Assassin’s Creed Valhalla review

The Assassin’s Creed franchise has undergone some major changes in the past few years. What was once a great franchise lost some of its glory before it found its feet again. Both Odyssey and Origins have been far more successful than other releases. However, they have moved away from what most players consider the traditional Assassin’s Creed formula.

With Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Ubisoft aims to return to what made the franchise so great in the first place. This is something the developer has certainly achieved. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is a welcome return to form and a great new direction for the series.

History

The first difference players will likely notice in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is how the story is told. Set in the 9th century in the time of the Vikings, take control of Eivor. The warrior leaves his homeland, Norway, to travel to England to start over. But the narrative doesn’t unfold in a series of missions that simply follow one after the other. Instead, the plot comes in chapters, with entire arcs separated from each other. For example, the first few hours all have to do with Eivor trying to find a place in the world before leaving for England. This works well for establishing the story and weaving together a more effective narrative that you can follow.

This isn’t the only difference though. The narrative in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla can also be quite fluid. The world around Eivor is built to be explored and in so doing reveals secrets and stories. Although England lacks the luster of ancient Egypt and Greece, it has a certain charm. The various environments only need to be explored and in doing so unfolds more of the plot. Ultimately, this sounds like the best story in the franchise since Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag.

Much of this also comes down to the compelling cast of characters along the way. Each has their own unique backstory, with distinct motivations and missions that come together cohesively with the main narrative. Eivor, in particular, is a likeable individual who is very easy to get involved with. Unlike other open world games, there is a lot of focus on the story of the game and the protagonist. He helps create some interesting villains and heroes that you meet regularly throughout the storytelling.