Nobody left indifferent the way in which Ubisoft presented Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, the new installment of the legendary assassin saga that will arrive this year to the consoles of the current generation and, quite possibly, to the next. The disclosure was made by the creative process of your promotional art from scratch, under the artist's signature BossLogic. Although it was requested in the process to finally reveal the name of the title, during the process they could be seen spectacular details of what this game will be.
Without a doubt, it is one of the most ambitious projects the French company has embarked on so far, as there are up to 15 different studios involved in it. A good test of what a proposal of this caliber entails, which will be located in the transition of two generations of consoles. A fight for conquest, the end of one era and the beginning of another. As it happened in the 8th century, when the Viking era began to break through Anglo-Saxon territory. It is one of the golden stages of history Scandinavian and a huge source of influence globally, so Ubisoft knows what it faces with this new installment.
BossLogic's work transcends beyond what it is to show the creative process of a promotional image, but it is immersed in the artistic quality of the story, like the canvas of a painting that transmits essential details of past times. Among its composition, there are aspects that begin to define what the game will be and that we have already been able to perceive in productions such as Vikings or The Last Kingdom, among other. An invasion game and historical transition that fits perfectly with the moment that video games live.
The story of a conquest: the pagan army invades England
The contrast of the images, which I will talk about later, already gives a firm idea of what we can find in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: a battle for the conquest of territory, where the Vikings rise to their potential, sailing through rough waters in search of expanding to new horizons, in this case England. The first looting of the pagan army in Anglo-Saxon terrain dates from the end of the 8th century, beginning the was viking that would extend over the following centuries. We are facing a period where visceral and the violence they exceed any level that has been seen in another installment of the saga.
Although the history of Ragnar LothbrokThanks to the Vikings series, it was his children who really took England almost entirely, leaving only the Wessex kingdom under the Anglo-Saxon mandate, led by Alfredo the Great. One of the greatest conquests of the Viking army was that of the kingdom of Mercia, which helped create a land route between East Anglia and Northumbria. Given the composition used in the BossLogic image, the most logical thing is that the period that Assassin's Creed Valhalla presents shows us this period of conquest and the defense of Wessex facing their invasion. In this way, perhaps the historical stage in which delivery takes place is broader than previously seen.
It seems difficult to think that an Assassin’s Creed is created in the Viking age without the presence of Ragnar Lothbrok, Lagertha or even their childrenBut this period offers a much broader game that spans no less than three centuries. This would allow different locations to appear, both Viking and Anglo-Saxon, which would allow us to verify this difference in cultures and the confrontation between both sides. In fact, it would allow not only to face the armies of King Alfredo, but also those of another of the great Anglo-Saxon kings: Æthelred.
However, if we return to the image and its composition, the castle that is closest to the one used by BossLogic is the Bamburgh Castle, In England. Considering that it later appears in flames as the Viking and Saxon armies clash on the battlefield, that would take us to the 10th century, as the fortress was destroyed by the Viking invasion in 993, a century after Alfredo's death. This may be one more symptom of that break in the timeline, spanning several centuries of the Viking invasion or confirmation that Ubisoft wants to get away from the golden age of Ragnar and his proximate descendants.
The presence of the Drakkar and the eyes of Odin
What is not missing on the left side of the image are the Viking references that they are totally valid for the three centuries of invasion. The Drakkar They were the ships most used by the Viking army in their transfers to other territories. They were warships par excellence, something that defines his mask with dragon head shape. If we focus on the time mentioned above, it is most likely the Norwegian king's army Olaf Tryggvason, who reigned in Norway from the years 995 to 1000. In addition, his ship Ormen Lange It was one of the best known in Scandinavian history.
Another element that does not go unnoticed is the appearance of a crow, which will replace the eagle that had been used in the last two installments of Assassin’s Creed. Ravens have enormous relevance in Norse culture and mythology, as they were associated in Odin's eyes: Hugin and Munin. The two crows were in charge of traveling the world to obtain information that offered knowledge to the god of the gods of Norse mythology; Hugin was the thought and Munin the memory. Considering the usefulness they have in the saga, it is easy to identify this change.
The symbology It has always been one of the fundamental pillars of Viking culture, as has the mysticism of its beliefs. The Valhalla it was a place reserved for warriors who died in combat and they are received by Odin, in Asgard. Those chosen by the great God to be transferred to the majestic Valhalla are led by the Valkyries until their eternal rest, in which they will share their new life with other warriors of the same condition. That spiritual journey It is also reflected in the conceptual image of the new installment of Assassin’s Creed, with the Northern Lights Halo which is drawn on the warriors. A technique that has different interpretations and that can point directly to this destination of the great warriors of the pagan army.
The figure of the Viking warriors
One of the aspects that has generated the most comments since the presentation of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is the presence of a male character as the main picture. It is true that when imagining a Viking warrior, the first thing that comes to mind is a man with big beards, rough and a real animal on the battlefield. However, women were also very important in the viking era, being authentic warriors. Although most know them as shields, an image that has also been observed in the Vikings series with Lagertha, they were actually called skjaldmö and they had nothing to envy men in combat.
There is a skjaldmö embodied in the art of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, as it is the only figure defined beyond the main character, being who is on the front page in the confrontation against the Anglo-Saxon army, so it seems quite significant and can define the usefulness of a female main character. As for the symbol that appears on the shield, what most resembles it is a trisquel, used by Celtic druids and symbolizing the learning, in addition to the trinity that make up the past, the present and the future. I don't know the exact reason why this particular design was chosen for the shield; It may be somewhat random or it may mean something else, indicating that the entire Viking era will be delved into, from its beginnings to its end.
An ambitious and promising project
In just a few hours we can see Assassin’s Creed Valhalla in motion with his first trailer perhaps it will shed a little more light on all these details that remain to be defined. However, the new installment of the well-known Ubisoft saga has already managed to make a statement of intent of the ambition of the project and its internship in one of the most interesting times in history and, at the same time, complex; Scandinavian culture is very rich and is full of details and nuances, something that fits perfectly with the way of expressing his revelation to the world.
As if it were a pictorial work, the composition of BossLogic deserves to be studied in detail, something that raises interest in the upper echelons with what the French company can do with what it has in its hands. We will have to wait to know what the final result of the proposal means, but the possibilities are so wide that we can wait the largest Assassin’s Creed ever seen. And that would be something we should start celebrating … with mead, of course. Skål!
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