I don't even know where to begin with this game. I started playing it for a drinking game my friends and I were doing. It didn't make a lot of sense at first but that also was the alcohol speaking, but holy moly was I so wrong. This game is the perfect blend of Runescape, Minecraft, Terraria, and Dark Souls. I have over 30 hours and I haven't even beaten the second boss yet. I play with a group of 5-7 people and we are all having a blast. I'll break down a few portions of the game.

***Note: SPOILERS AHEAD***

**Resource Gathering:**
In most games, this is the most hated portion of the game for me. Valheim is different. It doesn't have the repetitiveness that I feel in other games. Maybe its because I always have to be on the lookout for trolls and other mobs but in general, I once you get to the bronze age, resource gathering is a breeze. You can usually gather 2 chests full of wood in 1-2 in game days. But mind you, that is a lot of wood that will last you a long time, as long as you aren't building some massive structure. Overall, I actually enjoy the resource gathering as it doesn't feel grindy at all, it just feels necessary.

**Building:**
The building system has got to be the best one I have ever seen in a game, period. I think building seriously can make or break a game. For example, some games **cough cough No Mans Sky** have ♥♥♥♥♥♥ building systems that don't incentivize people to actually make bases. Valheim is not like that. I have spent half of my time in this game just getting lost in the building portion of it. The building doesn't have a high skill cap like some other games. It's easy to pick up and get ahold of without much issue. The structural integrity isn't bad either and it's pretty easy to tell when something is going to break. I think structural integrity makes more sense in this game than others in the genre. On the surface of the buildings, it is pretty simple. But I found myself spending hours just layering little details for my buildings. It is honestly the most fun I've had building in any game.

**Combat:**
The combat is interesting. You are definitely incentivized to block, a lot. Learning to get down the timing of attacks so that you can stun the opponent is simple but can be difficult to master. It's definitely harder to kill some enemies so you might have to play some fights slower than others. Some boss fights are more difficult than others. I haven't personally killed the elder, but it seems like a jump from the first boss. Overall, combat feels refreshing.

**Progression:**
Progression is heavily tied to boss fights. You cannot get any metals until you beat the first boss. However, you could easily beat the first boss on the third or fourth day if you really tried. After beating each boss, it unlocks a new portion of the game. Like stated previously, I have only beat the first boss but we have over 30 hours of gameplay. Much of that is tied to building and gathering materials for bronze armour, tools, food, etc. Progression is simple and makes it easily to follow along with.

**Adventuring:**
The biomes in this game are absolutely stunning. Whether it is the hilly fields of the meadows, or the dismal waters of a swamp, the game is absolutely beautiful. It feels like with every new biome, there is something new to explore. While in most games, you would be able to go biome to biome without any issues, this game you have to make sure you're prepared for it. Biomes are tied to progression. For example, you start off in Meadow / Black Forest Biomes. Meadows being the "safe" biome with relatively easy creatures and not too many enemies. Black Forests will contain copious amounts of Greylings and occasionally some trolls, which can make it difficult to navigate for newer players. However, once you get a few hours into the game, you realize that the black forests aren't difficult once you get some gear. There's a certain strategy to every part of this game and it makes it wonderful. Plains, snow and swamp biomes are progression based. They are much more difficult than the black forest / meadows. It allows for something to look forward to after each boss. For example, after you beat the second boss, you can finally mine iron in the swamp. Getting lost in adventuring is fun until you get eaten to death by mosquitos when you sail too far up the coast. Which brings me to the next point.

**Sailing:**
Sailing in games has honestly never been something I had been interested in. My friend however, loved Assassins Creed Black Flag just for that single reason. I haven't experienced much sailing, but it has a good blend of challenge and reward. You have to be strategic in how you approach the sailing portion. Sea Serpents can be challenging for newer players and experienced alike. You can sail boldly into the ocean, but you need to be care to watch out for sea serpents. Additionally, sailing past plains biomes can be extremely dangerous since mosquitos may be able to out speed your boats, killing you and your boatmates alike. It's got a good blend of adventure and danger to make sure you are planning for trips ahead of time. The wind can be a little annoying, but I find it realistic and even when the wind isn't blowing with you, you still can move at a manageable pace.

Overall:

This is honestly the most fun I have ever had in a survival game ever. Every little detail of the game is addicting. Whether you like to get lost in building massive villages, or trying to figure out a way to strategize against enemy bosses and mobs, this game has something for every single person. With the development road map that Iron Gate has put out, it seems we are going to get TONS of more content for this game, and sooner than many thought we would get it too. Through 30 hours of gameplay, I have still yet to encounter a true game breaking bug, which is weird when we have games like CyberPunk releasing with countless bugs. Overall, it is the most polished early access game to date. This early access game is better than most full $60 games releasing in recent years. For $20, you can easily get hundreds of hours of gameplay. I expect to be playing this for the next several months. If you enjoy any type of survival game, give this game a try. I cannot stress this enough, it is seriously the most fun I have ever had in a game. Valheim's potential is off the charts. It's definitely worth the $20 just to experience the game.

