Set within a mysterious purgatory-like Norse world, Valheim sees fallen Vikings surviving and becoming strong enough to vanquish its many evils. Newbon’s voiceover teases that these entities existed long before the Vikings arrived, and we could learn more about their origins in subsequent updates.

The big question is whether Valheim will exit early access to coincide with the PS5 version. It’s seen extensive support and four big content updates over the years, from Hearth and Home expanding on the base-building and food mechanics to Mistlands and Ashlands, which added new biomes, enemies, and more.

The latest update, Call to Arms, overhauled combat while adding even more content. Stay tuned for more details on other features in the coming months.

Valheim‘s latest update brings with it a host of new content, including the eponymous Ashlands biome. There are also now more than 30 new weapons for players to craft and find, new bombs and ammunitions, new armour sets, more than 10 new creatures to fight, and over 70 new buildable items. For more details, check out the complete patch notes below.

Alongside all of the new content, Ashlands also brings with it a variety of fixes and improvements to Valheim, including fixes for Major Healing Mead material, Minor Eitr Mead material, and bringing standardised texts throughout the game.

The Xbox One version of Valheim also got an improvement in the form of ESRAM usage being disabled to prevent an engine-related bug from taking place. This means that Xbox One players won’t suffer from corrupted particle systems.

Patch notes for Valheim: Ashlands update:

New content:

Mechanics:

• Beware the skies! Cinders rain down from above in the Ashlands, causing damage to those who are unprotected
• Wooden build pieces can now catch fire in the Ashlands – and the fire spreads!
• A new world modifier that allows fire to spread outside of the Ashlands as well (part of the immersive preset)
• Deadly lava takes up large parts of the landscape; traverse it with your very own platforms
• Lay claim to Charred Fortresses with two new Siege Machines
• New plantable Ashvines will grow on the walls of your base
• Combine your Flametal weapons with gems (Bloodstone, Iolite & Jade) in order to upgrade them to magical weapons (giving them blood, storm and nature based effects respectively)
• The waters in and around the Ashlands are boiling hot, and only the sturdiest of ships can sail them

Creatures:

• Enemy: Fallen Valkyrie
• Enemy: Charred Warrior
• Enemy: Charred Archer
• Enemy: Charred Warlock
• Enemy: Charred Twitcher
• Enemy Turret: Skugg
• Enemy: Morgen
• Enemy: Bonemaw Serpent
• Enemy/creature: Asksvin (tameable & rideable)
• Creature: Asksvin Calf
• Enemy: Volture
• Enemy: Lava Blob
• NPC/Enemy: Redbeard Dvergr
• Boss: Fader
• Miniboss: Lord Reto
• Spawner: Monument of Torment
• Spawner: Effigy of Malice

Crafting:

• Material: Majestic Carapace (previously Queen Drop)
• Material: Fader Relic (placeholder item)
• Material: Asksvin Hide
• Material: Asksvin Bladder
• Material: Asksvin Tail
• Material: Morgen Heart
• Material: Morgen Sinew
• Material: Celestial Feather
• Material: Bonemaw Meat
• Material: Bonemaw Tooth
• Material: Volture Meat
• Material: Volture Egg
• Material: Charred Skull
• Material: Charred Bone
• Material: Pot Shard
• Material: Bell Shard
• Material: Dyrnwyn Fragments x3
• Material: Bloodstone
• Material: Jade
• Material: Iolite
• Material: Flametal Ore (previous Flametal is now obsolete)
• Material/craftable: Flametal (previous Flametal is now obsolete)
• Material: Sulfur
• Material: Ashwood
• Material: Grausten
• Material: Charcoal Resin
• Material: Proustite Powder
• Material: Asksvin Neck
• Material: Asksvin Skull
• Material: Asksvin Ribcage
• Material: Asksvin Pelvis
• Material: Charred Cogwheel
• Material: Molten Core
• Material/craftable: Ceramic Plate
• Materia/craftable: Shield Core
• Plantable: Ashvine Seeds
• Artisan Table extension: Artisan Press
• Galdr Table extension: Feathery Wreath
• Cauldron extension: Rolling Pins and Cutting Boards
• Black Forge extension: Metal Cutter
• Black Forge extension: Gem Cutter
• Craftable: Bell
• Resource location: Lavaiathans
• Misc: Asksvin Egg

