Valheim is exploding right now, and at first glance it might be hard to understand why. It has an old school look and a steep learning curve, but the survival sandbox game is happily on the Steam bestseller list for a reason. Once you start playing, you're always just a few more pieces of leather and flint from its greatness.
A warrior slain by battle, the Valkyries took his soul to Valheim, the tenth Norse world. Surrounded by creatures of chaos and ancient enemies of the gods, you are the newest guardian of primordial purgatory, tasked with slaying Odin's ancient rivals and bringing order to Valheim.
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Content Index
Valheim and a hero without pants
You start out half dressed - just a leather tunic between you and the world - and with an empty stockpile in a meadow. Also, you are in a world full of strange monuments! Boars, deer and monsters and to survive you need to craft tools, clothes, weapons, a shelter and learn to hunt and defend yourself. Die and you'll respawn, but you'll need to return to the location of your untimely death to retrieve your precious items.
Just meeting your basic needs will take some time, and there are no quests (although occasionally a mystical raven appears to explain something about the world). So progress is all about exploring and trying things out, whether you're trying to make a bow or build a decent-looking house.
It's pretty forgiving too, you can't starve or dehydrate to death! But being well fed will give you more health and stamina – and it's easy to repair items, so the game isn't just one long story about trying to make an axe that won't ruin your life.
The Forsaken
As you get better at the game and master weapon and armor crafting, you can try your hand at fighting the great monsters in Valheim, The Forsaken. They have to be summoned using resources you have collected in the world and if you defeat them you will get new resources to craft new items and access to special powers.
The first is a giant deer that can shoot lightning with its antlers, but killing it will give you the ingredients to craft a pickaxe! Also, you will need it to mine ores, and it will increase your resistance. Which is very useful when running away from anything that might want to kill you.
Of course, you're no Viking type without a ship, and the game lets you build them too, starting with puny rafts and finally longboats. This allows you to explore further and find even more resources, although traveling is not without its dangers. There are only three sea vessels to build at the moment, but the game is only in early access, so expect all sorts of things to be added as the game develops, especially since the public has been so enthusiastic.
friends and farms
One of the things that made the game so popular, even in Early Access, is the ability to play with up to nine friends! And you can easily join friends servers to check their camps and help them with those boss monsters. Just don't be jealous when they have a sprawling settlement with farms and defenses, and you're still not sure how to lay your hut's roof straight. On other servers, I've seen great halls, huge farms, houses with dragon decorations, mead halls, and hunting lodges. I don't know who these Valheim super creators are, but I obviously hate them all.
I haven't even gotten to the part where I want to face any giant deer yet, I'm just happy scavenging, storing firewood. Gradually trying to make my cabin into something a little cozier than the forgotten bathroom it currently resembles.
When I get into combat I can't handle it, it's inevitably because I've gone too far hunting blueberries, not because I'm looking for glory. With no mission reminders popping up and a huge world to explore – even one that has a slightly retro feel – it's one of the most relaxing survival games I've ever played. At some point, I will no doubt feel the urge to take on some new challenges to open up my crafting options and stop being the equivalent of Valheim trailer trash. Until then, I'll be here trying to fix this damn roof.
Valheim is now available on Steam Early Access and costs R$ 37.99.
