Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Early reactions as Ubisoft’s Viking game is released

Game is the latest entry in the best-selling stealth-action franchise

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, the latest entry in the best-selling Assassin’s Creed game franchise, has arrived to a positive reception from fans and critics.

Transposing the action to a Viking-era environment, Valhalla gives players the ability to play as Eivor, a Viking orphan who migrates to England.

The game is released on Xbox One, PS4, PC and the next-generation Xbox Series X and S, with a PS5 version set to follow when the console is released next week (or Friday in the US).

Produced by Ubisoft, the company which has this year been hit by a wave of internal sexual misconduct allegations, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is one of the year’s most anticipated games.

Early reviews of the game have been largely positive, with praise focusing on its scope and open world environments.

“I’ve played like 25 hours of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and I looooove it,” wrote Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier on Twitter. “Instead of tedious side quests, the world is full of little puzzles and mysteries. Reminds me of Breath of the Wild in all the best ways.”

In a review-in-progress for The Washington Post, Elise Favis wrote: “Valhalla treads familiar ground, but with greater ambition and without forgetting its past.”

The Guardian wrote: “Assassin’s Creed Valhalla takes a while to get going, but don’t be disheartened by its mirthless opening, because the smart, inventive and witty open-world game you’re hoping for is lurking somewhere over those gloomy hills and dales.”

The BBC was less positive in its assessment of the game, writing: “Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s stunning visuals and often gripping storytelling can’t make up for the padded quest structure and outdated open world.”