Craftable Items:

• Weapon: Dyrnwyn (sword)
• Weapon: Slayer (greatsword)
• Weapon: Brutal Slayer (greatsword)
• Weapon: Scourging Slayer (greatsword)
• Weapon: Primal Slayer (greatsword)
• Weapon: Nidhögg (sword)
• Weapon: Nidhögg the Bleeding (sword)
• Weapon: Nidhögg the Thundering (sword)
• Weapon: Nidhögg the Primal (sword)
• Weapon: Flametal Mace
• Weapon: Bloodgeon (mace)
• Weapon: Storm Star (mace)
• Weapon: Klossen (mace)
• Weapon: Berserkir Axes
• Weapon: Bleeding Berserkir Axes
• Weapon: Thundering Berserkir Axes
• Weapon: Primal Berserkir Axes
• Weapon: Ash Fang (bow)
• Weapon: Blood Fang (bow)
• Weapon: Storm Fang (bow)
• Weapon: Root Fang (bow)
• Weapon: Ripper (crossbow)
• Weapon: Wound Ripper (crossbow)
• Weapon: Storm Ripper (crossbow)
• Weapon: Root Ripper (crossbow)
• Weapon: Splitnir (spear)
• Weapon: Splitnir the Bleeding (spear)
• Weapon: Splitnir the Storming (spear)
• Weapon: Splitnir the Primal (spear)
• Shield: Flametal Shield (with multiple styles!)
• Shield: Flametal Tower Shield (with multiple styles!)
• Weapon: Trollstav (blood magic)
• Weapon: Staff of the Wild (elemental magic)
• Weapon: Dundr (elemental magic)
• Weapon: Staff of Fracturing (elemental magic)
• Armour Set: Flametal Breastplate, Flametal Greaves, Flametal Helmet
• Armour Set: Robes of Embla, Trousers of Embla, Hood of Embla
• Armour Set: Breastplate of Ask, Trousers of Ask, Hood of Ask
• Cape: Asksvin Cloak
• Cape: Ashen Cape
• Misc: Asksvin Saddle
• Bomb: Basalt Bomb
• Bomb: Smoke Bomb
• Ammunition: Grausten Payload
• Ammunition: Explosive Payload
• Ammunition: Charred Arrow
• Ammunition: Charred Bolt
• Ammunition: Flametal Missile

Build pieces & furniture:

