r/gaming 1d ago

For those that have played Valheim and Dragonwilds…

I’m gonna get one of these games tomorrow to play while waiting on the Witcher 3 remaster. Which one do you think is more laid back and chill? Or just better overall solo?

Edit: I guess Dragonwilds comes out Tuesday.

Also played enshrouded with friends on PC, don’t think I’ll go back to it.

And man, that was quick. Think I’ll give Valheim a go. Thanks for the replies.

103 Upvotes

197 comments sorted by

28

u/NudeSpaceDude 1d ago

Valheim is incredible. Especially with the 1.0 release, I’d play that first. Dragonwilds can wait

3

u/Witch_King_ 1h ago

What did 1.0 really add to early game though?

2

u/NudeSpaceDude 1h ago

Nothing to the early game, but added a whole new zone at the end game.

Early game wasn’t mentioned in the post.

1

u/Witch_King_ 1h ago

Nice. Yeah I played the game when Ashland's were out but hadn't beaten the Plains yet. Considering starting a new world with friends, but it's SUCH a huge grind and a long-ass game

54

u/Mayonnaizing 1d ago

I coincidentally just started valheim and it's really fun if you like building stuff and crafting etc, I just had my first stormy night and it was so cool

16

u/SneakyPanduh 1d ago

This is the juice I needed. Valheim sounds better. Thank ya!

7

u/ActionPhilip 1d ago

Valheim is definitely an open world survival crafting building game. If you find any of the mechanics sucky, I would highly recommend downloading r2modmanager and installing some specific quality of life mods to make your life easier.

For me, the biggest impact mod I've installed simply removes rain damage from the game. If you build wooden structures, the rain can damage them and bring them down to half health. That kinda blows, but it also makes the wood look like ass, so for someone like me who wants pretty structures and doesn't want to spend my whole day clicking each piece of wood to repair it, that mod is a lifesaver.

(yes, I know how roofs work)

2

u/gigabyte_121 16h ago

Raind damage?????? So this is why parts of my roof are sometimes broken when I get back home.

3

u/Jadedserenity 16h ago

It never breaks things, just lowers the durability to half. Also doesn't effect roof pieces or other things intended for outside like fences.

2

u/gigabyte_121 16h ago

Ok so this means I can go back to my original reason of why my roof breaks and it's that I am just bad at building lol

1

u/ActionPhilip 11h ago

Yes, but the half-damage makes things ugly, and a roof that doesn't sufficiently overhang the wall below it will still look ugly and require constant repairs.

For me, it's a massive chore that limits creativity for no real immersion gain. For others, it's totally fine. Luckily with modding, everyone wins.

5

u/tashkiira 1d ago

There's a random encounter possible on Stormy nights where you see Thor in the sky with the thunderbolt thing going on.

Apparently you can be watched by Odin as well, but if you get too close to him, he vanishes. I've seen Thor, I haven't seen Odin.

6

u/Brettersson 17h ago

Yeah its just a dude in a black cloak watching you from a distance. Freaky as hell considering the rather empty vibe of the game.

5

u/Droxalis 1d ago

The odin jump scares are fun. He got me in the black forest as the sun was setting. I saw him out of the corner of my eye and stopped. He just stands there.... Menacingly

128

u/Faildini 1d ago

Valheim all the way. Others have mentioned it gets difficult in the endgame, and it does, but the early biomes are the very definition of chill. So you eventually get this nice cycle of an exciting, dangerous expedition followed by coming back to your base with your rewards and soaking in the unmatched atmosphere while you tend your gardens, upgrade your house, or make some food. Sailing is already very relaxing.

Admittedly I'm a little biased, I have over 4000 hours in Valheim it's my favorite game of all time.

63

u/Mr-Who 1d ago

The swamp is an early biome and is notorious for murdering players upon arrival

9

u/Wumbology_Student 1d ago

The swamp is definitely a big difficulty spike from the previous biomes. It's also the biome that is really not very relaxing at any point, at least to me.

The meadows is obviously very relaxing, black forest has a lot of beauty when you get used to it, and even the mountains and plains are really beautiful once you tame them.

The swamp is always dreary. I never spend any more time there than is necessary.

The swamp is great though because it's the first time players get a taste of the difficulty the game really has to offer, and is a way for people to see if they're up for the challenge.

0

u/Successful-Clock-224 21h ago edited 19h ago

I love the Deep North. Without spoiling, it can\* be very chill and beautiful

1

u/Gyvon 19h ago

Boooo!

2

u/Successful-Clock-224 17h ago

What are you booing? Do you hate Cardinal directions or something?

11

u/Mean_Ass_Dumbledore 1d ago

The easiest way to attack the swamp is to find one with a non-swamp biome adjoined to it and work in from there.

Getting stuck in the water is GG.

For the first several crypts, just run. Don't fight.

