Valnir Rok
- September 26, 2017
- encurio
- 4h median play time
Valnir Rok is a Norse-inspired survival RPG that lets you explore a vast open world, build and upgrade your own Viking settlement, and fight brutal clan wars against other players. Hunt, harvest, and forage for resources to craft weapons, armor, and structures, all while immersed in a rich and detailed narrative. Battle mythical beasts, form alliances with fellow Vikings, and prove your worth in epic quests to become a legendary warrior.
Reviews
- The game has great potential with a unique Viking theme and engaging crafting system.
- The community is friendly and supportive, with active developers who respond to feedback.
- The graphics and environment design are appealing, creating an immersive experience.
- The game is riddled with bugs and performance issues, making it frustrating to play.
- Combat mechanics are clunky and unresponsive, leading to a poor gameplay experience.
- The player base is very low, resulting in a lack of interaction and community engagement.
- story108 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 84 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The game's story and quest system are currently plagued by numerous bugs and issues, making many quests unfinishable or difficult to engage with. While some players appreciate the unique quest designs and the immersive feel reminiscent of titles like Skyrim, others express frustration over the lack of functioning quests, disappearing NPCs, and the overall need for more development and polish. Despite these challenges, there is potential for a compelling narrative experience if the quest mechanics are improved and expanded.
“I love the quests and the journey, this game has a real Skyrim feel to it, but has a lot of unique qualities.”
“Each quest was unique... no gather x or kill y quests.”
“There are NPCs, villages, and quests so there is enough to keep you occupied.”
“The other issues is a big one, and that's quests that do not even engage or allow you to complete them.”
“This game has a lot of potential to become an epic title, but in its current state it lacks a lot of things; I played half an hour and I couldn't complete the first quests because they all got bugged halfway.”
“Finding quest givers is kind of hard... the names only highlight when you're 2 feet away and only then will you have any idea if there is a quest or not. While this adds to immersion, it also means you have to spend a ton of time walking right up to every NPC you see to see if it's a quest giver or not.”
- graphics94 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the visuals and draw distance as decent or even beautiful, while others criticize them as outdated or glitchy, likening them to older console graphics. Many users note that the game is still in early development, suggesting that improvements are needed, particularly in character and NPC models, as well as overall performance. Overall, while there is potential for the graphics to improve, current feedback indicates a need for significant updates to enhance the visual experience.
“Graphics are great.”
“Good game, beautiful graphics and it's a solid base of a game, needs some updates to fix some bugs and so on but definitely a game to watch out for in the future, it has a lot of potential to become popular and I'm sure it will grow in time as more updates start rolling out!”
“I love the graphics and it seems like it has a ton of potential... being a Vikings fan I had to pick this up and it really gives you that same feeling!”
“Graphics look like a 360.”
“The graphics suck.”
“I didn't have unrealistically high expectations of this game, but it looks like shit, and runs like shit, with a lot of graphics glitches etc... I am very disappointed, and cannot recommend it by any means, it's like an alpha of what might possibly be an 'okay' game at some time, but I wouldn't expect too much!”
- gameplay72 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that it feels unfinished and plagued by bugs, leading to frustration and a lack of enjoyment. While some appreciate the potential in mechanics like building and combat, others criticize poor animations, optimization issues, and unresponsive gameplay elements. Overall, players suggest waiting for further development before investing, as the current state offers limited and often frustrating experiences.
“Really liked the idea of this game; graphics and gameplay both appealed to me.”
“The mechanics of sacrificing things to the gods to appease them is a nice touch and adds a reason to attack other people's houses and steal their artifacts. The actual home building is some of the best I've seen, with several upgrades available (e.g., wood > clay > stone) and there are several skill trees to specialize in (e.g., building, forging, carpentry).”
“Gameplay wasn't too hard against the AI world; the animals could be dispatched quickly after getting iron weapons. Wolves, in particular, are a pain with a wooden club, but easy to deal with when you have an iron sword. The presence of what I suspect to be barbarians makes for good fights, though you need to watch your health.”
“I only played it for about 15 minutes and that was enough for me to experience unplayable gameplay.”
“Poor animations, poor mechanics, just isn't worth investing at the moment.”
“It had great potential, according to the promotional videos seen in the Steam store, and some YouTube gameplay Q&A, but it failed the playthrough test drastically.”
