Even though we’re in the ninth generation of video game consoles, there’s no shortage of retro games. I’d say that, except of course during the 8 and 16-bit eras, the choice has never been greater than it is now for those who want to play things that feel and look classic. There’s no shortage of pixel hunters, and if you want something that reminds you of, say, Castlevania while also challenging you, Volgarr the Viking 2 will hit you like mead down the throat. It’s a game that flirts with “old school” gaming, and for those who have been looking for something like that, there’s a lot of fun ahead.
Volgarr is a classic side-scrolling action game in every way. I mentioned Castlevania above, but the game can probably be compared to, for example, the classic Ghosts ‘n Goblins, which probably made many players’ hair stand on end. Volgarr is very difficult and also evil in the sense that your Viking can only withstand a single hit before dying, so it’s a lot about memorizing the long paths and also tracking down power-ups that can be found in chests. Not only do these add some sort of trait, but each one you equip also makes you resist another hit. It wasn’t until the first level that I learned more parts that kept killing me, and at times it felt pretty unfair. However, some hitboxes and trial-and-error moments felt a bit too crappy for me, but as I wrote in the introduction, if that’s what you’ve been yearning for, Volgarr II is more than the ticket.
I don’t know if I really agree with how Volgarr II is trying to challenge me. It seems a little too hardcore for my taste, and even though I recently played Black Myth: Wukong, the whole “one hit means death” thing is a game mechanic I’ve never really agreed with. Sure, there are some checkpoints and you have to be prepared for a lot of trial and error to successfully complete the levels. But the game developers also did something weird with dying over and over again. Because after several “continues,” your Viking becomes invulnerable. The game just tells you you were too bad and turns you into a zombie and invulnerable so you can keep playing. It’s a little weird, rather than having a system that allows you to take a few more hits or something.
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It’s all very arcade-y, with attacks being made in one direction, and in addition to your sword, you also have a spear you can throw. Not only is it capable of killing enemies from a distance, but it can also be used to create platforms. Most of the time, this is necessary to reach a ledge that has a chest on it. There’s also a bit of platforming when timing jumps, and overall it’s a fairly stiff set of controls that don’t always feel very responsive.
I think the pixels are what make it attractive. The game looks pretty, has a wonderfully bombastic soundtrack and there is absolutely nothing wrong with the presentation as such. It’s clear that they’ve tried to recreate the side-scrolling action games of the past in everything from the graphics to the game design. You have five lives before pressing “Continue” to return to the start of a level. These are, as mentioned, quite long, so the challenge takes quite a while to complete. The checkpoints are fairly generously spaced out, though I wish the tracks were broken up into multiple subsections instead of being so long.
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Volgarr the Viking II feels like a fairly niche game, as it mostly wants to appeal to those who want that kind of challenge in that pixel suit, and the whole combination feels absolutely retro in every way imaginable, so if you know you’re that type of player, it’s definitely worth checking out, but for me, it doesn’t really stand out.
