Volgarr the Viking II

A disappointing sequel that falls short of the great heights of the original, Volgarr the Viking 2 frustrates far more than it delights.

Volgarr the Viking II is, quite simply, one of the best 2D action platformers on Switch, or any other platform for that matter. It improves upon the original in just about every conceivable way, introducing neat ways to ease newcomers into its relentless brutality, vastly improving the visuals, and adding a soundtrack that is destined to go down as one of the all-time greats. Minor quibbles with the UI aside, Volgarr the Viking II is an absolute must-play if you can stomach the intense difficulty.

There's a lot of satisfaction that comes out of overcoming Volgarr the Viking 2's intense challenge. It comes with a lot of frustration, so be aware of that going in, but as a throwback to the Blockbuster Video rental era of gaming, this is a fairly mighty effort.

I still haven’t accessed its true ending yet because you can only use one continue before your opportunity to get it goes away, but I might just keep playing Volgarr the Viking 2 until I do. Whether you’re a fan of difficult old-school 2D platformers or not, this is a modern take on a classic formula that anyone can get into with enough time and effort.

Volgarr the Viking 2 is a worthy, brutally difficult, and endlessly addicting follow-up to its tough-as-nails predecessor from 2013.

Volgarr the Viking II is one of the worst, most infuriating gaming experience I’ve had the displeasure of reviewing. The game had some solid potential, but its overall gameplay mechanics and “heavy” controls makes this a huge missed opportunity. I get this game is clearly aimed at the “git gud” audience, but gamers looking for a pleasant experience need to avoid this like the plague. Even Easy mode doesn’t save this game.

Volgarr The Viking II is a fun, but flawed, platformer. There's a lack of communication that leaves one guessing as to the terms of play. It's meant to be punishing, and the zombie option helps, but things could benefit from difficulty options or a better restart system.

If you liked the first chapter, you'll find in Volgarr the Viking II a bigger, longer, and more challenging sequel that will undoubtedly satisfy you despite some arguable aspects of the approach to the difficulty.

Volgarr the Viking II is not so much a definite step forward from the first chapter as a refinement of mechanics and level design. The challenge is always very high and the limited number of credits before 'screwing up' the game is a rather unpleasant idea, but if you're looking for the atmosphere that made classics like Rastan great it might be the game for you, provided you have as much patience as your joypad skills.

Volgarr the Viking 2 is an ode to the classic 2D platformers that were notoriously difficult. It has striking visuals, gameplay that demands precision, and a soundtrack that has you head banging and hyped even when you’ve repeated the same stage five times. However, this game is VERY difficult, that even with the QoL improvements and changes that it has, its reputation for being a hard-to-beat game still stands. If you enjoy Ghouls & Ghosts, Strider, Demon’s Crest, and other games of the same genre, this might be the game for you.