Valfaris Critic Reviews

I’ve really had a blast with Valfaris. It looks and performs really well on Switch, and I’d imagine that’ll be the case for the other platforms it’s available on too. The metal soundtrack is fantastic, and the overall visual design is unlike anything I’ve played this year. With the recent announcement that Doom Eternal is delayed into next year, I think Valfaris will easily be the most metal game you’ll play this year. It’s absolutely worth checking out when it launches on Switch and PC on October 10th.

Valfaris is a straight-up indie masterpiece. If you're a fan of 2D action games then you'd be a goof not to play it.

Valfaris is a frenetic, violent homage to classic shooters and heavy metal, with satisfying gameplay and challenging boss encounters, it’ll be appreciated by anybody looking for something fun to head-bang to.

Valfaris is a near-perfect 2D action platformer with an excellent sense of style in every aspect. Its industrial sci-fi setting is like Doom on steroids, and its breakneck soundtrack does a great job of tying the whole experience together. While it is weakened somewhat by difficulty imbalances in some sections - particularly in later levels - it nevertheless stands apart in the tide of indie platformers by virtue of its rock-solid personality, beautiful world and graphics, and great mechanics.

Valfaris is the worthy heir to the once beloved Contra and Turrican series. Despite his short legth, it truly represents the new avant-garde of the genre.

Valfaris is one of the best indie games to come this year. it has a pure, fun, old school action without the complexities of many modern games.Action is intense, challenge is smart, gameplay is rewarding, and pixel-art is truly amazing. The only thing we disliked is how enemies keep respawning in some areas. Still, the game is enjoyable from start to finish.

Valfaris is the perfect transposition in modern sauce of the run’n'gun that have cheered entire generations of enthusiasts.

If you haven’t been following this game, Valfaris will be a great surprise. Simple but demanding and challenging, with tons of that 2D action we always love.

If you're still thirsty for classic run & gun Contra lookalike, the new game from Slain's developer it's just that: a pixelated heavy metal orgy full of shots, sword swinging and blood. A classic template, but with an enormous weapon selection, environments and lots of bosses. The experts on the genre may find it an intense, but short, ride.

If you like challenging games that are full of action and are dripping with atmosphere, Valfaris comes highly recommended. And if you happen to like metal music, it’s even better. Steel Mantis has struck silver with this metal-infused shooter. It isn’t perfect but it’s bloody good.

I really liked how Valfaris has turned out. Its old school roots of arcade run-and-gun feel nurtured and cared for in a way that freshens the genre up with some great ideas, a balanced difficulty curve, wonderful level design, tight controls and a wide variety of enemies to plow through. It never tries to be anything more than it needs to be, including the time it takes to beat it. It’s the developer’s second chance at a first impression that deserves to make as much noise as the pluck shredding the strings of the electric guitar that used to compose the game’s soundtrack. With a promised Full Metal Mode in the works to ramp up the challenge, I can really see myself venturing back into the intergalactic undergrowth of the dangerous planet known as Valfaris.

Valfaris is a really cool pixel-art action-paced adventure, one that is challenging and well-balanced. A great die & retry, with a dark atmosphere.

Whether you like heavy metal or not, Valfaris presents a package that’s worth your attention. From start to finish Valfaris doesn’t stop to take a breath, and the game’s quick load times keep you coming back for more after every death.

Valfaris is solid. The pacing is great, and with the exception of the back half, the difficulty curve isn't too bad. The juggling of weapons in relation to their balance is well done, and the constant boss fights are a fulfilling challenge once you overcome each foe. Provided you enjoy the Nintendo-hard games of the past, Valfaris is well worth checking out.

In terms of pixelated platformers on Nintendo Switch, Valfaris is a punk-powered riot, introducing enough weapons, enemies and bosses to always keep things fresh and rocking. A dodge function would have helped this to even greater heights.

Valfaris does not have to make perfect sense to be a good game and while its plot is rather basic and its gameplay doesn't always feel perfectly fluid, there's enough to this chaotic action platformer with a sci-fi and heavy metal theme to make it stand out. Thanks to its marvelous visual environment, metal-based soundtrack and variety of action moments, Valfaris is nothing short of a fun delight for fans of absurd, violent and chaotic action.

Nice old-school action with challenging boss battles and rad sound, albeit not as pretty or polished as Blazing Chrome.

Valfaris will likely drive gamers to distraction and frustration with its series of brutal and difficult bosses and villains, crazy chase sequences, and general sadist design. Yet, the game’s pristine devotion to emulating a classic 16-bit side-scrolling shooter has a distinct charm. The weapons and enemies are diverse and fun, the world is twisted, and the sheer over-the-top action and storyline prove entertaining enough to work through the pain and still end up having fun. Mostly. When the game isn’t making you want to twist your controller in half.

Valfaris is a much better game than its predecessor, introducing new systems and ideas to help keep its action-platformer formula engaging and interesting. The hand-crafted pixel art style and the brutally joyous soundtrack really elevate the whole experience, even if it ends up falling back into some bad habits. An unpredictable difficulty curve mixed with an occasionally messy approach to enemy spawning can make some levels a blood pressure-spiking experience, but when it’s not trying to undo its own achievements, you’re left with a linear side-scrolling shooter that delivers a mosh pit of monsters, mayhem and metal.

It's a great combination of really well-done elements and worth checking out if you find yourself in need of a funa ction platformer.