Niffelheim offers you a different but very addictive adventure, and that is not all!
Some key points that this game offers:
- Stunning visuals and animations.
- In depth crafting system.
- A little bit of everything, some RPG, some Strategy, some Mining and a whole lot more.
- Indie Gem 5/5
- Very addictive play.
- Co-op and Multiplayer options available.
Gameplay & Controls:
The game has full controller support. However, if you prefer to stick to the trusty keyboard and mouse, fret not the game plays beautifully with either. The mouse can be used to complete a whole bunch of actions, which can get confusing or just limit the effects. By effects I mean, we get to hunt, forage, chop trees and mine, there are buttons for each of these actions. You do have the options to remap keys to your liking.
Niffelheim is a 2D based game with all of its gameplay being done whilst moving left or right, and in some instances up and down too. Perfect gameplay for a 2D fan. It really offers a deep and diverse gaming experience. The game is a complete sandbox experience, it focuses on surviving; requiring you to gather resources, using them to craft and upgrade your equipment and castle.
Even though it is a sandbox experience there are still quests to undertake and bosses to fight. The game has a winning condition as well, so all of this can be avoided if you wish. One thing about the game that I think should get reworked is the way the combat plays out. At times it feels boring and uninspiring. This is the only part of the game I don’t really enjoy; it just needs to be reworked so that the combat side of the game feels more fluid and enjoyable.
The game has a health and hunger system, as you take damage you lose health and reaching 0 on the health bar means you die and your ghost appears back at your keep with you having to go and retrieve your body. The hunger system slowly depletes and for every action you do it depletes a bit faster. To combat this, you can make food to eat from the kitchen crafting post inside your keep, or by using one of the many stations you will come across above or below ground. Ingredients can all be obtained by hunting or scavenging. There are a number of recipes to make use of.
Graphics:
This little Indie beauty truly has amazing graphics, for a 2D game the developers really spared no effort to deliver a breathtakingly beautiful game to us.
There are numerous mountains and other large structures that occupy the landscape, some can be entered, and others are merely beautiful landmarks. As you move from left to right the game offers that lookout effect where you can see far off into the distance at the mountain ranges, giving the scenery a landscape look and feel.
The game offers several animations such as the weather conditions; be it snow falling, or rain pouring down from the heavens. Each object in the game was created with great attention to detail. Whether it is the trees, or the variety of vegetation that you can interact with. They all look lively and beautiful. They can all be distinguished from one another; no two different items look remotely similar.
Enemies all look unique, whether it is the simple ones we hunt for resources or the monsters we kill to move on in the game, they all look unique with great attention to detail. The same can be said for character details, especially your chosen hero, as new and better armor and weapons gets equipped it can be visibly seen in the game.
In the settings panel we have quite a few options; resolution options along with game quality options. This game is a work of art, whether you run it on an older machine or not; it is not taxing at all.
Sounds:
If you thought this game was already incredible; wait till you hear how much more awesome the OST makes the game.
They fit together perfectly, the entire OST compliments every aspect of this game, enhancing it and making your experience all the more fun.
Whether you are out chopping down trees or hunting some sheepies, the games music really compliments every aspect of the game.
It gets even better; almost every action in the game has its own accompanying sound, be it the animals or monsters you face or the interactable objects such as mining.
Accompanying this great musical add on to the game, you have full volume control in the settings panel.
Replayability:
The game can be played solo or co-op. With that being said the game offers quite a few reasons to play it again and again.
Even if you prefer to stick to solo games, the game offers enough fun and entertainment for you to play it by yourself. There is hunting, mining, scavenging and so much more to do!
If co-op is not for you, add some bots to the game and test your skills out as you make a stand!
MGR Gaming’s Conclusions:
Spoilers Ahead:
Niffelheim might not be everyone’s cup of tea but for those few, this is the perfect blend. You are in for one joyous ride, steeped in some Norse mythology, shrouded by some mystery and a whole lot fun. As I briefly mentioned above, the game offers a variety of elements in different genres be it RPG elements, survival or strategy, the game has a little bit of everything.
I also mentioned that the game is more grinding and gathering oriented than actual quests and combat, making it fit under a simulation/ sandbox gameplay style. If you enjoy sandbox based games chances are you will love this one.
The games story and quests might seem a little confusing at times but the games Tutorial system will give you pretty much every tip you need to play the game and understand it in all its glory.
All in all, I think this game is great value for money, it really comes together quite beautifully, the bosses are all creatively done and finding them isn’t that hard nor is fighting them if you are properly prepared.
The day and night system that the game has really adds a neat and pleasant experience to the game. When it comes down to the numbers, the developers took numerous awesome tid bits and brought them together in perfect harmony to really give us an amazing gaming experience.
The game still receives updates and the developers are active on the discussion side of things; quickly tackling issues that may arise. There were discussions on improving the combat issues I mentioned so all in all this is a great title to own and play that might just be improved upon in the near future. Indie gaming at its best.
Additional Info:
Platforms: PC: PlayStation 4: Nintendo Switch: Xbox One: Linux: Mac
Genre: 2D: Survival: RPG: Indie: Exploration
Censor Rating: n/a
Age Rating: Mature
Developer: Ellada Games
Publisher: Ellada Games
Release Date: 26 September 2018
MGR Gaming Steam Curator:
https://store.steampowered.com/curator/32364038/