• Building Pieces: 25 Ashwood Pieces (Ashwood Wall, Ashwood Half Wall, Ashwood Quarter Wall, Ashwood Arched Wall, Ashwood Decorative Wall, Ashwood Decorative Window, Ashwood Divider, Ashwood Floor 2×2, Ashwood Floor 1×1, Ashwood Decorative Floor, Ashwood Arch, Ashwood Beam 1m, Ashwood Beam 2m, Ashwood Pole 1m, Ashwood Pole 2m, Ashwood Beam 26°, Ashwood Roof Cross 26°, Ashwood Beam 45°, Ashwood Roof Cross 45°, Ashwood Wall 26°, Ashwood Wall 26° Inverted, Ashwood Wall 45°, Ashwood Wall 45° Inverted, Ashwood Stair, Ashwood Door)
• Building Pieces: 26 Grausten Pieces (Grausten Steep Stairs, Grausten Stairs, Grausten Floor 1×1, Grausten Floor 2×2, Grausten Floor 4×4, Grausten Small Pillar, Grausten Medium Pillar, Grausten Tapered Pillar, Grausten Tapered Pillar Inverted, Grausten Small Beam, Grausten Medium Beam, Grausten Small Arch, Grausten Medium Arch, Grausten Wall Arch, Grausten Wall Arch Inverted, Grausten Wall 1×2, Grausten Wall 2×2, Grausten Wall 4×2, Grausten Window 2×2, Grausten Window 4×2, Grausten Roof, Grausten Roof Corner, Grausten Arched Roof (2), Grausten Arched Roof, Grausten Arched Roof Corner (2))
• Building Piece: Flametal Gate
• Building Piece: Flametal Pillar
• Building Piece: Flametal Beam
• Defence: Ashwood Stakewall
• Stack: Ashwood Stack
• Stack: Grausten Pile
• Stack: Pile of Skulls
• Stack: Bone Stack
• Furniture: Ashwood Bed
• Furniture: Bone Throne
• Furniture: Lava Lantern
• Furniture: Asksvin Rug
• Furniture: Straw
• Furniture: Small Green Pot
• Furniture: Medium Green Pot
• Furniture: Large Green Pot
• Furniture: Ashwood Bench
• Furniture: Asksvin Skeleton
• Siege Machine: Catapult
• Siege Machine: Battering Ram
• Ship: Drakkar
• Misc: Shield Generator
• Misc: Portal – Stone

Food & Potions:

• Food: Cooked Volture Meat
• Food: Cooked Bonemaw Meat
• Food: Cooked Asksvin Tail
• Food: Fiddlehead
• Food: Fiery Svinstew
• Food: Marinated Greens
• Food: Mashed Meat
• Food: Piquant Pie (cooked/uncooked)
• Food: Roasted Crust Pie (cooked/uncooked)
• Food: Scorching Medley
• Food: Sizzling Berry Broth
• Food: Smoke Puff
• Food: Sparkling Shroomshake
• Food: Spicy Marmalade
• Food: Vineberry Cluster
• Mead: Lingering Healing Mead
• Mead: Lingering Eitr Mead

Misc:

• Location: Ruins (multiple)
• Location: Redbeard Dvergr Outposts
• Location: Putrid Hole
• Location: Charred Fortress
• Event: “The undead army marches”
• Event: “The dead have been summoned”
• Lore: New stones
• Lore: New dreams
• Lore: New Munin dialogue
• New music
• New forsaken power
• Terrain changes for Ashlands (Ashlands is now cut off from other biomes, only accessible by sea)

Fixes & Improvements:

• Fixed Major Healing Mead material
• Fixed Minor Eitr Mead Material
• Standardised texts throughout the game
• Updated names for old Flametal items
• The popup for unlocking new things is displayed longer
• Disabled ESRAM usage on Xbox One to work around a Unity bug that caused some particle systems to have corrupt shadowmaps
• Added console command ‘findtp’ to go to nearest found item
• Added console command ‘setfuel’ to fill all nearby lights to specified fuel
• Map is now closed after using debugmode teleport
• There is now a toggle in Gamplay Settings for “Attack towards look direction”, if this is toggled off, attacks will instead be made in the direction the camera is facing
• Modding: IMonoUpdater no longer requires to be inherited from and error messages removed

Since this is a public test, players must back up their worlds and characters. All players must be on the same testing branch to play together. Previous testers should start a new world to allow it to generate new content.

In-game, the Ashlands can only be reached by ship. You also have to be mindful of the building location – not only is a shield necessary to guard against eruptions but your base is ruined if the terrain shifts continuously. Also, since this is the last stop before the Deep North, Ashlands will be a challenging experience, so prepare accordingly (or tinker with the World Modifiers first).

As for the new content, players can expect over 30 new weapons, three new armor sets, more than 70 buildable items, five new crafting station upgrades and over 10 new creatures. There are also new events, mechanics, music, food items and potions. Head here for more details.

Valheim is available for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC. Check out our early access review.

