Valfaris: Mecha Therion (2023)

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.

Valfaris: Mecha Therion is the direct continuation of 2018's Valfaris but with a gender change in between. From 2D action and platforms to a horizontally scrolling shoot 'em up without losing any of the essence that made the first game popular, what's more, with certain mechanics taken from here and there that make Mecha Therion a very interesting Martian killer. Hectic but with an important component of strategy. Valfaris: Mecha Therion is definitely a pleasant surprise for fans of the first game, and a joy for shoot 'em up fans.

If you're a fan of PS2-era shoot 'em ups then you'll happily bang your head to the jams that Valfaris: Mecha Therion is rockin'.

Mecha Therion marks an important transition for Steel Mantis. After the success garnered with the first Valfaris, the development team decides to revolutionize its creature, abandoning a successful play structure in favor of a scrolling arcade shooter with bullet hell overtones. The courage is rewarded with a title that is once again compelling and unscrupulous, if much more contained and less dazzling. In the impossibility of comparing two such different titles, it becomes mere subjective taste to prefer one or the other but one thing remains certain: the metal continues to flow powerfully.

Valfaris: Mecha Therion did not relax us. This is not a relaxing game at all, but it is an enjoyable one and an easy recommendation if you're in the market for a fun, action-heavy shooter. Blasting through waves of ships, rival mechs, and alien orbs, and making iterative progress as you master each section of the game, is a fun loop. Balancing your attack and defence can be challenging but rewarding. The only downside worth mentioning is there is almost no explanation of the previous game's story. Therefore, it would probably be best to play them in order if you want to make sense of exactly what's going on.