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About Völund
Völund is an indie strategy roguelike where you play a blacksmith forging weapons in a harsh, procedurally generated world. Developed by VÖLUND_DEV, it launched on PC in March 2026. The game revolves around crafting tools from raw materials, balancing resource scarcity, heat management, and weapon durability. Each run forces you to adapt to new ore types, environmental hazards, and curses that alter gameplay. With single-player only and no multiplayer, it’s a slow-burn challenge focused on mastery. The core hook? Every strike on the anvil changes the weapon’s properties permanently. If you melt down a flawed blade, you lose progress. It’s a gamble-heavy loop of experimentation and risk.
Gameplay
You start each run scavenging for ore, then smelt, hammer, and temper it into weapons. The interface is minimal but dense, tracking heat levels, material purity, and structural integrity. Each strike you make adjusts the weapon’s stats, but overworking it causes fractures. You’ll juggle short-term needs (crafting a pickaxe to dig deeper) with long-term goals (building a legendary sword). Runs last 5, 15 minutes, with permadeath if your tools break or you run out of fuel. Late-game introduces alchemical bonuses and cursed metals that trade power for instability. Controls are keyboard/mouse only, with quick access to forge menus. The challenge lies in optimizing every action, as even minor miscalculations reset your progress.
What Players Think
PlayPile users rate Völund 8.7/10, with 78% finishing a run in under 20 minutes. Only 32% complete the game’s full legend tier, averaging 12, 15 hours. Community moods split between “frustrated but determined” (45%) and “obsessed with perfecting techniques” (38%). Critics praise its “depth in simplicity” but note a 22% drop-off rate after the first hour. Price is $29.99, with 120 achievements (30% completion for most players). Review snippets: “A punishing but satisfying grind that’ll have you melting down your best work just to try again.” “The curse system adds chaos, but sometimes feels unfair.”
PlayPile's Take
Völund is for players who love tight loops of risk/reward and don’t mind repeated failures. The $30 price tag is steep for its short playtime, but the 120 achievements offer replayability for completionists. If you enjoy methodical strategy and can tolerate its rigid difficulty, it’s worth a try. However, casual gamers might find the learning curve too steep. For $30, you’re paying for the thrill of near-misses and the pride of a flawless forge run. The question is: are you ready to lose 10 hours for one perfect sword?
Game Modes
Single player
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