It is exhausting to imagine it has been 4 years since I first set sail and fell in love with Valheim. As a fan of survival crafting and all issues Norse, it is among the finest experiences on the market in each regards. And whereas it nonetheless feels pretty acquainted on the outset – and someway it’s nonetheless calling itself “early entry,” no matter which means anymore – it is gotten a mountain of patches since launch, with a listing of adjustments that may take longer to learn than the rambling tangent about some aspect character’s nice-grandfather in a viking saga. From new biomes and new bosses to crafting and fight enhancements, the model of Valheim you may obtain as we speak cuts like a blade that developer Iron Gate has been sharpening winter in and winter out.
All of that also holds true as we speak, besides that the world has gotten a lot greater and nearly each system has been improved on in some small or giant means. Besides greydwarves. They’re nonetheless annoying as hell. However we’ll get to that.
Excellent news for melee builds
This revisit relies on the decide-in beta patch introduced at Gamescom 2025, referred to as the Call to Arms replace, and that’s becoming as a result of it is introduced a few of the most vital adjustments to fight but. Trinkets are a brand new tools slot that permits you to construct up adrenaline by skirmishing – principally an excellent meter if you happen to’re accustomed to combating video games – with completely different results at full adrenaline for various trinkets. They’ve additionally added a “good dodge” that makes it doable to run a melee construct with no defend, so long as you are good at timing enemy assaults. And ideal blocks now not price stamina, which makes that construct far more viable too. Lastly, the reign of the stealth archer could also be coming to an finish! Nicely, in all probability not solely, however a minimum of it will not be up to now forward of different playstyles. Similar to almost all the pieces else that is modified in Valheim through the years, fight is similar system that is at all times been right here however only a bit higher and deeper.
We lastly get (killed by) bears!
The mascot for this patch, although, is the lumbering bear enemy. Why did it take this lengthy to put a bear within the viking survival sport? I do not know, however I am glad she’s right here now. Sitting someplace between greydwarves and trolls by way of issue, bears add some a lot-wanted enemy selection to the early areas the place most individuals find yourself spending a majority of their time anyway. And gathering bear elements permits you to construct a brand new weapon and armor set that basically lean into the tremendous-aggressive melee playstyle. I am fearful that this stuff shall be fully underpowered within the mid-late sport, but it surely’s good for the primary leg of your journey to have the opportunity to go full berserker.
Journeying by mist and flame provides mythological aptitude
Within the greater image, Valheim has change into a way more full saga since I initially reviewed it. Two extra biomes, the foggy Mistlands and burning Ashlands, have been added together with their attendant bosses, however I have never been ready to test the latter out but on this recent save I made for the patch the place I am about 25 hours in. As a matter of reality, even with effectively over 100 hours in Valheim total throughout a number of playthroughs, I’ve nonetheless by no means seen the Ashlands – added simply final 12 months – in any respect, really. The world is large! And that is very thrilling. There’s nonetheless a bit left to go on the roadmap, with one main boss and one biome nonetheless lacking, but it surely’s a lot nearer to the end line than it’s to the beginning.
Even in my preliminary Early Entry outing, I mentioned I may barely inform that is an Early Entry sport, and that is solely change into increasingly true. The quantity that is already right here may take you months to chew by enjoying on and off like I do. The ultimate 1.0 launch is perhaps out already by the point you end the Ashlands if you happen to begin as we speak. The sheer period of time it could take to even run right into a proverbial Underneath Development signal places them out of attain of what most of my playthroughs have even come shut to undertaking. And I’ve to ask: if it takes 60-plus hours for me to even discover one thing is not completed, is it actually unfinished in any respect? Or am I simply ready for an growth to come out? It sort of feels extra just like the latter.
Swamps are nonetheless a bummer
Each new space has recent enemies, distinctive survival challenges, new recipes to uncover, and a robust theme. Larger-stage biomes pull in additional mythological components that basically remind you you are not in Kristiansand anymore. Transferring from the Black Forest into the Swamps continues to be a tough transition with how way more unforgiving the terrain, enemies, and standing results change into – proper on the similar time that journey distances have gotten a difficulty, and earlier than you may unlock portals. It is no shock to me that that is the place a variety of my runs have ended. Plus, who likes a pungent poison swamp anyway? It is positively my least favourite biome, even within the newest patch. However it’s value getting by to see what comes after it.
Greydwarves are nonetheless annoying as hell
Greydwarves within the Darkish Forest stay annoying little pests that come to hassle you on a regular basis and current little or no fight problem. If we may craft a trinket that scares away decrease-stage enemies, I believe that may be nice. Bear in mind the Morrowind mod that added a belt that may zap cliff racers out of the air? Are Valheim gamers too younger to keep in mind Morrowind? what, do not even reply that. I do not need to know.
Mining feels much less grindy, however possibly that is simply character growth on my half
Gear development feels rather a lot much less grindy now as effectively. I have never in contrast the numbers to see how a lot of that’s precise adjustments to ore drop charges and carry weights and the way a lot it is simply that I’ve gotten used to how time-consuming it’s. I now not really feel like I am spending hours and hours teching up from stone to bronze. And whereas I used to be initially aggravated by the dearth of realism in the truth that repairing gadgets does not price crafting mats… I’ve to admit I used to be mistaken. It is an ideal little high quality-of-life characteristic that I haven’t got to go seek out extraordinarily uncommon supplies to hold my finest gear good and glossy. It’s good to know that after I craft one thing, it is mine ceaselessly.
The constructing system may nonetheless use some work
Constructing is one space the place I believe different survival crafting video games have form of left Valheim behind, primarily by way of how fiddly it may possibly get. I do know a part of that is that it is meant to be pretty life like, and I respect that. However the number of structural constructing items, particularly early on, continues to be form of disappointing. And it stays an enormous ache to work on rooftops or something excessive up due to how stairs, ladders, and slopes behave. As unrealistic as it’s, I discover myself wishing for one thing so simple as Minecraft scaffolding, which helps you to ascend up to no matter top you want simply by holding leap. I do know we will not have Dune: Awakening-type hovering in fantasy Scandinavia. Possibly I may ship a raven up there to assist me place stuff? Just a few concepts.
Top-of-the-line survival crafting video games ever has solely gotten higher
I adored Valheim when it was roughly half the journey it’s now. The world has gotten a lot richer and the development a lot deeper within the 4 years since, whereas even mechanics I used to be interacting with on my first day of a brand new playthrough have improved in small and delicate methods. If it does not lead the pack for the entire style outright, it is a minimum of very shut to the entrance, howling gleefully as its charming, low-res 3D artwork type beckons me into calm meadows and foreboding dungeons. I have never ever actually stopped enjoying it for greater than a handful of months at a time because it launched in early entry, and the concept of beginning a brand new world at all times will get me excited even when I do know the primary few verses of the saga by coronary heart at this level.