PC players can now venture to the most harrowing biome yet in Iron Gate’s Viking survival title via the public test branch.

Iron Gate Studios has released its latest and most challenging region for Valheim yet with Ashlands. Available for public testing on Steam, the penultimate biome sports lava everywhere, the menacing Valkyrie and other horrors, though there’s new armor and weapons to make it worthwhile.

Since this is a public test, players must back up their worlds and characters. All players must be on the same testing branch to play together. Previous testers should start a new world to allow it to generate new content.

In-game, the Ashlands can only be reached by ship. You also have to be mindful of the building location – not only is a shield necessary to guard against eruptions but your base is ruined if the terrain shifts continuously. Also, since this is the last stop before the Deep North, Ashlands will be a challenging experience, so prepare accordingly (or tinker with the World Modifiers first).

As for the new content, players can expect over 30 new weapons, three new armor sets, more than 70 buildable items, five new crafting station upgrades and over 10 new creatures. There are also new events, mechanics, music, food items and potions. Head here for more details.

Valheim is available for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC.