VALFARIS: MECHA THERION IS HALF-PRICE THIS WEEKEND!
Quick reminder that you can grab Valfaris: Mecha Therion with a 50% discount until Monday, 2nd September. Worth mentioning that both of Steel Mantis' previous games – Valfaris and Slain: Back From Hell – are also currently on offer, discounted by 85% and 90% respectively.
Also very happy to report that Valfaris: Mecha Therion launched this week on consoles and is now available to download on Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox. Check out the console launch trailer:
ALL HAIL! The brand new arcade-style Challenge Mode is now available! If you've already beaten the game, Challenge Mode will be ready to play as soon as the latest update has installed. If you haven't beaten the game, Challenge Mode will remain locked until you do!
These are some of the main differences between Challenge Mode and the default Original Mode:
Therion is equipped with lives instead of a health bar
Weapons are upgraded on-the-fly by collecting pick-ups
Earn a score by defeating enemies and destroying anything that's destructible
Weapons can be downgraded if you're hit by an enemy
Gain extra lives at score milestones and by collecting Blood of Valfaris
Checkpoints can be destroyed as a way to earn Blood of Valfaris
We've discounted the game to celebrate the arrival of Challenge Mode – it's available for half-price until next Monday, 2nd September.
VALFARIS: MECHA THERION ARRIVES ON CONSOLES LATER THIS WEEK!
The wait is almost over! You'll be able to grab Valfaris: Mecha Therion on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox consoles in just a few days! It launches 29th August. Be sure to add the game to your wishlist on the console of your choice and you'll be notified as soon as it's available.
CHALLENGE MODE COMING SOON – HERE'S WHAT TO EXPECT!
Challenge Mode is coming in a free update to Valfaris: Mecha Therion on 26th August. Designed to give skilled players another way to play through the game, Challenge Mode includes some arcade-style changes, such as lives instead of health, a scoring system, and weapon upgrades via pick-ups.
Challenge Mode details:
Score
Increase your score by killing enemies and destroying anything that's destructible!
Defeat bosses quickly for bonus points
Lives + Checkpoints
Number of current lives are represented by red bars on the HUD
Start with 2x lives. Lose a life when you take a hit
Lose all lives and you restart from the last checkpoint
When you respawn at a checkpoint, 1x life is deducted from the total lives you had when the checkpoint was activated e.g. if you activate a checkpoint with 3x lives and then subsequently lose all those 3x lives, you respawn at that checkpoint with 2x Lives. It's game over when you have 0x lives left
Gain extra lives at score increments, starting at 100,000 and then every 120,000 after that i.e. 100,000 / 220,000 / 360,000
You also gain an extra life for every 5x Blood of Valfaris you collect
Score multiplier increases with your current amount of lives: 2x Lives = 1.0 Multiplier / 3x Lives = 1.2 Multiplier / 4x Lives = 1.4 / 5x Lives = 1.6
Destroying a checkpoint yields 1x Blood of Valfaris. Only melee attacks can destroy a checkpoint
WARNING: You can't utilise a destroyed checkpoint
Weapon and Module loadouts can still be changed at checkpoints
Upgrades
Weapons are no longer upgraded at checkpoints
Defeated enemies can drop weapon pick-ups. Collect these to upgrade your Destroyer, Melee, and Auxiliary weapons
Weapon ranks are displayed on the HUD
As well as losing a life, taking a hit can also downgrade weapons
All hail! The Valfaris: Mecha Therion Official Soundtrack is now available on Steam! Composed and recorded by former Celtic Frost guitarist Curt Victor Bryant, it includes 22 original tracks and is priced $4.99 USD.
You can find the full track list at the OST store page:
In addition to the OST, we've also just uploaded a PDF manual for the game. It includes all the good stuff that old school game manuals used to include: game info (controls, difficulties, weapons, power-ups, mechanics etc.), story background, screenshots, and a few hints & tips. You can check it out from the store page side menu:
And, finally, Valfaris: Mecha Therion is currently discounted by 50% for the Steam Daily Deal, which started today and runs until next Saturday, 6th April. It's the biggest discount we'll be doing for a while, so it'll be a great time to grab it if you haven't already!
