While there is a rather deep levelling system where different gods grant different upgrades to different weapons, much of the game is mindless fun. It’s probably best to turn the brain off when jumping into Vikings – Wolves of Midgard anyway. Still, I’d wager most aren’t looking to jump into this title of Viking warfare for a deep, sensible story to begin with. Viking culture was one of intense brutality and dominance, so one could argue it would be disingenuous to deprive players of an authentic experience of randomly showing up on a nearby shore to take what isn’t yours. It’s kind of a muddled mess, but in a way, it makes sense. There seems to be an overarching story of an incoming danger, reminiscent to Fable III, except no one is actually aware of this future threat. One minute, they’re tasked to venture outside the city walls to destroy ice giants that can threaten the settlement, and then the next mission tasks users with taking over a neighbouring allied village because someone suggested it.
Instead, the player just kind of jump into missions that are vaguely connected with little to no motivation. At least that’s what I think the story is. After rescuing the village, the protagonist is named chieftain tasked with rebuilding the town. Players are dropped into a world of Norse mythology. While it could probably use a little more refinement, Vikings – Wolves of Midgard mixes titles like Diablo and Gauntlet to create a genuinely unique experience that feels familiar, though a little unpolished.
Now, they’re dipping their toes in different waters, opting for more action-oriented combat with a deep levelling system that feels right with those two names. That’s Vikings – Wolves of Midgard, the latest title developed by Games Farm published by Kalypso Media who’s mostly known for their strategy-based titles. No game will ever reach the heights Diablo did, and that’s okay, but it’s still nice to see new titles take on that style with its own twist. Blizzard’s dungeon crawler came into the world and left a mark that, decades later, still inspires many similar titles while still remaining the standard for the genre. To say that Diablo is an influential title is an understatement.