Assassin's Creed Valhalla

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is the best open world RPG this year. It’s colorful locals are a joy to discover, combat and stealth feel deep and rewarding, and there’s a viking hoard of things to do.

76%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

stability, grinding

69% User Score Based on 18,414 reviews

Critic Score 83%Based on 88 reviews

Platforms

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About

Assassin's Creed Valhalla is a single player open world role playing game with historical and science fiction themes. It was developed by Ubisoft Montreal and was released on November 10, 2020. It received positive reviews from critics and mostly positive reviews from players.

In Assassin's Creed Valhalla, play as Eivor, a Viking warrior, and explore the dark age England while completing missions, raids, and building your settlement. The complete edition includes the base game, season pass, ultimate cosmetics pack, and the Dawn of Ragnarök expansion, while the Ragnarok edition only includes the base game and the Dawn of Ragnarök expansion. The game also features a FREE new rogue-lite game mode, Forgotten Saga.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+15

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69%

Audience ScoreBased on 18,414 reviews

story1.8k positive mentions

stability504 negative mentions

story
6,196 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
60%
11%
The story of "Assassin's Creed Valhalla" is a mixed bag, with many players finding it engaging yet overly long and repetitive. While some appreciate the rich Norse mythology and character arcs, others criticize the pacing and lack of meaningful connections between quests, leading to a sense of tedium. The game features a sprawling narrative that intertwines historical events with personal motivations, but the execution often feels disjointed, with many side quests lacking depth and relevance to the main storyline. Overall, it offers a vast world to explore, but the storytelling may not resonate with all players, especially those seeking a more traditional Assassin's Creed experience.
- “Great storyline and an enjoyable way to learn about Norse mythology.”
- “The storytelling is captivating, blending historical events with Norse mythology, while the characters are compelling and memorable.”
- “Assassin’s Creed Valhalla delivers a good mix of arc-driven storytelling and chaotic, open-world goodness.”
- “The story is also all over the place.”
- “The pacing is erratic, with long, tedious stretches that fail to advance the plot in any meaningful way.”
- “The main storyline is way too long and way too repetitive.”
gameplay
1,956 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
61%
12%
The gameplay of Assassin's Creed Valhalla has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its engaging combat mechanics and expansive open world, but also criticizing its repetitive nature and clunky execution. While some appreciate the introduction of new features like raiding and settlement building, others feel that the game strays too far from the franchise's stealth roots, leading to a less satisfying experience. Technical issues, including frequent crashes and bugs, further detract from the overall enjoyment, leaving players divided on whether the gameplay meets the high standards set by previous entries in the series.
- “If you like the mechanics of the AC series, you'll find them very refined here.”
- “The open world gameplay is engaging and the characters are thoughtfully developed.”
- “The gameplay is fun and made to play at your own pace.”
- “The gameplay just feels clunky and unfinished.”
- “The gameplay is riddled with minor bugs and inconveniences, and the obstacles and puzzles clearly exist solely to waste the player's time, causing nothing but frustration.”
- “Just awful, clunky combat, disjointed gameplay, and simply not as good as Odyssey.”
graphics
1,484 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
37%
5%
The graphics in Assassin's Creed Valhalla are widely praised for their stunning visuals and immersive environments, effectively capturing the Viking aesthetic and enhancing the overall gameplay experience. However, some players have noted inconsistencies in texture quality and performance issues, including crashes and bugs, which detract from the visual experience. Overall, while the graphics are a highlight of the game, they are accompanied by mixed feedback regarding optimization and technical performance.
- “Assassin's Creed Valhalla is a stunning epic that transports you to the Viking age with breathtaking visuals and a rich, immersive world.”
- “The graphics and open world look amazing.”
- “The graphics are stunning, beautiful landscapes and well-made models.”
- “Graphics in Valhalla feel like a noted regression from Odyssey.”
- “I don't know how they managed to fire all the graphic designers from Odyssey, but that game is downgraded as hell. Textures sometimes look decent, but in the majority of the time they look worse than the last 5-6 ACs released.”
- “The graphics are really disappointing and the script gives the cast nothing to work with.”
stability
524 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
1%
96%
The stability of Assassin's Creed Valhalla has been widely criticized, with players reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and a plethora of bugs that disrupt gameplay. Many users describe the game as feeling unfinished, likening it to an early access title rather than a polished product, despite some enjoying the overall experience. Overall, the game's technical issues significantly detract from its enjoyment, leading to frustration among players.
- “Runs great on the Steam Deck, once you disable the Ubisoft overlay and run in experimental mode.”
- “If you have a powerful enough system, this will run very smoothly. Cap it at 30 fps unless you have an insane rig; it runs great, really.”
- “No freezes or crashes in over an hour.”
- “This game is a buggy mess that crashes constantly.”
- “The game frequently freezes out during raids, battles, or events.”
- “Imagine buying this game after 4 years from release, and yet the game still being quite buggy and crashing constantly.”
grinding
422 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
8%
91%
The grinding aspect of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players describing it as tedious, repetitive, and often feeling like a chore. Users report that the extensive resource gathering, leveling up, and completion of side quests detracts from the overall enjoyment, making the gameplay feel bloated and unengaging. While some players appreciate the grind as a way to extend playtime, the consensus is that it significantly hampers the narrative flow and enjoyment of the game.
