5 best things about Assassin's Creed Valhalla and why it is one of the best in the series

#3 - Combat

The combat in Assassin's Creed Valhalla is the best version of the action-RPG formula that the series adopted post-Syndicate. While Odyssey had great combat, it was perhaps a bit too superhero-ish, given the many feats of supernatural trickery Alexios/Kassandra were capable of.

However, even though Eivor isn't exactly an accurate representation of a human being, the combat in Valhalla is hugely satisfying. Each bone-crunching blow of the player's ax or any of the numerous weapons available feels as gratifying as it should, and it simply never gets old.

There are enough weapons to satisfy both history buffs and fans of great combat. The inventory system also works quite well as players can switch between their off-hand weapon and primary, making room for experimentation and weird combinations. For example, gamers being able to dual-wield shields.

The combat perfectly relates to the Vikings' brutality and is challenging enough to keep players on their toes, especially on higher-difficulties.

---

#4 - Balancing stealth with action

While not precisely the most fleshed-out stealth mechanics in the series, Assassin's Creed Valhalla manages to introduce stealth yet keep it action-heavy. The player has enough room to mess around with stealth and seamlessly transition to action should things go wrong.

The game brings back abilities such as being able to blend in with a group of missionaries, which is a nice nod to the original game. More than that, stealth feels like a viable option in several sections of the game, which is more than what players can say about some of the franchise's older games.

While far from a deep stealth game, Assassin's Creed Valhalla lurks closer to its roots than many previous entries from the series.

---

#5 - Side missions

Side missions are truly the star of Assassin's Creed Valhalla, as across their journey, players will encounter several interesting side quests. While each section of the game's story is broken up into several sub-plots, there are dozens of side missions in each part of the map.

These missions can range from downright hilarious to extremely challenging, and they all contribute towards making the game world feel a bit more alive. Completing these side missions might result in better loot or resources and perhaps even uncover legendary items.

Ubisoft's approach to the game design still isn't quite there with making the game world feel fulfilling, but it's slowly getting there. Assassin's Creed Valhalla is several steps in the positive direction and an excellent foundation for the French company to build on with future releases.

Note: This article reflects the writer's personal opinions.