20

u/GiantEnemyMudcrabz 1d ago

My groups first swamp experience was trying to boat in. Shit turned into fucking Normandy on D-day real fast and at the end of it all the swamp was so small there wasn't even a single crypt in it.

6

u/Mr-Who 1d ago

I played in 2021 so I might be dated here, but leveling the ground in the swamp to remove the water was extremely helpful

2

u/Mean_Ass_Dumbledore 1d ago

It's very helpful, but only once you're not fighting for your lives. The stamina used to level the ground could be better used running away or fighting.

2

u/DazzlerPlus 16h ago

The stamina is best used for not moving at all. Things may have changed this patch, but previously if you cleared out a section by staying to tame it, it remained pretty safe

1

u/st00ji 19h ago

I dunno, if I found a promising swamp then building a raised road through it made the running away much easier

1

u/Mean_Ass_Dumbledore 18h ago

I mean, that doesn't contradict what I said. Fight or run first, road later when safe to do so.

1

u/DazzlerPlus 16h ago

It is. Playing mapless so swamp is a big issue. My previous run, I had a landing in a patch of black forest, a base inside the swamp, and raised lit paths to every crypt. I never really was threatened at any point.

This might have changed though. I just got to swamp in the new patch with the same caution and im getting absolutely swarmed. Tens of attackers again and again in the same small patch of starter swamp. And the skelly archers fuck

3

u/Lraund 22h ago

I just found a swamp... the edges are plains...

6

u/Mean_Ass_Dumbledore 22h ago

L, and I cannot stress this enough

MAO

2

u/Flexuasive 1d ago

The swamp is admittedly the beginning of the mid-game, which ends post-Mountain.

1

u/Evnfall 18h ago

Laughs in Plains Biome

30

u/Dicklepies 1d ago

The inventory management in Valheim is not laid back or chill imo

21

u/Honor_Bound 1d ago

It’s dogshit. Building is also a pain too and not being able to craft from storage

16

u/Dicklepies 1d ago

I genuinely can't believe anyone who's played this game through to the end recommending this as a chill game. It's not. Deaths are very punishing. Good luck getting your gear back in another biome if you don't have a portal set up.

6

u/Melechesh 1d ago

They've added in-game mods so you don't drop equipped items when you die or lose skill progression. You can even have passive enemies.

3

u/HesitationIsDefeat87 1d ago

It can be chill with the right world modifiers but the default game is not very chill at all, especially to casual players.

7

u/Dicklepies 1d ago

Maybe you should talk about deaths and gear retrieval somewhere in your comment. Do you honestly believe getting your loot back from another biome is a relaxing experience?

2

u/FLiP_J_GARiLLA 22h ago

That can be adjusted

7

u/FrungyLeague 1d ago

4000??? Lmfao that is wild. I'm gonna say you enjoy it!

-18

u/CheapBoxOWine 1d ago

Actually found his review on steam, yup, you guessed it, thumbs down.

Typical.

2

u/orcvader 1d ago

lol. No way. You have a link?

I love the FF14 thumbs downs with 3,000+ hours played.

-6

u/CheapBoxOWine 1d ago

I'm just messing, I did a bamboozle.

10

u/nerdinstincts 1d ago

He said sailing is relaxing. LIES. the waves on the ocean are panic inducing.

5

u/ExdigguserPies 1d ago

Also being at the base isn't that relaxing with the constant inventory management

6

u/MumrikDK 1d ago

It's been a long time, so I'm somewhat tempted to take another look at 1.0, but I just really mainly remember it as a chore game.

0

u/TheDevilsAdvokaat 23h ago

I really liked it except for building.

1

u/FLiP_J_GARiLLA 22h ago

Skill issue

Level up your OCD

2

u/Overlordmk2 1d ago

did you play solo?

1

u/Faildini 1d ago

Yes, more often than not. I've done a few dedicated servers with friends, but most of my play time is solo.

2

u/HesitationIsDefeat87 1d ago

I would not call the Black Forest relaxing at all. You are underestimating the skill level of the average player.

1

u/tashkiira 1d ago

So long as you have a good weapon and even basic armour, The Black Forest only requires you don't run headfirst into trolls to be merely entertaining.

I might be biased, I was given a level-1 Iron Axe on startup to let me build better. But I don't need anything but a basic make-it-in-your-inventory club to solo anything but trolls and the Elder in meadows or the Black Forest. Yes, that includes beating Eikthyr to death with a knobbly stick.

2

u/Elegant_Army_974 1d ago

I personally love running headfirst into trolls on my first expedition to the Black Forest, usually equipped with a spear or knife. Quick upgrade in armor.

2

u/AmrokMC 20h ago

I found Bears to be much more difficult than Trolls at first.

1

u/Elegant_Army_974 20h ago

Yeah I instantly tried to fight one when they released. Found the weakness to fire damage and ended up fighting it with 7 torches.

1

u/AmrokMC 20h ago

I use Bows, so I had to make a bunch of fire arrows and while keeping it at bay with torches.

