Rather than frustrate, failing provoked me to jump back into a session to try different strategies. Many of my early attempts to defend Yggdrasil came to an abrupt, and cataclysmic, end because I chose poorly.

Danger always looms on the horizon – like nocturnal Helthing raids and recurring Jötunn assaults – and I only have a brief day to decide how to prepare for the attack. One of Tribes of Midgard’s most compelling aspects in these early stages is the ever-present tension between what I hope to do and the time I have to do it. Behind the game’s idyllic visuals, the clock is ticking you have nothing, and time is running out. The sounds spill out over a sunny woodland realm, and everything seems peaceful.

Peaceful bird chirps rise above a light-hearted orchestral score. Take a seat by the fire, it’s time for a saga. Having played about five hours split across both modes, I have some initial observations for those interested in this Norse-inspired title. Tribes of Midgard borrows from the action, role-playing, and survival genres while offering a campaign-style Saga mode and an endless Survival mode. The multifaceted title makes you an Einherjar, a warrior carried to Valhalla after death, sent to Midgard to protect the Seed of Yggdrasil. Tribes of Midgard gets a release tomorrow.

Free for mac instal Tribes of Midgard