Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s release date is getting closer every day, and fans are eager for any bit of new information that they can get about the highly anticipated Ubisoft game. A lot ofnew details were just released during the Ubisoft Forwardevent, including a deeper look into gameplay and world-building. One major detail that has been announced is thatValhallawill feature almost no side quests, but there are two good reasons for this.
The Ubisoft Forward let fans see a lot of what awaits them in the newestAssassin’s Creedgame. InValhalla, players will take on the role of a viking in the Dark Ages as they raid villages and slowly spread their army across England. There is a home settlement that players can customize, different fighting styles and weapons to master, and a lot of customization options—including the ability tochange between male and female Eviorthroughout the game. Players will have to hunt for food, steer their ships, and lead their army into battle against enemy strongholds.
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One thing that players will have very little of are side quests. These have been a staple for the last fewAssassin’s Creedgames, so it seems very strange to have none in this new entry. However, there are two very good reasons that side quests were mostly left out ofValhalla. Simply put, the player is an invader in an enemy land. It makes no sense why terrified villagers would offer a quest as their home burns around them. This ensures that the true essence of the Vikings are kept, sincethey are slowly building some political relationshipswhile destroying others as the player marches further inland.
The second reason why side quests are few and far between is because Ubisoft has replaced them with world events. These missions function similar in essence to side quests, but exist as players find them, similar to games likeThe WitcherandRed Dead Redemption.These missions are more spontaneousand don’t require the player to seek them out. Having world events also helps add to the layer of immersion in the game, showcasing that the player is truly in another realm as they invade England.
Assassin’s Creed Valhallapromises the best of the previous games, withplenty of chances to disappear into crowds and emerge with a hidden bladein a target’s back. For these new additions, particularly replacing side quests, it will take time to see if they will become new staples in a legendary franchise.
Assassin’s Creed Valhallawill release November 17 on PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One, with PS5 and Xbox Series X versions also in development.
