Valfaris: Mecha Therion
- November 21, 2023
- Steel Mantis
- 10h median play time
Valfaris: Mecha Therion is an intense bullet hell shooter that never takes it foot of the pedal, filled with fantastic gunplay and visuals.
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.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Steam Deck
Windows
Xbox One
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- The game features stunning visuals and a fantastic metal soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
- Gameplay is engaging with a variety of weapons and upgrades, providing a satisfying challenge for both newcomers and veterans of the genre.
- The level design and boss fights are well-crafted, making for an enjoyable and rewarding experience.
- Controls can be cumbersome, particularly with issues related to gamepad compatibility, which detracts from the overall experience.
- Enemy projectiles can blend into the background, making them difficult to see and leading to frustrating deaths.
- The game is relatively short, with some players feeling that it lacks depth and replayability despite its engaging mechanics.
- music89 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its heavy metal soundtrack as exceptional and perfectly suited to the gameplay. Composed by Curt Victor Bryant, the soundtrack features powerful riffs and dynamic compositions that enhance the overall experience, making it a standout aspect of the game. Overall, the combination of impressive visuals and a captivating metal soundtrack creates an engaging and immersive atmosphere for players.
“Incredible soundtrack and art style with very tight gameplay.”
“The art style of the game suits it well and the awesome metal soundtrack can really pump you up!”
“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.”
“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.”
“This game and the first one are not the prettiest visual-wise, but the soundtrack really gets you into the game; fast gameplay, difficult but fair, and just really fun.”
- graphics78 mentions
- 51 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their vibrant, retro-inspired art style, reminiscent of heavy metal album covers and classic gaming aesthetics. Players appreciate the unique 3D visuals and well-designed stages, which enhance the overall experience, although some have noted a desire for higher-definition graphics. Overall, the combination of stunning visuals and a fitting metal soundtrack creates an engaging atmosphere that complements the gameplay.
“Every map is well-made and gorgeous to look at, with that specific art style.”
“The visuals feel heavily inspired by heavy metal album covers of yesteryear, with a soundtrack to match.”
“This game has some of the most unique 3D visuals I have ever seen.”
“This game needs HD 3D graphics and a remake.”
“My only note is that there were some FPS issues in later stages with blue flowers, but turning down graphics settings helped somewhat.”
“A pretty run-of-the-mill euroshmup disguised under some pretty inspired visuals.”
- gameplay47 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay is highly praised for its engaging mechanics, diverse weaponry, and smooth controls, offering a unique twist on the traditional shmup genre. Players appreciate the combination of satisfying ranged and melee attacks, alongside a variety of upgrades and secrets that enhance the experience. While some feel it doesn't quite match the satisfaction of its predecessor, the overall presentation, including visuals and music, contributes to a fun and challenging gameplay experience.
“The gameplay is amazing with a lot of different weapons and trinkets.”
“Incredible soundtrack and art style with very tight gameplay.”
“The weapons are satisfying and kinetic, the mechanics have nice interplay and the structure makes it very forgiving without compromising on actual difficulty.”
“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.”
“It's difficult to pinpoint the 'best' aspect of the game - level layout, enemy design, weapon choices, boss mechanics, music, all compound into an extremely solid shoot 'em up.”
“You take two hits as standard, your hitbox is large-ish and there's lots of homing bullets, so the moment-to-moment gameplay revolves (even more than usual) around managing the screen space and killing as much as you can to avoid getting caught out.”
- story15 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The story is straightforward yet effectively complements the game's heavy metal aesthetic, focusing on themes of family hatred and revenge across the universe. While not deeply complex, it successfully sets the stage for engaging boss fights and is enhanced by a fitting black metal soundtrack. Overall, the presentation aligns well with the game's mission, creating an entertaining narrative experience.
“The overall presentation and story is charmingly straightforward, but it fits the game perfectly, and is obviously intentional.”
“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.”
“Usually games in this genre don’t have this amount of presentation to them, and combining comically over-the-top dark action hero, plus a metal soundtrack that goes hard, plus the framing as a story of revenge where you hunt down the big baddie while whizzing past planets in a giant mech is always cool.”
“The story naturally wasn't too deep, but I still think you did a good job teasing the boss fights.”
“However, don’t expect the same gameplay as its predecessor; more like a victory lap to close the story of Therion’s revenge.”
“Usually, games in this genre don’t have this amount of presentation to them, and combining a comically over-the-top dark action hero with a metal soundtrack that goes hard, plus the framing as a story of revenge where you hunt down the big baddie while whizzing past planets in a giant mech is always cool.”
- replayability12 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game offers solid replayability due to its variety of weapons, upgrades, and hidden secrets, encouraging players to explore different play styles. While the main campaign is relatively short, lasting around 2-3 hours, players can extend their experience to about 8-12 hours by engaging with its replayable elements. Overall, it strikes a balance that keeps the gameplay fresh without overstaying its welcome.
“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.”
“It has enough replayability to not overstay its welcome.”
“Replayability is there with different weapon options, upgrades, and secrets - I'm guessing this title is good for about 8-12 hours of fun if you're into it.”
- atmosphere7 mentions
- 86 % positive mentions
- -29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for being fun and engaging, with some reviewers noting a significant improvement in environmental design. However, there is a divide in opinion regarding the aesthetic shift from the predecessor's grungy style to a cleaner low-poly design, with some feeling this change detracts from the overall atmosphere.
“Atmospheric and tight!”
“Aside from the awesome gameplay, the environments and atmosphere have really leveled up.”
“A fun atmospheric shmup.”
“The predecessor nailed the aesthetics with an overly drawn mess that made everything look like it was straight out of a metal album. This game, however, opts for a much cleaner low-poly design, which I feel is a direct downgrade from the grungy atmosphere the predecessor established.”
“The atmosphere feels lifeless and lacks the immersive qualities that would draw players into the world. It’s as if the developers forgot to infuse any personality into the environment.”
“Despite the potential for a rich atmosphere, the game falls flat with bland visuals and uninspired sound design, making it hard to feel engaged or invested in the experience.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its exceptional stability, with users reporting no bugs or glitches throughout their entire experience.
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Many users express frustration with AAA titles due to perceived greed in microtransactions, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the games. This sentiment is compounded by concerns over political agendas within these titles, leading to a negative perception of their monetization strategies.
“I cannot stand most AAA titles; they are not fun, and I can't stand the greedy microtransactions and political agendas.”
