Ubisoft is suggesting expanding the experience with the first DLC in a series of three so that we can go to the Irish neighbor to see if the weed is really greener and legal. But should we go out to sea immediately? Nothing is less certain …
After Eivor established and expanded his colony, he probably thought he could take it easy, between fishing trips and other local drinking fights that already herald a solid pub culture across the canal. But because nothing is easy, especially in the IX. In the 19th century, a distant acquaintance gave him a good opportunity to set sail and rule Ireland and its local shamans.
The climate ? Oh, to Sinn Fin
A few warm and royal reunions later, here is our Viking warrior determined to give a helping hand to his cousin the King of Dublin who has a heavy hand. In its first few hours Wrath of the Druids is content to recite its realms without much genius, and beyond that, starts doing what the series does worst: endless walks to the lethargic rhythm of a local NPC in charge of staging. Fortunately, the plot quickly reveals some good ideas: between the city of Dublin, which is still in its infancy, and the beginnings of a Catholicism invited to power struggles, this first episode offers the opportunity to examine some very relevant local issues.
The main novelty of Wrath of the Druids is also inspired by the liberalism our neighbors on the other side of the Canal cherish, as the arrival of Azar, a kind of ardent defender of international trade, will push our fire vikings to set up counters everywhere just around the here and there handing out displaced materials there wisely (often by setting fire to the surrounding monasteries, a process that is still as pleasant as we can imagine). The possibility of looting even more materials? Obviously. And to discover mistakes that had disappeared from the main adventure. Certainly …
Until repetitare
Despite this shy mechanism that mimics the evolution of the colony in the main adventure, this first DLC is very little innovative: the map obviously suffers from a certain redundancy with the landscapes of England, and leaves the fog that is too often on the screen The monoliths planted here and there are no assessment of their true worth. Unless we willingly go into the details of the plot, which includes a few twists and turns, defeating the Druidic sect sounds like a shy variation (a dozen hours anyway) on the same subject for the moment. Between the maintenance of the meters and the letters received from carrier pigeons, despite the addition of secondary targets, the pace very quickly suffers from a certain redundancy.
The anonymous druids quickly turn out to be very common as their main mechanism is to take advantage of a green fog to hide their attacks and bring their monsters forward, for chaotic and not very exciting confrontations. Paradoxically, it is undoubtedly the players during the game who benefit most from it: accessible from level 55, Wrath of the Druids will digest all the better since the game counter has not yet exceeded 70 hours, and despite the prospect of unlocking some small improvements (like the acceleration of the ship), this starter leaves us a bit bitter, like a Guinness that would have hung around the for too long Corner of the bar before trying it.