Assassin's Creed: Valhalla

Assassin's Creed: Valhalla is the twelfth major part of the best-selling sandbox series. Although previous instalments used to be action games, over time the franchise evolved into action RPGs; such as this one. The game was developed by fifteen development teams belonging to Ubisoft, under the leadership of Ubisoft Montreal.

Eivor

Assassin's Creed: Valhalla takes place in the 9th century, in Northern Europe. The main protagonist is Eivor, the leader of a viking clan; interestingly, not only can we choose whether they're male or female, but also let the Animus switch between both versions at specific moments (which is also the canon option). After leaving the war-torn Norway and crossing the North Sea, the protagonist and their men arrive at the English coast. Unfortunately, said nation is also in the midst of bloody wars for the throne, with Eivor's clan attracting the attention of Alfred the Great of Wessex, who not only considers himself England's righteous ruler, but also condemns the pagan vikings. To make England their new home, and to secure their place in Valhalla, Eivor and their warriors must take up arms. Their future depends on the alliances we form or the dialogue options we choose.

Gameplay

The first thing we do in Assassin's Creed: Valhalla is setting Eivor's appearance: we can change their hairstyle, tattoos, war pain and gear. The gameplay is shown from the third-person perspective (TPP). During the game we must complete story missions (divided into 2-3 hours long chapters) and can indulge in numerous side quests and optional activities. Our decisions often affect the future of Eivor and their clan. We can also raid resource-rich areas, not only expanding our influence, but also gathering the resources we need to expand our settlement.

The combat system, already known from the previous instalments, has been improved to reflect the Vikings' brutality, including a greater emphasis on dual-wielding weapons. Enemies can also be dispatched quietly with Eivor's hidden blade. Our protagonist's capabilities can be increased by, for example, upgrading weapons and armor with runes.

Map

Valhalla's open world consists of Norway (which we leave behind very early on in the game, though it can be revisited at any time), England and some other territories. In England we'll find large cities, such as London, Winchester and York, as well as numerous smaller settlements and distinctive landmarks and buildings, such as Hadrian's Wall and Stonehenge. Traversing the world on foot is made more appealing by the game's parkour system, the series' trademark. Navigating the sea was based on the mechanics known from Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag and Assassin's Creed: Odyssey, adjusted to fit the game's time period and setting.

During AC: Valhalla the player can take control of a drakkar, a boat used by the Vikings for navigating seas and rivers. The crew boarding the ship can help Eivor in their travels. An important change from AC: Odyssey is that the ship can be summoned from anywhere as long as you're near water, not just in designated harbors. Like earlier instalments, Assassin's Creed: Valhalla boasts excellent graphics and an atmospheric soundtrack reflecting the time period.

Multiplayer

Assassin's Creed: Valhalla doesn't include any multiplayer. The game's core is the singleplayer campaign.