Unlike with Mistlands, Iron Gate is taking a more open approach to revealing details about the Ashlands. These include new dishes like Mashed Meat, Piquant Pie and Spicy Marmalade, made with plants growing in the region. You’ll also be able to craft some crazy new armor (seen above).

Other incoming content includes new siege engines for breaching the Ashlands fortresses, the Fallen Valkyrie boss and the Charred, skeletons with fiery hearts. There’s also the massive Bonemaw Serpent, which resides in the region’s water, though it’s unknown if it’s hostile. Stay tuned for more details on the Ashlands in the coming months.

At its simplest level, players can essentially raise the health and damage of enemies by raising the difficulty, and similarly, lower enemy health and damage by lowering the difficulty. There are also options that allow players to focus entirely on the base-building aspects of Valheim rather than having to take part in the game’s combat.

Lead developer of Valheim, Jonathan Smårs, had spoken about the new difficulty options coming to the game back in April. Smårs also spoke about how the difficulty options would work, and how the game would also be getting a new Hardcore mode with combat difficulty set at its hardest.

Back in May, the studio had released a statement talking about mod support for Valheim, and how it does not condone locking mods behind pay walls as it would go “against the creative and open spirit of modding itself”.

As the update’s name might imply, it will bring with it a new biome, dubbed the Ashlands. The new biome will be a “land of the dead”, and will also have volcanic features. The developer also gave us a look at two new enemies that will be coming to the game—the Charred and Morgen—which you can check out in the gallery below.

The studio has also revealed that, unlike how it worked secretively on the Mistlands update, with Ashlands, it will be more transparent, giving players a better look at progress on the update.

In the mean time, Valheim is slated to get an Xbox release early this year, and will feature crossplay between PC and consoles. The game is also slated to get other features, such as new difficulty settings, and a major new feature dubbed Hildir’s Quest.

Hildir’s Quest will feature new clothes as rewards for players, as well as the addition of the titular Hildir as an NPC.

Valheim has been out on PC for quite a while. For more details, check out our review.

With all of these options, you might have missed out on a particularly interesting title from February 2021. It’s called Valheim, and while it wears the trappings of a common survival crafting game, its overall experience is much greater than the sum of its parts. I got to spend a sizeable chunk of time with this functionally endless game, so let’s talk about what makes Valheim a wondrous adventure in this review.

Valheim’s core concept goes something like this. You take on the role of a player-customized Viking warrior who has been bested in battle. Before you can gain passage to of Valhalla, you’ll make a stop off in Valheim. This beautiful realm is full of danger, mystery, and endless possibilities, and you’ll need to bend the nature of this world to your will in order to survive.

As you might have guessed, that’s easier said than done.

"This beautiful realm is full of danger, mystery, and endless possibilities, and you’ll need to bend the nature of this world to your will in order to survive."

Valheim is developed by the Swedish indie game developer Iron Gate Games, and published by Coffee Stain Publishing, which you might recognize from their Goat Simulator series. This is Iron Gate’s first and only project for the moment, and judging by the amount of content that has been added since the game’s original release, Valheim is going to be in a very similar position to No Man’s Sky in a few years.

But before we get to the latest additional content, let’s talk about the core gameplay loop. When you land on your own personal procedurally generated Valheim world, you are completely defenseless. No clothes, no weapons. All you have are your fists and a limited pool of stamina to defend yourself from aggressive animals. Your first order of business is punching trees until they explode and gathering up some rocks so you have the bare essential resources, you’ll need to begin your crafting journey.

The process of gathering these resources is initially tedious, but once you craft a stone axe, these processes speed up, and your rollercoaster to progressing through the game begins. With the stone axe, you can chop down trees en masse and use those raw materials to build a shelter. Valheim’s building mechanic has just enough depth from what I’ve seen, with a host of different pieces that fit together Lego-style and can be arranged and placed however you see fit.