Hey everyone – we got the tick. Valfaris: Mecha Therion is now officially verified on Steam Deck, so enjoy playing wherever the hell you like!
Check out the video below to see it running on the Deck:
Version 1.0.5 is here! Weapon adjustments & Performance Improvements
The Galaxy has been ripped a new wormhole that leads straight to version 1.0.5! We've had some weapon & module adjustments, overall performance improvements, and added in Polish localization!
WEAPONS
Electroburst
Now charges more quickly.
No longer slows down your movement while charging.
Wrath of Kykris
No longer destroys plasma projectiles (it will still destroy solid ones like missiles).
Uses more energy to fire.
Small damage nerf.
MODULES
Reflector Edge
Increased damage of reflected projectiles.
Increased number of types of projectiles that can be reflected.
Crash-Burst
Now unleashes banshee ghosts on impact.
The Rally module has been replaced with the "Fuel Stabiliser" module. This module reduces the fuel cost to boost, allowing you to perform 3 boosts when the fuel gauge is full, rather than 2.
OTHER CHANGES: - Added in Polish language. - Performance improvements.
LAUNCH RECAP AND A LOOK AHEAD
It's been a week since Valfaris: Mecha Therion launched and we wanted to say a huge thank you for the fantastic support.
It's already rated 'Very Positive' on Steam (with 96% positive reviews!), and has a score of 84 on both Metacritic and OpenCritic, so we're really happy with how it's been received!
Congratulations to the 18% of players who have so far defeated Vroll and ALL HAIL the truly gifted 4.5% who have successfully slain the evil lord on 'Great Horned One' difficulty. We look forward to seeing more players achieve this great victory! For any achievement hunters, be sure to check out the Spy Flea locations guide by ch. A great help if you're trying to get the 'That Itch Is Gone' achievement.
COMING SOON
We'll be adding Polish to the list of language options in the next week or so. We're also going to be releasing the Curt Victor Bryant soundtrack – we'll post an update as soon as it's available on the store page.
COMING LATER
There's a new mode in the works. It won't be ready until next year, but we'll share details when work on it is a bit further along. And happy to say work is underway on the console ports. No release date locked down yet, but if you want to double-dip you'll be able to enjoy Valfaris: Mecha Therion on Switch, PlayStation, or Xbox in 2024.
It's time! Pilot a behemoth suit forged of metal and vanquish the evil that has unleashed chaos upon the cosmos. Become the machine's beating heart and its venegeful rage.
SUIT-UP AND UNLEASH MECHA HELL!
Valfaris: Mecha Therion has launched and is available to purchase now for $19.99 USD. There's a 10% discount for a limited time. Also, the two previous games from developer Steel Mantis are both heavily discounted right now and you can pick up the complete trilogy in the following bundle:
Slain: Back From Hell, Valfaris, Mecha Therion Bundle
A 2.5D side-scrolling shooter, here's just some of what Valfaris: Mecha Therion has to offer:
A formidable selection of Destroyer, Melee, and Auxiliary weapons to choose from
Endless waves of enemies to annihilate, and powerful bosses to pulverise
Module add-ons to further enhance and upgrade the suit's capabilities
A colourful alien world brought to life by the stunning and unmistakable art of Andrew Gilmour
Awesome and uncompromising metal soundtrack from series composer Curt Victor Bryant
Three difficulty modes to accommodate most skill levels
12 language options (and Polish coming soon!)
TRAILER
REVIEWS
“A fantastic follow up that still nails the feeling of the original regardless of the genre change” 9/10 – WayTooManyGames
“Never takes its foot off the pedal” 9/10 – GodisaGeek
“A blood-pumping, head-banging, monster-bashing sequel... Steel Mantis has graciously transformed Valfaris into a brutal 2.5D Shmup while keeping the identity of the original intact” 80/100 – Gameffine
“One of the most accomplished shooters that I’ve played in a long time” 9/10 – GameGrin
“It's metal, it's ridiculous... An awesome shoot-'em-up” 8.5/10 – Worthplaying
With the release of Valfaris: Mecha Therion fast-approaching (it launches 21st November), we thought it would be useful to cover some of the basics to get you prepped for blast off!
THERION'S STORY CONTINUES...