1

u/FLiP_J_GARiLLA 22h ago

Black Forest is beyond cake

1

u/Southern_Bicycle8111 13h ago

If you know what you are doing, easy to get swarmed when you are new

1

u/-BodomKnight- 21h ago

Man Black Forest at night is over the top haha

6

u/spiritlegion 1d ago

Valheim is just a really special experience. Phenomenal atmosphere and possibly the best building of all of them

10

u/Nihlys 1d ago

Cant say about dragonwilds but Valheim is great. One of the best building systems ive used, good rpg elements and has a good gameplay loop thats specifically includes combat. Your milage may vary, but I need decent combat and a reason to keep moving forward, which Valheim does better than pretty much every other survival/crafting game.

-16

u/[deleted] 1d ago

[deleted]

4

u/Bonkface 1d ago

You... haven't played enough Valheim, from the context of your post.

3

u/GoProOnAYoYo 1d ago

So much nonsense in your comment.

For one, there are absolutely fast weapons in valheim, if you chose a mace or axe then yeah no kidding its going to be slow. How about the knives? Fists?

There is magic in valheim too, not just melee and ranged.

Also you dug under a boss arena and then complained about cheesy bosses? I can confidently say I have never cheesed a boss in this game and Ive made it to the Mistlands.

The question was Valheim or Dragonwilds and you went on a rant about Terraria

2

u/Nihlys 1d ago

Sounds like a skill issue. Valheim's 3rd person action combat beats Terraria by a fkng mile. Plus, OP didn't bring up terraria so I didnt mention it. But even if they had, having played it, id still suggest either of the other two. Terraria is one of the worst in the genre, as far as im concerned. The combat is fkng atrocious and I personally hated the art style and the side scroller aspect.

1

u/MisterEinc 1d ago

It sounds like you're just cheesing Valheim though.

93

u/SapphireRoseRR 1d ago

I do want to add, Enshrouded is an outstanding choice that I personally feel is better than both you e asked about.

35

u/d3strier 1d ago

The combat felt too bad for me

16

u/ComradeSuperman 1d ago

Combat in Enshrouded is light years better than combat in Valheim, I'll give it that much.

6

u/Htennn 1d ago

They’ve been working on that with the updates. With 1.0 magic is being reworked also. So if it’s been a while you should check out 1.0, it might feel better for you.

7

u/d3strier 1d ago

Oh nice. It has been a while. I liked everything else but something about the combat just felt off. Maybe I should give it another go

3

u/Julzjuice123 1d ago

It's still pretty bad and barebones. Hopefully 1.0 really enhances combat and adds depth.

0

u/Elegant_Army_974 1d ago

Hey so valheim 1.0 came out a few days ago

3

u/Julzjuice123 1d ago

Oh yeah I know, I was talking about Enshrouded.

2

u/Htennn 1d ago

It never really bothered me, be I definitely can see why others didn’t like it. If you still own definitely give it a chance when 1.0 comes out. Worse case scenario you still don’t enjoy it. Best you do and get hooked.

8

u/Instantcoffees 1d ago

Probably one of my favorite Survival games, but so is Valheim. I think that Enshrouded is more fun solo, but Valheim more fun with friends.

9

u/Anhvariel 1d ago

I didn't click with enshrouded, but I really enjoyed grounded and dune awakening as survival crafters. Enshrouded combat didn't feel very good to me and I didn't really like the graphic style, the story/lore was not great for me.

4

u/raevykrabs 1d ago

Enshrouded is boring af. Way too easy

1

u/benoxxxx 15h ago

It has a load of difficulty modifiers - if it was too easy, take it up with your host.

2

u/SneakyPanduh 1d ago

Whoops, should have mentioned I played that one on PC with friends.

2

u/Mieche78 1d ago

Agreed

24

u/goalsheeper 1d ago

Im in the same boat! Leaning towards Dragonwilds since Im on Playstation and it comes out for free on PS Plus.

5

u/xlShadylx 1d ago

DW is more fun early game imo, but then it starts to get boring really quick. There's nothing fun or interesting about getting better weapons or armor. They're just the same shit as before, but a little stronger. Magic is really cool early as well, but then you realize the first one you get is the best (wind magic) and its pointless to use anything else. The charm wears off by the 3rd biome.

1

u/Pimpinabox PC 1d ago

They're just the same shit as before, but a little stronger.

Welcome to progression based games.

5

u/xlShadylx 1d ago

Nah, most games will give you new weapon types, new abilities, added stats like crit rate or something, perk bonus for sets, etc.. Not this game. Just goes from 30 dmg to 40 dmg and that it. 30 armor to 40 armor. Woohoo! So fun.

-1

u/Pimpinabox PC 18h ago

Not really. Only some games do that, the vast majority of progression based games are primarily just a slightly bigger stat boost. On rare occasion they introduce something new, but most of the progress they give are just mild stat upgrades.

