Have you ever wondered what happened to the vikings when they died? Well, they all ended up in Brewhalla, drinking and fighting in the game Bierzerkers by Shield Break Studios.
In Bierzerkers, you play as one of several unique classes, ranging from The Raider to the Drunkard, each with their own unique weapons and skills. Whether you want to get right up in someone’s face with a sword or battle axe, or hang out on the edge of the map with a long bow, there is a character for everyone. I had the opportunity to test out the game last week just before today’s Steam Early Access release, learn about some of the game’s characters and classes, and gather over 20 minutes of exclusive gameplay footage.
First off, one of the biggest things you notice when starting the game is that everything is beer themed, from the world (Brewhalla), the beer taps for the menu, and even the beer stein health pickups. Why? Because the Vikings loved their beer, and this game is all about Vikings. There is so much beer in the game, you can practically smell it!
When you first play the game, you have the option of going through a tutorial that shows you the basics of the game and the combat abilities of the Raider. The raider carries a sword or battle axe, and a shield that can be thrown at enemies to deal serious damage. The combat mechanics are pretty much what you would expect from a melee combat – you have your standard attack, a heavy attack, and the ability to block attacks with your shield. You also have 2 special moves as the Raider – the “swordnado” that makes your character spin around for a few seconds dealing damage to everyone around you, and the “” where you charge at another player with a powerful sword attack. Using a combination of all your attacks, it’s fairly easy to get through the tutorial and jump straight into online play.
Once online, you have the ability to chose from several other characters depending on your playstyle. On the Offense side of the plate, you have the Raider (who you play as in the tutorial) and the Scoundrel. For Defense, you have the Huntress and the Valkyrie, and on Support you have the Drunkard. The game also has 2 other characters who don’t appear to be quite ready to play yet – the Highlander on offense, and the Shaman on support.
As mentioned before, each character has a unique play style and weapons. The raider is very much lead on offense, going straight in to get the job done. The Scoundrel however, takes a slightly different approach with his throwing knives, bombs, and his ability to temporarily disappear and leave behind a decoy (much like Zer0 in Borderlands 2). The Huntress with her bow and ice arrows is perfect for long range engagements, and she even has the ability to slow large groups by making ice and snow fall in their path. The Valkyrie and her powerful staff can generate shields for individual players, put up shield walls, or even deploy shields to keep enemies out, or trap them inside. The Drunkard is the team “medic,” with the ability to keep the rest of the team full of beer when he’s not destroying enemies with his keg hammer.
Overall, the game is very enjoyable. The preview version I played last week featured a traditional team deathmatch mode, and a team domination mode, both of which were immensely fun. Bierzerkers is definitely an action packed, fun filled game that has something to keep everyone happy.
Check out the 20+ minutes of exclusive gameplay footage below showcasing the talents of the Raider, the Scoundrel, and the Huntress. Then, check back for our interview with Shield Break Studios, the biermasterminds behind Bierzerkers next week!
