There's perhaps no bigger trend in gaming right now than multiplayer survival games. The genre tops PC and console sales lists, plus it consistently has games that top Twitch's list of most-watched titles. With that in mind, it's exciting every time a new multiplayer survival game gets launched, given their potential. Such is the case with Valheim, a new co-op survival game available for purchase via Steam Early Access as of this past Tuesday.
Valheim is a fantasy exploration and survival game at its heart. Players will spawn into a procedurally-generated world, where they'll "build, battle, and conquer." But the main feature of Valheim is its cooperative multiplayer. Valheim supports between 1 and 10 players who can work together cooperatively in a player vs. environment experience. Like Minecraft, Valheim supports a variety of biomes from which players can scour and craft to create more unique survival experiences.
The big question that many fans of multiplayer survival games have is whether Valheim will support a sandbox experience that also offers competitive multiplayer. That's where games like Rust and others truly rise to popular extremes. For now, developer Iron Gate AB isn't confirming a sandbox mode in Valheim. However, a sandbox mode is listed in Valheim's roadmap under the banner of "If Odin Wills It." It sounds like sandbox mode is dependent on Valheim's level of success.
Interested players can be a part of that potential success for Valheim right now. Valheim launched on Tuesday into Steam Early Access. The current build of the game features "most planned core features" including 5 biomes, 35 creatures, 280 unique items, multiplayer, and even dedicated servers. Early Access for Valheim will last for at least a year, but Iron Gate AB plans to continue adding biomes, enemies, bosses, and crafting materials month to month. Valheim should be a game to watch going forward.
Valheim is available in Steam Early Access now on PC.