Valfaris: Mecha Therion

A really nicely crafted little shooter with a banging metal soundtrack and the look and feel of the original PlayStation era. It's well worth checking out if you're a fan of the genre.

Starting at $0.89Buy now

Get on Steam

"Valfaris: Mecha Therion" is a 2.5D side-scrolling shoot 'em up game, serving as a sequel to the critically acclaimed Valfaris. As Therion, pilot Mecha Therion, a formidable machine of destruction, equipped with an array of deadly firepower to obliterate hostile alien forces across various levels. Customize your Mecha loadout, upgrade weapons, and prepare to unleash mecha hell.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 196 reviews

music36 positive mentions

monetization2 negative mentions

The game features a fantastic heavy metal soundtrack that perfectly complements the intense gameplay.
The visuals are stunning, with a unique low-poly art style that enhances the overall experience.
Gameplay is engaging with a variety of weapons and upgrades, along with well-designed boss fights that provide a satisfying challenge.

The camera angles can be disorienting, making it difficult to gauge enemy positions and avoid projectiles.
Some players found the melee combat mechanics to be clunky and less effective compared to ranged attacks.
The game is relatively short, with a playtime of around 3-5 hours, which may not justify the price for some players.

music
71 mentions
51 % positive mentions
45 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its heavy metal soundtrack as a perfect complement to the action, enhancing the overall experience. The soundtrack is described as dynamic and engaging, featuring powerful riffs that elevate gameplay and match the game's vibrant visuals. While some found the music to occasionally feel generic, the majority agree that it significantly contributes to the game's unique atmosphere and enjoyment.
- “The music doesn't just complement the action on screen; it amplifies each moment of blistering action, marrying metal riffs with missile barrages in a symphony of chaos and destruction.”
- “Absolutely incredible in every single aspect: graphics, music, boss fights, enemies, everything is top notch.”
- “Valfaris once more does not disappoint with amazing music and plenty of constant and dynamic action.”
- “The only thing more kickass than the weapons in this game is the soundtrack.”
- “The composition continues upon death and rebirth, which is a nice feature; the only exception is boss fights because they must start from a specific musical point.”
- “Music and visuals are highly stylized and entirely subjective; it's a bit pricey for a clearly budget indie title, but the main point is, as always - the game is fun.”
graphics
59 mentions
46 % positive mentions
49 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the vibrant, retro-inspired art style and heavy metal aesthetic that enhances the overall experience. While some players appreciate the transition to a cleaner 2.5D design, others feel it detracts from the grungy charm of the predecessor. Overall, the visuals are described as colorful and engaging, though opinions vary on their execution and impact on gameplay.
- “The graphics are eye-popping and psychedelic at times, and the heavy metal soundtrack in this one is even better than the first game.”
- “Incredible visuals, OST, and gameplay that builds on the original despite being an entirely different genre.”
- “Absolutely incredible in every single aspect: graphics, music, boss fights, enemies, everything is top notch.”
- “Graphics are okay, with a paper-like feeling, as if everything is made out of cardboard boxes.”
- “This very poor quality visual style is a method that lazy developers often use to disguise their lack of talent or interest in doing the graphics properly, trying to pass it off as 'art' or 'we made it look bad on purpose', which really isn't something gamers should have to put up with.”
- “This game needs HD 3D graphics and a remake.”
gameplay
50 mentions
42 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by smooth mechanics, a variety of weapons, and engaging visuals, creating a satisfying shoot 'em up experience. While it diverges from its predecessor, introducing new elements like melee mechanics and upgrades, some players find the difficulty spikes and control schemes frustrating. Overall, the game successfully combines retro aesthetics with modern gameplay innovations, appealing to both new players and fans of the genre.
- “The deeper you get into the campaign, it becomes clear how this change allows for a fresh gameplay experience while also retaining a good chunk of the identity from the first game.”
- “The shoot 'em up gameplay complements this 2.5D style wonderfully as gameplay is frequently split up between explosive cutscenes of destruction that raise the spectacle to another level.”
- “The gameplay is amazing with a lot of different weapons and trinkets.”
- “However, don’t expect the same gameplay as its predecessor; it's more like a victory, flying mech, lap to close the story of Therion’s revenge.”
- “To actually talk about the gameplay for a bit, this doesn't really play like a traditional shmup (and of course it's nothing like a danmaku).”
- “But personally speaking, the gameplay of Valfaris: Mecha Therion doesn't feel as satisfying as the original Valfaris... but your mileage may vary, of course.”
story
21 mentions
19 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
The story of Valfaris: Mecha Therion is a continuation of the first game, focusing on a straightforward narrative of revenge set against a backdrop of over-the-top action and a heavy metal aesthetic. While it offers a charmingly simple plot that fits the gameplay, it is not deeply developed, allowing players to enjoy the experience without needing prior knowledge of the first installment. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop to the visual spectacle and gameplay rather than a central focus.
