Assassin's Creed Valhalla Review
Assassin's Creed Valhalla, the 12th instalment in the critically acclaimed Assassin's Creed franchise from Ubisoft, brings the fight to England as the Norse, Danes, and Anglo-Saxons fight for dominance amidst the rolling English countryside. Succeeding the likes of the critically acclaimed Assassin's Creed Origins and Assassin's Creed Odyssey, both boasting huge and magnificent game worlds, is no simple feat, even for a series with the pedigree of Assassin's Creed.
With franchise fatigue a very worrying concern for some and the end of the generation ever looming, does Assassin's Creed Valhalla meet the high standards put in place by its predecessors?
Assassin's Creed Valhalla Review
Growing up in merry old England, I wasn't confident that Assassin's Creed could bring the same level of splendor and magnificence seen in previous games. The towering pyramids of Egypt, the decadent architecture of Athens, and what does England have? A few castles, some standing stones, and a bloody long wall. While Egypt and Athens may steal the majority of headlines when it comes to the wonders of the ancient worlds, England's warring factions in constant conflict as the Danes clash with the Anglo-Saxons, the Picts attack from the North, and the Norse arrive for good measure, sets a very interesting premise.
But is it enough?
The story begins as young Eivor (available as both a male and female playable character) and his family are celebrating a bond of friendship and love as the Raven Clan hold celebrations for the great King Styrbjorn, hoping to bring peace and prosperity to the region. A huge feast, barrels of mead, proud Viking songs – the first few moments set a fantastic tone, before it all comes crumbling down as a twisted betrayal and a broken word lead to the death of Eivor's parents and the slaughtering of the Raven Clan.
That's about as much detail as I'm going to offer for the story. There's no need for the finer details; it's an incredible journey, arguably Ubisoft's greatest creative narrative works to date. Assassin's Creed Valhalla continues the series' complex but rewarding over-arching narrative with a combination of storylines that bring together the stories and adventures of the past, with a very real and threatening scenario from the future. The Animus storyline continues to play a vital role, but it takes a welcomed back seat to Eivor's adventures alongside his brother Sigurd.
Valhalla's stories are intricate in design; interwoven tales like the tapestries of the Norns, slowly threading into the main narrative as the game progresses. Each of the regions of England you explore comes with its own troubles and turmoils. One moment a King is struggling to quell a bandit uprising, the next a Jarl is questioning the loyalty of their closest subjects. Each region is filled with interesting characters, charming events, and engaging activities. Eivor eagerly attends each location, hoping to create allies for the Raven Clan, making friends and enemies along the way.
The combination of incredible world building, Norse mythology, and the myths and legends of ye olde England brings together a flourishing world full of character that is truly a wonder to explore.
Despite my love of the more recent Assassin's Creed games, I definitely found myself struggling towards the end of Odyssey, growing tired of the repetitive aspects between the previous games. I would be lying if I said Assassin's Creed Valhalla doesn't have that potential for some players but a slight shift in direction for some of the games more traditional elements really brings a refreshing take to the whole thing.
The greatest game world, a wonderful narrative, gorgeous graphics – none of it really matters if the gameplay isn't up to par. Assassin's Creed has long lived and died by the quality of its combat, and Valhalla's is probably the greatest the franchise has seen to date.
The backbone of the combat experience is a stamina meter, one designed to compliment combat gameplay instead of hindering it. Using your basic light attacks fills your stamina, while missing attacks and dodging depletes it. This encourages an aggressive playstyle fit for Norse Vikings that rewards accuracy and skill over randomly launching your most powerful attacks and hoping something hits. At the same time, it's entirely compatible with a more defensive playstyle that utilizes the dodging and fantastic parry system, all of which is complimented by an arsenal of abilities and a monstrous skill tree.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla's combat offers a playground of versatile and robust options that truly puts the power of play into the hands of the player. Specializing in ranged attacks and abilities is both possible and viable, and the same can be said for stealth and aggressive melee play. Whatever your style, there's a set of armor, a weapon, a series of skills, and a long list of abilities that ensure you'll have a blast. From start the finish, the combat is engaging, rewarding, and completely brutal.
