Niffelheim is a decent 2D survival game that plays it all just a little too seriously to be called enjoyable. It looks pretty good, but the simple combat and finicky systems hold it back.
"Niffelheim is a platformer game with support for single-player, multi-player, and co-op modes. Survive in the underworld of Norse mythology, gather resources, craft weapons and armor, and defend your lands against enemies. Collect all pieces of the portal to Asgard while uncovering the mysteries of these lands and proving yourself to the Gods."
Beautiful hand-drawn graphics and atmospheric music enhance the immersive experience.
Engaging crafting and resource management mechanics provide a satisfying gameplay loop.
The game offers a unique Viking-themed setting with a mix of survival and exploration elements.
Combat mechanics are simplistic and can feel repetitive, lacking depth and strategy.
The game can become grindy, with resource gathering and equipment durability leading to tedious gameplay.
Lack of clear tutorials and guidance can make it difficult for new players to understand game mechanics.
gameplay
350 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
61%
14%
The gameplay of Niffelheim has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its repetitive and grind-heavy nature, particularly in resource gathering and combat mechanics. While the game features beautiful art and an intriguing atmosphere, it suffers from clunky controls, lack of depth in combat, and a tedious gameplay loop that can detract from the overall experience. Some players find enjoyment in the crafting and survival elements, but many recommend waiting for improvements or a sale before purchasing due to its current shortcomings.
“The gameplay here is deep on gathering resources, and not so much about battling monsters.”
“I will say the fighting mechanics are a bit off, but it's honestly a fun game.”
“Overall, I have really enjoyed this game: interesting survival mechanics, complex crafting, excellent art design, and great background music.”
“There seems to just be some issues that could be easily fixed like the combat needs to just be slightly tweaked cause sometimes you can keep swinging and not hitting, there also doesn't seem to be any dodge mechanic in the game for anyone so there really isn't a way to miss without the game glitching.”
“The mechanics are boring and the goals aren't clear, random quests keep popping just as dungeon locations always shrouded by mystery and unexpected challenges that might kill you very quickly.”
“No matter how much it has going for it in terms of mechanics, style, etc. somehow all of it manages to just be tedious and straight-up not fun.”
graphics
336 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
30%
1%
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their beautiful hand-drawn art style and detailed environments, effectively capturing a captivating Norse mythology atmosphere. While many players appreciate the aesthetic and visual presentation, some note that the animations could use improvement and that the overall gameplay experience may not live up to the stunning visuals. Overall, the graphics are considered one of the game's strongest aspects, contributing significantly to its appeal.
“The hand-drawn graphics are a beauty to look at: the backgrounds are full of detail and the character models are excellent.”
“This little indie beauty truly has amazing graphics; for a 2D game, the developers really spared no effort to deliver a breathtakingly beautiful game to us.”
“Beautifully hand-drawn 2D graphics make sure the Norse atmosphere is rendered well; in this, Niffelheim is excellent.”
“The grinding is too extreme and survival too harsh, everything is too difficult, especially maintaining the integrity of crafted gear after the cost of crafting it in the first place... it shouldn't be so demanding to allow for the action part... in any case, the graphics and feel are quite bland for 2020; this experience is simply not worth it, and it's a shame.”
“It has that potential, the concept is promising, visuals and everything is pretty decent, but the execution gameplay-wise is so poor that it made me abandon this game.”
“I really like the art style for the game, but the mechanics themselves are seriously lacking in polish.”
grinding
233 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
99%
The game is heavily criticized for its excessive grinding, with many players finding the resource gathering and crafting processes tedious and repetitive. While some appreciate the art style and initial fun, the overwhelming focus on grinding for materials and maintaining gear durability leads to a frustrating experience, often detracting from the overall enjoyment. Players suggest that those who enjoy grind-heavy gameplay may find it rewarding, but many feel the game ultimately becomes a chore rather than a fulfilling adventure.
“Game has very nice artwork and a fun concept, but requires too much grinding to even stay at the same level without losing progress.”
“But the game is spoilt by the tedious grind and the rapid disintegration of key tools and weapons, forcing you to grind even more.”
“The grinding is too extreme and survival too harsh, everything is too difficult, especially maintaining the integrity of crafted gear after the cost of crafting it in the first place.”
story
184 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
68%
16%
The game's story is generally considered basic and underdeveloped, primarily revolving around a Viking's quest to gather pieces for the Asgard portal. While the Nordic setting and lore provide some context, many players find the quests repetitive and lacking depth, often reduced to simple fetch tasks with minimal narrative engagement. Overall, the story serves more as a backdrop to the crafting and survival mechanics rather than a compelling narrative experience.
“The story is not that complicated but the Viking lore compensates for that.”
“Overall, Niffelheim hits the mark in regards to setting, story, and world building but misses terribly in play mechanics like combat and progression.”
“I'd recommend it based off of the lore, setting, graphics, and story alone (I'm a big Norse mythology fan)...”
“The story is not that complicated, but the Viking lore compensates for that.”
“There's something of a story to it, but questlines are difficult to follow and just end abruptly with no indication of whether or not they'll pick up again.”
“While dialogues with NPCs and quest descriptions will give some insight about the world and how the lore is, generally don't expect much content story-wise.”
music
106 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
70%
27%
3%
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many reviewers highlighting the excellent soundtrack and its fitting integration with the game's art style. However, some players express a desire for more variety in the music tracks, noting that while the existing music is beautiful, it can become repetitive. Overall, the combination of enchanting music and stunning visuals creates a captivating ambiance that draws players into the game's world.
“The hand-drawn graphics and atmospheric music really draw you into the world of Nordic mythology.”
