Summary

  • Valheim's multiplayer is well-received and accessible.
  • Valheim's offline play during single-player gives it an edge over games like Redfall that are locked behind connectivity walls.

Despite the stigmas surrounding early access releases, Valheim has managed to carve out an isle of positive attention for itself. Its best qualities plant it in sharp contrast to an upcoming title, one that Valheim shares some surface similarities with in terms of multiplayer.

Valheim and the upcoming Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League are entirely different games, no doubt. However, both share the commonality of being cooperative multiplayer experiences. In this respect, it's clear to see how the two embody different sides of the multiplayer spectrum. Though Valheim's multiplayer has some early access jank, it's already leagues more well-received than Suicide Squad's—which hasn't even been released yet. An analysis of these differences works wonders in showing which pitfalls to avoid in executing multiplayer and pitching it to a playerbase.

Valheim Odin Appearance
Valheim's Odin Easter Egg Explained

Valheim players are sent on their mission by the Norse god Odin, and the Allfather can be seen watching them in a random cameo.

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Suicide Squad Could Do With Following Valheim's Offline Play Example

Suicide Squad's Always-Online Requirements At Launch Are A Red Flag

It's by no means an original criticism, but the disdain for Suicide Squad's always-online requirements is prevalent for a reason. The reveal that Suicide Squad will require an online connection even during single-player came in 2023. Not only is there an issue of access here, putting content that doesn't need to be online behind a connectivity wall, but it also funnels players into online gaming whether they wish to engage with it or not.

Rocksteady has since addressed this and has confirmed an offline mode for the story campaign will be available later this year. Still, connectivity will be an issue for the time being.

Valheim's multiplayer doesn't have these issues, thankfully. This makes multiplayer a much easier pill to swallow when it can be ignored by those who don't wish to engage in it, despite the fact that games like Valheim and Suicide Squad couldn't be more different on paper.

Suicide Squad's Choices Put It In Bad Company

Suicide Squad's lack of an offline capability at launch is a dead-ringer for Redfall, which had a similar fiasco surrounding post-launch roadmaps for vital features. Not only was the game locked at 30 FPS at launch, but Redfall still requires an online connection to play single-player. This case is even more bizarre; Redfall has no microtransactions. A possible explanation could be its status as a first-party Xbox title.

Developer statements on Redfall's connectivity requirement imply that the difficulty in undoing them lies in how tied up the game is in online play. Admittedly, Redfall is designed with online co-op in mind—but it begs the question as to why solo play would be offered in the first place. If the title is balanced around co-op to the extent that its online requirements exist in such an infrastructure web, single-player is more likely to be an unbalanced experience.

Valheim's more comparable to Minecraft with its 10-player servers and greater longevity, on the other hand. By allowing for offline play during single-player, it forgoes asking for any online subscription or reliable connection. This improved accessibility, combined with its excellent gameplay, allows it to sit alongside titans of the industry and be compared favorably against them. Valheim, by virtue of being in early access, has many obvious flaws. However, its better qualities have been amplified by the volume of players able to access it more easily than they would be if always-online requirements were in place.

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Valheim Tag Page Cover Art

Valheim
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Sandbox
Survival
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Systems
PC-1 Xbox-1
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Top Critic Avg: 85 /100 Critics Rec: 83%
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Released
February 2, 2021
ESRB
r
Developer(s)
Iron Gate AB
Publisher(s)
Coffee Stain Studios
Engine
Unity
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer
Cross-Platform Play
PC, Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
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Valheim  is a brutal exploration and survival game for 1-10 players set in a procedurally-generated world inspired by Norse mythology. Craft powerful weapons, construct longhouses, and slay mighty foes to prove yourself to Odin!
EXPLORE THE TENTH WORLD
Explore a world shrouded in mystery. Discover distinct environments with unique enemies to battle, resources to gather and secrets to uncover! Be a viking, sail the open seas in search of lands unknown, and fight bloodthirsty monsters.
BUILD MIGHTY HALLS
Raise viking longhouses and build bases that offer reprieve from the dangers ahead. Customise buildings, both inside and out, with a detailed building system. Progress through building tiers to upgrade, expand and defend your base.
GATHER, CRAFT AND SURVIVE
Struggle to survive as you gather materials and craft weapons, armor, tools, ships, and defenses. Decorate your hearths and sharpen your blades, grow crops and vegetables, prepare food, brew meads and potions, and progress as you defeat more difficult bosses and discover new recipes and blueprints.

Genre(s)
Sandbox, Survival
How Long To Beat
75 Hours
File Size Xbox Series
1 GB (November 2023)
Platforms That Support Crossplay
PC, Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S
Steam User Rating
95%