Die for Valhalla!
- May 30, 2018
- MonsterSed
There’s been a resurgence of side-scrolling beat ’em ups recently.
In "Die for Valhalla!", play as a Valkyrie possessing fallen warriors and monsters to save the realm in a Norse Mythology-meets-Lovecraftian mythos setting. Enjoy solo or local co-op in either Normal or Hardcore mode, offering different levels of difficulty and world exploration. Experience unique potion effects and permadeath in Queenndependent's rogue-lite Hardcore mode. * Action RPG with possession mechanics * Norse Mythology and Lovecraftian mythos setting * Two game modes: Normal and Hardcore
Reviews
- The game features a unique possession mechanic that allows players to control different Viking classes, adding variety to gameplay.
- The art style is charming and colorful, contributing to an enjoyable visual experience.
- The game offers both casual and hardcore modes, catering to different player preferences and providing replayability.
- Combat feels repetitive and lacks impact, leading to a dull gameplay experience over time.
- The level design is uninspired and often feels lazy, with little variation in environments and objectives.
- Technical issues such as freezing and clunky controls detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- gameplay24 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some praising its fun mechanics, humor, and variety of classes, while others criticize it for being janky, repetitive, and lacking polish. Players appreciate the unique possess mechanic and the balance of RPG elements, but many feel that the combat and level design could be improved to enhance the overall experience. Overall, the game offers enjoyable moments and a decent challenge, but it struggles with execution in certain areas.
“Fun gameplay, good story with balanced humor, decent soundtrack and definitely plenty of hours to play.”
“I'd recommend it, it's a good game with nice mechanics, it can be challenging as well, you can play as a regular beat'em all or as a roguelike, it has RPG elements to it, the difficulty is increasing as you gain more power, the art style and the music are really nice and help the story deliver, there are also funny moments with the cut-scenes which introduce a level, you have several classes and many possibilities to approach the game, it is really easy to pick up, has a nice playtime and a great variety of enemies, themes and customizations.”
“With a variety of gameplay and humorous content, I had a lot of fun playing Die for Valhalla!”
“It's janky and unsatisfying to play... and any experienced gamer will tell you, the handling, responsiveness, and general gameplay feel of the control scheme must be well polished for this kind of game to succeed.”
“Unfortunately, this is something the developer seems to have phoned in, with little to no apparent gameplay testing.”
“Every time your character struck something, you saw the enemy recoil, flinch, or they got stun locked mechanically.”
- graphics19 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Die for Valhalla!" receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the distinctive 2D art style reminiscent of games like "Don't Starve," while others criticize the overall visual quality as basic and lacking polish. Despite the game's aesthetic appeal and thematic design, many feel that the animations are stiff and the graphics do not meet modern expectations for a 3D title. Overall, while the visuals have their charm, they are often described as simplistic and underwhelming compared to contemporary standards.
“Controls are tight, graphics are fun & gorgeous.”
“Game has nice, aesthetic 2D graphics, sounds are also very good, well creating a Viking-like atmosphere in my opinion.”
“Is an amazing combination of rogue-lite and side-scrolling beat-em-up style game that has amazing graphics and catchy music.”
“It's a basic arcade brawler, a little like a lazy ripoff of Golden Axe from the 1980s, only with worse graphics.”
“Regardless, the overall visual quality of the game is very low, beneath what PC gamers have come to expect in this era of cutting-edge photorealistic 3D graphics.”
“While there are options to change the resolution for the game, all this does is scale up the simplistic 2D art assets used to make the game, which makes little or no difference to the graphics quality.”
- humor12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is well-executed, featuring a blend of witty cut-scenes and satirical elements that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the balance of fun and challenge, with humorous moments woven throughout the gameplay, making it an enjoyable beat 'em up adventure. The writing stands out for its creativity, contributing to a charming and entertaining atmosphere.
“The writers did an awesome job on this game to bring that special type of humor to a game.”