“I absolutely love the graphics and the music which complements each other so well.”
“They fit together perfectly, the entire OST complements every aspect of this game, enhancing it and making your experience all the more fun.”
“Not enough music tracks.”
“Very nice game but you have to add more different music!”
“- lazy music loop.”
atmosphere
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
26%
5%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its beautifully hand-drawn graphics and immersive sound design, effectively capturing the essence of Nordic mythology. Many players find the combination of art and music creates a captivating environment that enhances the overall experience, despite some criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics. Overall, the atmosphere is described as a standout feature that draws players in, making it a memorable aspect of the game.
“The hand-drawn graphics and atmospheric music really draw you into the world of Nordic mythology.”
“I thoroughly admire the Nordic charm laid thick by this game; its atmosphere resounds with that certain rustic beauty that can put you at ease for hours.”
“This game has an exceptionally good atmosphere thanks to the art and music it has; it should be the type of game that draws you in and makes you spend many hours playing it.”
“The dark atmosphere loses its layer of exploration and mystery, and becomes simply a nice and grim background to a lot of walking and chopping wood.”
“Great idea, good atmosphere, but gameplay and progression is clunky, obtuse, and lacks flow.”
“I love the graphics and the atmosphere, but the mechanics are a mess.”
replayability
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
75%
11%
Overall, opinions on replayability are mixed. While some players appreciate the variety offered by multiple heroes and starting areas, others feel the game lacks significant replay value, particularly in single-player mode. Customization options and procedural generation are suggested as potential enhancements to increase replayability.
“I find it a pretty relaxed experience with lots of replayability.”
“You have 4 different heroes you can choose from, which offers replayability, and you also have 4 different starting areas, which is nice.”
“Having those settings exposed also helps with replayability.”
“I don't see a lot of replay value in it... but at such a low price point (I got it on sale), is that really necessary?”
“It's not an easy game, but it's not a hard game; however, it holds little in the role of replay value.”
“I don't see much replay value except maybe in multiplayer, but I think I've seen everything I need to put this game away for good.”
humor
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a standout feature, with players appreciating its absurdity and comedic elements, such as ridiculous item descriptions and dialogue. While some aspects, like the inventory system, are humorously flawed, the overall tone balances dark themes with lighthearted moments, making for an entertaining experience. Despite its design shortcomings, many players find themselves laughing at the game's quirks and enjoying the ongoing updates that add to its comedic charm.
“Niffelheim is a game that takes players on a journey through the Viking afterlife, with plenty of action, exploration, and even some humor along the way.”
“From the ridiculous item descriptions to the absurd dialogue, the game's writers clearly had a lot of fun with the game's humor.”
“In conclusion, Niffelheim is a game that manages to combine a dark and foreboding world with plenty of humor and satisfying gameplay.”
stability
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
92%
The game is generally described as unstable and buggy, particularly in multiplayer mode, which detracts from the overall experience. While some players find single-player to be more enjoyable despite its issues, many report frequent glitches, missing inventory items, and unpolished controls. Despite ongoing updates aimed at improving stability, the game is still considered far from complete, with significant room for improvement.
“Honestly, it is not my 'cup of tea', but I can say that they did a really great job on the updates and keeping it bug-free. :)”
“The game runs smoothly without any major issues, which really enhances the overall experience.”
“I appreciate how stable the game is; I haven't encountered any crashes or significant bugs.”
“I picked the game for the multiplayer coop, but it is so buggy and unstable at the moment.”
“Very unpolished with buggy controls, empty areas, and many missing features for a game that entered early access 10 months ago, so it is probably a year or two away from completion yet.”
“Buggy, too, as I've logged in sometimes to find things mysteriously missing from my stash/inventory since the previous session.”
optimization
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it runs smoothly on various systems, including older hardware like a 2017 MacBook Pro, some users feel it is poorly optimized compared to similar titles, despite advancements in technology. The gameplay is fluid, but the graphics and performance are likened to a flash game, raising concerns about its optimization for modern platforms.
“I should also note that it runs smoothly on my 2017 MacBook Pro.”
“This game reminds me much of SteamWorld Dig, but somehow it's more poorly optimized even though it has 5 more years of technology to run its flash game-looking graphics.”
“It's a flash game optimized for a controller on the PC.”
“Performance runs smooth and gameplay is fluid.”
character development
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
Character development in the game is largely criticized for being minimal and unclear, with many players noting a lack of growth or depth in the characters. While the art is praised as a strong point, the overall character design is considered lackluster, detracting from the experience. Additionally, high shop prices further diminish the value of character progression.
“Character design is incredibly detailed and adds depth to the overall experience.”
“The character development is engaging and allows players to form a strong connection with the characters.”
“No character development and shop prices are so high they are pointless.”
“- Base character designs are lackluster.”
“- Simple yet unclear character development.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The monetization strategy has drawn criticism for falsely advertising the game as complete, despite it being unfinished. While the DLC is deemed unnecessary and lacks additional content or achievements, some users express understanding towards the developer's intentions, suggesting that greed may not be the primary motivation behind the monetization approach.
“Honestly, they probably should get their game taken down for it, as they are falsely advertising a completed game, which this is clearly not.”
“I read around the forums, and the dev seems like a nice guy, so I doubt it's only greed; you really don't need the DLC (no extra content in it, as far as I know); and there are no achievements attached to it, so even though I hate this kind of monetization, this one didn't trigger me.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional response to the game is overwhelmingly negative, with players expressing frustration and disappointment, particularly regarding the dullness of the dungeons, which has led to feelings of sadness and anger towards the developers. The reviews suggest a strong sense of betrayal, as players feel misled by what they perceive as fake positive reviews.