Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Pushes Franchise Forward Again

With the last two installments of the Assassin’s Creed franchise, Ubisoft has reworked the games entire formula while trying to stay true to what made the original so fantastic – stealthy mechanics, outstanding kills, and more. While Origins and Odyssey were surprisingly similar – small welcome changes did come when we headed to ancient Greece – it appears as if Ubisoft is taking a big leap forward with Valhalla, and I couldn’t be more excited.

Assassin’s Creed has always been my favourite video game franchise of all time, which says a lot coming from a die hard Nintendo fan. Perhaps it’s my Masters degree in History, or that the games allow me to explore days gone by – either way, the franchise has been one I’ve adored since the original, since collecting all those damn flags. Changes in franchises can produce disastrous results at times, but they can also do wonders. Think about the addition of sailing, the addition of leveled weapons, levels for characters, and so much more. Almost every change to Assassin’s Creed has been a good one, and now we get more.

I couldn’t even begin to detail all the changes in Valhalla, but will do our best to highlight my personal favorites, as well as the best changes to the system and formula.

Levels are Gone! – Experience can still be earned in Valhalla, but it won’t manifest itself in player levels. As many previewers have detailed, the game will use a new system that tracks skills as opposed to levels. It’s a weird change, but one I’m optimistic about!

Dual Wielding Weapons…and Shields? – If you’ve ever wanted to dual wield shields and bash through enemies like a battering ram, you now can.

Building a Settlement – The premise of Valhalla is that the Vikings have left Norway to establish a new life in England. To really make that story line work, Ubisoft will have players creating their own settlements that can be upgraded and expanded over time. Using resources collected in the game, players can create and expand to their hearts content (although there will be a limit I’m sure)! These settlements will also house the troops you’ll need to carry out your assaults around England, or at least so we imagine! This isn’t a totally new concept for Assassin’s Creed, however. I see this as an extension of the Jack Daw formula used in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag.

We will have a ton more on Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, so stay tuned!