The Valheim Mistlands replace has lastly arrived—for testing. Whereas the brand new biome hasn’t been added to the bottom sport but (and Iron Gate Studio nonetheless hasn’t introduced a official launch date), it’s now obtainable on the Valheim public take a look at department. Yup, you may dive proper in and begin exploring the Mistlands on Valheim’s testing department.
Enjoyable reality: a number of of us at PC Gamer have already spent a while there. Iron Gate Studio was form sufficient to allow us to strive an early construct of the Mistlands, and after a variety of exploration, experimentation, and no scarcity of horribly grotesque deaths, I’ve gotta say this: Wow.
I imply, wow. There’s a lot of latest stuff within the Mistlands replace past only a new biome. The replace is full of thrilling options, and never simply stuff you’d count on like new monsters, weapons, and surroundings. There’s a wholly new gameplay system gamers are going to be actually enthusiastic about, an attention-grabbing new kind of NPC, a number of uncommon crafting stations, and much extra.
Earlier than I’m going additional I am gonna put an enormous spoiler warning right here. Whereas some gamers will need to know what’s in retailer for them within the replace, and various it may be seen within the new trailer, I had a good time discovering the surprises within the Mistlands for myself. I had a couple of “holy shit” second whereas exploring the brand new biome, and I am certain some gamers would favor to go in utterly blind. So, for those who do not need to know precisely what’s within the Mistlands replace, cease studying this and have a good time checking it out for your self.
Please additionally needless to say we acquired an early construct of the replace, and the Mistlands is simply on the take a look at department for now, so the whole lot I’ve seen and written about is topic to alter.
Final probability to keep away from spoilers! Listed below are probably the most thrilling and stunning issues we have discovered within the Valheim Mistlands replace.
A magic system with elemental and blood magic
The world of Valheim is not any stranger to magic: In spite of everything, we’re speaking in regards to the Viking afterlife crammed with ice dragons, sentient blobs, magic portals, and a rubbish disposal that is powered by Thor’s lightning. There’s at all times been magic working by means of the world of Valheim, however now you may wield it straight.
Because of a mystical new useful resource known as Eitr, you may imbue your self with magic energy and construct a brand new workbench to create a number of sorts of magic workers. One workers can hurl fireballs, one other can deal ice-blasts, and there is a workers that encases you and any close by allies in a protecting drive bubble. Together with the staffs, there is a craftable magic cranium (you may see it briefly within the trailer) that permits you to summon a loyal skeleton to battle at your facet.
Yep, you may major a necromancer in Valheim. How about that?
Simply do not assume you are immediately gonna be the Viking model of Gandalf. It is a magic system, not a magic button. Harvesting and refining Eitr is kind of a course of, as is gathering what you must construct a number of new magic-related crafting stations. And with out Eitr flowing by means of your physique, your fancy new workers would possibly as properly be a twig. To maintain your self chock-full of Eitr you are going to want to collect elements and prepare dinner it into hearty meals in absolutely upgraded kitchens. And people necromancy and safety spells, they use blood magic, which drains your well being as properly. It isn’t simple being a wizard in Valheim, but it surely’s an thrilling new technique to play the sport.
New NPCs who do not assault you on sight
In such a hostile world it does not take a lot for issues to really feel extra pleasant, even when that friendliness is straightforward neutrality. You’ve got already met one Norse dwarf, Haldor, the seller of Valheim. However within the Mistlands you may discover different dwarf clans, known as Dvergr, and in contrast to most issues in Valheim they do not need to kill you.
Principally. The Dvergr inhabitants of the Mistlands will not assault you on sight. In reality, they could even greet you with a number of pleasant phrases of textual content floating above their heads. You possibly can stroll proper as much as them, and even stroll round inside their forts with out upsetting them. They hate the monsters within the Mistlands as a lot as you do, so you may rely on them to assist in a battle in the event that they occur to be close by.
The draw back is, they are not tolerant of all of your conduct. Assault them they usually will not hesitate to battle again, and sure, there are Dvergr mages with highly effective staffs and spells. Harm their fort, even by accident, they usually’ll flip hostile. That is particularly tough as a result of their forts have sources you could discover important for crafting, so chances are high you are going to must scrap with them sooner or later, even for those who like them.
