Valheim

Valheim
Developer(s)	Iron Gate Studio
Publisher(s)	Coffee Stain Publishing
Engine	Unity
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows Linux
Release	2 February 2021 (early access)
Genre(s)	Sandbox, survival
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

Valheim is an upcoming survival and sandbox video game by the Swedish developer Iron Gate Studio. Published by Coffee Stain Studios,^[1] it was released in early access on 2 February 2021 for Windows and Linux on Steam.^[2] The game was developed by a five-person team, building on development work which Richard Svensson had undertaken as a side project in his spare time.^[3]

Setting and plot[]

Valheim takes place in a world where slain Vikings go to prove themselves fit for the halls of Valhalla. As one such, the player begins with nothing and soon discovers that to reach the Norse afterlife, they must defeat the evils that stalk Valheim.^[4] Led only by their instincts and occasional hints from a raven,^[5] the player must prepare to fight the sworn enemies of Odin himself.^[6]

The term "Valheim" denotes a fictional tenth world within the world tree Yggdrasil of Norse mythology.

Gameplay[]

Valheim is an open-world survival game played from a third-person perspective. As fallen Vikings, players must craft tools, build shelters and fight enemies to survive.^[7] The game uses distinctive low-resolution stylized 3D graphics, with a combat system inspired by action games.^[8] Co-operative gameplay with up to ten people and optional PvP gameplay is also supported.^[7]

After creating their Viking character, players can create a world that is procedurally generated from a map seed.^[9] Each world is split into several biomes, such as meadows, the Black Forest, swamps, mountains, plains, oceans, the Mistlands, the Deep North, and the Ashlands.^[10] Each biome has its own unique enemies, items, and bosses that change how difficult it is to survive there. Valheim operates on an in-game day and night cycle.^[11]

To survive, players must gather natural resources found throughout the world, either through foraging, hunting, mining, or farming. These resources are used to build shelters, make tools and equipment, and forge weapons. Players have a health bar (which depletes from enemy attacks or taking large falls), as well as a stamina bar that drains as players perform actions like running and attacking. To replenish either bar, players can eat food. This can not only restore health and stamina, but can also temporarily increase how much of each the player has, depending on the variation and quality of the food that is eaten.^[12]

In addition, the game utilizes a skill-level system that ranges from blocking to running. Each skill can be increased up to a level of 100 and has different effects on the game mechanics. For example, the spears skill will determine the damage the player can do with spears,^[13] while the running skill will determine how stamina is drained while sprinting.

The main objective of the game is to kill the five bosses located in different biomes of the game. To summon each boss, players must travel to each boss' altar and give a specific item as an offering. Bosses will drop a collectable trophy when killed; this trophy can be placed at a central altar to grant each player a special power-up. Power-ups can be used infinitely, but the player needs to wait for a brief period between uses.^[14][15]

Combat makes use of one- and two-handed weapons, shields, bows, spears.^[16][17] Players can travel through the different biomes either by foot or on crafted boats, which range from rafts to different types of Viking longships.

Development[]

Valheim is developed by Iron Gate Studio, a small Swedish game development studio formed during the game's production. Studio co-founders Richard Svensson and Henrik Tornqvist were both coworkers at a local game development company called Pieces Interactive.^[18][19] Before Valheim, Svensson had previously begun development on a simulation game called Tolroko in his spare time.^[20] However, this game was ultimately unreleased; according to Tornqvist, Svensson realized that it was "redundant to implement simulation systems for their own sake, rather than for the player".^[20] With his next game, Svensson wanted to make an open-world experience where its simulations improved the player's experience.^[21]

Svensson began working on Valheim in 2017 under the working title of Fejd (Swedish for "feud").^[18][19] He ended up leaving Pieces Interactive in 2018 to work on Valheim full time, and convinced Tornqvist to join him later that year.^[18] The game was released into alpha in June 2018^[22] and officially released into early access on 2 February 2021, with no full release date announced so far.

Continued support for the game is planned throughout 2021, and it involves the expansion of unfinished biomes, as well as improvements to fundamental game mechanics.^[23]

Iron Gate Studio updated the game on September 16th, 2021 with the "Hearth & Home" update. This update brought general improvements to the game and introduced new food, weapons, and build options.^[24]

Reception[]

Valheim has received positive reviews from critics.^[26] IGN Nordic gave the game a rating of 9/10, stating that the game has "excellent art and music highlighting a world that generates endless exciting stories".^[25] PC Gamer called Valheim a "rare exception" for early access games, as well as stating that the game "feels refined and satisfying as it is right now".^[27] The Washington Post appreciated that Valheim did not elaborate on certain gameplay and story elements, allowing its fans to build a sense of community with each other by sharing things like design ideas and theories about the game's lore.^[28]

A month after its release, it had sold five million copies and was one of the most-played games on Steam.^[29][18]

Awards and accolades[]

Valheim was nominated for Best Debut Indie Game and Best Multiplayer Game at The Game Awards 2021.^[30]

Soundtrack[]

Valheim (Original Game Soundtrack) was released October 29, 2021, by Iron Gate AB, to stream on Spotify and for purchase on Steam.^[31]

Track listing[]

All music credited to Patrik Jarlestam except where noted.

Personnel[]

• Patrik Jarlestam – composer, guitars, bass, percussion
• Philippa Murphy-Haste – clarinet, viola
• Jenean Lee – cello
• Michael H. Dixon – French horn

^[31]

References[]

External links[]

• Official website

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