I wasn’t sure what to expect from Trials of Valor before booting up today’s new demo, but I’m glad I let my inquisitive nature take charge as this cel-shaded brawler from bermrad is rather promising.
The game might offer fairly simplistic visuals, but you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. In Trials of Valor the movement is fluid and that really helps with immersion as you push your character from left to right, always looking for an opening during deadly 1v1 combat.
I was actually vaguely reminded of an old favourite of mine, a lesser known side-scrolling brawler by the creators of Helldivers, called The Showdown Effect. That one was all about pulling off attacks inspired by the movies in super-intense multiplayer battles. Trials of Valor, on the other hand, is a fantasy roguelike with an RPG twist. Very different games, but they’re also both about pulling off moves at just the right time, and looking bad-ass while you do so.
How does Trials of Valor work?
There are two different classes in the demo, and I had a go at both. The warrior has an axe and shield to start, but hitting F brings up a secondary weapon, which to start off with is a bloody great big hammer (but can be swapped out pretty quickly).
Both of your weapons have their own abilities, and as you advance through each connected battle, you unlock new powers. Then it’s a case of equipping them to your respective loadouts, each one mapped to the ol’ QWERTY keys.
The Rogue was the more agile of the two available classes, with knives and then a bow as their secondary weapon. You can also dash roll more often than the warrior, which is great for moving past your enemy and hitting them in the backside, although these moves are on a cooldown timer and so must be used deliberately.
There is basic attacking, blocking, dashing, and you can move left and right, up to the edge of the arena. Battles are intense and direct, and you’ll need to manage those cooldown timers and switch between loadouts with great frequency. There is always a lot to think about, but my first impression is that the battles have a nice flow to them.
Trials of Valor: release date and demo
As you progress through each stage you get new gear and abilities to bulk up your stats and broaden your range of tactical options. However, while there is a definite RPG element, the focus is still very much on the combat. It’s all about timing and positioning, and the odd drop kick, of course.
It might look a little on the crude side, but after putting down the new demo for Trials of Valor on Steam, I’m happy to suggest that anyone with a passing interest in either roguish beat ’em ups or skill-based side-scrollers should check it out.
As for when you’ll be able to get your hands on the full game? At the time of writing, the Trials of Valor release date is simply: Q4, 2025.