- “No tedious clearing of camps and outposts, only engaging content.”
- “A bit grindy sometimes.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The leveling/xp grind to just be able to get to the next segment is so tedious that I cannot bring myself to continue the story, which, if I may add, is uninteresting in both the game itself and overall narrative.”
- “Ubisoft has padded the game with an endless list of fetch quests, useless side missions, and tedious grinding that doesn't feel rewarding.”
- “The game's core loop of raiding enemy settlements, completing side quests, and gathering resources quickly becomes tedious and predictable, leading to a sense of repetition and grind.”
music
414 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
53%
6%
The music in Assassin's Creed Valhalla has received mixed reviews, with many praising its captivating soundtrack that blends traditional Norse music with orchestral elements, enhancing the game's immersive atmosphere. However, several players have criticized the audio quality, noting issues with compression and a lack of variety in tracks, particularly during combat and exploration. Overall, while the soundtrack is often described as outstanding, its execution in the game has left some players feeling disappointed.
- “The soundtrack complements the game’s setting with a mix of traditional Norse music and orchestral scores.”
- “The music and ambiance makes me feel like an actual Viking going on raids and experiencing cultures all around the world.”
- “The music is phenomenal, but is mixed so poorly, it barely ever stands out.”
- “Although the music is composed very well, the audio quality is poor and sounds bitcrunched, as if it was recorded on a Nintendo DS.”
- “For some reason this game has an insane amount of audio compression, it makes the combat, music, and general ambience lack punch or depth, completely sucking the experience dry.”
- “The entire sound and music in this game is dead; most of the game is dead silent!”
optimization
308 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
46%
29%
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its performance on high-end hardware while others report frequent crashes, bugs, and inconsistent frame rates, particularly on older systems. Many users noted that despite impressive graphics, the game suffers from micro-stuttering and performance issues that detract from the overall experience. Overall, while some players find it well-optimized, a significant number express frustration over its reliability and performance stability.
- “The in-game storyline is amazing, the characters are great, the visuals are frikin' awesome, and game optimization is also great.”
- “It's optimized very well, and runs better on my machine than Odyssey, but that's pretty much the only place it outshines its predecessor.”
- “I would also like to give an extra shout out for the performance of this game; it is beyond incredible. I have maxed all settings and it purrs without even a semblance of stutter at high triple digit frames.”
- “The game is not optimized; even Red Dead Redemption 2 can run better at greater graphics.”
- “This game is poorly optimized for PC and constantly crashes to desktop or even to the blue screen of death.”
- “There is no excuse for a game with this budget to be so poorly optimized.”
monetization
144 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
58%
36%
The monetization strategy in the game has been widely criticized for its aggressive and pervasive use of microtransactions, which many players feel detracts from the overall experience. While some customization options are available, they are often locked behind paywalls, leading to perceptions of the game as a cash grab rather than a quality product. Players express frustration over the intrusive nature of in-game advertisements and the pressure to engage with the microtransaction system, particularly in a full-priced single-player game.
- “Optional in-game purchases if you need a boost, but you can totally manage without them without too much grinding.”
- “But if you're looking for a cool Viking game that also gives you the option to buy an Iron Man armor with microtransactions, oh baby, you're right where you belong.”
- “Sure there are no Steam achievements and inconsequential microtransactions, but they don't really affect my overall experience.”
- “However its worth is severely undermined by the ubiquitous presence of microtransactions, turning playing the game into a manipulation and ad-infested mixed experience.”
- “The amount of in-game purchases are downright predatory.”
- “Year after year, they seem to care less about delivering quality and more about milking the franchise with microtransactions, repetitive content, and lifeless worlds.”
humor
128 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
2%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players finding the side quests and character interactions to be genuinely funny and imaginative, often featuring quirky situations and unexpected outcomes. However, some criticize the main story for lacking humor and the dialogue for being unfunny, while others enjoy the comedic potential of bugs and glitches. Overall, the game manages to incorporate a healthy dose of humor, particularly through its side content, though it may not resonate with everyone.
- “These quirky diversions add a layer of humor that keeps the game from taking itself too seriously.”
- “There are also some funny moments and details in this game, for example, a guard 'relieving' himself in the ditch around the city walls and some bards chanting 'smack my bishop' after I won a fist fight against a bishop who was mocking their music.”
- “I sat there my first day, stuck on a ledge, taking arrow after arrow right in my ass, unable to get down, until I died and had to look up how to dismount on Google, all while listening to the stupid Englishmen laughing and pointing at me, calling me names like 'noob nugget' and telling every passer-by the story of the stupid Viking, stuck on a ledge, discovering how many arrows it takes to scrape a Viking off a ledge.”
- “For example, one chest required the collection of viper eggs in three different segments, each broken up by poor, unfunny dialogues and a mini collectathon.”
- “The attempts at humor often fall flat, making the experience feel more tedious than entertaining.”
- “I found the jokes to be forced and lacking in creativity, which detracted from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
atmosphere
102 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
37%
6%