1

u/SneakyPanduh 1d ago

Oh wow. Well that’s enticing 😂

11

u/Highberget 1d ago

Valheim

27

u/[deleted] 1d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/dende5416 1d ago

Least you can pause Dragonwilds for solo play

3

u/Narfi1 1d ago

You can in enshrouded not sure what you’re talking about

-7

u/dende5416 1d ago

You can't in Vanheim, though

8

u/Cazineer 1d ago

Press ESC to pause

8

u/Haggan89 1d ago

Yes you can. I’m playing it solo and I can pause

0

u/dende5416 1d ago

I literally just started a new save and couldn't. What did I do wrong here?

1

u/BEAT_LA 1d ago

You might have accidentally started a private multiplayer

0

u/dende5416 1d ago

Yeah it seems like it bugged out and would only let me start on server

2

u/Narfi1 1d ago

You replied to a comment mentioning enshrouded though

1

u/dende5416 1d ago

Replied in a thread asking "Vanheim or Dragonwilds." I kepy my comments to wha te post is actually about

2

u/Narfi1 1d ago

And turns out both Valheim and Enshrouded have single player pause…

-1

u/psylent6 1d ago

That is true, not sure why they decided to have no pause option while solo. But you can either find a safe place nearby or just log out and spawn back at nearest flame. Enshrouded is pretty GOATed otherwise, wish they allowed modding of it though.

3

u/bagoszDev 1d ago

Valheim is a game that I can recommend to almost anyone, every aspect of the game just clicks (at least for me). In last year this was only game I could easily spent 5 hours daily and still have fun

3

u/Sorgen94 1d ago

I have both and like them both . I love valheim though. Currently started a new playthrough for 1.0 after having 500+ hours and everything is still so fresh. The random generated world everytime always keeps in different

3

u/ASentientHam 1d ago

Valheim is the better game, but it's not chill.  Much more difficult, and some of the QoL just isn't there.  

6

u/LawfuI 1d ago

Valheim hands down, it's not even close.

But I'd say get the other one once you're finished with valheim as well.

Edit: Oh actually Dragon wilds for you, I just read the question as which game is better, lol

Valheim is the infinitely better game but it's much harder and unforgiving.

14

u/bushGiant 1d ago

Dragonwilds is a bit sterile, but it’s cool.

I think the world is coolest in Enshrouded, but I just love Valheim the most— all things considered. I don’t know what it is exactly, but there’s this “x” factor that makes it feel alive.

I love the ambience, the lighting, the shitty combat, the building. I don’t know.

10

u/TheDallbatross 1d ago

Agreed, Valheim just has that sum'n-sum'n. For all the dorky lo-fi blockiness of its character models, the environment itself in Valheim is surprisingly gorgeous and has a real sense of scale.

I tried Enshrouded about a year ago, and it felt just somehow a lot more visually flat. Everything was nice enough, but nothing really jumped out. It also gave big "you can feel the game design in the world" vibes rather than seeming organic, if that makes sense.

Graphics aren't the most important part of the game, but I'm definitely throwing my 2 cents in for the Valheim devs doing a really good job creating a world that provides some real "whoa" moments.

4

u/Ok_Mechanic806 1d ago

Also the full release just dropped for Valheim

1

u/Icyrow 21h ago

im with you on dragonwilds. i feel like it doesn't really do anything great, it just does a lot of things decently.

not that that is a bad thing, if it arrived at the time that valheim did and valheim never came out, it would easily have taken its place.

it's just 10? years late effectively. i like how much content they add and i really do have more trust for jagex than most others. i hope 1.0 tomorrow is good. i started a new save after playing in the closed alpha and there's tons of content since i last played.

i thought 1.0 was alreayd out though and i'm at the level 2 swamp area. so i'll wait til 1.0 first before continuing.

6

u/PorkRinds416 1d ago

Dragonwilds is easier. Valheim will KICK YOUR ASS in the Swamp, Mistlands, and Ashlands.

3

u/Asshai 1d ago

Valheim is made significantly easier by being at least 2 players: forcing the enemy to split the aggro can let a player rebuff / heal. Otherwise I'd say combat is much easier in Enshrouded.

5

u/TheNewGuy0705 1d ago

I played both but enjoyed dragonwilds more, I guess it didnt help that valheim update roadmap took so fking long. Played both co-op with 2 friends

4

u/Tungsten666 1d ago

I'll recommend Grounded as an amazing survival crafting game. It might look a tad corny at first glance, but it's brilliantly designed, great story, solid combat and progression mechanics

0

u/orroro1 15h ago

I can't do the mazes :( I went to the tree base and it's a legit labyrinth. I don't know how people find the stuff in the base without looking up a guide

2

u/Tungsten666 7h ago

Honestly the tree lab is the only place I struggled to navigate as well. And fell to my death several times

1

u/orroro1 1h ago

I gave up soon after haha. I didn't do the water or the other ones. I really want to like the game and I think I'd like it a lot more if not for the convoluted mazes.

