You and I seem to have similar taste in games based on purchase habits and other threads. I went into Valheim thinking it would be a fun little Minecraft-like diversion for a few hours while I was between games.
I’ve spent 150 hours in it so far.
I can’t explain the appeal other than “it just grabs you”. There is always another task you want to accomplish, always another area to explore just over that next hill, always something new to find or build…and while it is quite hard at first, overcoming those initial challenges and slowly learning the limits of what you can do as you advance through the biomes and discover more and more is a big part of the fun.
If you dig survival/exploration/crafting games at all, you will enjoy Valheim. $12 is a steal for it.