Assassin’s Creed Valhallais the highly anticipated followup to one of the longest running triple-A series in modern video games, and there is endless speculation about how it will play compared to the previous twoAssassin’s Creedgames, which pioneered the RPG formula thatValhallawill be building on. From what has been announced, there will be several slighttweaks to the design of thisAssassin’s Creedtitle, but it remains to be seen how well the game is executed. Certainly, the RPG style ofACgames has been a divisive move, with valid complaints from long-time fans matched in equal measure with massive success that has completely revitalized the series.
Assassin’s Creedhas been a notably fraught franchise, with consistent, almost yearly releases resulting in quite inconsistent quality over the series' run of over a decade. Even so, the high points thatAssassin’s Creedgames achieved are not immeasurable, leavingAssassin’s Creed Valhallato follow afterward. Open worlds with maps unlocked by towers, climbing and parkour for traversal, action-game combat, deep historical settings, eagle vision-like mechanics, and stealth-action have all been irrevocably shaped by theAssassin’s Creedfranchise, making their way into countless other titles to the point that many of these design elements are practically ubiquitous today.
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What many people may forget, though, is that the iconicAssassin’s Creedformula got old, and combined with the failures ofAssassin’s Creed 3andAssassin’s Creed Unity, led to Ubisoft completely rethinking the entire formula. The release ofAssassin’s Creed Originswas a watershed moment after a lengthy break for the series, andOriginswas a completely different experience from anyAssassin’s Creedgame before.Odyssey, and nowValhalla, built off of the RPG-heavy formula thatOriginsintroduced, but if there’s one thing that Ubisoft should have learned from previousACgames, it’s that it needs to shake up the formula relatively frequently. To prevent the RPG formula from causing anotherAssassin’s Creedburnout, the nextACgame afterValhallawill need to be very different. The question is, where willAssassin’s Creedgo next?
From Stealth-Action to RPG
Many common video game mechanics owe their presence toAssassin’s Creed. Eagle Vision-type mechanics were borrowed in theBatman Arkhamgames,Middle Earth: Shadow of MordorandShadow of War, as well as countless others.Climbing towers to unlock portions of the world mapis so common now that it ends up in games where it isn’t even fun or doesn’t make sense. The popularization of open-world games, the distinct feel of stealth and action game combat, and industry-wide notions about how triple-A games should look and feel all have direct, distinct influences fromAssassin’s Creed. Despite being so influential though,Assassin’s Creedgames did have some major stumbling blocks.
NPC-tailing missions, repetitive side content, boring collectibles, bloated design, a lack of serious challenge, annoying puzzles, and a convoluted story are only some of the major complaints that players had withAssassin’s Creedafter years of playing remarkably similar titles. Year after year, a newACgame would come out with the same great mechanics, but also the same failures. Especially after the series' mosticonic protagonist, Ezio, was no longer present, players became increasingly tired of repetitive gameplay with no significant changes year over year.
Assassin’s Creed 3marked a low point in popularity, but the rushed, buggy mess that wasAC Unitywas the final nail in the coffin for the franchise. Even though the refreshing concept of a co-opAssassin’s Creedwas exactly what the series needed, its execution was one of the most infamous blunders in franchise history.Assassin’s Creed Syndicatewas a good game and a return to form, but it was too little, too late. General opinion was no longer inAC’s favor.
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EnterAssassin’s Creed Origins. After a lengthy break during which the developers re-examined what madeACgood and what had gotten stale, it released a totally different type of game. It was so different, in fact, that it was hardly recognizable. Many fans felt that it shouldn’t have even been calledAssassin’s Creed,but despite the controversial new formula,Originshad massive success. The setting was fascinating enough to draw in even the most skeptical fans, the level ofdetail and historical accuracywas completely unrivaled, and the promise of something new from one of the most iconic game franchises ultimately paid off.
Assassin’s Creed Odysseywas an even bigger success, in part due to the popularity of its setting but also because of the way that it honed in on the mechanics thatOriginsintroduced. The core of these games is the ability to explore a rich historical setting while grinding out levels, completing quests, and collecting loot in one of the most tried-and-true popular video game genres out there.Assassin’s Creed Valhallawill be the third RPG-styleAssassin’s Creedgame, but it is already set to have a fewchanges back towards classicACmechanics.
The biggest shifts are a more deadly, one-shot hidden blade and power based more on gear and abilities than on levels. How all of these changes are executed will likely determine how players feel about the RPGAssassin’s Creedformula going forward.
What’s Next for Assassin’s Creed?
Now that the thirdAssassin’s Creedgame with RPG elements is confirmed, the cracks in the “new” formula are starting to appear for many players. Much like the formerACgames of yesteryear, the changes between these new titles have been relatively incremental, which allows their flaws to become more and more apparent over time. As much as historical accuracy, freedom of exploration, and variety have been the strong suits of the RPG-styleACgames, there are plenty of gripes to be found.
Repetitive side contentremains, “open” areas made inaccessible by over-leveled enemies are annoying and break immersion, and the concept of “time-savers,” which allow players to pay real money to not have to play the game they already bought, is incredibly unpopular and self-explanatory (reports indicateValhallawill not have these). Primarily, though, combat is floaty, unsatisfying, and pales in comparison to the crisp fluidity of previousACgames and even other RPGs that the newAssassin’s Creeds emulate.
Even ifAssassin’s Creed Valhallafixes most or all of these issues, many players will want another big shift in mechanics forAssassin’s Creedgames of the future.Valhallawill still see massive success even if it doesn’t fix the issues, though. The popularity of Viking and Norse settings is only expanding, and the formula hasn’t quite reached the maximum of its potential yet. Changes to eagle vision, a focus on weightier combat, and pulling back on the significance of levels and random loot are all great signs that indicate Ubisoft’s attention to player complaints. However, the minds behindAssassin’s Creedwould be extremely foolish to make the same mistake twice. Complacency is what led to the need to revitalize the franchise before, and if they do not do enough to freshen up the series afterValhalla, it will certainly happen again.
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There is plenty of speculation about what setting will be next afterAssassin’s Creed Valhalla. One of themost-requested settings is feudal Japan, and there have been plenty of hints over the years pointing to a Japanese-settingAssassin’s Creedgame. However, the most important next moves for the franchise will be in the realm of mechanics. Some iconic features should stay. As much as some people disparage climbing towers to unlock the map, the gorgeous vistas they provide are a highlight. Smooth parkour and free-running traversal will never get old. Richly detailed historical settings are perhaps the most important selling point of anyACgame. All of these things should stay, but Ubisoft must once again re-examine what truly makesAssassin’s Creedfun.
Perhaps it could lean further into the personal element that the RPG formula has lacked so far. Deeper, more fully realized NPCs with meaningful relationships to the player character could breath new life into historical settings. A return to stealth gameplay would also be welcome. There is a serious dearth of good stealth games these days, andAssassin’s Creedwas one of the last major franchises with any real stealth influence.
Even then,ACstealth was surface-level. A Japanese setting might be the perfect opportunity to delve into a rich, challenging, and engaging stealth revival. Taking out the RPG elements and focusing in on deep, satisfying combat, much likeSekirodid forSouls-likeswould end complaints about spongy enemies and lackluster fights. Focusing in on a signature mechanic like parkour and making it deeper, more challenging, and more important to progression has massive potential too. And, lastly, perhaps the developers will finally create a new and innovative way to unlock the map, at long last put a moratorium on climbing countless towers.
Assassin’s Creed Valhallais in development for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