The world building in the Assassin's Creed games, especially those in recent years, has been incredible. From the peaks of the pyramids to the depths of the gorgon lair, both Origins and Odyssey brought to life their respective eras masterfully, and Valhalla does much of the same. Riding on horseback at the ridge of the White Cliffs of Dover, lighting the braziers that don the great Hadrian's Wall, raiding seaside, cliff-top castles with droves of allies at your back – it's all there. England may lack the constructed marvel of Egypt and Greece, but what it lacks there, it more than compensates with its natural beauty.
As in tradition with Ubisoft games of late, there's an absolutely massive game world, split across England and Norway (with some secrets I'll keep to myself). Whether you're sailing down the Thames with an angry warband of Norse ready to raid and plunder unsuspecting monasteries or enjoying the rolling hills of Hamtunscire, you'll find plenty of events, activities, treasures, and rewards in your path.
Raiding alongside your Raven Clan is arguably one of the games most enjoyable and rewarding activities. It's simplistic in design, but enjoyable and fun in its execution. Certain strongholds along the river can be attacked, and using a custom clan of characters, you can recruit from friends and the world itself. Launching a strike, you can sneak in ahead, culling the enemies numbers, or launch a full-scale frontal attack with the full force of the clan. You take what you can carry and cut down anything in your way; it serves as a refreshing step away from constantly chasing objectives and quests.
The resources gained during these raids can then be used to upgrade Ravensthorpe. What begins as a simple grouping of tents and troops as the Norse make land in England evolves and grows throughout the game. Players will construct new buildings and find new recruits, unlocking customization options, gameplay mechanics, and cosmetic upgrades along the way. Each upgrade feels worthwhile, and once the settlement is complete, it's a sight to behold.
Unfortunately, Ubisoft does continue the trend of putting nearly everything on your compass or map, which does detract from the excitement of pure, open exploration. Despite this, with the amount going on, it's a design choice I can understand. One area that has been greatly improved is its side quests. Thrown together into "Mysteries," they serve as a combination of side quest-like encounters and other exciting objects to discover. Unlike previous games, the side quests are much more manageable, often solved in the immediate area. It creates a living, breathing game world full of hidden stories and rewarding journeys, without the insane amount of back and forth traveling from previous games. Whether one is grabbing civilians from a burning building, rescuing merchants from a bandit ambush, or stealing the clothes from a nudist colony, there's a lot to see and do.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla improves on its predecessors in so many ways, but at the same time suffers many of the same flaws. Games of this magnitude rarely function perfectly, and that problem is persistent throughout the game. I've crashed multiple times, experienced issues with frozen NPCs, and swore at the lack of accuracy with the contextual interactions more times than I can count. None of these problems are overly jarring on their own, but like the tapping of a pen on a desk, it eventually gets bloody irritating.
At the time of writing, I've put approximately 80 hours into Assassin's Creed Valhalla. I've completed the main story, unified the shires of England, and explored a lot of the side content. I've yet to finish the fishing side activities, the hunting of legendary creatures, the claiming of the Lost Treasures of Britain, or the slaughtering of the order. I'm also still hoping to master Orlog, a strategic dice game that's surprisingly a lot of fun. If you're a fan of the Assassin's Creed franchise, you can easily spend 100 hours exploring everything the game has to offer.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla is the best tale the franchise has ever told, featuring the most varied and rewarding gameplay the series has seen in years. Valhalla will forever dine in Odin's Hall as one of the greatest RPGs of this generation.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla, the 12th instalment in the critically acclaimed Assassin's Creed franchise from Ubisoft, brings the fight to England as the Norse, Danes, and Anglo-Saxons fight for
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The post Assassin's Creed Valhalla Review appeared first on GamersHeroes.
