AC Valhalla deals with violence differently than before

The fact that the hidden blade returns does not mean that you always have to use it.

What an irony. Then Assassin’s Creed Valhalla puts the spotlight on warlike Viking looters – and yet it does force you less to violence than earlier series parts

Nevertheless: In Kotaku interview Game Director Ashraf Ismail emphasizes that the art of negotiation sometimes feels as much about the goal as ramming the blade of someone:

“If you set out into the world to achieve whatever goals you are bound to get caught up in the political situation. You will be involved in an adventure. And in this adventure we give you opportunities. Sometimes that means that you are with Negotiations alone can solve a situation. “

Here Odyssey broke with the past of Assassin’s Creed. Where earlier series parts very, very rarely gave you the choice between life and death, various characters could be dead or alive in Odyssey at the end of the campaign – depending on Decision of the players. Valhalla not only picks up on this trend, it also interweaves it with the bigger picture.

In our own interview with Ismail, the creative director indicates how important political alliances are for the goal of the game: to set up their own settlement within England. You will find allies and enemies on both sides of the war. For example, it is conceivable that you allied yourself with the King of Northumbria to fight against Wessex’s leader Alfred.

If these names don’t tell you anything, here you can find out everything about the game world and scenario of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.

Violence remains important nonetheless

Still comes »The ultimate Viking fantasy« according to Ismail, not entirely without violence. On the contrary: Assassins assassinate – and that remains important in Valhalla:

“Valhalla is an Assassin’s Creed. A Viking fantasy. There are loads of fights there, and accordingly many enemies where negotiations don’t work.”

An open question remains: In theory, can enemies simply be choked out? In Assassin’s Creed: Origins, this was still a valid, albeit cumbersome, path – in Odyssey, the focus on weapon status values ​​made the fist fight relatively useless.

Valhalla wants to break down precisely these barriers: There should be no annoying level limits – every style of play, i.e. stealth, open violence and ranged combat, does not involve any artificial hurdles. We will find out whether this also applies to non-lethal violence when Valhalla is released. And if you want to know more about the gameplay: