Valfaris

This year has been full of games that rock, bop and slap, but I'm here to tell you that no 2019 game is going to be more metal than Valfaris. It's a headbanger's ball of over-the-top run 'n gun excitement set in a violent fantasy world straight out of Heavy Metal magazine. And just when you think you've seen it all, this old school throwback tosses in more firepower, bigger bosses and more explosive action. I have a hunch that Riki Rachtman would approve.

Therion has waited a long time to force his evil father to pay for his crimes. He's been flying through space in a wolfship looking for the fortress of Valfaris, the one-time paradise that completely vanished from galactic charts. But now it's back, this time orbiting a dying sun. It has been completely consumed in an ever-growing darkness, and Therion knows that this may be his only opportunity to get the answers he seeks.

This is the setup to one of the most exciting games of the year. Valfaris is a side-scrolling run 'n gun action game that mixes elements from Contra and Strider to create a fun and challenging journey full of hacking, slashing, shooting and blowing up massive bosses. It's a gory and stunningly gorgeous shooter that gives you everything you want out of the genre, and so much more.

When Therion crash lands on Valfaris, he's equipped with a sword for close-range attacks, a pistol for longer shots and a rail gun for those moments when you need a little extra power. But it won't take long for our hero to find a few new weapons. In fact, the fortress is lousy with new weapons to equip and upgrade, including everything from a rocket launcher to a whip to a flamethrower. With the three types of weapons mapped to different buttons and a whole bunch of guns and swords to choose between, we're given quite a bit of freedom in how we fight through the colorful levels of Valfaris.

One of the things I really like is how everything in this world feels connected. It's hard to tell where the levels begin and end, and I have a hunch that's on purpose. Even though the stage designs are linear and fairly straight-forward, the game does a great job of making us feeling like we're along for every step of the journey. And what a journey it is. Every stage is brought to life with vibrant colors and stunning pixel graphics. Even when we're in the deepest, darkest parts of the fortress, there's still a sense of style and attention to detail that makes every moment stand out.

The great graphics extend to the many boss fights. Valfaris knows what you came here for, and it's epic shootouts against fantasy creatures you can only find in outer space. This game delivers with the bosses, and they all look awesome. But don't spend too much time marveling at their design, because they are deadly. This is the kind of game where you'll need to memorize patterns to stand a chance, and even then, your chances of survival are still iffy.

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The rest of the game is also challenging, though I never felt it was unfair. Valfaris is good about giving us plenty of checkpoints, which double as a place to swap and upgrade the weapons you've unlocked. Even as the enemies grow faster and stronger, I always felt in control and never had to replay large portions of the level. That said, the back half of this game is going to kick your butt, so be prepared to die a lot before learning the truth behind Valfaris.

For as much as I liked mixing and matching the different weapons, I found that the upgrade system forced me to stick with the same gun throughout most of the lengthy journey. There aren't enough upgrade points to go around, so it made more sense to continue using and upgrading the weapons you get near the start. There would be times when I might switch to the bomb gun or whip in order to get the upper hand on a boss, but I ended up using the upgraded pistol for most of the game. There needs to be a way to remove the upgrades, freeing us up to experiment more with the rest of Therion's impressive arsenal.

Aside from the upgrade system and a few stages that are a little too linear, I don't have many bad things to say about Valfaris. In a year that brought us Blazing Chrome and a brand-new Contra game, this is definitely the best run 'n gun shooter I've played in 2019. A lot of that has to do with the incredible presentation and metal soundtrack. Valfaris is a fascinating fortress that I couldn't wait to explore. It's richly detailed and diverse, often veering away from the tropes you normally see in this type of shooter. Raise those Devil horns, because this game shreds!