Presentation
Assassin's Creed Valhalla continues the action RPG direction introduced by Origins and expanded by Odyssey, but organizes its world around a different idea: building a home. After the opening hours in Norway, Ravensthorpe becomes the central anchor of the adventure. The settlement develops with resources brought back from expeditions and gradually welcomes new buildings, characters and services. The open world is therefore not simply a territory to explore; part of what the player accomplishes there directly supports a community that grows alongside them.
This structure also gives purpose to raids. Eivor can sail along rivers with their crew, land near monasteries or fortified positions and call on companions to take part in the assault. These attacks provide, among other things, the resources needed to develop Ravensthorpe. They emphasize Eivor's identity as a warrior and give combat a collective dimension rarely as prominent elsewhere in the series.
The main progression, however, relies heavily on alliances. From the settlement, Eivor chooses different regions of England in which to intervene. Each territory then develops its own story around a ruler, a succession, a conflict or an alliance to establish. This organization gives the game a structure resembling a succession of local sagas: some stories contribute directly to Eivor's journey, while others mainly help define the balance of power shaping England.
Combat retains the skill and equipment progression of the previous games while aiming for a more physical feel. Eivor can use numerous weapons, wield two pieces of equipment at once and develop abilities suited to close combat, ranged attacks or stealth. The game still allows infiltration and marks the return of the Hidden Blade, but its protagonist remains first and foremost a warrior capable of entering battle openly.
This position gives Eivor's relationship with the Hidden Ones a particular tone. Eivor works alongside them and hunts members of the Order of the Ancients without simply becoming a traditional Assassin transplanted into a Viking setting. Their priorities remain the clan, reputation, alliances and the complex relationship with Sigurd. The historical conflict of the series therefore runs alongside a story that maintains its own logic.
Norse beliefs also occupy an important place in this identity. Dreams, prophecies and mythological figures accompany Eivor and gradually introduce a second reading of certain characters and events. As often in Assassin's Creed, the apparently supernatural eventually enters into dialogue with the series' own mythology, but Valhalla uses this ambiguity especially strongly to connect memories of the Isu with stories preserved through Norse culture.
What to remember
- A vast adventure set mainly in 9th-century England, during the settlement of numerous Scandinavian groups.
- Eivor, a warrior of the Raven Clan whose main priority is building a future for their people.
- Ravensthorpe, a settlement that serves as a home and gradually develops through the player's actions.
- Narrative progression structured around alliances with the different regions and powers of England.
- Raids, more physical combat and an approach that fully embraces Eivor's Viking warrior identity.
- A meeting point between Norse beliefs, the Hidden Ones, the Order of the Ancients and the deeper mythology of the series.
Conclusion
Assassin's Creed Valhalla does not simply tell the story of an invasion. Its most interesting idea lies in the contrast between conquering and settling. Eivor travels across England to fight, negotiate and forge alliances, but all of these actions gain meaning when they allow Ravensthorpe to gradually become a true home.
This scale is also the game's main weakness. The succession of regions brings variety to the situations and characters encountered, but it stretches the narrative considerably. Some alliances directly enrich Eivor's journey, while others can feel as though they delay a main storyline that is ultimately more personal. The sheer number of territories and activities makes Valhalla an exceptionally generous adventure, but it can sometimes dilute its strongest stakes.
Eivor nevertheless remains a solid anchor. The character never completely abandons their identity to fit the traditional mold of the Brotherhood: the Hidden Blade and the Order of the Ancients cross their path, but the story remains that of a leader trying to protect their people and understand what loyalty, glory and destiny truly mean.
It is in this meeting point that Valhalla finds its personality. The Viking saga and the mythology of Assassin's Creed do not always move at the same pace, but when they finally begin to echo one another, they give Eivor's journey a dimension that extends far beyond the conquest of England.
Good to know
- Assassin's Creed Valhalla was primarily developed by Ubisoft Montreal.
- The game was released in 2020.
- Its story takes place mainly in 9th-century Norway and England.
- The player controls Eivor and can choose a male or female appearance during the adventure.
- Ravensthorpe serves as the main home of Eivor's clan in England and gradually develops throughout the game.
- Basim and Hytham belong to the Hidden Ones, while the Order of the Ancients represents their main enemy during this period.
