Assassin’s Creed Valhallahas just been officially confirmed by Ubisoft, with afull reveal coming tomorrow, and fans are clamoring to know exactly what the upcoming game will entail–in terms of gameplay, story, the main character, and beyond.
While the “Vikings setting” for the nextAssassin’s Creedgame was just a highly-corroborated rumor up until now, it appears the rumors were well-founded, even if the game’s real title isn’tAssassin’s Creed Ragnarok. But beforeValhalla’s announcement, more rumors were flying about which olderAssassin’s Creedgames this one would take after the most: some suggested that it’d be likeRogueorSyndicate, while others speculated over similarities toOdysseyandOrigins.
However, there’s an alternative to these: ultimately,Assassin’s Creed Valhallahas a lot of potential to be something new and different in its own right, and hopefully, Ubisoft recognizes that.
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A Pro-Templar Entry?
Some of the rumors that precededValhalla’s big announcement claimed that the new game would explore the origins of the Templar order. However, that same rumor also basically refutedeverythingthat had been thought about the mysterious new entry thus far; supposedly, the game was to be calledAssassin’s Creed: Origins II, and players would take on the role of a Proto-templar in a Norse setting, much in the waythatAssassin’s Creed Roguedid. There’d be no hidden blades, and the main symbol of the game and the proto-templars would be the Valknut.
However, the source of this rumor hasn’t been proven to be anyone with reliable insight, and if nothing else, the colon in “Origins 2” suggests that the leak is false (since Ubisoft hasn’t actually used colons in itsAssassin’s Creedtitles sinceBlack Flag).
Origins v. Odyssey
Then there’s speculation over whetherValhallawill continue the trajectory of the most recentAssassin’s Creedtitles,OriginsandOdyssey. This could mean a lot of different things: will it have a choice between male and female protagonists, or have a set male protagonist? Will it include mythology from its era, asOriginsdid andOdysseyto an even greater extent?
The odds forNorse mythology and mythical creatures, at least, look pretty good. First off, the game is calledValhalla, which is the fabled hall where Norse heroes went when they died to feast at Odin’s side. That alone suggests there’s some bearing on Norse myths. Then there’s the likelihood of Isu artifacts making an appearance, which are what caused all of the “supernatural” happenings in previous games; given that people in the age of Vikings very much believed in Norse deities, magic, monsters, and that one apocalyptic event called Ragnarok, it stands to reason that whichever Isu artifact turns up inValhallawill play around with the superstitions of that time.
Of course, there’s one way in whichValhallacould bemore likeOriginsthanOdyssey, despite the common belief thatOdysseyset a new standard and path forward for the franchise, and that’s the inclusion of the hidden blade. Those who playedOdysseywill recall that it didn’t make an appearance until theFirst BladeDLC, and even then, it wasn’t something players could use themselves. WhileOdysseydid a lot of great things for the franchise, one complaint from players was that it felt too disconnected from actual Assassins, since it took place 400 years beforeOrigins, and the order of Assassins hadn’t been founded yet.
Valhalla, on the other hand, takes place roughly 800 yearsafterthe events ofOriginsin theage of Vikings, well after the Assassins had been established. Knowing that, there’s a decent chance thatValhallacould take a step back and dive into Assassin lore rather than just have players take on the role of a simple Viking. This could mean not only the return of the hidden blade but also more combat mechanics that resembleOrigins,as well as sneaking mechanics (like jumping into a bale of hay) from earlier games.
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Breaking Away From the Crowd
Assassin’s Creed Valhallacould be a lot of things. There’s a reason Ubisoft must’ve picked the age of Vikings to make its next game; it’s a surprisingly vibrant era with lots to play around with, both historically and in mythology. If nothing else,games likeSkyrimhave proven that a Norse setting alone provides an intriguing basis for a game, which is whyValhallashouldn’t worrytoomuch about emulating its predecessors–orother games that have adapted a Norse setting.Skyrimmay have already been there and done that, but the two franchises have vastly different concepts, and the concept behindAssassin’s Creedcombined with the Age of Vikings is a potent match.
Sure, there are some mechanics that it should definitely maintain from previous games: the dualmale and female Assassin protagonists, for one, and the rich attention to historical eras that allows each game to feel so lifelike. But ultimately,Valhalladoesn’t have to beOrigins,Odyssey,Rogue,Black Flag, or any other previousAssassin’s Creedtitle. Many of the game’s plot points, characters, and mechanics can be inspired by the actual time period and locale in whichValhallais set. Vikings were known for being master craftspeople with the ability to build ships to no equal, so it’d be interesting to see a customizable seafaring home base or even the development of a Viking fleet.
Vikings were also raiders, often pillaging monasteries along the coasts of Europe, and a raiding mechanic using Viking tactics and weaponry could be another fun addition to the game. Going into mythology, even if the game isn’t really called “Ragnarok” now, the concept of Ragnarok is certainly something that’s hard to ignore.Isu and the First Civilizationare often mistaken for gods among polytheistic religions, and Ragnarok is all about the gods causing doomsday, so anAssassin’s Creedrendition of the fabled Norse tale would be fascinating to play out.
Hopefully, tomorrow’s reveal will give a hint about what is to come withAssassin’s Creed Valhalla, but for the moment, all fans can really do is dream.
Assassin’s Creed Valhallais currently in development.
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