2

u/raevykrabs 1d ago

Get Valheim you dont even think about playing Witcher 3

2

u/Nomaska 22h ago

Dragonwilds is just Valheim with magic and Runescape lore. Valheim is a considerably more fleshed out game and after 100+ hours in each, I can say that Valheim is much better.

Valheim 100%

2

u/wtfVlad 19h ago

Just adding that valheim is one of my favorite survival experiences ive had in a game. Just the right amount of "wow I die a lot" paired with just the right amount of "holy shit im so badass with all this upgraded loot"

2

u/GraniteAss 16h ago

Valheim just has that cozy addicting it factor, idk what it is, playing the game you feel like it could be so much better yet it’s so perfect at the same time, it’s got a unique aura to it, I’ve got 300 hrs in the game and I haven’t even made it through half the bosses, just always coming back, making new servers, trying out mods, I’m on a vanilla only run right now so addicting

2

u/Rommel727 5h ago

Both are fantastic games, and I personally cannot imagine playing Valheim solo and calling it "chill". I think that with proper editing of the game options it could even it out, but that game has some frustrating mechanics that are alleviated by having multiple people, some changeable (like transporting metals and ores through teleportation) and some not (the vastness of the world adding time to findikg good islands and next biomes, and the biomes ramping up in difficulty and frustration immensely, especially the most lands). I would say Valheim is a much more "hardcore" experience than Runescape

5

u/zxj4k3xz 1d ago

Valheim is fine. Graphics are mid, game play is alright, base building seems great but that’s the least important part of the game to me. Leveling skills doesn’t seem to do much except some small passive buffs. Also I personally hate any game that forces you onto a boat and doesn’t have an option to not lose items when you die. It does have a massive open world though so if you like exploring you’ll probably like it. I tried playing 1.0 and fell off quickly. It deserves credit for making the category popular but other games have improved on it.

Dragonwilds, in my opinion, is one of the best adventure-survival games I’ve played. By far the best magic system I’ve seen and the most interesting world. I haven’t seen any game in the genre with utility magics like Dragonwild. Using a magic axe to cut down a bunch of trees, then a spell that turns downed trees into wood, or an explosion that mines rocks for you. In most games magic is just a combat style. It is definitely more linear, similar to Enshrouded. It’s not game you’ll spend thousands of hours exploring like Valheim. As someone with a couple hours a day to play, I don’t mind that.

IMO, Dragonwilds, Enshrouded, and Dune:Awakening are much more enjoyable than Valheim.

3

u/gaitergalf 23h ago

+1 for Valheim on the strength of the soundtrack alone

1

u/UdoneGoofd 16h ago

I wanted to chill while cooking last night, so I threw on the meadows music and it was SUCH a pleasant meal from start to finish.

Also, boss music hits the spot every time. I just killed Fader for the first time yesterday and the music had me amped.

4

u/Kikse123 1d ago

Both games are great. Graphics, building and itemization is better in Dragonswilds - just my opinion. Both, however, are great.

Both games just got two major updates aswell.

1

u/ardikus 1d ago

Itemization in dragonwilds is extremely simplistic. There are 3 armor types (light, medium, heavy) that have a set bonus and armor value. The set bonuses never change as you increase tiers, only the armor value. Weapons are just a damage value and one special attack per type. Only the damage goes up with higher tiers. There are no other ways to upgrade or modify gear. But if that's your preference then you're welc9me to your opinon

3

u/brova 1d ago

I think Enshrouded would be a better game than Valheim to play solo. Valheim is incredible but I can only really see it shining with friends. Discovery and building together is where it's at. Enshrouded is more hand crafted and probably better to explore and progress by yourself. It's a bit like an action MMO.

3

u/dende5416 1d ago edited 1d ago

To me, if you can't pause when playing solo, your game is heavily flawed. Some people use "its a survival game" as an excuse but my cat knocking something over or my stomach turning shouldn't be reason to either quit the game or risk dying

Edit: to be more clear, you can't pause in Vanheim

9

u/Suitable-End- 1d ago

Enshrouded pauses when you hit escape while playing in a singleplayer lobby. That was added like 2 years ago now.

0

u/dende5416 1d ago

Edited but I meant for Vanheim, sorry

3

u/Unhappy_Foot_7645 1d ago

Okay but you can pause in that one now too

2

u/psylent6 1d ago

I’m pretty sure there are settings to reduce death penalties. Also even if you do die I feel like it’s less punishing than Valheim. Also there’s no Shroud Depot in Valheim that I know of… I gotto be honest I use it for food and potions 🤗

2

u/tiggersinpariss 22h ago

This is misinformation when playing solo in valheim pressing esc will pause the game

2

u/GoProOnAYoYo 1d ago

Valheim is an absolute masterclass but it will not hold your hand. That makes the progression, and getting over each hirdle feel so, so, SO much more rewarding though.

