EARLY ACCESS REVIEW | "Asgard’s Fall - Viking Survivors"
It’s been a couple of years since Vampire Survivors first staked its claim as an indie darling. As time went on, many imitators found their way onto Steam and App Store pages, some delivering the goods and others being pale imitators. Soulpotion’s Asgard’s Fall thankfully falls into the latter category, as the Roguelite takes a Norse spin on the game genre. If the current Early Access version is a mere taste of the full experience, then one can predict that Asgard’s Fall will earn a place in the gaming gates of Valhalla!
You begin the game at a campfire, as you prepare for war. At first, you have the fierce warrior, who is ready to commence the slaughter. Just as Vampire Survivors does, the name of the game is to kill and evade. And as you keep on killing, new abilities will emerge, such as lighting, wolves, bats, and fiery tethers. Survive, and you’ll unlock the next level, along with some other treasures that’d tickle Odin’s beard.
One of the great things about Asgard’s Fall is that it keeps you on your toes. Goblins, tree monsters, enemy Vikings, and the occasional slime monster will keep on hunting you down in droves. There will be times when hundreds of these enemies will be swarming you, as they attempt to end your legend before it even begins. Fortunately, not only are your characters strong, they’re also fast learners.
As you play through the levels, you’ll keep on earning new abilities that’ll make your character stronger. On top of that, the option to improve on those powers will be granted to you, ranging from making weapons larger and more powerful to adding more allies to your side. Then there is the Web of Wyrd, which grants you speed, agility, dodging skills, and life extensions. However, the trick to Web of Wyrd isn’t to put these upgrades in random order; it’s to rope them all together to transform your hero into a true war god!
Playing Asgard’s Fall is fairly simple, as you merely aim for your target and keep on moving. You’ll also have to use a proper dodging technique, although one should be careful so you don’t drain that skill too much at the wrong time. Where it gets very tricky is during boss battles, which occur every ten minutes of the level. Sometimes you luck out with the skills you have, but if you don’t have the right ones to face off the boss, you might find yourself in a pickle when more enemies come running towards you whilst beating the big baddies!
Because of this difficulty, the game never gives you a break to breathe. On one hand, that’s great, as you’ll never find yourself bored as you run your weapon through countless enemies. However, if you’re the type that gets overwhelmed easily, then chances are you’ll find yourself in a constant panic playing! (Thankfully, the pause button works, if one is in need of taking five.)
After each victory or defeat, players can upgrade their characters via two ways. The skill tree is your run-of-the-mill ability enhancer, as it lets you boost health, speed, and weapon handling. Warpaints, on the other hand, allow you to customize your characters’ style on the battlefield. While it can be seen as an expansion of the skill tree, the unique mechanics that you can give to your Viking heroes will allow them to make each battle feel more like a walk in the park rather than a minefield.
As of now, there are four worlds and three characters to play as in Asgard’s Fall. However, for a game that is still in Early Access, I am impressed with how polished everything is thus far. The gameplay is constantly exciting, and the randomness of the powers and upgrades help to make every play-through feel different. For a game that’s worth a mere $7 and is still incomplete, what you already get is quite the steal!
PROS:
- Nonstop exciting fights
- Great weapons and upgrades
- Plenty of challenges
CONS:
- May be overwhelmingly hard for some
FINAL THOUGHTS:
With the power of Thor’s hammer, Asgard’s Fall is a Survivors game that makes you feel mighty the more you battle. The plethora of weapons, upgrades, and even enemies make every play-through different from the last. Although one can’t predict when Soulpotion will finish it, what is offered already in Asgard’s Fall is worth every shilling it’s asking. Grab your helmet and pour a frothy lager, and fight like the warrior you’re destined to become!
EARLY ACCESS RATING:
Promotional consideration provided by Derek Reeve of PR Hound. Reviewed on the PC via Steam. Full game arriving in 2026!
