Valfaris | Switch Review

If you were to take Contra, the level design of Metroid, and the soundtrack and atmosphere from Doom, and throw them in a blender, Valfaris is the grimy, blood-soaked slurry that you would end up with. Who would have thought that headbanging and launching rockets would compliment each other so well? Let’s get ready to dive headfirst into this hellish wormhole.

What is This That Stands Before Me?

Valfaris is developed by Steel Mantis, published by Big Sugar, and comes from the same team that worked together on Slain: Back From Hell. You play from the perspective of Therion, a heavy metal warrior that has been roaming the galaxy in search of his long-lost home planet, Valfaris. After learning that his home world has reappeared in orbit around a dying sun, Therion returns to quell the evil that has taken over and save Valfaris from its impending annihilation.

Turn Around Quick and Start to Run…

Valfaris has its roots ensnared in the classic platform stylings of games like Metroid and Castlevania, but provides an arsenal that looks like something straight out of a sci-fi horror film. There are tons of cool weapons throughout the game to unlock and upgrade. The thunderous Envoy of Destruction (a strong power-weapon that rapidly fires missiles) and Therion’s trusty plasma blade (which harvests the enemy’s life-force and returns it to the player) are just a couple of the unique weapons that proved to be the most useful in my playthrough.

There is a blue bar below the health bar that can be charged by harvesting the souls of slain foes. This fueled my power-weapon, and added a nice change of pace from the relentless chopping and dicing of physical combat. You will need to master both if you intend to survive. Defeating larger bosses grants blood metal, which the player can use to upgrade the damage output of loadouts.

There Will be Hell to Pay

Valfaris is tough and unforgiving; be prepared to die over and over again. My fingers actually hurt from gripping my Joycons so tightly. There are times you will want to rip and tear the internals from your controller, but not at the fault of the game’s mechanics. The controls are precise and crisp, and I felt every satisfying slash as I tore through hordes of unrelenting demons. Valfaris is both responsive and approachable, but be prepared to play through difficult sections many times over.

The Drumming of the Buckshot Pumping

The atmosphere and level designs found throughout Valfaris are both visually stunning and remarkably organic. Twisted spires erupt from the surface of the planet. Sand and blood coat the hieroglyphic walls of the catacombs, and pus oozes from the grotesque worm-filled sacs found in the hive. The cutscenes are beautifully animated, and give a welcome bit of rest between levels. The sprites are very well designed. Lots of time and consideration were put into every enemy, and the variety of demons is staggering. There are so many cool sights to see, and multiple stage attempts allowed me to take it all in.

Holy hell, what an amazing soundtrack! Valfaris offers such a grandiose and demented cacaphony of heavy metal bliss that I found myself waiting at the respawn shrines just to enjoy the music. Fans of the heavy metal genre will quickly recognize the agonizing guitar licks are provided with love by former Celtic Frost guitarist, Curt Victor Bryant. Certain parts in the game are emphasized by nothing more that the wind howling on the surface, only to have the music come tearing in to welcome a boss. If you love metal, the OST is a must-have.

Is It the End, My Friend?

I have never felt like a game was made for me more than I do with Valfaris. Although the story isn’t an incredibly in-depth narrative, it grasped my attention. I was dying (literally) to see it through. I was surprised to see a few bits of snarky comedy shine through in the dialogue between Therion and his ship’s computer AI Hekate. It is hard as hell from start to end, and I loved every minute of it. The soundtrack absolutely exemplified the pile of body parts I left in my wake in a wonderful symphony of destruction.

When the final curtain fell, I was left with the overwhelming satisfaction of finishing one of the hardest games I have ever played. There were times I was downright frustrated and had to set my Switch down and walk away. I died over and over and over again. I audibly shouted obscenities at the monsters that continued to relentlessly slaughter me time and time again, only to return a short while later to conquer them. The feeling of completion is incredible, and I can’t speak highly enough of Valfaris. If you love metal and/or hard platformers, this is a no-brainer. Pick this one up.