Assassin’s Creed Valhalla | Xbox Game Pass Cloudgaming Review

February 6th, 2024

Intro

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is the twelfth instalment in the Assassin’s Creed game franchise. Originally release in 2020, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla has just been made available to gamers on Xbox Game Pass with Cloud Gaming.

Meaning you can stream this instalment of the Assassin’s Creed game over the internet.

Let’s have a look if Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is worth your bandwidth over Xbox Game Pass with Cloud Gaming.

First Glance

If you can get through the many configuration options before you start the game, you might actually get around to playing it. It took me five minutes to get setup with the options around brightness and contrast. Being on a Microsoft console it would make sense as Microsoft is keen on making games accessible to everyone.

The time spent setting up Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is actually symbolic of the game to come. It has a slow start and it is probably not till you are an hour into the game that you really start to see some action.

That being said, the pace picks up rather quickly and I would say the slow start makes up for the experience to come.

Consistent with other Assassin’s Creed games, the Animus is still featured here, giving the feel of exploring memories from a previous time.

After the first cut scene, you are given the option to choose to play as a man, woman or let the game decide which is a new feature in the Assassin’s Creed franchise.

Other new features include the use of a Raven bird to help you scout your environment, as well as being able to command a ship that helps you travel the Norwegian seas.

The graphics are stunning in some scenes and are disappointingly lacking in others. The background music gives a Blade Runner vibe with the use of aggressive synthesisers. I am not sure how I feel about that.

Gameplay and Story

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla opens well with a good graphical immersion of stars and dusk. It would look great on a high resolution TV and gives the feel of a next generation game.

However, shortcomings become apparent in snow-covered scenes, particularly in the first scene, where the graphics don’t look that great. It could just be because the game is being streamed, or Xbox limitations. I am open to suggestions on this.

You are thrown quicky into gameplay playing as a boy. You must be some kind of Prince because your room is decked out and your parents must be minted. You emerge into a hall where people are partying, dancing and playing lutes. A drunkard greets you. As you explore the Hall, another drunk intercept you and asks about a mysterious ring and informs you about a ring. Its significance is not yet known.

Soon, you are prompted to dance. If you are like me, it’s at this point of the game you might think: when am I going to be able to kill some shit?

This kid had a different childhood to me. Some guys offer you some Mead and the kids turns it down. Must be nice to have some self-control. I would have happily gotten drunk.

As you explore the room you are prompted to speak with more characters. Each hinting more at the story to unfold and the significance of this ring you are holding.

Seemingly random, you are given prompts such as “Play” which is just you throwing a ball up in the air and catching it. To think, you could have gotten drunk but are playing with a ball instead.

Finally, you find your mother who reveals the nature of the ring you are holding. Shortly before seeing a drunk fall from the banister.

You are told to deliver the gift and are pushed back into gameplay.

When am I going to be able to kill some shit?

You are intercepted again and encouraged to celebrate a union between clans, and it is revealed that you are to deliver this present to the King. Ah but brace yourself, more singing and dancing!

Suddenly, the game’s pace changes. The clan becomes under attack.

A suspenseful scene questions whether your mother will survive. You save your mother with an accidentally placed sword. As a twist, you watch your parents slaughtered before you are whisked off on a horse and fall onto the ice underneath the northern lights.

You seem close to death from a wolf until the attack is intercepted by some birds. Later in the game you discover the birds are Ravens and are actually there to help you.

What a great intro.

You will now spend the rest of the game exploring Norway in search of your parents’ killers. Along the way, you will come to rescue other members of your clan who will aid you.

First Stage

The gameplay after the first major cut scene in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla seems drawn out. You explore a snowy wilderness but can’t help feel that the distance between the start point and objective could have been made shorter. It’s not like there are tutorials that are helping with gameplay.

You conclude the first stage by rescuing your clan, which then introduces you to the boat that you will use to sail across the Norwegian waters. You are then presented with the ability to explore the map, where you can choose to fight enemies and collect their loot if you wish.

Inventory

You can equip two weapons at a time, one for each hand.

A weapon can be equipped in your Main hand and will be the main source of Damage. You can also equip a shield if you want to cower like a little bitch. But most of you will probably want to equip a shield in your left hand.

That has been my approach so far in the game. You can use your shield to block and parry attacks.

…but can’t help feel that the distance between the start point and objective could have been made shorter.

Two handed weapons will take up two hands. Surprise, surprise.

You are provided a Bow. It has its own weapon slot so you can use it in addition to your axe and shield. You can loot arrows by exploring the environment or, from enemies you have killed.

As you progress the game you will be able to equip yourself with armour. You can collect armour from your environment or receive them from boss battles.

Abilities

Scan your environment by pressing R3. It will reveal points of interest such as objective locations as well as items to help you.

If you press L3 and R3 at the same time you will get a photo mode so not sure what you are supposed to do with that. I have never understood photo mode in games.

Spring with L3 and climb over things with A.

You have a bow and arrow to take down your enemies. Aim with LT and then fire with RT.

Press Y to loot items and RB or RT to break open boxes for loot.

You can use your Raven, a bird, to scout the area for information about your objectives and collectibles in the environment.

You can stealth kill but not until you finish the first level.

You will be prompted to perform other attacks such as stun attack when in combat.

Environment

You can use your environment to your combat advantage. Crouching in tall gras will help you to hide from enemies. You will need to use this in the first level where you don’t have the stealth kill ability yet.

Graphics

In the dialogues scenes the limitations and flaws in the graphics are revealed. It’s almost like watching characters from GTA Sand Andreas talk. This is a major weak point in the game.

Conclusion

It’s a good game for what it is. The pace jumps around a little bit and the start is definitely slow. The graphics are also inconsistent as well.

It is a different type of take on the Assassin’s Creed series.

All in all, cannot complain for a game streamed over the net.

7/10