The Assassin's Creed franchise has been just as focused on the discovery of ancient secrets as it has been on assassinating members of the corrupt Templar Order. From delving into Assassin tombs in Assassin's Creed 2 to searching for the elusive white whale in Assassin's Creed: Black Flag, the series has always offered its fair share of diversions for players who can't be bothered to stick with the story. In Ubisoft's latest title for the franchise, Assassin's Creed Valhalla, a secret language provided a unique mystery for fans to solve, and they took to the task with gusto.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla is the first game to feature a Viking as its main assassin and relishes its chance to play in the deep woods of Norse mythology. One aspect of the game is the Isu language, used by powerful beings responsible for the creation of the notorious Pieces of Eden. Isu script can be found in various locations all over the world in Assassin's Creed Valhalla. In the present-day sections of the game, seven files with images of the Isu language can be found on Layla Hassan's laptop. The script in the laptop images can be translated in the game, but similar Isu text found on the Collector's Edition of Assassin's Creed Valhalla is without translation. That is, until fans figured it out themselves.
YouTube channel Access the Animus features some talented fans that took to cracking the Isu language. Not only did they crack the language, but they also explain in their video how any fan can use their system to decipher Isu script themselves. They claim the reason they are able to this is that the Isu language is a "proper" language, or one that has actual tools that are used in real languages, such as verb tenses, conjugations, and prepositions. Though words in the Isu language can be written with different symbols but have the same meaning, once the seven files on Layla's laptop were translated, they contained key phrases and words that can be used to decipher secrets on the Assassin's Creed Valhalla Collector's Edition.
It's clear after watching a few minutes of the translation process that the crew at Access the Animus has some history with studying languages. Ultimately, they decipher the secret words on the soundtrack CD in the Collector's Edition, as well as words on the game's case and the art prints included. Access the Animus has a backlog of videos covering all sorts of information regarding Assassin's Creed Valhalla, including videos covering hidden details about Eivor and their genealogy.
The time and effort put into deciphering the Isu language just goes to show the lengths that fans will go to learn more about their favorite games. But this makes a lot of sense for Assassin's Creed Valhalla because, like other Assassin's Creed titles, it contains not only discovery secrets, but there are also details in Valhalla's story that players might miss. Until the next Assassin's Creed game is announced, there is still plenty to be uncovered in Assassin's Creed Valhalla.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.