Mass Effect Legendary Edition Announced
To ring in N7 Day today, BioWare announced that Mass Effect Legendary Edition, a remastered version of the Mass Effect trilogy, is now in development.
For the last couple of months, the team at BioWare has updated the shaders, textures, models, effects, and technical features to modernize the experience and have each title be in its best possible form. 4k Ultra HD support will be included as well.
The single-player base content and DLC from Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, and Mass Effect 3 will all be included, along with all promo weapons, armors, and packs.
Learn more with the teaser trailer below:
Mass Effect Legendary Edition – Official Teaser
Mass Effect Legendary Edition will be available in spring of 2021 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, with forward compatibility and targeted enhancements for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. More information about this collection will be released next year.
To ring in N7 Day today, BioWare announced that Mass Effect Legendary Edition, a remastered version of the Mass Effect trilogy, is now in development
To mark its launch on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, EA and Criterion have released a new trailer for their racer Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered
Take advantage of triple GTA$ & RP in all Target Assault Races this week in Rockstar Games' GTA Online
The studio behind Flinthook and Mercenary Kings, Tribute Games, has been working with Zenovia to create their next title: Steel Assault
The post Mass Effect Legendary Edition Announced appeared first on GamersHeroes.
Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered Gets Launch Trailer
To mark its launch on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, EA and Criterion have released a new trailer for their racer Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered.
In this title, players will compete head-to-head or asynchronously in cross-platform multiplayer as they race through the winding Seacrest County roads. To make things interesting, the world's most desirable supercars on both sides of the law (complete with weapons) will be at your fingertips.
New to this remastered release is the ability to play in up to 4K and 60 frames perfect. Other improvements include higher-resolution models, reflections, and shadows, more props and objects, boosted textures, longer draw distance, more particles, and improved AA/SSAO. For those looking to play with others, cross-play support has been included.
For those looking for additional content, all the main DLC delivered during launch (including an extra six hours of gameplay and more than 30 challenges) will be in this release. Updated achievements, car colors, wraps, an updated photo mode and gallery, reduced hard stops, and multiple quality of life updates will also make their appearance.
Learn more with the launch trailer below:
Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered – Official Launch Trailer
To ring in N7 Day today, BioWare announced that Mass Effect Legendary Edition, a remastered version of the Mass Effect trilogy, is now in development
To mark its launch on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, EA and Criterion have released a new trailer for their racer Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered
Take advantage of triple GTA$ & RP in all Target Assault Races this week in Rockstar Games' GTA Online
The studio behind Flinthook and Mercenary Kings, Tribute Games, has been working with Zenovia to create their next title: Steel Assault
The post Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered Gets Launch Trailer appeared first on GamersHeroes.
Famous Dogg Studios sets out to prove that physics is fun with their new puzzle platformer Ball at Work. Flying around an office at the speed of sound might sound like a recipe for fun, but does the final product manage to deliver?
Ball at Work Review
With players controlling the fate of the Crazy Ball, the ultimate goal of each of its levels is to guide this round fellow straight to the trash can. However, a number of household objects stand in this little guy's way, and falling on the ground leads to a game over.
To get ahead, players will make use of its physics engine. It's not enough to simply roll around and hop when the time is right; rather, players will get ahead by knocking over shelves, hitching a ride on an office stool, launching off of a seesaw, bouncing around a springy dog toy, and other hazards. There is a lot to keep track of, and a successful run is a Mouse Trap-like chain of events.
However, the absolutely broken physics prevents that from happening in any capacity 99 times out of 100. Things simply don't work as you think they would, which is an absolute death knell in a world where pinpoint accuracy matters. Objects fall at odd angles, springs don't launch, water spigots are just a suggestion, and a perfect run is a pipe dream. It can be absolutely frustrating to work with its system, and it ruins the core foundation of this title.