In his pursuit of the evil Lord Vroll (which began in the previous game, Valfaris), Therion has travelled to the edge of the edge, where the unholy flourish, and the sadistic revel in demonic pleasures. His thirst for retribution unsated, Therion wields a new weapon, a behemoth suit forged of metal. Encased within it's giant frame, he becomes the machine's beating heart and its vengeful rage.
SUIT-UP AND UNLEASH MECHA HELL!
DESTROYER WEAPONS
This class of weapon is the mecha suit's primary armament. There are a total of six different Destroyers available, although you only start with the Hellwraith – a powerful minigun that fires tormented souls. Using the equipped Destroyer at maximum firepower uses suit energy. If energy is completely depleted, the Destroyer's firepower is greatly reduced.
MELEE WEAPONS
Formidable close-quarters weapons, although the suit's blade serves a greater purpose than merely slicing through enemies. It can also be used against projectiles, debris, and parts of the environment. Using the Melee weapon yields energy, which is absorbed into the suit and converted into firepower for the Destroyer weapon.
Destroyer, Melee, and Auxiliary weapons being used in rapid succession
AUXILIARY WEAPONS
Supporting the suit's Destroyer and Melee weapons, the additional offensive options provided by Auxiliary attachments shouldn't be overlooked. As with Destroyers, using Auxiliary weapons depletes the suit's energy. Initially, the suit is equipped with Blade Tempest, which fires a barrage of homing blades that can eliminate multiple targets.
HUD INDICATORS
There's more to piloting the mecha than just using the Destroyer to mindlessly blast enemies. If you want to survive, you'll need to keep an eye on the HUD. Being aware of the various indicators is fundamental to utilising the suit's capabilities and mastering the art of switching between your equipped weapons for maximum combat effectiveness.
MODULES
Utility add-ons that upgrade the suit's capabilities. For example, if you boost into a solid object with the Crash-Burst Module equipped, the suit unleashes a damaging shockwave. The mecha suit can be upgraded with a maximum of three Module slots.
Modules can be found in secret areas or are sometimes awarded for defeating certain enemies
HYPERCORE
A powerful energy source that augments a Destroyer weapon's effectiveness when it's equipped. For example, with the Hypercore fitted, the Hellwraith is enhanced with up to three skulls which orbit the suit and provide extra firepower.
BOOSTING
A valuable mobility feature that requires Boost Fuel and gives the suit a temporary surge of forward thrust. When active, the suit is impervious to damage, so you can boost to break through parts of the environment or burst through a wave of enemies without losing health. Boosting into enemies also activates the suit's Critical Strike – a devastating blow from the Melee weapon that deals a large amount of damage. Once depleted, Boost Fuel automatically replenishes over time.
Don't just use Boost to smash through blockages – get in the habit of using it to perform Critical Strikes
CHECKPOINTS
If the suit's health becomes fully depleted, you'll respawn at the most recently activated checkpoint. To activate a checkpoint, simply fly over it. Activating a checkpoint auto-fills the suit's health, energy, and boost fuel. Docking at a checkpoint allows you to adjust the suit's weapon and module loadout, and also use Blood Metal to upgrade your weapons.
Most weapons can be upgraded to Rank 4
BLOOD METAL
The currency used to upgrade the suit's weapons. One new Blood Metal is acquired every time the Blood Gauge is filled, which is achieved in a number of ways, such as killing enemies and destroying projectiles. The Blood Gauge fills faster if you successfully destroy a complete wave of enemies. Filling the Blood Gauge also increases the threat level, and when the gauge flashes red there's a high probability a Champion enemy will appear.
And that pretty much covers the basics – you're ready to suit-up on launch day!
VALFARIS: MECHA THERION WALLPAPERS
Want some sweet Valafris: Mecha Therion wallpapers for your desktop? Heck, yes you do! There are 10 to choose from and you can find them all here.
RELEASE DATE CONFIRMED! LAUNCH COUNTDOWN HAS BEGUN!
We have a release date! Valfaris: Mecha Therion is launching 21st November on Steam! Be sure to add it to your Wishlist and you'll be notified as soon as it's available.
To get ready for launch, the store page has been updated with new art, new screenshots, and this new trailer:
