Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. News

Ubisoft not worried over similarities of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, God of War

By

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla immediately drew comparisons with 2018’s God of War, but Ubisoft is not concerned over the perceived similarities between the two games.

Recommended Videos

The world premiere trailer for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla confirmed rumors that the popular series was moving into the Viking era. The first look at the game features a bearded man fighting with fellow Vikings against English forces. The hidden blade, a mainstay in the franchise, also made an appearance.

Related

The Vikings of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla call to mind God of War, which placed an older Kratos in the unfamiliar territory of Norse mythology. However, Ubisoft is apparently not worried that the two games will end up being too similar to each other.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla narrative director Darby McDevitt said that “God of War is great” and “fantastic” in an interview with GameSpot, but downplayed any possible issues from both games sharing a theme.

“I wouldn’t say we’re too worried because most games, when they touch this topic, they actually skew very heavily towards the mythology. So that’s the front-facing feature–you play God of War so you can go punch Baldur in the face, meet all these characters, and travel to fantastical environments,” said McDevitt.

McDevitt added that Assassin’s Creed Valhalla will be unlike most games set in the Viking era. “I think the urge is to always immediately lead with the mythology stuff, but we really want you to feel like you’re living in the Dark Ages of England, that you’re exploring the Roman ruins left behind 400 to 500 years earlier by the Romans and the remnants of the Britannic tribes before that and even the Saxon Pagans before they all converted to Christianity.”

Cory Barlog, the director of God of War, also chimed in, agreeing with McDevitt.

No one should be worried. The myths have been around a long time and will persevere through the ages providing countless creatives a deep well to pull from – provided they are willing to sacrifice an eye for the knowledge.😉

VERY excited to play AC:Valhalla when it comes out.❤️ https://t.co/qwZIN4UmPv

— golrab of the frost (@corybarlog) April 30, 2020

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla launch in 2020 holidays

Ubisoft has already opened pre-orders for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, which is set to launch for the PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC, and Google Stadia in the 2020 holiday season.

The game’s main character is Eivor, who will lead the Vikings into excursions in England. Players may choose between a male and female version of Eivor, and will be able to build settlements as their home base.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Aaron Mamiit
Aaron Mamiit
Contributor
Aaron received a NES and a copy of Super Mario Bros. for Christmas when he was 4 years old, and he has been fascinated with…
God of War Ragnarok: best Runic Abilities
Thor in God of War Ragnarok.

Runic attacks are back from God of War 2018, and they're more varied and potent than ever. These special moves are unique to each weapon in the game and offer various forms of attack that deal different amounts of damage, stun, and elemental afflictions. You can equip two per weapon -- one light and one heavy -- and each one can be upgraded using XP to make them even stronger. You'll need that extra edge in combat, especially when facing off against the tougher bosses in God of War Ragnarok.

You will naturally pick up a lot of Runic attacks as you make your way through the main story in God of War Ragnarok, and while they are easy to manage at first, you will eventually need to make some tough choices. Not only will you need to pick which ones are best, but also which are worth investing upgrades in. With Ragnarok fast approaching, don't waste any time with the weaker Runic attacks in God of War Ragnarok. Here are the best ones for each weapon.

Read more
God of War Ragnarok shares a key strength with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Hafgufa flies away in God of War Ragnarok.

God of War Ragnarok’s main story is memorable, but some of the smaller moments are what have stuck with me most since completing it. I'm not just talking about its moments of quiet, but its optional Favors as well. These sidequests can be entirely ignored, but skipping them is a mistake as they contain some of the game’s best scenes. It's a trait that God of War Ragnarok shares with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, one of the best RPGs of the last decade.
In some large RPGs, sidequests can often boil down to boring fetch quests, or they simply may not have as much polish put into their writing. As a result, they can feel like content bloat that does more harm than good to the game’s pacing. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and God of War Ragnarok avoid this problem by elevating these sidequests, making the entire adventure feel more cohesive and ensuring that the small moments stick out as some of the best.
More than a side thing
Like God of War Ragnarok, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt features a lengthy main story full of memorable characters, set pieces, and boss fights. While those alone would have made it a strong RPG, it’s remembered as an all-time great because of how rich its world is, something that's reflected in its side content. There were quests like Ghosts of Past, which pays off the character arc of Witcher 2 character Letho, but it's entirely possible to finish the game without ever seeing it.

Others, like Return to Crookback Bog, turn what could just be some fun supernatural fights into a chilling tale about abuse and broken families. While The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s main narrative is strong, these side moments are what make it a game that sticks with you years after release. I can already tell the same will be true of God of War Ragnarok, as some of my favorite missions in the game are entirely optional Favors.
An early game Favor called The Weight of Chains sees Kratos, Mimir, and Atreus freeing a giant Lyngbakr sea creature that Mimir imprisoned while working with Odin. They manage to break its chains, but find that it now struggles to move and do what it used to. This sidequest takes a series of somewhat standard combat encounters and puzzles and spins them into critical aspects of a memorable tale. The Weight of Chains reflects on how Kratos and Mimir’s reckless actions have had irreversible consequences, but they now have an opportunity to be better people in the future.
Another standout Favor called Secret of the Sands, where Kratos and Atreus free a trapped jellyfish-like creature called a Hafgufa, is also quite beautiful. The short story shows what Kratos will do to be able to spend more time with his son in the face of Ragnarok. However ordinary these sidequests may be from a gameplay standpoint, their narrative relevance and level of polish are on par with some of God of War Ragnarok’s main quests. This high effort even applies to some side missions that wholly exist with NPCs in the game’s overworld, ones that aren't even built around huge set pieces. For example, there’s The Lost Treasure quest.

Read more
The best armor sets in God of War Ragnarok
Kratos equipping his armor.

In the past, Kratos was perfectly fine fighting his way through monsters and gods alike bare-chested. Perhaps in his older age, or due to the new, chilly climate he finds himself in in God of War Ragnarok, he has taken to wearing a variety of armor to better protect himself. Aside from looking cool, these armors also add different buffs to Kratos' stats, allowing you to tweak your build to better suit your playstyle. That being said, there are a ton of armors in the game to find and upgrade.

Armor in God of War Ragnarok comes in three pieces: your chest, wrist, and waist armor. While you can mix and match them to your heart's content, they typically give the best buffs when worn as a complete set. These are some of the strongest armor sets you can equip in God of War Ragnarok and why. Also note that, once fully upgraded, you do have the option to transmog your armor if you don't like the look of it but still want the benefits.

Read more