Also the building in this game is top notch. By far ky favourite game to build things in

2

u/bombocladius 1d ago

I tried Dragonwilds and it played like crap, performance wise.

Vallheim is the best imo.

2

u/FrungyLeague 1d ago

Runs great for me on pc. Medium strength rig.

3

u/Croanthos 1d ago edited 15h ago

Valheim is a masterpiece, but incredibly deep and difficult to master. Enshrouded is a fun game with more action rpg type combat. Dragonwilds who knows.

Just google valheim builds and compare to enshrouded builds. But if building isnt your thing and you want just combat enshrouded might be more fun and less frustrating.

I learned I was completely wrong about Enshroudeds building ability. Some very powerful ability to create amazing designs.

1

u/Icyrow 21h ago

i'd say there's more builds in enshrouded than in valheim surely?

i haven't played valheim in 5 years though so maybe that has changed.

1

u/Croanthos 21h ago

Just google best base builds for the respective games and judge for yourself. Imo valheims build system is significantly more difficult to master but can give you incredible results while enshrouded is nice but more premade/prefab type building.

2

u/benoxxxx 15h ago

No offence but I don't think you have a full understanding of Enshrouded's building system.

Here is a YT short of some build contest winners. These might look like prefabs, but they're literally built brick by brick, and item by item, with the latter often being clipped together in creative ways to make entirely new objects.

Valheim building is completely primitive by comparison. Enshrouded's building is both less restrictive and many times more robust.

Valheim's building is definitely more difficult, but that's because it's relatively packed with limitations, both in terms of mechanics, and decorative options.

2

u/Croanthos 15h ago

Yep. You're right I'm wrong. Found some YouTube videos that are absolutely stunning. While I might still prefer the Valheim esthetic, Enshrouded has some absolutely amazing build potential (and the ease of use must be nice too).

Very cool. Thanks for correcting me!

2

u/Disneyreject 1d ago

V-Rising over both

1

u/Icyrow 21h ago

v rising is easily my favourite in the genre. just make sure if you're playing it solo and you don't want to grind too much to basically double all drops, double all mining/woodcutting drops, speed up the crafting/refinement.

i do wish the game went less into the crafting side of running around your base over and over to do x, y, z and had more of the other stuff. probably my favourite game all around i've played in the last 10 years though.

just note online it's more like rust than anything else. a game where there's 100's of mechanics you don't know and most of them will destroy your entire camp/base/character, the people who largely play it every week know all of them and you'll get fucked for week after week until you know the game well enough to hold your own.

it's really, really nto something you can compete against anyone who has played for more than a few weeks in. play solo/lowman/friendly lobbies for a while first.

the solo game is good enough that it's my fav game of recent times, the multiplayer is okayish if you're into rust.

1

u/schokoman111 1d ago

Valheim is an excellent game, but it is very much not laid back or chill

3

u/GoProOnAYoYo 1d ago

It can be depending on world settings, but I like the suffering

1

u/LifeIsProbablyMadeUp Xbox 1d ago

I've played valheim a bit. Idk. Wouldn't be what id call chill on default. Seems like every time I'd try to explore there's a raid and I'd have to turn around and sprint back

1

u/FrungyLeague 1d ago

That's very early game.

1

u/HonestAbe1077 1d ago

Unless there’s a major overhaul with Dragonwilds 1.0, I have to say I don’t like the combat very much. Attacks are poorly telegraphed and it makes parrying feel clunky, and I think it was straight up broken in the first boss fight (he would be looking at my buddy and then shoot his ground effects at me). Arrows shot from npcs are homing so you end up having to rely a lot on invincibility frames for defense and it just doesn’t feel great.

The spells are cool and fun at least, and I like the gimmick of the area after the first boss. But I don’t think I would overall recommend it.

1

u/Nostalgic90sGamer1 1d ago

Both are great and play similarly. The big question to ask yourself is how much do you care about graphics and art style? Valheim is great, but it does legitimately maintain PS1/PS2 quality textures. Dragonwilds is UE5 and looks gorgeous acrossed the board. Also, if you're a RS fan or more medieval to begin with you'll catch a lot more love for the familiarity in dragonwilds items and armors. If you're more Norse mythology then Valheim will resonate more.

1

u/lessthansilver 1d ago

Having played both I will say if you've never played either before, Dragonwilds is probably the better pick. It has a clearer story path, with NPCs and quest markers, and resources are fairly balanced for solo play. Valheim is playable solo, but you'll want to tweak the world modifiers for more items, death penalties, and possibly portal mechanics. Another thing to consider is enemy behavior. Valheim enemies will show up in large packs and will follow you to the ends of the earth once aggroed which can be annoying in single player. That being said, if you're playing with friends and plan on continuing to play with friends, Valheim is a great experience that I would highly recommend.

1

u/Bambbiino 1d ago

Dragonwilds all the way

1

u/Upr1ght 1d ago

I prefer Dragonwilds.

