Rend vs Valheim
Rend
Rend is an up-and-coming, Nordic-themed, team-based survival game that is set in a wild and ruthless, fantasy world filled with fantastic creatures, where only the strongest are able to ascend to the realms of the gods. In this game, players are separated into their respective factions at the beginning. They are then given the freedom to explore the many biomes and harvest resources from the environment whether solo or co-operatively. The resources obtained can then be used to craft better weapons and tools or can be reinvested into the faction stronghold to fortify it from potential attacks from players from a rival faction and to advance your base just so you can unlock new technologies. Players have their own skill systems and talent trees as well, and these are the main ways for a player to customize and tweak their characters to their liking.The ultimate goal of the game, however, is to reap as many warrior spirits as you can by battling and defeating rival players and deposit the souls at the Divinity Stone in the middle of your faction base, that is if you're not slain while carrying such precious loot. Somewhat similar to grand strategy games, Rend is more of a continual game. It has game cycles of 2 to 3 months, in which the winning faction of each cycle will get a nice pile of rewards at the end of a cycle.
Rend has a really unique take on the survival genre and this might just give the game the fuel it needs to rise to the top. The game is currently in Alpha and its release date is still TBD.
Valheim
Valheim is a survival and exploration game where you get to play as a fallen Viking warrior reincarnated in the titular world. You’ll gather resources and build massive Viking longhouses and castles, unlocking new items and resources as you go around its procedurally-generated world. It’s also a co-op game where you can dive into the treacherous world with your friends and players from around the world.As you explore Valheim, you’ll have to deal with Odin’s enemies, which is the reason why he put you in the world in the first place. Apart from minor Greylings and Greydwarves, you’ll need to contend with massive Trolls, undead skeletons, and Frost Drakes. Plus, you’ll also need to battle bosses like The Elder, Moder the Frost Dragon, and the grotesque Bonemass. Thankfully, you don’t have to do this alone since you can take them down with friends who will go on longboat adventures with you. In addition, you’ll have access to a variety of weapons ranging from swords, axes, bows, and spears to keep your opponents at bay.
Overall, Valheim is an open-world survival adventure co-op game you can dive into alone or with your friends. There’s something in it for everyone, whether you want to become a famed berserker known for killing monsters or a famed architect known for building massive halls and longhouses. Get into it today and start your Viking adventure!