There is a way to see which way to go with its guide-path system, but even this is a slap to the face. These guide-paths are unlocked through the use of Bonus Slips, which must be earned by completing levels under a certain time. This isn't bad in and of itself, but trying to complete a level in a fast time without these guide-paths means that the Bonus Slips are just out of reach.
To remedy this, players can get a paltry 10 Bonus Slips for 0.99 on the Steam store. For something as crucial as this, this feels like a greedy cash grab. Players can also use the slips to skip levels, but at that point players might as well not even play the game.
Outside of getting three stars on each level, there's not a lot to keep players going in Ball at Work. There are no achievements to speak of, and each level uses the same office design from level to level. Though there are different props that are introduced each time, it can lead to things feeling same-y sooner rather than later. The whole presentation is inoffensive to a fault – the smooth jazz and bland artwork lack any sort of impact and feel stock in the worst sense of the word.
Ball at Work completely misses the ball by messing up its physics engine. As a result, it can be hard to do the most basic of tasks, making it broken at a fundamental level and an easy pass.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla, the 12th instalment in the critically acclaimed Assassin's Creed franchise from Ubisoft, brings the fight to England as the Norse, Danes, and Anglo-Saxons fight for
Famous Dogg Studios sets out to prove that physics is fun with their new puzzle platformer Ball at Work. Flying around an office at the speed of sound might sound like a recipe for fun, but does the
There might be countless fighting games on the market today, but the fundamentals of each game are eternal. HiFight's FOOTSIES Rollback Edition breaks the genre down to its core, boiling things down
A retro throwback in more ways than one, Ultimo Games brings drifting, pixelated graphics, and CRT filters to the masses with their isometric racer Interstate Drifter 1999. The aesthetics might be on
The post Ball at Work Review appeared first on GamersHeroes.
Target Assault Dishing Out Triple Rewards in GTA Online
Take advantage of triple GTA$ & RP in all Target Assault Races this week in Rockstar Games' GTA Online.
For those looking to take advantage of this bonus, make sure to play Target Assault Races between November 5-11. If that's not enough, all Freemode Events will pay out 2X GTA$ & RP, and all Biker Sell Missions will pay out Double.
For those just starting out, all MC Clubhouses and Biker Businesses are all 40% off until November 11.
For those looking to deck out their Thruster, all those that play GTA Online any time this week will get themselves the Skulls livery.
All those that swing by The Diamond Casino & Resort can give the Lucky Wheel a spin to walk away with GTA$, RP, clothing, mystery prizes and more. This week's top prize is the hyper-alpha Vapid Caracara 4×4, which is wrapped in the Atomic Sponsor livery.
For those looking to save a bundle, Ammu-Nation will give away all pistols for free through November 11.
Players can also take advantage of the following discounts:
- Vapid Desert Raid – 40% off
- Vapid Trophy Truck – 40% off
- Vapid FMJ – 40% off
- BF Ramp Buggy – 40% off
- Mammoth Thruster – 30% off
- Maxwell Vagrant – 30% off
- HVY Barrage – 30% off
Finally, all GTA Online players that have connected their Rockstar Games Social Club account with their Prime Gaming account will receive GTA$200K by playing any time this week. Prime Gaming members will also receive the Vespucci Canals Nightclub location for free, plus 80% off the Emperor ETR1 and 70% off the LF-22 Starling.
To ring in N7 Day today, BioWare announced that Mass Effect Legendary Edition, a remastered version of the Mass Effect trilogy, is now in development
To mark its launch on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, EA and Criterion have released a new trailer for their racer Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered
Take advantage of triple GTA$ & RP in all Target Assault Races this week in Rockstar Games' GTA Online
The studio behind Flinthook and Mercenary Kings, Tribute Games, has been working with Zenovia to create their next title: Steel Assault
The post Target Assault Dishing Out Triple Rewards in GTA Online appeared first on GamersHeroes.