I found the base-building mechanic to be not just a fun creative exercise, but also critical to my progress and survival. In order to create a new spawn location, you need a bed, which needs a roof and a campfire burning in order to function properly. Without these things, you’ll just respawn at the beginning shrine, which can set you back quite a bit if you had traveled deep into the island and into another biome before you died.

"Valheim’s building mechanic has just enough depth from what I’ve seen, with a host of different pieces that fit together Lego-style and can be arranged and placed however you see fit."

At some point between getting that first axe, building a rudimentary shelter, and fighting the game’s first boss (the stag spirit known as Eikthyr) I was taken aback by how beautiful the game is.

The starter biome is called the Meadows, and it is comprised of thick, dense forests as well as open spaces with rolling green hills. Valheim’s art style is very specific, as everything including the player character takes on a low-poly, PlayStation One-style appearance, but with added shaders, bloom lighting, and depth of field effects that make the entire game look fantastic and much more advanced and modern than its character models might suggest. Light shafts form through the spaces between tree branches in forests, and moonlight glints off of rocks and wet wood during evening rainstorms.

But, as beautiful as Valheim is, it is also just as dangerous. Eikthyr didn’t pose much of a problem as long as a certain amount of distance is maintained, but once you mount the head of that creature at the shrine (which gives you a buff that corresponds to its nature), you then move on to the next biome: the Black Forest.

This is where most of my playtime up to this point has been spent. The increase in difficulty between the Meadows and the Black Forest is actually staggering. Just about all of the weapons and armor you crafted in the Meadows is all but useless against the expanded roster of enemies that includes things like skeleton warriors, new, more powerful varieties of the greydwarfs you fought in the first area, and even massive trolls that will crush you flat with a single smash.

If you consider the Meadows the tutorial biome, then the Black Forest is where Valheim really begins, and the brick wall most players will hit the first few times they try to explore burial crypts or mine for ores will likely put many players off. However, the sense of satisfaction Valheim delivers when you conquer a new challenge is difficult to beat. The game doesn’t go out of its way to tell you how everything works and what exactly you need to be doing, but learning how to take down trolls, developing tactics to deal with mobs, and building out your humble home base into a compound that has all of the smelting, forging, crafting, and storage functions you need is the best part of Valheim.

"The game doesn’t go out of its way to tell you how everything works and what exactly you need to be doing, but learning how to take down trolls, developing tactics to deal with mobs, and building out your humble home base into a compound that has all of the smelting, forging, crafting, and storage functions you need is the best part of Valheim."

At least, that’s what think the best part of Valheim is. Something that makes Valheim so special is that it has so many features and functions that each player will find something they like and latch onto it. I played the game as a solo experience, but it is actually designed to be played co-op with up to 10 players on a server. With a group that size, you could have players who stay back and build out villages, some who go and gather resources, and others who serve as warriors and fight mobs while others establish safe routes to transport goods. Many games claim to have this, but Valheim really does have something for everybody.

And that list of things gets a lot longer every time a major update is released. The most recent one, entitled The Mistlands, fills out an entirely new biome while also adding new monsters, resources, and equipment to craft. The Mistlands were far too dangerous for me to do anything other than sprint through due to my current progress in the game, but if you still have nightmares from the thought of the Silent Hill games, imagine if that terrifying place was not only covered with a thick layer of fog, but also overrun with massive insects and had an impossibly varied topography that could send you tumbling to your death from a single misplaced step. That’s what the Mistlands are, and they’re pretty awesome.

The Meadows, Black Forest, and Mistlands make up less than half of the seven biomes that are currently available in Valheim, and 2023 seems like it will bring at least one more at some point. Considering the game will only set you back $20 on Steam, the amount of challenge, fun, and content you get from Valheim makes it a fantastic deal. And, if you prefer to play on console, Valheim will be making its way to Xbox consoles in Spring 2023.

This game was reviewed on PC.