Assassin's Creed Valhalla

We attended a closed presentation of the upcoming Assassin's Creed Valhalla expansion, and now we know what "Dawn of Ragnarok" has in store for us. We share our impressions with you.

Players familiar with Assassin's Creed Valhalla know that from an online game developer Friv2Online draws a lot from Scandinavian mythology, and the protagonist travels not only in our world, but also in others - Asgard, the abode of the aesir gods, and Jotunheim, the lands of the giants.

In Dawn of Ragnarök, Odin will travel to Svartalfheim, territory of the dwarves ( dwarves ). This mythical region demonstrates landscapes different from earthly ones: bizarre flowers bloom in the meadows, fragments of rocks hang in the sky, and the roots of the World Tree - Yggdrasil are spread on the horizon.

Svartalfheim will offer players ample opportunities to explore the world, and the protagonist will look into populated cities and abandoned locations. The developers note that Dawn of Ragnarök will be the largest addition to Assassin's Creed Valhalla, and gamers will have an action-packed adventure, during which they will rescue Baldur, the son of Odin, kidnapped by Surtr, and meet a variety of characters, including Surtr's wife Sinmara and their son Glod.

The mythical setting allowed the authors of the add-on to significantly expand the friv game mechanics. We play as a god, and therefore we can use new abilities in all aspects - from combat and stealth to exploration.

So, for example, Odin can absorb the forces of defeated opponents. The latter, by the way, will also be represented not by ordinary people, but by various creatures, like fire zombies. Absorbed powers can be invested in abilities that suit different playstyles.

For example, a hero can get a disguise as a fire monster : lava and fire will not damage him, and other fiery creatures will consider Odin as their own. This can be used to covertly infiltrate enemy territory. In the gameplay demo, the god disguised himself and led the prisoner out of the dungeon without arousing suspicion.

Atgeir will appear in the list of weapons - a heavy weapon of the Vikings, like a halberd. It has a large radius of destruction and good damage. And equipment can be improved not only by pumping stats, but also by giving new perks using the Runes of Odin, which can be obtained in Svartalfheim.

You can test the skills and power of equipment in the new Valkyrie Arena mode, where new and familiar characters will challenge the player's skills. Here you can experiment with different builds, abilities and equipment before heading out into the open world for adventure.

During the presentation, the developers showed us the passage of one of the missions of Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök. Its action unfolded in the oldest location of Svartalfheim, which was occupied by Glod with his soldiers. Here Odin goes in search of a relic that will help him free Balder. Traditionally for adventure games, he has to help the locals before they agree to reveal the location of the artifact.

Svartalfheim is unsettled: monsters from Muspelheim have invaded here, and Odin will have to restore order in this world. Exiled from their realm, the dwarves huddle in underground shelters, so players will certainly want to return their home to them.

The world of the dwarves looks colorful and lush, and Odin will have a mythical boar at his disposal to move around it. In addition, one of the key abilities of the god will open here - he can turn into a crow, fly around the surroundings and even unexpectedly attack opponents, reincarnating back into human form. It looks impressive, especially when the surprise attack continues with a spectacular ax throw at the next enemy.

Another ability of Odin is the revival of opponents killed by him for a short-term service. The character can gather a small army around him, which will definitely help him in battle.

In general, the combat of Dawn of Ragnarök differs little from the battles from the original friv game, as expected. However, innovations such as the absorption of forces and a new type of weapon bring a certain freshness to it.

The developers recommend going to Svartalfheim after reaching power level 340 and after completing the story campaign - at least to understand why we are playing as Odin. For players who have not reached the required level of power, the ability to quickly level up inside the add-on will be available. Also, the adventure can be launched separately from the main campaign.