Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla

I ended my replay of Fallout 4 prematurely (grew tired, but still finished the main quest and many other things — and had a good time — just not all I had planned), and turned to the next in line: Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla.

I like it. It’s my third AC game, the first two being 1 and 2, way back. Needless to say, many things have improved since then, even as the core gameplay remains the same.

The game flows well, and is enjoyable both moment-to-moment and along the progression. The various elements blend perfectly. I enjoy flying with the raven, sailing, riding, the beauty of the world and the graphics that convey it. Fighting feels fluid and fun, the raids fittingly brutal, and both character and settlement development feel rewarding. And so on. Both the individual parts and how they blend work well. As for the story and characters, they are fine, serviceable to move the game along.

Oh, and I really enjoy the music and the general theme of the game, and I am using the opportunity to learn about the Vikings and that era in general, exploring and listening to Nordic neofolk music like Wardruna and Heilung, and even picked up a little set of rune stones to play around with.

All in all, while not on my top ten, still a great game, even a little better than expected.

And the timing is perfect, I get to play this game until Kingdom Come: Deliverence 2 releases in early February, which I’ll dive into alongside Crusader Kings 3.