Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Review

The Assassin’s Creed franchise has gone through some major changes over the last few years. What was once a great franchise lost some of its glory before once again finding its feet. Both Odyssey and Origins proved far more successful than other outings. However, they strayed away from what most players consider the traditional Assassin’s Creed formula.

With Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Ubisoft aims to go back to what made the franchise so great in the first place. That 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.

Story

The first difference that players are likely to notice in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is how the story is told. Taking place in the 9th century in a time of Vikings, you take control of Eivor. The warrior departs their homeland of Norway to travel to England to start anew. But the narrative does not unfold in a series of missions that simply come one after the other. Instead, the plot arrives in chapters, with entire arcs separated from each other. For example, the opening few hours all deal with Eivor trying to find a place in the world before leaving for England. This works well in establishing the story and weaving together a more effective narrative that you can follow.

That is not the only difference though. The storytelling in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla can also be quite fluid. The world around Eivor is built to be explored and doing so uncovers secrets and tales. Although England lacks some of the luster of ancient Egypt and Greece, it has a certain charm to it. The various environments just beg to be explored and doing so unfolds more of the plot. Ultimately, this feels like the best story in the franchise since Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag.

A lot of that is also down to the compelling cast of characters along the way. Each has their own unique backstory, with distinct motivations and quests that cohesively join with the main narrative. Eivor, in particular, is a likable individual who is very easy to get invested in. Unlike other open-world games, there’s very much a focus on the game’s story and the protagonist. It helps to create some interesting villains and heroes that you meet regularly throughout the narrative.