Valfaris: Mecha Therion Review

Valfaris: Mecha Therion is the sequel to the critically acclaimed Valfaris where the hunt for Lord Vroll continues. Therion barely escaped Valfaris and he goes across the galaxy in search for the Vroll in order to put an end to his evil ways. Equip the formidable suit of weaponised metal and let the hunt continue.

Unlike the previous game, which was a 2D platformer, Valfaris: Mecha Therion takes things to the air by switching to a 2.5D shoot’em up, a.k.a. shmup, which combines melee and long range weaponry. Players will use a sword (among other things) for some up close action while using various guns throughout this adventure.

As you progress through levels, you’ll also earn new weapons that can be equipped and upgraded at checkpoints. As you amass a kill count, you’ll also earn blood points which allows you to upgrade your weapons. You can also parry enemy attacks, mostly useful against bosses, but it does feel random. Using your long range weapons will drains its meter; once empty, while not as powerful, it is still usable.

The meter refills when you kill enemies with your melee weapon. The game is also done in the way that it rewards risk; your melee weapon does a bit more damage than your long range ones, but it’s riskier to get up close. Your melee weapon can also destroy enemy projectiles. Players also have access to a powerful dash attack which gives them a way to bash through unbreakable surfaces, fly through certain enemies and/or also a way to quickly escape possible damage.

The game looks great with its bright and colorful aesthetic. While each level has its own style, it all feel seamless like a single unique level that changes progressively without interruption. The only addendum is that sometimes, it can be a bit difficult to differentiate the background from some obstacles and ground enemies. The soundtrack is another hard rock/metal infused headbanging score that will keep you on your toes as you wreck everything in your path.

Thankfully, there isn’t anything overly wrong with Valfaris: Mecha Therion. The game is a bit on the repetitive side and as mentioned above, sometimes it can be tricky to see grounded enemies among the background, leading to some unwarranted damage. While overall the controls are fine, it does feel unnecessarily difficult to move around very narrow areas filled with enemies because it can be tricky determining the pixel detection.

Valfaris: Mecha Therion is a another indie gem. The original was one of best, most challenging and enjoyable run n’ gun games I had played. Switching the sequel to the shmup genre while keeping the action packed gameplay from the previous entry offers a fresh take. Valfairs: Mecha Therion, much like its predecessor, is a must play experience. If you’re looking for a fun challenge, don’t miss out.