Tribes of Midgard is a Viking survival game developed by Norsefell and published by Gearbox Publishing. Tribes of Midgard takes place in a brightly colored open world with unique details that allow it to stand out in the Viking survival genre. Similar to Valheim's smaller multiplayer options, Tribes of Midgard can be played in co-op groups of up to 10 players. These teams work together to upgrade their Viking base, protect the Seed of Yggdrasil, and build a thriving community as they work to prevent Ragnarök. With gameplay designed to be inclusive and inviting, instead of punishingly difficult, Tribes of Midgard is a refreshing entry to the surprisingly burgeoning Viking survival genre.
Following closely to the Norse mythology, Tribes of Midgard is the story of the Einherjar, who have returned to Midgard from Valhalla to protect the world from impending doom at the hands of the giants and other monsters. These warriors enter Midgard with nothing but their desire to fight and protect the realm. Players must search the world's map for forageable items to bring back to their Viking base, where they can then craft clothing, weapons, and armor to protect themselves from the monsters that attack the Seed of Yggdrasil at dark.
Tribes of Midgard has two game modes for players to try out. Saga Mode is perfect for those just getting started, or for those who want to play alone instead of in a co-op group. In Saga Mode, players will upgrade their bases, armor, and weapons to find the map's Lair, where they will battle a boss like the mythological wolf Fenrir. These bosses change depending on what seasonal events are active in Tribes of Midgard. For those wanting a longer survival experience, Survival Mode is an endless challenge where players work together to keep Ragnarök from occurring. This mode allows players to spend more time upgrading their base, accessing upgraded equipment, and discovering all the challenges and resources the world has to offer.
Like Valheim's open-world map, Tribes of Midgard offers six different biomes for players to explore. The Bright Forest is temperate and lush with brilliant green trees and plenty of general resources. Players can explore this location with minimal terrain difficulty. However, areas like the Smokey Highlands are plagued with high temperatures, and Glacier Peak is filled with dangerous mountain terrain and a freezing cold climate. To survive these areas, special elixirs must be crafted to offer protection against extreme temperatures and the correct armor must be equipped before setting out to explore.
One of the things that stands out the most about Tribes of Midgard is its art design. While many Viking survival games lean into gritty, realistic graphics, Tribes of Midgard has utilized bright, saturated colors that make exploring the world exciting and refreshing. Combat in the after-dark is offset by colorful magic flashes and the blue glow from the Seed of Yggdrasil. Both playable and non-playable characters sport detailed, stylized designs that showcase intricate armor, hairstyles, and expressions. Norsfell's design choices help Tribes of Midgard stand out against other titles in the genre and allows it to appeal to a wider audience than just hardcore survival gamers.
Currently, the biggest setback in Tribes of Midgard is the lack of base-building mechanics. Unlike the building options for bases in Valheim, players are limited to upgrading a pre-spawned, basic base on their map. Base structures are upgraded using the Souls collected from foraging for crafting items and battling enemies, but widescale customization isn't possible. This could be a frustrating limitation for those who have enjoyed creating structures of any size and design anywhere in the world in other survival games. Currently, players can construct and place bridges, walls, and ramps outside of their bases to access areas blocked by terrain or make access to locations with good foraging less difficult, but the addition of a free-build mode or custom base design option would likely appeal to those who enjoy the challenges of base construction.
With a large map to explore and progression that is smooth and inviting to even beginner survival gamers, Tribes of Midgard is a great fit for those who have wanted to immerse themselves in open-world exploration but have been nervous to try hardcore titles like Valheim. With a focus on the magic and fantasy of Viking mythology, this game is also a great fit for younger audiences who want to play with friends. Tribes of Midgard offers players engaging survival mechanics with unique design choices that make gameplay a rewarding experience. With a few expansions to the base building options, Tribes of Midgard would be a well-rounded and unique option for survival-style gameplay.
Tribes of Midgard is available now on the PC and PlayStation 4 & 5. Steam Codes were provided to Screen Rant for the purposes of this review.