Valheim

After 1,100+ hours, I think I’m qualified to write a review. ;) Valheim isn’t for everyone. But for the people it is for, it is **exceptional.** "Co-op survival crafting meets fantasy RPG" could go wrong in so many ways. Valheim gets it right: - Deep but intuitive mechanics - Epic Viking atmosphere with a dash of epic Viking goofiness - The perfect balance of combat, exploration, building, and chilling - Progression that feels meaningful, never grindy - Procedural worlds that somehow never feel repetitive - Co-op that is cooperative ("Pass the eyescream, please"), not just fighting next to each other - Dying matters without being annoying (and is often hilarious) Some thoughts for newbies: - Bring lots of lumber. No, more. No, like, three times what you think you need, dude. - "Valhalla is over rated, let's just live in the meadows forever." - If the piece doesn't click, hold Shift and fudge it. - Getting feathers is everyone's job. - "Can you mark these blueberries on your map?" - If saying "a rested bonus" sounds too much like "arrested bonus", call it "a cozy bonus" instead. ("Co Bo!") - [Sailing] "I mean, how long can this island be?" (Three days later...) - "We're bound to find turnips at some point." (:|) - "... So, is the Bogwitch the same species as Greydwarves?" - Plant lots of onions. No, more. No, like, three times... (etc.) - "We're bound to find silver at some point." (:|) - Getting feathers is everyone's job. - "Let's just chill in the Merchant's bubble forever." - "Wait, where's the ship?" (:|) - "...Where are we storing Guck?" - "Moder wasn't bad, how bad can Yagluth be?" (YOU DIED) - "These ice blob bombs will work great against Yagluth." (EVERYONE DIED) - "You set your spawn point, right?" (:|) - Getting feathers is everyone's job. - "You brought stuff for the portal, right?" (:|) - Hanging trophies on your walls strikes fear in the hearts of your enemies. - "Wait, didn't we have two ships?" (:|) - Summon the skeletons BEFORE you use the Staff of Protection. - "Do you think the queen is going to be hard?" (EVERYONE DIED x1000) I don't want to give anything else away. Iron Gate, Coffee Stain: Thanks for the memories. And the questionable mead. To the rest of you: Go make legends.

The game with the most replayability I have ever experienced. There are so many ways to approach it. The base game is full of options, play it as a hardcore combat game...or as a hardcore survival game... or as a casual exploration game... or as a simple survival game... or as a complicated building game...and so much more. I have started from scratch with enthusiasm over and again. The best money I have ever spent on a game.

I absolutely love Valheim. Playing on a server with my friends makes the experience even better, and there’s honestly a little bit of everything to enjoy. I love the open-world exploration, building, crafting, foraging, sailing, and just wandering around seeing what we can find. The atmosphere and music are especially great and give the game this surprisingly cozy feeling. There’s something really relaxing about gathering materials, sailing around, or working on a base with your friends. Of course, sometimes Valheim likes to remind you that you are, in fact, mortal 😂 The grind can be a lot, and while I actually enjoy the grind, it can definitely get frustrating. The skill system is probably one of my biggest love/hate relationships with the game. Dying causes your skills to drop, which can put you into a frustrating cycle of trying to rebuild your skills while also trying not to die again. Sometimes it feels like you're finally getting better, only to die and have to work your way back up. It's stressful, but somehow that makes the relaxing moments feel even better. There's something really satisfying about finally making progress after struggling for a while. Overall, Valheim is one of those games where I can spend hours just doing whatever I feel like doing. Build a house, go sailing, explore, fight monsters, gather resources, or just hang out with friends. Definitely recommend it if you enjoy open-world survival, crafting, exploration, and games that can somehow be both cozy and terrifying at the same time.