“It has great animations, creative and diverse monsters that generally require different strategies to take down, and some hilarious cut scenes.”
“With a variety of gameplay and humorous content, I had a lot of fun playing Die for Valhalla!”
- story9 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as simple yet enjoyable, featuring balanced humor and engaging cut-scenes that enhance the gameplay experience. While some players appreciate the comedic elements and RPG aspects, others find the narrative lacking depth, particularly in extended play modes. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop to the fun mechanics and varied gameplay, though it may not satisfy those seeking a more intricate plot.
“Fun gameplay, good story with balanced humor, decent soundtrack and definitely plenty of hours to play.”
“The art style and the music are really nice and help deliver the story, with funny moments in the cut-scenes that introduce each level.”
“Now, after having finished the story (which doesn't exist) and having played a few rounds of hardcore mode, it isn't very satisfying, and as such I'll say it's no good.”
“You'll mostly be possessing fallen Norse warriors as you embark on your quest, hacking and slashing your enemies.”
“Many jokes will be made as you progress through the story.”
- music9 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as enjoyable and fitting, complementing the gameplay and story well, though it lacks a standout or epic quality. While some players find the soundtrack catchy and suitable for the game's atmosphere, others feel it is somewhat simplistic and not particularly memorable. Overall, the music enhances the experience but does not dominate it.
“Fun gameplay, good story with balanced humor, decent soundtrack and definitely plenty of hours to play.”
“The art style and the music are really nice and help deliver the story.”
“Is an amazing combination of rogue-lite and side-scrolling beat-em-up style game that has amazing graphics and catchy music.”
“I can't understand if it's normal music or boss music.”
“Game soundtrack was fine, nothing special, but fitting nonetheless.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessive and frustrating, particularly in the late game where boss battles require significant effort and time investment to succeed. Many reviewers note that the final boss feels nearly unbeatable without extensive grinding, leading to a tedious gameplay experience. Overall, the unbalanced difficulty and reliance on grinding detract from the enjoyment of the game.
“The late game is a bit grindy, with bosses that will wear out your controllers and hands trying to finish off their health bars.”
“The final boss seems impossible to beat without grinding.”
“The boss fights are so tedious.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players note that the game offers significant replayability, particularly through the ability to unlock additional clans and their associated achievements, which encourages multiple playthroughs. This aspect aligns with expectations for replayability commonly found in the roguelike beat'em up genre.
“We only unlocked half of the clans the first time through, so it has a bit of replayability to unlock the others and try to get their achievements.”
“The main reason I got the game was because I was hoping for replayability that other games in this roguelike beat 'em up genre have.”
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
"Die for Valhalla" enhances character development compared to "Castle Crashers" by offering a more detailed skill point allocation system, allowing players to customize their characters more effectively while maintaining a similar gameplay pace and environment.
“Die for Valhalla follows the same pace, environments, and formula as Castle Crashers, but with much more attention to skill point allocation and character development.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features appealing 2D graphics and high-quality sound design that effectively immerse players in a Viking-like atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience.
“The game features beautiful, aesthetic 2D graphics, and the sound design is excellent, effectively creating a Viking-like atmosphere.”
“The immersive atmosphere draws you in, making you feel like you're truly part of the world.”
“The combination of stunning visuals and atmospheric soundscapes creates a captivating experience.”
Critic Reviews
Die for Valhalla! Review
Die For Valhalla! is a successful mix of several genres that mainly presents itself as a lengthy side-scrolling beat-'em-up and just like the majority of such games is best enjoyed with friends along the way. There is still a lot to chew for the lonely solo player out there, so if you into the genre and Norse mythology, do consider giving this one a possession. Odin would approve and so do we.
70%Violent Possession
There’s been a resurgence of side-scrolling beat ’em ups recently.
70%Die for Valhalla (Switch) Review
Who knew death could be so fun?
75%