Remnants of the Jotunn
As you make your approach by means of the thick mist and haze of the brand new biome, put together your self for some startling sights. As glimpsed within the trailer, you may come throughout what appears to be like like an infinite sword caught within the floor, so large you may stroll round on it and use a pickaxe (if it is sturdy sufficient) to reap it for metallic.
Who may presumably have carried such a large weapon? The Jotunn, Norse giants who used to inhabit Valheim. Huge swords and elements of their armor are scattered across the panorama, however that is not all. You might discover the traditional, petrified skeletons of the mythic giants themselves, within the type of monumental skulls and ribcages. You possibly can harvest that fossilized bone, too, when you cease gawking on the sight of a cranium the scale of a home.
The roots of Yggdrasil
Since we first set foot in Valheim we have been staring up on the large tree, Yggdrasil, that stretches out over the Viking land of the useless. We have simply by no means been in a position to attain it. Because it seems the mighty tree’s roots are sunk deep within the Mistlands, they are not simply there for adornment. You possibly can craft a brand new instrument to extract a treasured new useful resource from the roots of Yggdrasil, which is vital to completely unlocking the brand new magic system I discussed above.
Together with Yggdrasil’s roots, there are smaller, child Yggdrasil shoots rising everywhere in the Mistlands. With a pointy sufficient axe you may minimize these little bushes down and unlock extra new crafting recipes.
Horrifying new monsters
I do not know what a part of Norse mythology the Gjall is from, however I want it will return there. Early on in my exploration of the Mistlands I discovered a Dvergr fort, and was chilling on the roof with some impartial dwarves. I am undecided if I heard it or noticed it first, however I keep in mind considering “What the hell is that?” It was a large creature, swollen and fleshy, slowly drifting towards the fort excessive above the mist like a blimp made from pores and skin. Terrifying! A couple of minutes later, there wasn’t an entire lot left of the fort. I am undecided precisely what the Gjall spits out of what is not precisely its mouth, but it surely looks like a mix of acid and fireplace.
The Mistlands are additionally house to large bugs known as seekers, they usually’re no pushovers, both. And as you discover you may discover dungeons known as infested mines, previously the subterranean houses of the Dvergr however now the lairs of much more seekers and their brood. No less than you get one thing out of exploring these darkish and disgusting locations: Seekers and their grubs present extra new crafting supplies.
A brand new technique to mild up the world
A lot of the Mistlands is surrounded by fog so thick you may’t see quite a lot of toes in entrance of you. You will even lose sight of your personal character for those who scroll out too far along with your mouse. Maintain up a torch and you will discover it does not do a rattling factor to dispel that mist, both. That is my mild approach of claiming that the mist of the Mistlands, fairly truthfully, sucks. If you’re in it, you merely cannot see, and never solely is it harmful, it is simply not a lot enjoyable stumbling round blind.
Fortunately there is a technique to fight that dense fog. You will want one thing new, known as Wisp, a useful resource that may be crafted into torches that you could place on the bottom within the Mistlands, dispelling the mist round them, and a brand new instrument known as Wisplight that follows you round. A particular Wisp fountain may be constructed that may appeal to Wisp for assortment, permitting you to construct extra torches. That will help you get began, this is our information to crafting Wisp torches and Wisplight.
A brand new boss, base constructing choices, and holy crap: chickens!
We knew the brand new biome would have a brand new boss, however apparently this boss has a lair moderately than an altar within the overworld. Sealed by Dvergr way back, as soon as you have discovered the lair of the Mistlands boss you may must craft a particular key simply to open that intimidating door. A creature so foul it has been locked away in a vault? Sounds such as you in all probability ought to simply depart that door closed, does not it?
Within the meantime, there’s nonetheless loads of new stuff to do again at your base, as new constructing supplies and items have been added, together with spiral staircases that may make multilevel constructing rather a lot simpler and black marble so you may create your sturdiest base but. And base protection has gone up a notch—there’s an automatic protection weapon you may construct that may be helpful for protecting the Djall at bay, if you wish to make a house within the harmful Mistlands.
And there is chickens! In Valheim! You possibly can hatch ’em, develop ’em, and farm ’em at your base. They are not simply cute, they’re additionally scrumptious. Now all you must do is locate your first egg… someplace.