Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is one of the most exciting titles dropping on the brand new PlayStation 5. This is the 22nd release in the hugely successful series from Ubisoft, who will be looking to follow up the highly-rated Assassin’s Creed Odyssey with another strong title. This offering is going to attract fans of the franchise, but it will also benefit from the fact that Vikings are currently prevalent in popular culture. For these reasons, it could be the standout early release for the new console.
About the Game
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is set in AD 873, eighty years after the Vikings’ supposed first invasion of British shores in AD 793. The game tells the story of a fictional Viking invasion on British soil but uses a historical framework for accuracy when it comes to methods of attack and the construction of buildings.
The player controls a Viking raider called Eivor, who gets caught in the middle of a conflict between the Brotherhood of Assassins and the Templar Order. Along with the traditional assassination quests that the franchise is known for, players will also be tasked with building and maintaining settlements.
Vikings Series Could Add to Player Base
Vikings have been prominent in popular culture in recent years mainly thanks to the success of the History Channel series, Vikings. The historical epic has been compared to Game of Thrones and has given viewers a taste of what life was like in those early, barbaric days of civilisation.
The Vikings series has led to other pieces of entertainment based on the Norse raiders, including the Netflix comedy series, Norsemen. However, it is the world of gaming that arguably has the greatest amount of Vikings-based content. For instance, there is the Vikings slot from Netent which uses characters from the series on the reels. This is one of the most popular online casino games in the UK and is a great draw for players, among other more traditional table games. On mobile, there is Vikings: War of Clans from Plarium, which is an MMO strategy game.
Assassins Creed Franchise Maintains a High Popularity
Players have come to expect a massive RPG experience when it comes to games in the Assassin’s Creed series, and the new title appears to be continuing that. It already looks like the most visually impressive game so far, and Ubisoft seems to have pushed the boat out in adding more depth and detail to the overall story and gameplay. The scale of this game could end up serving as the benchmark for other PS5 games that follow it, and it is likely to be an exceptional playing experience.
There are a number of great-looking games dropping on the PS5, with the likes of Call of Duty: Black Ops – Cold War and Far Cry 6 looking particularly appealing as well. However, due to the current mainstream fascination with Vikings, coupled with the overall strength of the Assassin’s Creed franchise, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla has the potential to be the best of the lot.