Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is my first Assassin’s Creed game since the original. It seems a lot has changed in the past decade or so, as what I’m playing now feels very little like the game I remember Assassin’s Creed being.
And my favorite feature of Valhalla right now is commanding the longship. You have a crew of salty seadogs at your disposal, and as you sail around the game’s world, you might happen upon some of your adversaries’ villages. When you do, it’s time to raid them.
As you approach shore, a button prompt comes up, and you’ll have the option to trigger a raid. This grounds your boat and causes your crew to hop out, attacking villages and setting things on fire while you roam around and collect loot. It’s immensely satisfying, in that bloodthirsty Viking way.
There’s a narrative that I’m supposed to be following here. The king (or jarl? I wasn’t really paying attention) is upset about something or other. Eivor (the protagonist) found his (or her) father’s axe and got it repaired, bringing back a flood of memories. I’m supposed to be seeking advice from a seer about some visions or somesuch nonsense. That’s all fine and good, but let’s get back to the boat stuff!
I’m really enjoying Assassin’s Creed Valhalla so far, and I’m strapping into what I’m told is a 60+ hour-long experience. But I have a feeling I’m not going to make it anywhere for a good while now because the longship feature is just way too fun for me to want to do anything else.
And hey, I guess I’m pretty okay with that.
