DISCOVERY TOUR WIKING AGE ANALYSIS (AC Valhalla): The educational tool

It is not very common in the world of video games for interactive experiences to be pure for learning and education. These elements appear more as a context for the plot than as a separate structure parallel to the characters’ stories. While there are games designed exclusively for them, the most popular titles have teachers and professors turning more to the classroom. Minecraft: Education Edition proves that using video games as a tool in the classroom not only stimulates students’ interest in learning, but does it the way they best understand it: through games. The Animal Crossing: New Horizons museum is another recent example of combining the search for objects with the gradual reforming of the various rooms into paleontology, biology and art.

For years, Ubisoft had wanted to start promoting this educational facet, in order to expand some of its games to the classroom and to use its enormous production in little more than assassins and templars. In Assassin’s Creed Origins and Odyssey, the previous titles in the series, interactive game modes were already included, Discovery mode (Discovery Tour), during which we explored the Egyptian and Greek civilization. On those occasions, it was more of a minor addition than an in-depth experience as the main characters went through the game settings and had fewer places to visit.

Now Ubisoft Montreal has gone a step further and has incorporated a new game mode that illustrates the history, culture and life in the era Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla is based on, but from a purer perspective, with no fictional elements, Eivor, its protagonist . Discovery tour: The Viking Age es el resultado. An independent title that proceeds from the base game, with its mechanics and locations, in which we treat three characters (a Viking trader, a young Anglo-Saxon monk and King Alfred of Wessex himself, antagonist of the Eivor story) with whom we develop ourselves interactive story through the locations of AC: Valhalla. With very different origins and backgrounds, we can see in their stories the different approaches and problems that the residents of England and Norway faced at that time. Each of them also represents one of the three goods (Nobility, clergy and peasantry) to complete the vision of the feudal system.

During 8 missions (and a free exploration mode) that these three characters manage, we will become real enclaves of the world in the 9th Customs among the people of the Middle Ages. It not only focuses on Nordic history, but also relates to all of Western history of that time. Details about the lives of merchants, clergymen, farmers, looters or slaves give us a picture of how they interacted with one another, how they communicated or even had fun. Details on treatises of medieval medicine, mythology, sports, craft methods or justice all appear in detail in a codex similar to that in the base game. Each of the Codex entries is accompanied by real-life illustrations of objects and maps or photos that help illustrate the knowledge players will find. And that’s exactly what it is looking for curiosities

You don’t have to worry about armed conflict (or a PEGI rating that might put adults off with young people in their care) as the entire Discovery Tour is played peacefully. no guns or confrontations of any kind. Of course we keep the climbing skills of Eivor, which made us smile when we smile perform the eagle leap with a monk from the top of the steeple and land comfortably on the heap of straw. In addition, as a wink of the eye, you can also unlock the appearances of the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla characters to explore the world with the appearance you want.

apart from impressive documentary work In order to faithfully reproduce every minute historical detail within the game, a number of small AC Valhalla development diaries have been included in the historical teachings, in which various members of the Ubisoft departments are responsible for aspects such as creating textures, character design or real-life locations, contained in the Detail the enormous, extensive, and meticulous work that went into recreating every element of the original Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla. From the inspiration to create the character of Eivor, to the design of the orlog through archaeological excavations and the reinterpretation of its rules forgotten centuries ago, through the vegetation in each of the regions or the type of stone used in the construction of buildings. A gigantic jobTo put it mildly, it demonstrates the endless effort and indulgence behind recreating a world as big as Valhalla.

From today, Discovery Tour: The Viking Age can be purchased separately to the original game on the PC version and will be released as a free update for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla on the console, Stadia and Luna versions. It can also be purchased independently of the game on the same platforms over the course of the next year. It would be easy to type it in as a Material in classas your campaign won’t take too long to distract you from other commitments (in around 4-5 hours we can complete your trip).

Learning while playing is learning while enjoying, and hopefully many other studies in the industry will join this initiative, which can revolutionize learning in the classroom and beyond.