Cloudheim Preview: Chaotic Good |The Gamerheads Podcast

I went into Cloudheim rather blind. I was immediately impressed with the artstyle, which reminds me a lot of Breath of the Wild or Tears of the Kingdom. Beyond that, though, I really had no idea what to expect. After getting a chance to play it now that it’s in Early Access, it’s become one of my most anticipated games heading toward full release.

 Going into Early Access, I expected a much barer world, but I was genuinely surprised by how detailed everything already feels.

Cloudheim is a co-op-focused MMO that lets up to four players adventure together. Ragnarok has already come and gone, and I play as a hero reborn and chosen by the gods to help rebuild the world, one that happens to rest on the back of a massive flying turtle.

The artwork is stunning. Going into Early Access, I expected a much barer world, but I was genuinely surprised by how detailed everything already feels. Traveling the countryside, beating up monsters, and solving puzzles, it immediately brought the Zelda comparisons to mind, but with some major twists that help Cloudheim carve out its own identity.

For starters, I chose between four different class types, but one thing I really like about Cloudheim is that I can bounce between them at any time. Character creation is pretty basic. There are different character models I can select from and I can change their color scheme. I’m hoping that aspect gets expanded on when the game hits full release.

I can kick an enemy and send them hurdling across the screen, or even kick enemies into each other as they go bouncing around and smashing into everything in their path.

Combat is my absolute favorite part of Cloudheim. It’s all physics-based, and there are some really crazy things I can do. I can kick an enemy and send them hurdling across the screen, or even kick enemies into each other as they go bouncing around and smashing into everything in their path. That alone is a lot of fun to watch. There are also explosive barrels I can send careening into enemies, and once again, watching the chaos that unfolds is half the fun.

The environment is particularly important in Cloudheim. One battle that really highlighted this was when I fought a larger, boss-like enemy. I noticed red circles appearing on the ground, signaling that a lightning strike was about to hit. I kicked the boss so it landed in that area, and sure enough, it was struck by the bolt. I love how the game allows me to experiment, try different things, and actively use my surroundings as part of my solution.

I also have a lasso that I can use to grab onto objects and catapult myself to higher areas, or pull enemies and barrels straight toward me.

Traversing in Cloudheim is also a ton of fun. I have a triple jump that lets me leap farther and higher than in most other games. On top of that, I also have a lasso that I can use to grab onto objects and catapult myself to higher areas, or pull enemies and barrels straight toward me.

Another major feature in Cloudheim is its city building. Back at home base, on top of the giant flying turtle, I can build out my village with things like a smith and forge for creating new weapons, a brew station for crafting, and a store for purchasing items. The materials I find while exploring are used to rebuild my village, and this city building doesn’t feel like an afterthought add-on at all, it feels like an important part of the game, especially with the different animations tied to each structure. For example, I can throw ore into a statue’s mouth that serves as my forge, and watching it eat the ore and spit out iron bars is surprisingly satisfying.

The potential for Cloudheim is huge, and there’s already a solid foundation here for the developers to build upon. I really hope this game gets the time it needs to take what is already a fun and engaging Early Access experience and turn it into something truly great.

Review code provided by Plan of Attack