When looking at the DLC in Assassin’s Creedy Odyssey and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, it’s very clear how the two took mostly different roads. Odyssey invested heavily in Greek myth and how the Isu were part of that, with Layla eventually finding her way to Atlantis, attempting to control the staff, and meeting Kassandra in the flesh. On the other hand, Valhalla was very much invested in real historical events (except for the last DLC, of course), and this seemed to give it the upper hand, at first.
Mythology in Assassin’s Creed is a mixed bag among fans. Some don’t mind it as long as it’s used properly, while others would rather see AC focus on more historical depictions. That’s a matter of taste, of course, but Valhalla drops the ball when it comes to DLC no matter how it's looked at. Not because of its historical focus, but because of how stagnant the DLC as a whole makes Assassin’s Creed Valhalla feel.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla DLC Doesn’t Fill in Gaps or Make New Holes, It’s Just There
Traveling to Ireland and partaking in the Siege of Paris are interesting events that it’s great to see Eivor take part in. They’re fun, nice additions to the franchise. However, they are the definition of inconsequential. Players could play none of them and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla would be in the same boat as it is now—this is not true of Odyssey’s DLC, which establishes several story elements later realized in Valhalla.
Valhalla’s DLC doesn’t expand on the franchise whatsoever, with each being an inconsequential addition. With it seemingly over, it doesn’t seem fans will learn why Eivor is buried in Vinland for some time, which is easily one of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s biggest mysteries. There’s no real progression after the ending for Eivor, unlike Kassandra. One could argue that it brings Layla’s story to a close, while teasing more for the future, but in terms of Eivor’s story, there’s not really a satisfying end when compared to Kassandra’s. This is true when counting the Odyssey-Valhalla crossover, or when not counting it even.
The DLC could have at least explored more of the Templars or Hidden Ones, but it doesn’t. It just drops an “A.C.” Easter Egg that may feel a little disrespectful to some fans, instead of honoring them in any real way. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s DLC doesn’t fill in any of the gaps created by the narrative thus far, nor does it really set up anything interesting for the future. That can’t be said about AC Odyssey, and this creates an unsatisfying ending feeling for Valhalla.
Now, with Valhalla seemingly behind fans now, the future is seemingly tied to three projects: Assassin’s Creed Rift, which is reported to feature Basim; Assassin’s Creed Nexus, which just appears to be a collection of past Assassin missions in VR; and Assassin’s Creed Infinity, the in-development full-blown live-service title. Hopefully, Assassin’s Creed Rift fleshes out more of what Valhalla set up, if unlikely, and AC Infinity’s support comes with actual consequences.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.