Retro Gaming How You Remember It
You can tell Volgarr the Viking is a Sega Genesis game in spirit, if not in actuality, just by playing the opening level. You face 16-bit monsters with that old, pixelated level design that you remember so well. And if there is any question, you need only reference the manual, styled after a Genesis. Unlike the games of old, however, Volgarr nails the level design by being tough without being punitive. Deaths are your fault, and while rote memorization will help you progress, it is not until you actually begin to master the game around 5-10 hours in that you truly succeed. That is the game's brilliance. It ramps up steeply enough that you know what you're in for, but rewards you with the satisfaction of completing the levels without then punishing you for the sake of a Game Over.
Although it will. There are multiple endings, and the best require a single playthrough, often leading to the old habits of leaving your "console" on overnight by leaving the game minimized. Happily, even the "worst" ending proves satisfying, and is an accomplishment in and of itself.
Volgarr the Viking is what you remember old 16-bit action games to be like, not what they actually were. If you have the retro itch, you could scarcely do better than here.