Assassin's Creed Valhalla

It might not be The Witcher: Wild Hunt, or specifically do anything that breaks the wheel when it comes to open-world game design, but Assassin’s Creed Valhalla gets you invested. It’s a slow-burn that takes its time to show you its true colours before flourishing into a rewarding, meaty game that’ll keep you engaged over the winter months.

It's designed to discourage stealth in favor of epic battles. It's true to the Viking experience, but it isn't true to the Assassin's Creed experience. That's why it comes off feeling like the least essential game in the whole series. Impressive in some of its accomplishments, but inessential all the same.

Before all of that though, Valhalla already feels complete. It is a Viking saga which does at times struggle a little in reaching its destiny, and in its efforts to evolve the series has made some sacrifices to tell a stronger overall story. But it wins through, in the end quite easily, as it continues the Assassin's Creed saga for a new generation.

Despite its strong connection to past games, Assassin's Creed Valhalla is more than capable of standing on its own. It takes a little while to build momentum, but when it hits its stride, Valhalla is a confident Assassin's Creed title that takes a few narrative risks which, as a whole, pay off.

Despite some worryingly customary bugs, Assassin's Creed Valhalla serves up a treat for both series fans and RPG aficionados. Eivor is a great protagonist, while rural England and the snowy climbs of Norway provide some of the best adventuring in the franchise to date.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla brings quality of life improvements to the new Assassin’s Creed model but doesn’t stray too far from familiar territory. If you enjoyed the last two games and want more of that, Valhalla is exactly what the doctor ordered, but there may be some who after spending 200+ hours completing Origins and Odyssey are burnt out on the format.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla is a massive, beautiful open-world fueled by brutal living and the dirty work of conquerors. It's a lot buggier than it should be but also impressive on multiple levels.

With an engaging combination of combat, exploration, and crafted story content, this Viking legend is an epic with a little something for everyone.