Trial by Viking

About Trial by Viking

Trial by Viking is a single player platformer game. It was developed by Last Life Games and was released on March 29, 2016. It received very positive reviews from players.

As an agent of Odin, you will dive into cavernous dungeons hunting for treasure, race for your life from surprise traps, and have vicious axe battles with blood-thirsty kobolds. If you like action-packed side-scrolling adventures, you won't want to miss Trial by Viking.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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Reviews

90%Audience ScoreBased on 21 reviews

story4 positive mentions

monetization1 negative mentions

Ambitious and content-rich 2D action-platformer with over 130 hand-crafted levels and 27 boss battles.
Engaging gameplay combining precise movement, combat, exploration, puzzles, and progression with various weapons and tools.
Strong thematic and atmospheric pull from Norse mythology, with cohesive pixel-art visuals and a fitting soundtrack.

Controls and character movement can feel slippery and unintuitive, leading to frustration especially during platforming segments.
Difficulty spikes and some level design elements, such as dark holes and knockback mechanics, can feel punishing or unfair.
Story and voice acting are minimal and not very impactful, and some mechanics are underexplained or feel incomplete.

gameplay
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17% positive mentions, 66% neutral mentions, 17% negative mentions
Trial by Viking offers an engaging and challenging gameplay experience centered on precise movement, exploration, and Norse mythology-themed mechanics, with frequent introduction of new mechanics and varied level design. While boss fights and puzzles add depth, some mechanics feel underexplained or poorly implemented, and occasional control issues disrupt flow. Overall, the gameplay is enjoyable and ambitious, especially considering it was largely developed by a single individual.
- “Trial by Viking is an ambitious indie action-platformer that blends classic 2D side-scrolling gameplay with exploration-heavy design and a strong thematic pull from Norse mythology.”
- “At the heart of the game is a demanding but engaging gameplay loop built around precise movement and situational awareness.”
- “Boss encounters serve as major milestones, often demanding mastery of recently acquired mechanics.”
- “Some mechanics feel underexplained, and difficulty spikes can be abrupt, particularly for players unfamiliar with this style of platformer.”
- “The game presents all the usual puzzles and mechanics (rotating big gears and stacking boxes), and a few novel ones (polar bear!), and while they are usually trivial enough, there are cases where the controls seemingly freak out and the box you were pushing starts flying through the air.”
- “Certain mechanics are poorly implemented.”
story
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24% positive mentions, 58% neutral mentions, 18% negative mentions
The story is a straightforward Norse mythology-inspired narrative that serves primarily to support the game's atmosphere rather than stand out on its own. It includes some player choices affecting the ending and features engaging elements like gods and cutscenes but is generally considered simple and somewhat unmemorable. Minor issues include control inconveniences and occasional grammatical errors, with some players wishing for voice acting during story segments.
- “Narratively, the story takes a backseat to gameplay but still provides a consistent mythological framework.”
- “During the story, you will be able to make some choices that will alter the ending of the game.”
- “The story is a standard Norse tale, but the final boss being determined by choices made at pivotal moments in the plot is a nice touch.”
- “The story itself is nothing to write home about; it's pretty standard stuff.”
- “And the story itself, while mostly well, is fairly simply written and contains some grammatical errors along with too many ellipses.”
- “There are some minor annoyances, like the need to use the mouse to advance story dialogs while the keyboard controls are two-handed, which disrupts the gameplay flow.”
graphics
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30% positive mentions, 40% neutral mentions, 30% negative mentions
The game's graphics feature a dark, moody pixel-art style with a blend of 2D and 3D elements that create visually appealing and atmospheric environments, reminiscent of classic titles like Castlevania and Super Metroid. The art style is consistent and clear, enhancing immersion without distracting from gameplay. Overall, the graphics are well-received, with an aesthetic that effectively supports the game's tense and mythological atmosphere.
- “Visually, the game adopts a dark, moody pixel-art style that fits its harsh world and mythological roots.”
- “The graphics harken back to an era when games like Castlevania Dracula X and Super Metroid were all the rage, for good reason.”
- “Some 2D mixed with 3D graphics really make for interesting models and background environments.”
- “The common Unity pre-game graphics option and control settings launcher is displayed when you first run the game, with the usual resolution and fullscreen/windowed options, as well as the typical detail settings from fastest through to beautiful and fantastic.”
- “Graphics: 7”
- “The graphics are clear, though music is a bit underdeveloped.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50% positive mentions, 33% neutral mentions, 17% negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its atmospheric and theatrical qualities, effectively enhancing tension and complementing the visuals. While some find the soundtrack sets a fitting dark tone, a few consider it somewhat underdeveloped. Overall, the music contributes well to the game's immersive experience.
- “The soundtrack and sound effects complement the visuals well, reinforcing tension during difficult sections and providing subtle cues that help players react to threats.”
- “Sound - music is 'large' and theatrical, building up to crescendos at appropriate times and fading away into the background at others.”
- “A very nice soundtrack that sets a dark vibe for the game.”
- “The graphics are clear, though music is a bit underdeveloped.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is effectively enhanced by its appealing graphics and atmospheric music, creating a strong sense of purpose despite a less memorable story.
- “While the story may not leave a lasting impression on its own, it successfully supports the game’s atmosphere and sense of purpose.”
- “Appealing graphics and atmospheric music”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
0% positive mentions, 100% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The game offers strong replayability, scoring 8 out of 10, indicating that players find it engaging enough to return to multiple times.
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The emotional impact is subtle and understated, conveyed primarily through environmental storytelling and brief interactions rather than a strong, central narrative. It adds thematic depth without driving a powerful emotional arc.
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions
The monetization approach has been criticized for feeling overly intrusive and focused on aggressive self-promotion, which may detract from the overall user experience.
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions
Grinding becomes somewhat tedious in the later levels, particularly in the 90s, but overall the level design remains well-crafted and engaging.
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The humor is praised for its hilarious dialogue and dynamic choices that influence the final boss outcome, adding both wit and replayability to the game.
- “Hilarious dialogue with different dialogue options that change the outcome of the final boss!”