I don't even know where to begin with this game. I started playing it for a drinking game my friends and I were doing. It didn't make a lot of sense at first but that also was the alcohol speaking, but holy moly was I so wrong. This game is the perfect blend of Runescape, Minecraft, Terraria, and Dark Souls. I have over 30 hours and I haven't even beaten the second boss yet. I play with a group of 5-7 people and we are all having a blast. I'll break down a few portions of the game. ***Note: SPOILERS AHEAD*** **Resource Gathering:** In most games, this is the most hated portion of the game for me. Valheim is different. It doesn't have the repetitiveness that I feel in other games. Maybe its because I always have to be on the lookout for trolls and other mobs but in general, I once you get to the bronze age, resource gathering is a breeze. You can usually gather 2 chests full of wood in 1-2 in game days. But mind you, that is a lot of wood that will last you a long time, as long as you aren't building some massive structure. Overall, I actually enjoy the resource gathering as it doesn't feel grindy at all, it just feels necessary. **Building:** The building system has got to be the best one I have ever seen in a game, period. I think building seriously can make or break a game. For example, some games **cough cough No Mans Sky** have shitty building systems that don't incentivize people to actually make bases. Valheim is not like that. I have spent half of my time in this game just getting lost in the building portion of it. The building doesn't have a high skill cap like some other games. It's easy to pick up and get ahold of without much issue. The structural integrity isn't bad either and it's pretty easy to tell when something is going to break. I think structural integrity makes more sense in this game than others in the genre. On the surface of the buildings, it is pretty simple. But I found myself spending hours just layering little details for my buildings. It is honestly the most fun I've had building in any game. **Combat:** The combat is interesting. You are definitely incentivized to block, a lot. Learning to get down the timing of attacks so that you can stun the opponent is simple but can be difficult to master. It's definitely harder to kill some enemies so you might have to play some fights slower than others. Some boss fights are more difficult than others. I haven't personally killed the elder, but it seems like a jump from the first boss. Overall, combat feels refreshing. **Progression:** Progression is heavily tied to boss fights. You cannot get any metals until you beat the first boss. However, you could easily beat the first boss on the third or fourth day if you really tried. After beating each boss, it unlocks a new portion of the game. Like stated previously, I have only beat the first boss but we have over 30 hours of gameplay. Much of that is tied to building and gathering materials for bronze armour, tools, food, etc. Progression is simple and makes it easily to follow along with. **Adventuring:** The biomes in this game are absolutely stunning. Whether it is the hilly fields of the meadows, or the dismal waters of a swamp, the game is absolutely beautiful. It feels like with every new biome, there is something new to explore. While in most games, you would be able to go biome to biome without any issues, this game you have to make sure you're prepared for it. Biomes are tied to progression. For example, you start off in Meadow / Black Forest Biomes. Meadows being the "safe" biome with relatively easy creatures and not too many enemies. Black Forests will contain copious amounts of Greylings and occasionally some trolls, which can make it difficult to navigate for newer players. However, once you get a few hours into the game, you realize that the black forests aren't difficult once you get some gear. There's a certain strategy to every part of this game and it makes it wonderful. Plains, snow and swamp biomes are progression based. They are much more difficult than the black forest / meadows. It allows for something to look forward to after each boss. For example, after you beat the second boss, you can finally mine iron in the swamp. Getting lost in adventuring is fun until you get eaten to death by mosquitos when you sail too far up the coast. Which brings me to the next point. **Sailing:** Sailing in games has honestly never been something I had been interested in. My friend however, loved Assassins Creed Black Flag just for that single reason. I haven't experienced much sailing, but it has a good blend of challenge and reward. You have to be strategic in how you approach the sailing portion. Sea Serpents can be challenging for newer players and experienced alike. You can sail boldly into the ocean, but you need to be care to watch out for sea serpents. Additionally, sailing past plains biomes can be extremely dangerous since mosquitos may be able to out speed your boats, killing you and your boatmates alike. It's got a good blend of adventure and danger to make sure you are planning for trips ahead of time. The wind can be a little annoying, but I find it realistic and even when the wind isn't blowing with you, you still can move at a manageable pace. Overall: This is honestly the most fun I have ever had in a survival game ever. Every little detail of the game is addicting. Whether you like to get lost in building massive villages, or trying to figure out a way to strategize against enemy bosses and mobs, this game has something for every single person. With the development road map that Iron Gate has put out, it seems we are going to get TONS of more content for this game, and sooner than many thought we would get it too. Through 30 hours of gameplay, I have still yet to encounter a true game breaking bug, which is weird when we have games like CyberPunk releasing with countless bugs. Overall, it is the most polished early access game to date. This early access game is better than most full $60 games releasing in recent years. For $20, you can easily get hundreds of hours of gameplay. I expect to be playing this for the next several months. If you enjoy any type of survival game, give this game a try. I cannot stress this enough, it is seriously the most fun I have ever had in a game. Valheim's potential is off the charts. It's definitely worth the $20 just to experience the game.