Ubisoft’s flagship franchise has seen plenty of ups and downs throughout the series' history. Now in 2020,Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s Viking setting brings with it another potentially big finale for the story so far. Ezio’s saga, betweenAssassin’s Creed 2andRevelations, remains some of the best moments in the entire franchise. Even most recently withAssassin’s Creed Odyssey, the discoveries made at the end of the game bring forth elements ofAssassin’s Creedlore that haven’t reared their head in a long time.
Once again,Assassin’s Creed Valhallabrings the franchise to an important crossroads. Much likeAssassin’s Creed RevelationsandAssassin’s Creed Odysseybefore it,Valhallacould very well have a very important finale in store for the overarching series narrative. 2020’s entry also marks the third game sinceAssassin’s Creed Originsreinvented the franchise’s genre into a RPG-like experience. The trajectory of Layla Hassan’s story, as well as the progression of theAssasssin’s Creedfranchise as a whole, is all coming together inValhalla.
The Highs and Lows of Assassin’s Creed’s Story
Generally, big moments in theAssassin’s Creedfranchise have acted in threes:Assassin’s Creed Revelationswas the finale of Ezio’s (and tangentially Altair’s) journey, one of the most beloved narratives throughout the whole franchise.Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, technically the second game in the reinvention ofAssassin’s Creedwith RPG mechanics, brought with it an interestingBrotherhood-like cliffhanger that’s presumably to be resolved inAssassin’s Creed Valhalla.Assassin’s Creed Valhallafinds itself in an interesting point for the series, serving as the culmination of the franchise’s new and highly successful direction.
BothRevelationsandOdysseyhave set a precedent for how well crafted the hero’s journey isinAssassin’s Creed. While some of the games in the series didn’t always hit the same thematic highs as these games, it’s clear Ubisoft’s series has grown substantially in numerous ways.Revelationsfinally provides some closure to both Ezio and Altair’s stories, setting the stage for the apocalyptic events that would occur inAssassin’s Creed 3.Odyssey’s discovery of Atlantis and the Staff of Hermes means big things for the Pieces of Eden, and the Assassins who may finally be able to gain an edge on Abstergo after all this time.
Eivor’s Story Needs To Capitalize On Odyssey’s Momentum
It’s because of this thatAssassin’s Creed Valhallawill likely carry a similar weight of importancefor the overarchingAssassin’s Creednarrative. The events inOdysseyare setting up big things for the Assassin Brotherhood, where the Assassins may finally get some sort-of upper hand in the fight against Abstergo. That is, assuming the Isu don’t once again intervene with a life and death decision. Modern-day storyline aside, considering how many fans enjoyed Kassandra’s (and Alexios') story inOdyssey, Eivor’s journey will have a tough task ahead of itself.
Valhalla’s story itself seems grand enough that the adventure throughout the Viking Age should be enjoyable in its own right. Shepherding Eivor’s Viking clan across early England and Scandinavia will likely be a tough but enjoyable journey for players. Obviously for many fans the historical journeys are the main focus inAssassin’s Creedgames, but the overarching Assassins vs. Templars conflict is still just as important.Layla Hassan’s journey could be taking a very drastic turn, as hinted byAssassin’s Creed Odyssey’s ending, soValhallawill need to address what’s going on there as well.
The Story Moments in Valhalla Could Be Huge
By every indication, at least from interviews with the narrative team and early previews,Assassin’s Creed Valhallawill continue the overarching narrative in major but subtle ways. LikeOdysseybefore it, narrative director Darby McDevitt has stated thatValhallabuilds upon what was established inOdyssey"in a big way," but also doesn’t identify itself simply as a sequel toOdyssey. The Viking Age, likeOdyssey, has plenty of wiggle room with mythology, meaning the Pieces of Eden could also play a huge role in Eivor’s journey.
WhileEivor’s journey will still be isolated from Kassandra/Alexios' adventure, there will still likely be a reason why Layla Hassan needs to revisit this Viking ancestor in terms of the overarchingAssassin’s Creedstory. It’s already been made clear that Layla’s story continues inValhallain a pivotal way, according to the game’s narrative director. That likely involves the Staff of Hermes, and how that may have affected (or even corrupted) Layla Hassan’s mindset and her decisions moving intoValhalla’s modern day storyline.Assassin’s Creed’s overarching story seems to be prepping for something big, andValhallamay capitalize on that.
Assassin’s Creed Valhallareleases on July 27, 2025, for PS4, PS5, PC, Stadia, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S.
MORE:Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Eivor May Have More in Common With Black Flag’s Edward Than You Think
