Norse mythology has been one of the main protagonists in the last generation of consoles, with a multitude of titles that brought together the exploits of heroes from Scandinavian countries, such as what was seen in the Assassin’s Creed franchise with Valhalla and Eivor as the protagonists.
On this occasion, we are not facing a great AAA, but rather an independent game developed by Resting Relic, a studio made up of a single developer that has been in charge of giving life to the title that we will talk about next in our analysis of Song of Iron.
Revenge as sustenance
As we have commented, Song of Iron is set in Scandinavian countries, offering a proposal previously seen in this type of games: seeking revenge. Our protagonist will have the mission of ending those who massacred his people and ended the lives of their loved ones.
To do this, we will embark on a journey in which we will visit different locations full of all kinds of enemies, humans and fantastic, and that sees their experience rounded thanks to the application of certain mythological elements like the presence of some of the gods who offer their presence in Valhalla.
However, the narrative aspect of the title ends there, in its mere presentation and in the specific appearances of these characters, since the game’s main point is only one objective: to end everything that crosses our path.
A flimsy ax
In Song of Iron we will have a playable system based on the use of weapons and shields. In addition, we will also have a bow, which will allow us to kill enemies at long distances, and a series of magical powers that will offer the possibility of imbueing our weapons with fire or lightning, among others.
Apparently, Song of Iron could be considered a tremendously satisfying game, given the brutality of our protagonist’s actions and the possibility of taking down our enemies both at short and long distances. Nevertheless, the result is far from this.
When a game completely focuses its proposal on the playable section, a certain level of polish is expected in this regard, and Song of Iron lacks a fun playable system. The enemies behave in a parsimonious way, nailing in front of us without making any movement for several seconds.
Also, when attacking the game does not offer good feedback to the player, which together with what we mentioned about the behavior of the enemies make the playable experience of the title something quite deficient. In addition, there are times when the behavior of our adversaries’ attacks influences our body in a way that is difficult to explain.
Visual valhalla
Without a doubt, the best aspect of Song of Iron is its artistic section. If Joe Winter has not been entirely successful in the implementation of the game system of the title, quite the opposite has happened with the stamp that we can witness throughout the adventure.
Opting for a tremendously minimalist look, Song of Iron’s visuals, still showing the seams when we look at the detail, it’s just fantastic, with a set design that will not only amaze us at certain times, but could also be a perfect reference for other titles set in Norse mythology.
In addition, the work on the animations is really convincing, which together with all the above, and the presence of reflections, particles and the intelligent use of lights and backlights, make Song of Iron a game that will be very enjoyable to watch.
In the sound aspect, the music and the sound effects comply correctly, with some interesting piece. Nevertheless, where it falls resoundingly is in the Castilian location. Not only do we find translation errors worthy of any online translator, but there are also occasions when the texts have appeared directly in English.
Conclusions
Song of Iron is a game that has bet everything on its visuals, and although it is true that the result here is outstanding, it is not enough to sustain a game that is far from being enjoyable in its playable experience. The lack of feedback when fighting, the parsimonious behavior of the enemies and the way in which some blows are taken make their playable system somewhat deficient.
In addition, if we add to this the (almost) null narrative of the title, and the problems of location of the title, it is difficult to conclude this analysis of Song of Iron recommending the game to any user, being solely and exclusively recommended for those who want to live a captivating visual experience for a short period of time, something that works in their favor in this regard.