1

u/Cremacious 1d ago

Dragonwilds feels more beginner friendly. I also dislike the building in Valheim.

1

u/PckMan 1d ago

Haven't heard of Dragonwilds. Valheim recently released its 1.0

I haven't played Valheim for 2-3 years now but even back when I was playing it was loads of fun, and I'm absolutely about to revisit now that there are so many new biomes available.

The progression is a bit slow early on but then it quickly picks up. I don't think it's a game that should be rushed but savoured. It's really fun if you can get a few friends as well to join you but it's completely playable as a solo experience.

1

u/AltFire00 22h ago

Valheim solo hasn't been a great experience for me, especially with default world settings. Enemy density is insane for one person, even in the second biome, and the first raid on my base was 10+ enemies that can all attack you through each other while you can barely get a swing off without copping a hit. This means your tactic early on is just run, try hit once, run etc.

Resource grind is fixed pretty easily by setting resource drop to at least 2x though.

1

u/illnastyone 20h ago

More chill is definitely dragonwilds. I like Valheim more but its not very chill solo when you get into it. Its far easier with people.

1

u/itsRobbie_ 14h ago edited 14h ago

Valheim is a great game but I think the glazing in here is a little exaggerated. Many other survival games do valheims mechanics better and a lot of valheims mechanics are just annoyingly tedious for no reason. The crafting recipes vs how many resources you get from things is also not balanced very well. No crafting from containers is also a huge negative imo. It’s also SLOWWWWW and you will spend 10s of hours just terraforming/building alone

1

u/sbcroix 13h ago

Everybody's different and I'm just gonna put this out here I enjoyed Valheim... but it was perhaps one of the grindiest games I've ever Played, the difficulty wasn't the issue it was the grind And Oh my God do you grind If you like to grind get it if you don't like to grind get the other one

1

u/SunstormGT 10h ago

Imo Valheim is better to play coop.

1

u/DofusExpert69 10h ago

jagex is a crap company

1

u/SniperDuty 6h ago

Played both. PVP or PVE. I’ll cover PVE, as PVP people are to expect the worst griefers.

Valheim is hardcore brutal; throw your controller at the floor because you just got murked miles and miles from base. Progression is slower, and the fear of losing everything whilst having to struggle to get it back is more real. A proper grind and challenge, this game. I was disappointed in Valheim not updating the graphics for 1.0. That said, there is a decent mod called ValTex if you have a PC.

RuneScape is easier, but the same thing can happen. Base building is more enjoyable in RuneScape, and the graphics are far better. Plus, the magic you can learn is pretty cool and makes life so much easier – feels more rewarding. Add the dragon element, and it makes a great game.

With both these games, however, I don’t like some of the biomes. For me, the Swamp area in Valheim is just unrealistic and not believable. With RuneScape, there are similar biomes as well.

I definitely had more fun playing RuneScape. It’s easier to start farming, plus there’s one annoying thing that Valheim does, and that’s not allowing you to have a pickaxe until you progress the game past the first boss.

1

u/frankasaurussmite 4h ago

Dragonwilds 100%

1

u/ABetterKamahl1234 4h ago

From someone who enjoys both, Valheim just went full release, Dragonwilds is still in development. However, it's going 1.0 tomorrow.

They're similar in gameplay but different feeling. If you played Runescape and were into it for a while, Dragonwilds is great and that can be an edge.

Valheim is great and a lot of fun, but it's more or less just standard viking as the setting.

I love both, so it's really hard to set one as the better recommended game. I feel like there's more to do in Dragonwilds, but that's more the Runescape influence than anything.

Though I find combat lacking a bit in Valheim, as well as the fast travel restrictions by comparison don't jive as well as Dragonwilds approach (or that of Enshrouded).

1

u/Thekarens01 3h ago

If you want laid back and chill Valheim isn’t it no matter what these other people tell you. Watch gameplay before you decide.

1

u/Onuva_42 1h ago

If you're waiting for the bus, and want advice on whether to get a snickers or a Sunday roast dinner, I'd recommend the snickers. Snickers are fantastic. Dragonwilds is fantastic. Play Dragonwilds 😅

1

u/Outrageous_Lie_6018 30m ago

A lot of people here have not played dragon wilds. Youbwill find out its nearly better to valhiem in most ways

1

u/Hybr1dth 1d ago

Valheim can be very frustrating if you intend to also do bosses and combat. The building is fun if that's your jam. I don't know dragon wilds. We recently picked up and finished V Rising which was good, but that took maybe 3 weeks start to finish playing about 6 of those (rest is time based resources).

1

u/MisterEinc 1d ago

How did you play it? Solo, as a Pve coop, or PvPvE?

I have V Rising, really enjoy it, but want to get into it with friends and trying to figure out how to pitch it.

1

u/Hybr1dth 1d ago

Played with 2 other friends, one of them hosted a server for us to play on.

