If you’ve been playing Valheim and feel like the game, while good, isn’t hitting your graphical taste, then you can consider tacking on a few mods to give it the look you desire. From simple upscales of current assets to triple-A game-looking reworks, the modding community has been on it since the games’ release, and it’s impressive to think that high-quality mods like these are available for people to try and use, given the games recency. With that in mind, we’ll be looking at a few mods on display, where the focus on this one is the visual aspect of the game. There will be no gameplay changes to speak of here, and will be more on those wanting Valheim’s gameplay, but with a substantial, or subtle visual kick in quality.
As with all Valheim lists, this was written at the time of the games’ latest version (Hearth and Home Update, version 0.205.5) with the mods coming from nexusmods.com and describing the changes from the description list. Entries listed are in no particular order, meaning no best to worst.
10. Valheim Texture Upscaled X4
Valheim Texture Upscaled X4 Intro:
To further elaborate on what it does, it takes the existing visuals you see and cleans it up a little more, making a cluster of the objects like leaves on trees a little less blocky, and look more like the intended shape. Truly not much to say here other than if the current visuals are all you need but need a bit more clarity, then this mod is for you.
Get The Mod Here
9. Remove Yggdrasil
Remove Yggdrasil Intro:
Another simple purpose mod where the focus is, well, focusing on the sky more. The Yggdrasil (or World Tree) is a fixture in Valheim and an important aspect in Viking folklore, but for some, it may be too intrusive, and as with most trees that cause problems, you can chop it down. No mess, no leaves debris, and not even a lumberjack yelling ‘timber’ somewhere far. Just use, hop in, and poof, no big tree obstructing the sky. Happy stargazing, I suppose.
Get The Mod Here
8. Viking Sails
Viking Sails Intro:
Not much to say here as well, as this mod has a single purpose, and that is to color your trusty Karve or Longship into the image you wish to get. All you need to do is install the mod, get the image you want to imprint on the sail, and follow the instructions to put it in. The results can be as cute as a cat pic, or as morbid as death itself. Either way, your boat, your style.
Get The Mod Here
7. Ivy’s Texture Pack
Ivy’s Texture Pack Intro:
While this mod also changes textures for other things and items, the most noticeable change this mod brings is that it predominantly modifies the wood and stones’ look and feel, with the wood showing a more defined pattern, especially on the chests, while the stone walls’ textures go from blocky, rough, and crude-looking into a cleaner looking stone bricks as a texture. For the latter, this is perfect if you wish for a cleaner castle look on your structures, but with all mods, it may not be everyone’s cup of tea. The creator did say that this mod is a working project so things may not be final, but for those wanting that grand castle somewhere nice, this gives a boost in the style department.
Get The Mod Here
6. Louis Texture Pack
Louis Texture Pack Intro:
This mod brings changes to things like the banners and rugs, making the interior and exterior of your Viking abode. The banner textures have been given a glossier polish making it look more vibrant and pronounced, especially on the underlying design. Another good thing this mod does is mute out some smoke and lighting effects like fire from sources like the campfire, making things on it more visible. Lighting also becomes less reflective and makes it easier on the eye. For example, the light bouncing off barrels or the metal surfaces and the fire inside kilns and smelters. As with most extensive mods, the environment is also given a small rework, where the grass looks to grow in different directions instead of being a straight line being tacked on.
This is a nice mod that helps your visuals a bit more, though keep in mind that it will need some other prerequisite mods to be added, which they state on the description page.
Get The Mod Here
5. Candyman's Realistic Foliage
Candyman's Realistic Foliage Intro:
This mod doesn’t go crazy with changing everything as it instead focuses on the landscape Valheim’s biomes offer. For instance, the rocks appear more smoothened out and better defined against the overgrown vegetation of the Black Forest. Trees and vegetation here are arguably the most pronounced change as the depth and color are a bit more grown and darker with things like mushrooms being a visual add-on to an already great environment. Overall, a great mod for those who want to have extra on the great outdoors.
Get The Mod Here
4. Coco's Texture Pack
Coco's Texture Pack Intro:
This mod goes all-in on changing so many of Valheim’s textures that it gives it a more final polish, contrary to the base games early access nature. Here, environment colors are better spaced out from each other, an example of which is the difference between the lush green Meadows, to the near-dead grass look of the Plains and everything in between. Not only do the worlds change texture, so do your weapons. Weapons like the Frostner now has a solid blue head, contrary to the white/blue texture the base game currently has for it. To complement those environmental changes, structure textures are also changed, where the rocks are still not uniform, but still brightened up and changed, while the banners and cosmetic pieces like capes have been given an equally impressive mod.
Needless to say, this is one mod you should get to change aspects of Valheim’s look to something more substantial.
Get The Mod Here
3. Willybach's HD Valheim
Willybach's HD Valheim:
Like many HD packs, this mod changes the look and feel of everything in-game, while keeping the essence and core colors of the original. From terrain textures to armor reshades, this is a wonderful mod for those wanting a great but not exaggerated look. It gives the usual look of a more textured surface than a low-quality tacked-on one found currently. It does an amazing job keeping everything near original but tuning it to a much clearer tone. For these specific texture packs, key standouts are the textures on the kiln and smelter, giving it a smoother look but bringing in a bit of visual roughness on the design patterns and markings on it. Weapons also got a shiny new texture and it looks good, especially with a mod that can make you see it in first person. The most amazing thing about this mod, by far, is the textures on the bosses and large creatures. From more detailed scales on the Serpent to the web-like pattern on the Drake, it takes good-looking creatures, into a scary impressive depth, while being the same mobs we know and love (to kill).
It works well in tandem with other mods (more on that later) to bring out a lot of Valheim’s beauty forward and is certainly a great add-on to your game.
Get The Mod Here
2. HD Overhaul
HD Overhaul Intro:
By having made changes to the resolution file, various things from the previous mod have gone up a bit in terms of quality, with this mod also welcoming in other changes. First of which is the depth of items and weapons. To bring the Frostner back in the discussion, in Willybach’s mod, it changes the look into a somewhat seethrough, two-toned hammer. For the HD Overhaul, it’s the same design, but with upscaled textures, the inner part now looks like it has white textures that give it more depth, and it’s those little things that count.
For the most part, it is pretty much similar to the previous mod, but again, early days with both Valheim and its mods, so all can be improved as time and updates go on.
Get The Mod Here
1. HD Skies
HD Skies Intro:
A self-explanatory mod where the skies of Valheim become a whole lot more glorious. The best way to enjoy it is to figure out what theme you’d select. From themes like the Milky Way to Aurora Borealis, this mod is absolute eye candy. Hilariously, there’s even a Death Star backdrop to also choose, making it a cursed yet funny addition.
Not much to say as this mod is a see-to-believe type of mod, and based on visual choices, this will be up there with the best mods to give your game that graphical boost.
Get The Mod Here
Conclusion:
We’ve only scratched the surface on what is possible with Valheim’s mods, with the current 10 items also having more images showing the changes it’s capable of on their respective download pages. The more Valheim keeps updating content, the more work modders will put into things that make it an experience that will be like no other. The best way to check these mods, and many other mods are to try them out for yourself as preference may not be identical from person to person. Either way, you’ll have an amazing time with the mods you prefer, assuming that the PC you use isn’t strained on the performance side, and once done and read through the changes (and possible warnings) you’ll be playing on a very different kind of Viking world.
