Assassins Creed Valhalla - first impressions

I picked up AC V yesterday and have to say I'm really enjoying it.

I'm only about 4 hours into it, however.
The graphics are outstanding.
I'm playing on an Xbox One X with a 4K TV.
I'd say on par to RDR2 level of graphics.

I haven't hit any bugs yet - which is always a worry on new releases.
The fight mechanics are familiar to AC Odyssey.
But the skill progression is very different. It's a skill tree, with various paths that you can reset and change at any time.

Now the most important part - the story.
The story, so far is great and actually keeps me engaged to find out the next thing.
Overall, I'm really enjoying the game.
I've barely scratched the surface of the campaign but I'm really liking it.

Anyone else playing?

ETA - I just decapitated someone with my shield.
I forgot to mention, you and your merry band of thieves can also sail thr shore line and raid enemy camps.
This seems to be the best way to obtain a lot of loot at this point.
And it's really fun.

a reply to: Macenroe82


Hopefully some of the characters LBTGQ or handicapped or people of color.

Gonna dive in on the weekend, on PC so probably have a thousand bugs.

I adore the AC series, and Vikings, set in my homeland is just up there with everything I want!

Can't wait

a reply to: Macenroe82

Thanks. I will order it. I have the same system setup.

Always been a fan of the AC series.

a reply to: Fools

I hacked a man's arm off for you and let him live.
He is officially handicapped.

a reply to: Fools

you mean just like the real world

Never played any of the AC games its one series I have yet to try, own a few from games with gold, maybe its time to try the animus

I picked it up yesterday and started playing as well. I only had time to play for a couple hours, but so far I'm really liking it! Excited to see what happens further in the campaign!

I love the AC games. I wish I had the time to play Valhalla, but COVID wrecked us financially so now we’re grinding out the hours to rebuild our savings.

Side note: been trying like hell to get the new Xbox for my 15 year old. Microsoft really dropped the ball with getting enough made for distribution. They are impossible to find.

a reply to: Assassin82

I know what you mean.
I was hitting refresh on the MS website trying to buy the damn thing on launch.
I couldn't connect for the first hour, so I figured I'd wait a couple hours for the rage to die down.
Sold out by the time I got through.
Such a piss off.

Just got my PS5 yesterday, and SPiderman Miles Morales and AC Valhalla.

I've never played an AC game before, so today will be my first go

I bought Valhalla last night based on this post. Only played about 10-15 minutes of it. Pretty good so far. Good mechanics. Hoping to spend some more time with it this weekend.

Not too far into myself, but it got weird really quick, like unseen people from the future doing something with the main character right away with weird effects. WTF?? Cool twist but how does this fit in with vikings?

a reply to: Edumakated

At the time of writing this OP, I was less than 10 hours into the game.
You know when you think your playing the game and it turns out to be a prologue?
Well after about 15 hours of exploration and leveling up, the game actually started lol.
It’s amazing.
Norway is beautiful, but has basically just the one Snow covered biome.
I got to England which is (Spoiler alert!)
when the main game actually starts.
And I’ll tell you this, it’s absolutely beautiful!

a reply to: vlawde

Ahh yes.
So the Animus is what those girls were using.
By analyzing a DNA sequence- the Viking skeleton, those scientists are able to essentially relive the live of the person.
Every AC game is linked by the Animus.
That trident staff you saw in the cut scene, that was the legendary weapon from the last AC game, which was AC Odessey.

originally posted by: Macenroe82
a reply to: vlawde

Ahh yes.
So the Animus is what those girls were using.
By analyzing a DNA sequence- the Viking skeleton, those scientists are able to essentially relive the live of the person.
Every AC game is linked by the Animus.
That trident staff you saw in the cut scene, that was the legendary weapon from the last AC game, which was AC Odessey.

Wow, thanks. Do we ever see and interact with the present day folks for context aside from Valhallas opening sequence? Be good for context and those of us who haven't played and AC game before

a reply to: vlawde

I guarantee we will be.
In AC Odyssey, there was quite a few interactions using their characters.
If it’s anything like the other AC gameS, we will be getting to use them a lot.

But it will be spaced out. From what I’ve read, this game is huge, just like Odessey was.

Dp

Havent tried a single AC game yet, but they do look nice. But Vikings does have me intrigued.

Since I grabbed RDR2 for my PC just before the rona I have been digging this horse/hunting/fishing dynamic mixed in with wild west justice. But since then I loaded up Skyrim and Fallout and have completely fallen out of love with that game engine, so a game with a fluid gameplay and easy controls with some level of believability appeals to me now.

Is it all hack and slash? Or do you get some resource management and possibly homesteading/farming/hunting?

The open world enviro is where its at, been going that way for awhile now.

a reply to: Aliquandro

Not all hack and slash. You do start a settlement with resource management. Lots of cool discoveries exploring, and interactions with a healthy amount of attitude and humor. I'm still just starting that part.

originally posted by: vlawde
Not too far into myself, but it got weird really quick, like unseen people from the future doing something with the main character right away with weird effects. WTF?? Cool twist but how does this fit in with vikings?

Welcome to Assassin's Creed. That's literally the plot line of every AC game ever.