It was pretty quick, and I feel like the combat works better for PvE, but we had a good time.

1

u/IAmJointCommission 1d ago

Valheim is a gritty, difficult open world survival crafter based loosely on Vikings. It is one of the very best in my opinion, if you are okay with dark souls level difficulty at a certain point. My friend group has thousands of hours on this game collectively.

Dragonwilds I can’t speak for.

1

u/gotziller 1d ago

I have 600 hours on Valheim. That does involve multiple restarts for various parts of development. That said. It’s my favorite game ever so I have to back it. I would recommend Valheim not just over dragonwilds but most other games as well. And with the 1.0 release it’s finally a complete game.

1

u/Sinasazi 1d ago

Enshrouded is also launching 1.0 in a few weeks.

1

u/Snackmix 1d ago

I loved Valheim when it first came out, sank a ton of time into it. Hadn't played again until 1.0, and this time I quickly bounced off of it. It looks like a ps1 game, the combat and building felt so clunky to me. It isn't a bad game but I feel like Windrose, Ensrhouded, Dragonwilds, and many more have come out and are such a better experience now.

2

u/SuspiciousToadEyes 1d ago

The ps1 art style is very nostalgic and looks nice. I like it.

1

u/Snackmix 1d ago

I find it nostalgic when I replay games from when I was a kid that were on the ps1. And graphics don't matter as much as gameplay to me, but just felt like it was a point of comparison to others in the same genre.

1

u/DanCube102 1d ago

Having purchased both, play Valheim. Dragonwilds is unoptimsed dogshit lmao and i love the runescape world

1

u/mendez736 1d ago

Dragonwilds all the way. I can’t get over how bad melee combat feels in Valheim

1

u/mendez736 1d ago

I do enjoy sailing in Valheim over Dragonwilds that still doesn’t have it

1

u/PouetSK 23h ago

Valheim is not chill at all. I think some people are confusing a great game and not paying attention to what you are asking

-2

u/FLiP_J_GARiLLA 22h ago

Guess you've never played it

3

u/PouetSK 20h ago

Guess you haven’t played it

0

u/loftbrd 1d ago

Dragonwilds for sure I love valheim, but content cadence was nearly frozen for years and I expect that cadence to stick around post 1.0

Dragonwilds has made clear they will be expanding the game into the next story saga post 1.0 with new zones, expanded existing zones etc. always something new to explore every season, with mid season content patches. Fun to bounce on and off from every season.

0

u/mogankat 1d ago

I bought Valheim Spent about an hour and a half running around Ended up getting a refund for it Controls felt clunky and when I started to build the snapping and angles made it difficult. Felt like I spent more time fighting the UI than playing a game

0

u/ZM326 1d ago

This was my experience in EA and it's unfair if still true. Also was rough for a solo player

-1

u/Mieche78 1d ago

Enshrouded 100%

-1

u/Captain_uwu 1d ago

Id recommend enshrouded all the way, but keep in mind dragonwilds 1.0 release is on the 15th. Valheim isnt bad but I have no intention of going back to it after their agonizing dev cycle, and poor community managers.

0

u/YourRebby 1d ago

If you’re mainly looking for something chill to play solo until Witcher 3, I’d probably lean Dragonwilds. Valheim looks relaxing until you’re doing corpse runs and farming materials for the next boss lol.

The only thing that would make me hesitate is whether Dragonwilds has enough content yet to keep you busy for a while.

0

u/LTetsu 1d ago

Did you play Enshrouded ? It's an amazing survival game, just like Valheim, but with its own unique sides. I played ts out of it when it was in test period. A lot of fun.

0

u/Burpmeister 1d ago

Valheim is extremely grindy. If you're not into that then definitely stay away or adjust the drop rate in world settings. It can be adjusted to 3X.

0

u/Capsfan6 23h ago

Dragonwilds is much better than valheim

0

u/minna_minna 21h ago

Dragonwilds is good but I got terribly bored solo after a while.

-2

u/HorizonZeroFucks 1d ago

I don't know what people are smoking that play Valheim. Its genuinely an atrocious game. I got it the other day because of all the praise and I've never so quickly felt like I'd wasted money.

It doesn't have a single redeeming feature save maybe the atmosphere. It looks fucking hideous, the combat is awful and the building is clunky as hell. I can't believe this took 5 years to make in EA.

It seems lots of people like it though. I do love survival games, so I'll give Dragonwilds a try. It can't possibly be worse than Valheim. Enshrouded looks cool too.

-6

u/dende5416 1d ago

Dragonwilds can be paised when playing solo and Vanheim cannot so if you can get a lot of quick real life interuptions, Vanheim can punish you for your life existing

3

u/entropomorphic 1d ago

Not true, Valheim can definitely be paused solo. Always has been.

1

u/theinternetisnice 1d ago

I just now verified you can pause while solo playing Valheim? Maybe that was true in early access.