if I like Valheim, I know exactly what my answer would be. I would say something like, “Valheim is definitely an incredibly popular game, and a lot of people are talking about it. By that factor alone, you have to accept that it succeeds and a lot of people enjoy it, and that’s before you do. you were relying on sales numbers, a number so astronomical that newcomers to Iron Gate Studio will probably never have to worry about money again. “

If I decided not to give a politician a non-response, I would say I love Valheim, but I don’t either. I found myself being absorbed more into Valheim than a recently poured glass of scotch is absorbed into my liver. At the same time, I also wondered why I keep playing the game every session, when they were marathon sessions. Even with that in mind, I still have more of Valheim to explore.

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I feel like I’ve played almost every survival game since Minecraft was released and kicked the subgenre into overdrive. Rust was the first to really absorb me, accompanying me on his first Early Access release, but I finally left when I ran out of people in Rust. Since then, I’ve been through 7 Days to Die, The Forest, The Long Dark, Subnautica, Don’t Starve, Ark: Survival Evolved, DayZ, H1Z1, SCUM, Terraria and many more. All this to say that survival games became the next realistic shooters and are now being supplanted by open world as the go-to thing for those with no terminal inspiration.

That’s unless there is something to give a reason, to hook people up and probably make them want to explore. For some, it is other people. This is why Rust and DayZ are still so successful. For others, the setting does, which is why Subnautica, Raft, and The Long Dark are so good. Then you have the creativity, the driving force behind the genre’s unparalleled emperor, Minecraft. Valheim is rare. Valheim seeks to push these three elements simultaneously and, arguably, to succeed.

Being dropped into this new world by a giant bird, you are given a simple task: to survive. Well, you have two tasks. Survive and kill the five abandoned. At least there are five at the moment. It’s boss fights in the true sense of the word, offering a gigantic challenge from Eikthyr, a giant electric Rudolph, to Moder, a giant ice dragon straight out of Skyrim. You fight them by annoying them essentially by putting a few heads, or babies, of their respective animals or subjects on their podiums.

It is the current loop of Valheim. You settle down somewhere, you venture to collect resources while trying to survive against the worst most dangerous creatures. The even greater threat to your survival? Trees. Cut one off and a large log might fall on your head. Once you’ve refueled or things get too dangerous, you flip and store the gear, cook some food, and hopefully have a chance to upgrade your gear or even start crafting. new, better quality equipment, advancing you in your conquest. of this new world.

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Now the issues so far with Valheim are the gaps between these bosses. They can feel incredibly long. The biggest gap I’ve encountered so far is between the first and second bosses. You start mining, exploring the black forest, facing gray dwarves and skeletons. It’s the awkward early-middle stage, and it really looks like a terrible amount of grind. Honestly, the faster you can skip this – whether it’s teaming up with others or just giving yourself the gear you need – the better the game will go.

The repetition, limitation, and lack of purpose are what ends up killing me with most survival games. I do not need a game to give me a goal; I can do all the sandbox stuff. Since Minecraft, I’m basically the video game version of Kevin McCloud. I love building my own awesome house, a house that is both aesthetic and functional based on the world it is in. Valheim profited brilliantly with solid construction mechanics.

They are not perfect and some are boring. Wood degrades too much when water hits it. Wooden buildings in recent years, so it might need some tweaking, if only because the game seems obsessed with showing off its pretty fantastic storm mechanics – the gales, the rain hitting you and everything around you, and the waves start to climb. I rarely find games with the weather that add so much atmosphere, but it’s the little things that matter. This includes more aspects of construction, which includes the need to build in a fireplace. You need a fire inside to warm you, but if you don’t have ventilation, you will suffocate in your sleep. This is highlighted due to the very impressive smoke and fog, which makes a very hazy day almost as atmospheric as Silent Hill.

At least visually. Terror is not at the same level. That doesn’t mean you won’t find moments of horror. The first time you walk through the dark woods and meet a troll will be one of many curses, recriminations, then death. You’ll need to find a way to collect your items and then find a way around the troll until you’re equipped enough to defeat the huge git. The world isn’t full of these non-boss monstrosities. Not yet anyway. There is enough of it to make any long trip unsafe for your health.

Little things on top of the big things. Synergy. This is what makes Valheim impressive and fun to play, even during the grind, of which there are too many. Eating a balanced diet of meat, fruit and a sip of frost-resistant mead will improve your health and stamina. It is not by an upgrade. Of course, increasing your skills – leveled by use, just like you’ll find in an Elder Scrolls game – will give you a bonus in terms of reduced stamina use, increased damage, and more.

In keeping with the idea that the little things and the synergy are what makes Valheim so attractive, you have the aesthetic. You have smoke and fog, wind and rain, and a great lighting system. It all combines with a visual design that would otherwise look old; instead, it manages to look gorgeous. That’s before you build your ship and start sailing the ocean, meeting other biomes, and seeing the creatures, dungeons, and more that the world has to offer.

So the initial question is, do I like Valheim. Yeah, but I also know I’m close to the scene where I won’t be picking it up – unless I’m with a bunch of other people – for a while. Knowledge is enough to attract me. The mechanics gave me a few gigantic sessions as I continue to build my house. I’m just reaching that point where I see that making fun of myself leads to too much repetition, something that I know comes a lot sooner for me than most other people.

Do I recommend this, despite being in Early Access? Yes. Iron Gate’s hard work is impressive enough, arguably already worth the money you’ll pay for it, and there is so much potential for what will happen in the months and years to come.