- stability68 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern, with many players reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and freezing issues, particularly during server connections and gameplay. While some users acknowledge that these problems are typical for early access titles and appreciate the developers' efforts to address them, others find the experience frustrating and unplayable at times. Overall, the game shows potential but currently suffers from a lack of polish and stability.
“The game freezes, and when I say it freezes, I mean the animations and animals and your ability to pick things up.”
“I could only play for a few minutes at a time because of bugs or glitches that made it unplayable.”
“Most buggy game I have ever played, and the game has barely developed after half a year.”
- optimization38 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players experiencing significant performance issues such as stuttering, freezing, and high ping, particularly in populated areas. While some users noted improvements in recent patches, others found the game unplayable and unoptimized, especially for mid-tier PCs. Overall, the consensus suggests that while the game has potential, it requires further optimization to enhance the gameplay experience.
“I saw improvements in performance with the last patch.”
“It takes up very little space; it's optimized better than other games like Ark, Dark and Light, and Rust.”
“Performance-wise, I am running at a stable 144 fps on the highest settings possible.”
“But the performance meant that in my opinion currently it is unplayable, constant stuttering and freezing left me no choice but to refund.”
“The game is unoptimized, clunky, and unappealing.”
“It was incredibly choppy and needs to be optimized.”
- grinding30 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some describe it as tedious, the ease of farming materials helps mitigate the grind. Many appreciate the simplicity of mob grinding, though some feel it lacks depth and can become repetitive. Overall, the game offers a balance between resource gathering and building, appealing to those who enjoy a survival and crafting experience, despite occasional frustrations with exploits and PvP interactions.
“You have to do a ton of boring grinding and hope no one attacks you because if they do you can't do anything about it.”
“We spent a good 30 hours grinding materials and such, but the thing is there are so many exploits that it makes it not enjoyable.”
“The server we mained on is still nonexistent, so sorry for any of you players that put in a dozen hours into grinding only to not have anything to show for it.”
- music8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its beauty, with many players expressing a rare enjoyment of playing with the sound on. However, some users have noted that the music occasionally cuts in and out, which is seen as a common issue in early access games. Overall, the positive reception of the music enhances the gaming experience.
“The music is beautiful, and I play with the sound on, and I never do that... (ever)!”
“We went on an adventure with our brothers and sisters, and in the end, we sat down and sang songs from our tale!”
“The music sometimes cuts in and out, which is to be expected in early access.”
“We went on an adventure with our brothers and sisters, and in the end, we sat down and sang a song from our tale!”
“Love the music.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been widely criticized as a cash grab, with users expressing frustration over a lack of ongoing development despite the game's visual appeal and potential.
“It's a cash grab; they are not even working on it.”
“While it looks good and has potential, it's a cash grab.”
- humor4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its absurd and unexpected moments, such as the amusing effects of consuming random items, which can lead to visually hilarious experiences like screen distortions. Overall, players find the comedic potential of the game to be significant and entertaining.
“I ate a random berry, started tripping, and the screen went purple and green. It was hilarious.”
“This game has so much potential, it's not funny.”
“This game has so much potential, it's not funny.”
- character development4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight a desire for more diverse female characters and character design options, indicating that character development could be enhanced. While skill trees provide a means for players to develop their characters, concerns about balance arise as players with more time can overpower others, potentially undermining the intended character growth experience.
“The skill trees allow for meaningful character development, giving players the opportunity to customize their abilities and playstyle.”
“I appreciate the depth of character development in the game, as it lets players shape their characters in unique ways.”
“The variety of character design options enhances the overall experience, making character development feel more personal and engaging.”
“There are not enough female characters and character design options.”
“The skill trees allow for some character development, but players who invest more time can overpower others without consequences.”
“The lack of diverse character design options is disappointing.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the game's atmosphere for successfully evoking nostalgia reminiscent of classic titles like Dark Age of Camelot, particularly highlighting its immersive and engaging world. This return to a beloved ambiance has resonated strongly with fans, enhancing their overall experience.
“This game was the first in a long time to bring back some of the original atmosphere I felt while playing games like Dark Age of Camelot (Midgard!!!).”
“This game was the first in a long time to bring back some of the original atmosphere I felt while playing games like Dark Age of Camelot (Midgard!!!).”