8 /10 12

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla redefines the franchise as a full-fledged action RPG set during the Viking Age. Released to critical acclaim with a Metacritic score of 80, this game blends exploration, combat, and settlement management with unprecedented scale. Players command Eivor, a customizable Viking warrior, through a meticulously crafted England filled with secrets and side content. The game introduced significant RPG mechanics that reshaped the series direction, allowing for playstyle flexibility and rewarding exploration over linear progression.

How to Play Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

Valhalla is a hybrid stealth-action RPG where exploration and combat receive equal emphasis. Players traverse the open world on horseback, uncover hidden settlements, engage in tactical combat encounters, and complete a branching story spanning multiple regions.

1. Controls – Standard third-person controls with context-sensitive parkour and climbing mechanics. Combat uses light and heavy attacks with special abilities tied to selected weapons and builds.
2. Progression – Players gain experience through combat, quests, and exploration, leveling up stats and unlocking new abilities. Settlement building and resource gathering provide progression outside combat.
3. Combat/Mechanics – Valhalla shifts toward ability-based combat with customizable loadouts. Dodge, parry, and heavy counterattacks form the core loop against varied enemy types.
4. Tips – Spread stat allocation across multiple builds for flexibility. Prepare for lengthy content: expect 60–100 hours for most playstyles. Exploration rewards hidden weapons, armor perks, and unique story encounters.

Who Should Play Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

Valhalla appeals to open-world enthusiasts seeking 100+ hours of content and Viking history buffs. The game scales difficulty smoothly, making it accessible to newcomers while challenging veterans.

• Open-World Explorers – The vast English landscape contains hundreds of secrets, side quests, and hidden tombs rewarding thorough investigation with unique loot and narrative moments.
• Vikings and History Fans – The game captures Viking culture, aesthetics, and historical locations with care, appealing to those fascinated by Norse mythology and medieval Britain.
• RPG Progression Lovers – Character customization, skill trees, and loot systems provide deep progression mechanics that reward investment and experimentation with different playstyles.
• Skip if – Those seeking lightweight experiences or tightly-focused narratives may find Valhalla’s scale overwhelming. The game demands time commitment and features repetitive side content padding.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Platform Performance

Valhalla demonstrates strong console optimization with stable framerates across platforms. PC performance scales well with hardware, while next-generation consoles deliver native 4K resolution with high framerates in performance modes.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla System Requirements

PC requirements are moderate for high-end gaming in 2020. Minimum specs handle 1080p 30fps gameplay, while recommended specs enable smooth 1080p 60fps experiences. 4K gaming requires upper-tier hardware equivalent to RTX 2080 or newer.

Similar Games to Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

Players seeking similar experiences find comparable games in the action-RPG open-world space. Valhalla occupies the intersection of narrative-driven design and expansive exploration, though alternatives emphasize different strengths.

• Assassin’s Creed Odyssey – Direct predecessor using the same engine and progression systems; set in ancient Greece with comparable scope and mission design but lacks Valhalla’s settlement mechanics.
• Ghost of Tsushima – Focused open-world samurai action with tighter narrative and smaller scope; excels at combat design where Valhalla spreads content thinner across larger areas.
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance – Grounded medieval setting emphasizing immersion over spectacle; features intricate stealth and role-playing mechanics with limited combat scaling.
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Story-driven open world with superior narrative focus; fixed protagonist and branching quests create different atmosphere than Valhalla’s customizable protagonist approach.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla vs Competitors

Comparing Valhalla against contemporary open-world action RPGs reveals distinct strengths: unmatched content volume, strong character customization, and robust technical implementation on consoles. Competitors excel in narrative or mechanical focus where Valhalla prioritizes breadth.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Story and World

Set in 872 CE, Valhalla follows Eivor, a Viking warrior displaced by Norwegian civil war, establishing a settlement in England’s shifting kingdoms. The narrative unfolds non-linearly across England’s regions, with personal vendettas intersecting with the historical conflict between Viking invaders and Saxon rulers. Eivor’s journey intertwines settlement-building responsibilities with uncovering a deeper conspiracy involving the ancient Isu civilization. The storytelling emphasizes character moments over grand spectacle, creating intimate connections with allies while exploring Viking culture’s complexities. Multiple endings and dialogue choices foster replayability, though core plot beats remain fixed.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Multiplayer and Online

Valhalla is primarily single-player but includes asynchronous online connectivity. The mercenary system allows players to create custom Viking raiders who appear in friends’ games, earning rewards when deployed in combat. No direct multiplayer PvP or cooperative modes exist, contrasting older Assassin’s Creed titles.

• Mercenary Raids – Upload custom Vikings to friends; earn rewards when they deploy your created character in their battles without requiring your participation.
• Animus Anomalies – Limited-time online events providing unique cosmetics and challenges, cycling monthly with seasonal themes.
• Cross-Platform Features – Ubisoft Connect enables profile progression and reward synchronization across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms.
• Cross-Play – Not supported between console platforms; progression tied to individual platform accounts.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla DLC and Expansions

Three major DLC packs expand Valhalla’s content significantly, each introducing new regions, stories, and mechanics. The base game receives continuous free updates alongside paid expansions, with developer roadmaps providing transparency on future content.

• Wrath of the Druids – $9.99; May 2021; introduces Ireland, new weapon types, and trade mechanics; 10–15 hours of content.
• Siege of Paris – $9.99; August 2021; set in France, reintroduces assassination contract missions; comparable length to Druids DLC.
• Season Pass – $19.99; includes first two DLCs; Dawn of Ragnarok ($15.99) sold separately, featuring Norse mythology and new power systems.
• Free Updates – Regular patches address bugs; cosmetics added monthly; challenge events provide cosmetic rewards without gameplay impact.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Community and Support

Valhalla maintains active developer communication through official channels. The community spans forums, social media, and Discord servers where players coordinate discovery, share builds, and report issues. Developer transparency regarding update timelines and known issues builds community trust.

• Official Forums – Ubisoft-moderated forums host technical support, bug reports, and community discussions; developers actively respond to critical issues.
• Reddit and Discord – r/ACValhalla and the official Assassin’s Creed Discord (215,838 members) provide peer support, build recommendations, and casual discussion spaces.
• Mod Support – Limited native modding; Steam Workshop unavailable; community-created mods exist but receive no official support or protection.
• Updates – Monthly quality-of-life patches; major title updates every 4–5 weeks; roadmap published quarterly detailing planned features and fixes.