What is Valheim, the Viking survival game taking over the internet?

Valheim is a new survival game based on Viking mythos and the lifestyle of the brutally efficient raiders.

After a series of massively successful Viking and Norse mythology-themed games, it does seem like the gaming industry has a particular obsession with the Northmen and their gods.

Valheim was first unveiled at the PC Gaming Show in 2020 and immediately made an impression on those in attendance. The game was pegged as one of the most exciting projects in development back then.

February 2021 saw Valheim make its way into Steam in Early Access to massively positive reviews and currently boasts of an "Overwhelmingly Positive" status on the platform.

Safe to say, Valheim has all the markings of the next big thing on PC, with its sales and ever-growing popularity indicating the same.

What is Valheim?

Valheim is, first and foremost, a survival game with similarities to titles such as Conan Exiles or Terraria. Essentially, survival games equip the character with little to nothing, and the player is left to their own devices to figure stuff out.

After barely managing to scrape a few items together to make clubs or the most essential of resources, it won't be long before players can progress to building entire settlements in Valheim.

What makes Valheim truly stand out in a sea of exceptional survival games is its ties to the Viking lifestyle and its gorgeous world, which is as unforgiving as it is inviting.

Players will be building rafts, climbing tall mountains and braving the wild against stone golems and other more vicious foes.

The world of Valheim is procedurally generated, so players can expect new challenges each time they traverse the world and start building up their settlement. The game also allows up to 10 players, making for one extremely fun social experience at a time when it couldn't be more important.

Valheim's survival gameplay loop will grab players almost instantly, but it is far from the easiest game they will play. Like every good survival game, Valheim challenges players and tests their endurance as it throws one curveball after the other. Players will die time and time again, but the game truly comes alive when they manage to finally overcome the odds.

How to play Valheim

Valheim's visual style and artistic choices pay off in a huge way, especially in open-waters

The game is currently on Steam and in Early Access, which means the development of the game is still underway. According to the devs, Most planned core features of the game have been implemented, and single-player and multiplayer modes are fully functional.

The devs, Iron Gate AB, have stated that the game will be in Early Access for at least a year, as working directly with the community is the best way to gather feedback.

More content such as new biomes, enemies, bosses and materials will eventually make their way into Valheim as time progresses. Players can head over to Steam and purchase Valheim to get in on the action as the game is also being developed.

While many players may be wary of games in Early Access, the reception of Valheim so far has been largely positive and will probably only get better with time.

Steam Link