Cosplay Wednesday – Destiny 2's Huntress
Destiny 2: Beyond Light will be here in a matter of moments, featuring a new power born out of the ancient Pyramid Ship. In honor of this major expansion, Gamers Heroes takes a look at a spot-on cosplay of Destiny 2's Huntress.
Video game, costume-making and photography enthusiast Nebulaluben turned her talents to Destiny 2's Huntress in this stunning cosplay. This costume is especially special, as it was made by her in collaboration with Activision and Bungie. She also got byVyMa as the Warlock in one of the shots.
Destiny 2 Huntress Cosplay
As for the pictures, they were taken between her and her boyfriend with a Nikon D5100, and were edited by her.
You can find Nebulaluben on DeviantArt here.
Do you enjoy a bit of gaming cosplay? Or maybe you're passionate enough to do it full time. Drop me a line at casey@gamersheroes.com and we'll feature some of your cosplay.
The post Cosplay Wednesday – Destiny 2's Huntress appeared first on GamersHeroes.
Tribute Games' Steel Assault Announced
The studio behind Flinthook and Mercenary Kings, Tribute Games, has been working with Zenovia to create their next title: Steel Assault.
In this title, players will take control of the resistance soldier Taro Takahashi, who is on a revenge mission against the dictator that has lorded over the ashes of America.
Much like other games from the studio, Steel Assault will feature dynamic, fluid side-scrolling combat that features grappling-hook traversal mechanics through the use of a zipline. Detailed pixel art (optimized for CRT screens) is paired with FM-synthesized tunes for the ultimate 16-bit experience.
Learn more with the gameplay trailer below:
Steel Assault – Gameplay Trailer
Developed for years by Sri Kankanahalli of Zenovia, the game will come out on Steam in 2021. Note that no other platforms have been confirmed yet. You can wishlist it on Steam here.
To ring in N7 Day today, BioWare announced that Mass Effect Legendary Edition, a remastered version of the Mass Effect trilogy, is now in development
To mark its launch on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, EA and Criterion have released a new trailer for their racer Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered
Take advantage of triple GTA$ & RP in all Target Assault Races this week in Rockstar Games' GTA Online
The studio behind Flinthook and Mercenary Kings, Tribute Games, has been working with Zenovia to create their next title: Steel Assault
The post Tribute Games' Steel Assault Announced appeared first on GamersHeroes.
Trader and Moonshiner Bonuses This Week in Red Dead Online
All Traders and Moonshiners in Rockstar Games' Red Dead Online this week will be able to take advantage of a boost to their businesses with a number of new Rewards.
Traders who dive into Red Dead Online before November 9 will get a Reward for 25 free Trader Goods, and Moonshiners that play during this same will get a Reward for one free Mash Refill. Those that complete either a Trader or Moonshine Sale will get themselves a Treasure Map on the house.
For the equestrian lovers out there, players that reach Rank 5 or above in any Role will receive a free Horse (Rank 40 or lower). In addition, Stable Stalls are 30% off.
This week, the Wheeler, Rawson & Co. Catalogue has all sorts of items on sale for a limited time. Scope out the full list of discounts below:
- The Tasman Outfit
- The Danube Outfit
- Morning Tail Coat
- Benbow Jacket
- Squat Stovepipe Hat
- Gator Hat
- Manteca Hat
- Gardenia Hat
- Plaid Cap
- Hitched Skirt
- Tied Pants
- Carver Pants
- Woodland Gloves
- Ortega Vest
- Strickland Boots
- Calhoun Boots
- Limited-edition colorways of the Patterned Bandana
Finally, all Red Dead Online players that connect their Rockstar Games Social Club account to their Prime Gaming account will receive Rewards for the following:
- 5 Free Legendary Animal Pheromones
- 6,000 Naturalist XP
- A Reward for a free Wilderness Camp
- A free Katata Coat crafted from the Legendary Katata Elk hide
Those that connect to Prime Gaming before November 16 will receive a Reward for a free Single Bandolier, plus Offers for 50% off the Deluxe Campfire, 50% off a Double Bandolier, and 30% off the Improved Bow.
