Assassin's Creed Valhalla -- Everything You Need to Know

Ubisoft delivered on its promise and revealed the first trailer for Assassin's Creed Valhalla, and while it didn't reveal any gameplay, it was one fantastic looking cinematic trailer. That doesn't mean we didn't get any new details about the game though, though they were a bit spread out all over the internet. Luckily we're here to bring it to you all in one place, so if you've been looking for a one-stop-shop on everything you need to know about the next epic title in the Assassin's Creed franchise, you've come to the right place. First thing's first though, as you can't have an Assassin's Creed game without an Assassin, and Eivor will be fulfilling that role in Valhalla.

THE ASSASSIN

Like Alexios and Kassandra in Assassin's Creed Odyssey, you will be able to create a male or female version of the game's lead, though regardless of which you choose in Valhalla the character is still named Eivor. We don't know much about Eivor's history, but we do know that unlike other Assassins in the past, Eivor starts out a bit older and already established as a leader as opposed to an up and coming soldier, thief, or pirate.

The developers behind Valhalla have also confirmed that both male and female versions of Eivor are considered canon, though they aren't revealing how they managed to make that happen just yet. They also addressed some historical criticisms of having a female Viking protagonist during the timeframe of the game, though we're kind of sad they had to.

THE STORY

According to lead writer Darby McDevitt (via GameSpot), Valhalla is set in the 9th century and at the height of the Viking Age, and players will play as Eivor, a Viking raider who is a leader of a clan from Norway. The story picks up in 870s AD, a time of hardship and difficulty in Norway, and as a result of that and other mysterious circumstances, Eivor and more from his group are driven out of Norway. They then make their way to England, where they seek to form their own settlement and battle it out with King Alfred of Wessex once they get there, though we imagine he is also part of the reason they left Norway to begin with.

Valhalla will also continue the story of Layla in the present day, and according to the team, it is something they've wanted to do for quite some time an finally figured out a way to pull it off.

As for the overarching story of the Assassins and Templars, that will continue to be an important part of the series, picking up where Origins and Odyssey left off, but in a more subtle and nuanced way.

HIDDEN BLADE

Thanks to the trailer, we also know at some point Eivor will get the iconic hidden blade, a weapon that has become synonymous with Assassin's Creed. The weapon was present in Origins, though not from the very beginning, and while Odyssey also included it, it wasn't in the core game but the DLC. It seems here he will get it earlier on than in post-game DLC, but it doesn't seem like he will start the game with it.

COMPANION

Like Odyssey and Origins, Eivor will have an animal pal to help them out in the game (via Eurogamer). In Valhalla, that will be your trusty Raven. The Raven will have a host of different abilities, which we imagine will be in line with past games with a few added twists. Past games allowed you to scope out and mark targets as well. distract foes, and we're interested to see how they evolve these skills in Valhalla.

THE SETTLEMENT

Valhalla will also include a rich settlement building system, one that will continue to have ripple effects in both story and gameplay throughout the game. You'll see it grow and thrive as you complete quests and make decisions, and in the case of difficult decisions, you will see the consequences reflected there as well. You might even see a wedding there, and this is where romances will also play out. You'll also be able to recruit a tattoo artist, a blacksmith, and more throughout your adventure to call the settlement home.

RETURN OF SHIELDS

Odyssey let you use a variety of weapons, but unlike Origins, you couldn't wield a Sword and Shield. Some fans missed that option. In Odyssey, but it will be back in Valhalla. Even better, you'll be able to dual wield weapons in Valhalla, and that includes Shields. I mean, even Captain America didn't have two Shields.

RELEASE DETAILS

Assassin's Creed will be releasing for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, but it will also be released for next-gen consoles, which include the PS5 and Xbox Series X. No specific release date was revealed, but it is being released in the Holiday 2020 timeframe. There will also be a collector's edition of the game, which you can find out more about right here.

We'll keep updating this space with new details as we learn them, so make sure to check back soon, and you can always hit me up on Twitter @MattAguilarCB for all things Assassin's Creed! You can also read our recommendations regarding which Assassin's Creed to start with right here!