Valfaris
- October 10, 2019
- Steel Mantis
- 8h median play time
Valfaris is a superb action-platformer filled with violence, a killer soundtrack, and some gorgeously grotesque pixel art.
Get on Steam"Valfaris" is a single-player Horror Hack and Slash game with outstanding gameplay, graphics, and beautiful music. The challenging experience is enhanced with the addition of Full Metal Mode, a New Game + variant with increased enemy stats and aggression, carrying over all upgrades and weapons from the previous run. With dense atmosphere and lots of grinding, the game offers a rewarding and difficult experience for players.
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Reviews
- Valfaris features stunning pixel art and a vibrant, grotesque aesthetic that captures the essence of heavy metal.
- The gameplay is fast-paced and challenging, with a variety of weapons and mechanics that encourage experimentation and skill development.
- The soundtrack is a powerful mix of metal and rock that enhances the overall experience and complements the intense action.
- The controls can feel clunky and unresponsive at times, making precise movements and aiming frustrating.
- Some players find the difficulty spikes to be unfair, particularly in certain boss fights and sections of the game.
- The game lacks a deeper narrative and can feel repetitive due to its linear structure and reliance on trial-and-error gameplay.
- music213 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The music in "Valfaris" is widely praised for its heavy metal soundtrack, which complements the game's frenetic action and retro aesthetic. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, enhancing the overall atmosphere and gameplay experience, although some note that it can become monotonous over time. Overall, the combination of intense metal tracks and engaging visuals creates a compelling backdrop for this action platformer.
“The soundtrack of 'Valfaris' is a masterpiece, composed of a mix of metal and rock that perfectly complements the frenetic action of the game.”
“The music is a banger and keeps you pumped through the whole game.”
“The heavy metal music pairs well with the aesthetics, capturing the frenetic onslaught of enemies leaping from all directions.”
“Another thing that disappointed me was the lack of awesome and memorable metal music since a lot of the ads about the game were going on about how 'metal' it is.”
“As much grinding as is required you can hear the songs loop at times, and for me it became very boring.”
“If the music angle is bringing you to the table for this game, prepare to be underwhelmed.”
- graphics153 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Valfaris" are widely praised for their stunning, vibrant pixel art and retro aesthetic, reminiscent of classic 90s games. The hand-drawn visuals create a unique blend of grotesque and colorful environments, complemented by a heavy metal soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. However, some players find the visuals occasionally cluttered and distracting, which can detract from gameplay clarity.
“The game features hand-drawn 2D graphics, which create a world that is both vibrant and grotesque at the same time.”
“Incredible visuals that look like Warhammer 40k and H.R. Giger had a lovechild.”
“The pixel graphics are wonderfully done and the level design does not get boring.”
“The game is unfair and it has terrible pixel graphics.”
“It's a game that starts off promising with its visuals and soundtrack, but after a while it gets a bit obnoxious and tedious.”
“But the graphics are miserable; I understand that it is made like this from nostalgia, but why the hell do I have an expensive video card if I have to play a pixelated game that looks like 640 x 480 or even 320 x 240?”
- gameplay143 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Valfaris" is characterized by its fast-paced, challenging combat that blends metroidvania elements with classic run-and-gun mechanics reminiscent of titles like Contra. While many players appreciate the fluid controls, engaging weapon variety, and risk/reward checkpoint system, some criticize the clunky aiming mechanics and frustrating enemy designs that can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game offers a visually stunning and satisfying gameplay loop, though it may not appeal to everyone due to its high difficulty and occasional mechanical flaws.
“The gameplay is centered around fast-paced combat, requiring quick reflexes and a good understanding of enemy patterns.”
“The gameplay is a fine mix of melee and ranged combat, including a shield that's very powerful when deployed at the right time.”
“The gameplay is challenging but never feels unfair, as the level designs are clever and meticulously refined.”
“Everything is attacking you, even the environment, and cheap mechanics like poison clouds make it more frustrating than fun.”
“The overall gameplay just feels like a very basic action platformer with a high difficulty.”
“Highly disappointed.. the aiming is clunky which makes the difficult gameplay annoying and unfair instead of delightfully challenging.”
- story37 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 76 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The story is generally described as simple and straightforward, often likened to classic 80s action films, serving primarily to provide context for the gameplay rather than being a focal point. While some players appreciate its charm and effectiveness in driving the game forward, others find it lackluster and minimal, with little depth or significant narrative development. Overall, the consensus is that the game prioritizes gameplay over a rich story, making it suitable for those seeking action rather than a complex narrative experience.
“The plot revolves around Therion's quest to save his world and face the forces that threaten it.”
“The story of the game was good, nice and simple, nothing too complicated.”
“There's just enough basic story to make it feel like the adventure has a purpose without ever bogging the gameplay down.”
“Not recommended if you want a story or more than just shooting.”
“Without spoiling, story-wise, basically nothing happens; the entire game could've not occurred and literally nothing would have changed.”
“The story is pretty lackluster.”