The atmosphere in Assassin's Creed Valhalla is widely praised for its stunning graphics, immersive Viking setting, and captivating soundtrack, which together create a rich and engaging world. Many players appreciate the attention to historical detail and the variety of environments, from the cold landscapes of Norway to the vibrant settlements in England. However, some critiques highlight a perceived gloominess and lack of vibrancy compared to previous titles, suggesting that while the atmosphere is impressive, it may not resonate with everyone.
- “As always in AC games, it’s the historical setting, immersive world, and inimitable atmosphere that keep you engaged.”
- “Valhalla can boast of a significant improvement in game design, an incredible amount of content, breathtaking audio-visual, captivating atmosphere and a world whose abundance of details never ceases to amaze.”
- “The detailed environments, character models, and atmospheric music create an immersive setting that captures the essence of the Viking era.”
- “However, the oppressive atmosphere of player manipulation to spend more money actively undermines that core immersive formula.”
- “Even the army camp was quite small, which made the atmosphere feel awkward and not intense or strong enough.”
- “The game has no atmosphere; Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice does it right. A weak game... despite two attempts, I couldn't manage to play on.”
emotional
74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
78%
22%
The emotional aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising the character development, particularly of Eivor, and the robust voice acting that enhances the storytelling experience. However, many criticize the narrative for being disjointed and lacking depth, leading to a failure in creating genuine emotional connections. Overall, while there are moments of humor and heartwarming interactions, the game is often described as boring and lacking the emotional impact found in its predecessors.
- “The character of Eivor is compelling and evolves perfectly through the journey, creating an emotional connection to the story.”
- “Voice acting is robust and adds emotional depth to the characters and narrative, enhancing the overall storytelling experience.”
- “The writing is exceptional, keeping players engrossed in an emotionally charged and historically authentic storyline.”
- “You'll need to get past the janky combat and impressively boring story and writing, though.”
- “Repetitive to the extreme, boring story with boring characters, and gameplay elements so outdated that they're insulting, especially when considering it alongside other modern games.”
- “An overly long, boring story?”
replayability
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
66%
8%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players noting a lack of a New Game+ feature, which significantly diminishes replay value. While some appreciate the beautiful maps and engaging content, others criticize the heavy focus on cosmetics and the identical storylines for characters, leading to a consensus that the game lacks substantial replayability despite having some enjoyable elements. Overall, while there are aspects that encourage replay, many players feel it ultimately falls short.
- “If you're looking for a game with amazing graphics, world, exploration, replayability, and content, I recommend it.”
- “ infinitely replayable (or almost)”
- “Lots to do with great replay value”
- “Sadly, as mentioned, the game doesn't have New Game Plus, and that hurts the replayability of this game quite a lot.”
- “There is zero replay value since the achievement hunting is what causes it, not the extremely great first-time storyline.”
- “Content & replay value: I'm still playing and I feel like I'll play to the end, but I won't play twice since both characters are identical story-wise.”
character development
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
60%
9%
Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while some players found Eivor to be a well-written character that kept them engaged, others criticized the overall character development as lacking depth, with many characters feeling forgettable or poorly executed. The game features a sprawling open world and intricate lore, but the execution of character arcs often falls flat, leaving players with a sense of disconnection from the narrative journey. Additionally, technical aspects like facial animations and character designs received criticism, further detracting from the overall experience.
- “It's what kept me going honestly, I really got into Eivor because he/she is such a well-written character that I could feel the character development throughout my playthrough.”
- “With a sprawling open world, intricate lore, and rich character development, Valhalla is a grand entry that continues the series' tradition of blending historical fiction with engaging gameplay.”
- “+The writers did well with their character development.”
- “Unfortunately, the character development falls flat, leaving many of the characters feeling like they were written by a young child.”
- “Story is a bit lackluster, most of the characters are forgettable and do not have much impact on main character development.”
- “There's no sense of journey or character development; perhaps you 'lose everything' again later in the game, but it seemed I was just a badass ready to buy 'cool DLC cosmetics' from the start.”

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83%Critics’ scoreBased on 102 critic reviews

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35h Median play time

58h Average play time

61h Main story

146h Completionist

10-90h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 254 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Assassin's Creed Valhalla is a open world role playing game with historical and science fiction themes.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and others.

The main story can be completed in around 61 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 146 hours to finish. On average players spend around 58 hours playing Assassin's Creed Valhalla.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla was released on November 10, 2020.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla was developed by Ubisoft Montreal.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its stability.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla is a single player game.

Similar games include Assassin's Creed Odyssey, Assassin's Creed Origins, Assassin's Creed Shadows, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, Dying Light 2 Stay Human: Reloaded Edition and others.

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