Valheim: Is It Worth Playing?

Despite being one of the most popular games ever created, Minecraft has had many detractors over the years.

Plenty of people dismiss the game and never get sucked in like millions of other players do.

Recently, a new Steam Early Access game called Valheim has carved out its own audience, and is continuing to accrue millions of players worldwide.

If Minecraft or similar games aren’t your cup of tea, would this be any different for you? Should you play Valheim?

Instant Direction

There’s plenty of people that don’t like the openness that some video games offer, as having no direction can lead one to feeling overwhelmed and even bored.

Can You Play Valheim With Friends
Credit: Iron Gate

Minecraft offers no hand-holding and lets the player roam around and do whatever they want, which can be enthralling for some.

Valheim right off the bat gives you some direction by the way of telling you that your first objective is to challenge the first boss Eikthyr.

This leads you to explore your surroundings and begin to gather resources.

Once you craft a pickaxe and stone axe, you can start collecting ore and wood to create gear.

RELATED: Valheim: Best Weapons for Combat

Right off the bat, you’re given an objective that shows you the structure of the entire game; the entirety of your journey can take dozens or even hundreds of hours.

Even with the game explaining what your objectives should be, Valheim doesn’t stop you from picking a direction and just walking onward.

A Mythic World

The mysterious stranger can appear to you while playing Valheim.
Credit: PC Gamer

Valheim’s various biomes provide a variety of challenges for you to overcome, as each area has its own unique wildlife and creatures.

Everything from Greydwarves to Trolls and Wolves are there for you to contend with as you traverse the world.

In addition to the enemies on the overworld, there’s various dungeons that can be found that contain unique items and clues to other bosses in the world.

They’re usually claustrophobic affairs, where entering a small hallway can lead you to another room or certain death.

One exciting (and scary) event that can happen to you while playing is seeing the words “The ground is shaking…” flash on your screen.

This means a special enemy event is taking place, where many difficult mobs may assault you in droves.

Its in these swarms of enemies where your patience and cunning will be tested, as its very difficult to outrun enemies that only require one or two steps to be next to you.

In addition to the myriad of enemies, you’ll see, sometimes a visitor might appear in front of you. The purpose of such an enigmatic figure has yet to be revealed.

Glory With Friends

An example of the kind of structure you can build with friends or alone.
Credit: Reddit

Even though you can tackle all of Valheim’s world on your own, you can always bring a group of your friends along for the journey.

Multiplayer in Valheim is easy to set up and incredibly fun; taking on some of the more difficult biomes in the game is alleviated by the presence of a friend or two.

Don’t feel like fighting monsters and exploring dungeons? Then cooperate with your friends to build a settlement, or maybe a giant tower, or some other absurd structure.

The possibilities are endless, as many players have already built insane structures in-game.

It would be an understatement to say that Valheim is simply a fun game, as you can be easily drawn in by its strange, ruthless world.

If other survival crafting games aren’t your cup of tea, then this might be one to try.

RELATED: Can You Play Valheim With Friends? A Co-Op Guide

What it offers is different from games like Minecraft, as the mysterious world and its lore can pique your interest for days on end.

You can have fun gathering and crafting, but there’s always something bigger on the horizon that will entice you out of your comfort zone.

Valheim is a game that should be played by the adventurous and creative alike, as you will be wondering about the secrets of the world right after you finished building your third home.

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