In Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Ubisoft allowed players to select their preferred playable character for the first time. Such a decision came with both positive and negative results. Among the negatives was a feeling that Kassandra/Alexios would often make decisions that contradicted player-centric choices. Apparently, Ubisoft Montréal is working to ensure history will not repeat itself on this front. In Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, then, fans should expect Eivor to have a much more “coherent personality.”
During a Q&A video on Assassin’s Creed’s Twitter account, Narrative Director Darby McDevitt explained which course the team is taking this time around. Typically, he said, RPGs approach leading characters from two different perspectives. On one hand, a developer can provide players with a “blank slate,” whereby every player-choice informs the character’s personality.
The other option is a character who has a “coherent personality.” All of the answers on display in their “dialogue options still fall within a spectrum,” McDevitt noted. (Think Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher series.) In writing Eivor with such coherency in mind, Ubisoft Montréal hopes players will finish AC Valhalla feeling as though Eivor was Eivor through and through.
See the full video featuring McDevitt in the post linked below:
Learn more about how @DarbyMcDevitt and his team approached Eivor’s character in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.#AssassinsCreed #ACFacts pic.twitter.com/OACmocyQuh
— Assassin’s Creed (@assassinscreed) May 25, 2020
While AC Valhalla is certainly taking the franchise in a few new directions, old features are returning, too. In another Q&A video, Creative Director Ashraf Ismail revealed that Social Stealth and the classic Assassin’s hood are making a comeback.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla launches this holiday season for the PS4, PS5, Google Stadia, PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. Ubisoft may show off more of the title during the Ubisoft Forward digital event, which is slated for July 12th.
[Source: Assassin’s Creed on Twitter]
