Days of Rage: Volgarr The Viking- Game Review

This is a tribute and a throwback to days of old. Recently, I was reminiscing while playing Ninja Gaiden for the NES, about how much difficulty had to be cleaved through in the games of the older generations. There was very little to steer you in the right direction, and often there was much trial and error involved in conquering games of that time.

 Crazy Viking Studios, has put together a game that was first on Steam, titled, "Volgarr the Viking." The game was released years ago, but only recently added to the Playstation Network library. It was a breath of fresh air, as there aren't many platformers like it. When you dive into this action game, know that you are in for a ride. The game brags about difficulty from the start. In the first level, you are given a slight tutorial as you make your way across a jungle stage, facing enemies that respawn at an alarming rate. You are equipped with a sword and spears that can be used as projectiles, with limited range. As you progress, you can collect armor that allow for you to sustain more damage and increase the power of you sword attack, as well as enabling a charged, and more powerful spear throw. At base, without your standard wooden shield, you die in a single hit.

 The game has enemies that are reminiscent of Castlevania, in that they have movement patterns that perfectly disrupt the platforming. It can be very infuriating to die due to a single hit from a mist, or a snake that chases you off of an edge of a platform, or strikes you in a very tight recovery window/animation. It feels very cheap at times, but over the course of playing the game, I realized there were more techniques and latitude available to the character- Volgarr. The ultimate goal of the game is to seige the castle of a viking who has terrorized the land after taking a powerful artifact. You traverse through jungles, snowy levels, underground passages, and volcanic mines, until you arrive at the tower where the final boss is kept. The last level of the game is actually very forgiving, in that you have a checkpoint after each room. In the rest of the game, you have only 1 in each level, right in the very middle.

  Aesthetically, I was pleased by the lush color and vibrant animations of the game. Volgarr has a satisfying double jump and a spike attack that can be utilized to break certain object and floors. The music was solid, but not very memorable. It's the challenge that will stick with you. Ultimately, when I rated it after completion, I'd have to say it was moderately difficult, for that genre. It was harder than Shovel Knight, but easier than Prinny. The levels are long and don't have many rest points, but you do get to enjoy the environment.

 I would strongly recommend this adventure for any old school fan of side-scroller action games in the vein of Ninja Gaiden. However, play in a room with soft carpet. Ciao!

Score: 8/10