The post Trader and Moonshiner Bonuses This Week in Red Dead Online appeared first on GamersHeroes.
Atelier Ryza 2 Theme Song Released
Get ready for the release of Koei Tecmo and GUST's upcoming JRPG Atelier Ryza 2 with the theme song for the game.
The video, which can be seen below, features the theme Song "Somewhen, Somewhere…" by the artist Clammbon. A number of action shots from the title are also included in the video.
Atelier Ryza 2 – Theme Song
The latest entry in the long-running Atelier series, Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy focuses on the story of Ryza and her friends as they attempt to decipher the mystery of the "Lost Legends." New abilities include diving underwater and using magic ropes to traverse separated areas.
Players will also be able to utilize a number of new synthesis systems, including the new "Linkage Synthesis" that gives Ryza the ability to rebuild items. Combat will once again use the "Real-time tactics" battle system, though it is refined and sped up this time around.
The game will come out stateside for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC on January 26, 2021. Those that pre-order the physical versions at select retailers will be able to get themselves the "Beware of Puni!" & "Blue Puni Costume" t-shirt DLC for Ryza.
The post Atelier Ryza 2 Theme Song Released appeared first on GamersHeroes.
Two console launches, multiple games years in the making, Black Friday – November is looking to be a megaton month in the world of video games. See what's to come with the 5 best games of November 2020. Oh, and we won't make you click through five pages to look at the entire list.
5 Best Games of November 2020
Yakuza: Like a Dragon
Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and SEGA are mixing up the long-running Yakuza series with the upcoming release of Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Featuring the protagonist Ichiban Kasuga, players will utilize turn-based RPG type combat with a four-person battle team. Players can also dive into a number of side-quests (dubbed sub-stories), which can be taken up by the player to gain additional rewards and players.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon will come out for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, and PC on November 10, 2020.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
Set 100 years before the events of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Nintendo and Koei Tecmo's Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity gives the series a hack-and-slash twist once again. The combat system, material crafting, and weapon-upgrade systems from the original Hyrule Warriors will make its return, but new to this entry are environmental puzzle solving elements that make use of the Sheikah Slate. We're especially looking forward to taking control of the four Champions, which will all be playable.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity will come out for the Nintendo Switch on November 20, 2020.
Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales
The story shifts focus from Peter Parker to Miles Morales in the release of Sony Interactive Entertainment and Insomniac Games' Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales. Set a year after the conclusion of the original title, Miles Morales must defend Harlem and the rest of New York City from a gang war between the Roxxon Energy Corporation and the Underground. The PlayStation 5 version of the game in particular will utilize the system's increased processing power, dedicated ray-tracing hardware, custom SSD storage, Tempest Engine and DualSense controller.
Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales will come out for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 on November 12, 2020.
Demon's Souls
Kicking off the launch of the PlayStation 5 is Bluepoint Games' Demon's Souls, a complete overhaul of the PlayStation 3 classic by From Software. Players will once again explore the kingdom of Boletaria, overcoming its swarms of demons and overcoming the dark being known only as the Old One. Much like other games in the Soulsborne series, players will be able to square off in PVP combat or can summon allies to take on the fight.
The game will come out for the PlayStation 5 on November 12, 2020.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Ubisoft's long-running Assassin's Creed franchise takes the series to Nordic roots with the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. Players will take control of the Viking raider Eivor, who gets caught up in a conflict between the Brotherhood of Assassins and the Templar Order. Much like other entries in the series, players will be able to take on a number of main story missions and optional side missions. To challenge players, 25 unique enemy archetypes have been included.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla will come out on November 10, 2020 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, and PC, with the PlayStation 5 version launching on November 12, 2020.
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