- atmosphere20 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its meticulous level design, which features a diverse range of settings from dark industrial to fantastical environments, each enhanced by a fitting color palette. The engaging heavy metal and retro soundtracks significantly elevate the experience, complementing the unique art style that contributes to a cohesive and immersive atmosphere. While some critiques mention a lack of depth in certain areas, the overall ambiance is described as intense, atmospheric, and well-executed, resonating well with players.
“The level design is meticulously crafted, ranging from dark and industrial settings to more fantastical natural environments, each with its own color palette and atmosphere.”
“The art and atmosphere in this game is incredible.”
“Art style is a bit of a mess as it's no doubt meant to be intentionally ugly with the 'hellish' atmosphere.”
“While Super Metroid had responsiveness and an intense atmosphere back in 1994, the recent Valfaris suffers from sluggishness and a surprising lack of world depth.”
“It's pixelated 3D models and it just works so well for the gore-heavy, metal, grunge atmosphere of the game.”
- replayability13 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability due to its variety of unlockable weapons, secret items, and the New Game+ mode, which allows players to retain upgrades while facing increased difficulty. Players can experiment with different weapon combinations and strategies, enhancing the overall experience and encouraging multiple playthroughs. Despite its relatively short length, the abundance of secrets and challenges ensures that players will find plenty of reasons to return.
“All this means the game has high replayability; you can try a second run with a different set of weapons, go fully upgraded health route for instance, and collect anything you missed in your first try.”
“The game is short, people have speedruns of this game in an hour or so, but this game offers a lot of replay value.”
“It’s just about the perfect length for replayability, and the solid variety of weapons to upgrade on your way lets you try something a bit different each time.”
“The only replay value is the new game +, which lets you keep upgraded equipment and increases the difficulty of the completed save file.”
“The game is short; people have speedruns of this game in an hour or so, but this game offers a lot of replay value.”
“The only real complaint is that I wish it was longer, but there is a ton of great content packed into its relatively short length, and there's a lot of secrets and challenges that encourage replayability, as well as a new game + mode coming sometime in the near future.”
- grinding9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -22 % neutral mentions
- 89 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding in the game to be tedious and repetitive, often leading to a lack of enjoyment and engagement. While some appreciate the need to strategize and learn enemy patterns, many feel that the game quickly becomes monotonous, with limited creativity and ineffective weapon options contributing to the frustration. Despite initial promise, the grinding experience ultimately detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.
“It's not very tedious, and you're meant to go through some areas a few times until you figure out a way, like understanding the enemy spawns so you can easily rush them down.”
“The grinding feels rewarding as you gradually improve your skills and strategies with each run.”
“I appreciate how the game encourages exploration and experimentation during the grinding process.”
“The game gets stale and tedious rather quickly with no break in its monotony.”
“It becomes repetitive and tedious very quickly and is just not fun at all.”
“As much grinding as is required, you can hear the songs loop at times, and for me, it became very boring.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a tongue-in-cheek tone, featuring witty dialogues and clever references to Viking culture that juxtapose its dark setting. Players appreciate the self-confident writing and find the comedic elements, including achievements related to death, to be both amusing and engaging, despite some criticisms of the game's overall quality.
“The reason is that Slain has a more humorous and tongue-in-cheek tone, with funny dialogues and references to Viking culture that contrast with its dark and grim setting.”
“The writing is so funny and self-confident it just blows me away every time anyone talks in this game.”
“The soundtrack is decent and the metal inspiration is awesomely hilarious.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game evokes a sense of wholesome masculinity and nostalgia, particularly resonating with players who fondly remember classic titles like Contra. Its emotional depth is highlighted by its ability to connect with players on a personal level, tapping into cherished memories and feelings.
“This game evokes a special nostalgia for those who enjoyed classic titles like Contra.”
“Wholesome masculinity.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with some users noting performance compromises due to additional graphical features. While there were instances of stuttering and lag in specific levels, players generally found the experience enjoyable despite these issues.
“The game strikes a perfect balance between stunning visuals and smooth performance, showcasing impressive optimization.”
“I appreciate how the developers have fine-tuned the game to run seamlessly on a variety of hardware, making it accessible to more players.”
“The optimization is top-notch, allowing for a fluid experience even in the most graphically intense moments.”
“There seems to be a reliable performance compromise to accommodate these extra flourishes.”
“I experienced some stuttering and lag in certain levels mid-game, but I finished it anyway and enjoyed it.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviewers express disappointment in the monetization aspect, noting that the game's promotional material emphasized a "metal" theme, yet the actual content did not deliver on this promise, particularly in terms of music.
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
While the game features appealing graphics, players have reported occasional glitches that affect overall stability, though the experience remains enjoyable.
“The game offers some nice graphics, although there are some ugly glitches here and there.”
“I frequently experience crashes that disrupt my gameplay.”
“The frame rate drops significantly during intense moments, making it hard to enjoy the game.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The character development in the game is highlighted by a well-designed final boss that surpasses the previous game's antagonist, both in terms of visual appeal and gameplay mechanics.
