Assassin's Creed: Valhalla, All you need to know

AMAZING NEWS! On the 30th April, Ubisoft released the trailer for Assassin's Creed: Valhalla that is due to be released in October 2020. The news has brought fans from all over the globe to come together and discuss the upcoming game; what we want, what our first impressions are and what we know so far...so what do we know so far?

What we know so far

Story

The biggest reveal that the trailer gave us was the period it is set in which is the long rumoured Viking era. Judging from the timing and King Aelfred the Great of Wessex being present, it is set during the 9th Century around, about the mid 800's. From the way King Aelfred was talking about the invasion of the Vikings and the need to go to war, it would be safe to say that he is going to be the main antagonist, it is yet unclear whether he is part of the Templars or whether they are actually going to be a part of the story.

In addition to the Viking theme, from what I can gather, the Vikings are immigrating from Norway to England due to resources running low and they are not very welcome. You play a Viking called Evior and its up to you build settlements, raid camps and build up your army to storm Towers and Castles and to collect resources along with your Raven companion who is yet to be named.

Gameplay

Assassin's Creed has developed and changed dramatically, introducing new combat styles, stories and lovable Assassins. Players have loved and hated the changes, some saying they have moved away from what being an Assassin is, while others are embracing the change and are adapting to the new gameplay. The present day will be playable, we have seen the naïve and strong- willed Desmond Miles and the young, stubborn Layla Hassan, delve into the memories of past Assassins, I wonder if we will see a new character or maybe an old face will return?

Co-op gameplay will NOT be available. I haven't been one for Co-op but there are loads that enjoy the company, it is unsure whether it is a permanent change or if Ubisoft will change their minds and introduce it later on.

Character

Ubisoft have confirmed that you will again get the choice to play as either a man or woman, both named Evior and played by voice actors : Cecile Stenspil and Magnus Bruun. This was first introduced in Assassin's Creed Odyssey, where you had the choice to play between Kassandra or Alexios.We had a similar aspect in Assassin's Creed Syndicate (where the setting was also England) with Evie and Jacob but we had to play as both to progress the story. I love being able to choose the gender of my character as it allows me to see what roads and avenues that Ubisoft have explored in the design and personalities of the characters.

The Hidden Blade

I was very excited to see the return of the legendary Hidden Blade! The very thing that makes Assassins who they are the very weapon that made the game famous. This was missing from previous Assassin's Creed games, obviously due to timelines, but having this back will bring the theme of the Assassins present again. I just hope we are able to upgrade it and be able to use it to it's full potential.

Combat

Previous games have missed the mark when it came to combat, although more action filled, the whole sneaking around aspect was completely discarded and the only option was going in blades swinging and hoping to get it done quickly before more guards turned up. Luckily Ubisoft have confirmed that stealth and "social stealth" (blend into crowds) will make a return and be more interactive. There will still be weapons and abilities that you can upgrade as well as a new revamped fighting system, but stealth will make the gameplay all that more exciting.

Open World and Quests

Assassin's Creed Origins and Odyssey saw the expansion of the World and the travelling needed to explore it. Both games saw a collection of quests and side stories that relate to the main story. According to sources, players will be able to raid areas and make them their new settlements where they will be able to use them as home bases and protect them from Saxons and other kingdoms in England. The previously mentioned Raven, will be your eye in the sky and help you pin point locations, enemies and items, it will also help you combat the same as Ikaros and Senu in previous games. I like this idea, as it is a development of the old "Eagle Vision" witnessed and used by players from past games.

Choices in dialogue will make a return and also make a much bigger impact with NPCs and other characters. In Odyssey the choices you had were either witty, romantic or brutal, non of which really suited the character you chose and felt forced. Romance will also be making a return, these choices were exciting and sometimes hilarious. I'm interested to see what developments they make on this feature.

Development

When it came to the development of the game, Ubisoft Montreal have confirmed that 14 other Ubisoft studios are also working on the game. The writer of Assassin's Creed Revelations and Black Flag: Darby McDevitt has returned and is helping write and the narrate the story. This wonderful news has made me excited for what this game holds and the story it will tell us.

Good news for Ps5 and Xbox Series X future gamers. This game will be available to purchase on the new generation consoles as well as the Ps4, Xbox One and PC. Xbox Series X users will have the advantage of Smart Delivery, meaning that if you purchase the game on Xbox One and later buy a Xbox SX then it will be there for you and vice versa.

What we want to see

I have read comments from the trailer that players are hoping for more of a backstory to the Assassins and Templars and how they came to be. In Origins we saw that Bayek created the Assassins Symbol but that was the only reference we had, Odyssey mentioned that once the Cult of Kosmos had been completely wiped out, that another Order will take their place. But it wasn't enough to quench our thirst for knowledge.

In Odyssey we saw gameplay and stories where we could fight creatures from Greek Mythology such as Medusa and the Minotaur and it would be amazing to see that again. Norse mythology contains many creatures and Gods, so it will be interesting to see if they make an appearance.

Customization has been apart of the games series for years now and in many different ways, but I believe they could take it further. Instead of just customising armour and naval ships , I would love to be able to fully customise my character in my own image, such as hair, tattoos, and face, a feature similar to the Fallout series.

Overall

The trailer was amazing, blood thirsty and exciting! Not to mention graphically beautiful. I honestly can not wait for this game to drop! I do believe that many players will be happy with the changes and new players will be inspired to play the old games!

I just hope they don't over complicate the game and include irrelevant features, but I am keeping an open mind and I sit in anticipation for this game to be released!

P.S. Xbox are planning to release gameplay footage in the near future, so keep your eyes and ears open.

If you haven't yet seen the trailer, you can see it down below: