The Assassin’s Creed universe has always been centered on two great factions that have battled throughout the centuries: the Assassins and Templars. While that would have been the essence of the whole experience, the focus that makes Assassin’s Creed this type of game, it sometimes feels like players are forced to swallow the lore. Sometimes they are forced to learn it all in a fast pace with newcomers overwhelmed with everything.
In upcoming video game Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Narrative Director Darby McDevitt reveals in the Official PlayStation Magazine (July 2020 issue) that players will have a different experience in this iteration and it will be a rather enjoyable one.
McDevitt explained:
With this game I want fans to be able to wander through the world and almost at every turn really feel like they’re discovering something that increases their knowledge of the whole.
This meant players can understand the whole lore of Assassin’s Creed as a franchise at their own pace rather than be forced via narrative. They will be able to enjoy the Valhalla lore by discovering the game’s world since they are all seeded everywhere. They will be able to discover such interesting lore at their own pace without any external force.
Players will feel no wasted moment in this game, according to McDevitt. “… every discovery, every narrative discovery has a kind of grand purpose.” They will definitely feel like every exploration they do in a certain area will reward them with something big and has a purpose as well. Also the lore that they discover will make them understand how certain facts connect from one game to another.
McDevitt describes Valhalla as the bridge between the two games, Origins and Odyssey. It connects the stories of the Hidden Ones and The Order of the Ancients as well as the reason why they became the Templars and the Assassins in later games. With this bridge, it will ensure the whole history of the franchise is consistent.
The narrative director continued:
… but it’s also why we’ve spent a lot of effort trying to fill our world with lore that has really meaningful connections to a lot of these titles before and after. Some things that are happening are starting to set the stage for what comes in the games that follow.”
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla will launch this holiday 2020 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Google Stadia, and PC.