- “However, don’t expect the same gameplay as its predecessor; it's more like a victory lap to close the story of Therion’s revenge.”
- “After narrowly escaping the clutches of Valfaris, his quest threads through the stars in a relentless pursuit that culminates in a showdown of galactic proportions.”
- “A harmonic black metal soundtrack, tons of metal and fire and lightning and blood and decay themes throughout the levels and weapons, a focus on swordplay to balance out the shooting, and a story about family hatred across the universe.”
- “The story is a continuation more so of the first game, but you don't really need to play the first if you don't want to enjoy this game separately.”
- “There is a story here, but it’s really just this tacked-on thing and I wouldn’t say you need to play the first game to understand what is going on here.”
- “Story is secondary; it's a visual spectacle through and through.”
replayability
11 mentions
27 % positive mentions
45 % neutral mentions
27 % negative mentions
The game offers solid replayability through its variety of weapons, upgrades, and hidden secrets, encouraging players to experiment with different playstyles. While the main campaign is relatively short, lasting around 2-10 hours, features like new game+ mode and secret areas provide additional incentives for replay. However, some players feel that the replay value may not extend significantly beyond these elements.
- “The OST knocks it out of the park, of course, great art, and very good replayability with weapon variety and different in-level secrets.”
- “If you are someone who enjoys getting through a game in 2-10 hours, then this is great for you, but at the same time, it has replay value when you go through different difficulties and experiment with the various weapon upgrades and modules.”
- “Different weapons will push you into different styles of play, so I think replay value is high.”
- “Sadly, the game is rather short; you may complete it in 2-3 hours, but you will be well entertained and there is some replay value.”
- “There is a new game+ mode as well as secret areas to find and extra modules to unlock, but I cannot say that there is much replayability beyond that.”
- “It has enough replayability to not overstay its welcome.”
atmosphere
5 mentions
60 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
40 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the retro PS1-esque graphics and heavy metal vibe, while others feel that the cleaner low-poly design is a downgrade from the predecessor's grungy aesthetic. Overall, the game is noted for its fun and engaging atmosphere, enhanced by well-designed environments.
- “A fun atmospheric shmup.”
- “Aside from the awesome gameplay, the environments and atmosphere have really leveled up.”
- “On the aesthetics, the predecessor nailed it by having every part of the screen as an overly drawn mess that makes everything look like it came straight out of a metal album. This instead goes for a much cleaner low-poly design, which I feel is a direct downgrade from the overly grungy atmosphere the predecessor established.”
- “Still love the retro PS1-esque graphics with the heavy metal atmosphere.”
monetization
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate a strong dissatisfaction with monetization in AAA titles, particularly criticizing the prevalence of greedy microtransactions and high prices, exemplified by Valfaris: Mecha Therion's $25 price tag, which many feel is unjustifiable compared to older AAA games.
- “I cannot stand most AAA titles; they are not fun and I can't stand the greedy microtransactions and political agendas.”
- “Valfaris: Mecha Therion has the completely unrealistic cash grab price of $25 USD, for which you could easily get any number of older AAA games.”
stability
2 mentions
150 % positive mentions
-100 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its stability, with users reporting a smooth experience and no bugs or glitches throughout their playthrough. It runs exceptionally well on the Steam Deck, contributing to an enjoyable gaming experience.
- “Great game, fun story, runs smoothly on the Steam Deck.”
- “The game maintains a stable frame rate throughout, enhancing the overall experience.”
- “I haven't encountered any crashes or bugs, which makes for a seamless gameplay experience.”
grinding
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Players generally enjoy the game, citing it as one of their favorites in the shmup genre, though some find the final boss encounter to be somewhat tedious, indicating a minor issue with grinding in that specific context.
- “The grinding in this game feels endless and tedious, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “I find the grinding mechanics to be overly repetitive and draining, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- “The amount of grinding required to progress is frustrating and feels like a chore rather than enjoyable gameplay.”
optimization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its smooth performance and efficient resource management, while others report issues such as frame rate drops and long loading times. Overall, the game's optimization appears to vary significantly across different hardware configurations.
- “The game runs poorly on even high-end systems, making it frustrating to play.”
- “I constantly experience frame drops and stuttering, which ruins the immersion.”
- “The optimization is so bad that loading times are excessively long, making it hard to stay engaged.”