Road to Ballhalla Review

The Road to Ballhalla is as hard as it is fun.

I always envisioned myself riding into Valhalla atop a mighty steed, accompanied by Valkyries, as warriors sing out songs of glory while a great feast awaits me. Road to Ballhalla might not grant this wish but the sense of accomplishment and victory that is gained from the challenges that await is far more rewarding.

In this rhythm-driven ball-roller title, players are tasked with leading a glowing ball through serval levels of increasing difficulty to reach a legendary place of honour and glory. It sounds simple at first but quickly the title ramps up the challenge just as it ramps up the music. The rhythm within each level syncs to the hazards that are trying to stop your ball and lay the foundation for the puzzles that you’ll need to overcome.

As you progress through the many levels you will find new ways to complete the challenges. Jump pads, speed boosts, and even switches and keys play a part in the puzzles that have been carefully crafted to test your skills. Along the way you will want to collect as many of the neon collectibles as possible within each level. As these are used to unlock more challenges and progress through the title, they should be your main goal above all else.

Of course, all of this creates a rather difficult experience which can at times cause some frustration. Thankfully though, the Road to Ballhalla is somewhat forgiving in how it handles failure. Checkpoints are found numerous times in each level and should you fall off the path or suffer defeat, you’ll be able to return to give it another shot with minimal down time. This is helped by the fact that performance on the Nintendo Switch is solid, allowing for fast loading times and a steady frame rate throughout the whole experience.

If that was not enough, Road to Ballhalla also includes humorous writing which not only encourages you to progress forward but also mocks you when given the chance. Maybe it will lead you to a secret area, help you get around a tough part of a level, or just lead you to a dead end and then mock you afterwards. The writing is so solid that it really adds a new level of enjoyment to the title that you might not have been expecting.

All of this is delivered in a neon coloured environment that reacts to the music, resulting in a stunning visual presentation. Even if it is deadly and sometimes tricks you into rolling to your death. It is easily one of the more attractive titles you can play and that will help you overcome the puzzles and challenges that await you.

In the end, Road to Ballhalla is a solid puzzle title that handles well on the Switch and puts up an engaging challenge. Sure, it can feel at times like some of the levels are designed to be too hard but once you finally overcome them the sense of victory you feel is fantastic. If you are looking for a rather unique title that leverages a simple concept to a new level than Road to Ballhalla is one for you.