Assassin's Creed Valhalla is an incredible game by Ubisoft Montreal. Fans of the Vikings era and Norse mythology will find the game's story and atmosphere even more enjoyable.
Vikings have become more and more popular thanks to their constant portrayal in various pop culture works. This, in turn, has led many people to become more fascinated by the ancient group of warriors. Those who know a lot about Vikings will appreciate the way they're portrayed in this game, but they also know there are a lot of things anyone will miss about Vikings if they simply take the game's iteration of them as their only source of information.
10 Civilian Casualties
Those familiar with actual Viking culture know that they're far more brutal than they're portrayed in the game. Their behavior is immensely toned down in the game mainly due to the fact that the game's main protagonist is a Viking.
In reality, historical Vikings aren't very forgiving towards those they conquer. Yes, players do pillage any area they can in the game, but civilian casualties are punished with animus disconnection.
9 Blood Sacrifices
One of the more grotesque practices of the Vikings in days past is their blood sacrifice rituals. This practice was shown in a trailer for Assassin's Creed Valhalla, but it is simply referenced in the actual game instead of being actually portrayed.
The Vikings did this practice a lot back in the day because they believed it provided them strength. The practice involves the sacrificing of either a human or an animal, drawing its blood in a bowl, and then splashing it on themselves.
8 Tattoos
Tattoo modification is one of the things players love to do while playing Assassin's Creed Valhalla. They're fun, they allow players to be just a little bit creative, and the end result can be satisfying.
However, according to archeological studies, the Vikings only did tattoos strictly for ceremonial events, unlike the one in the game where the players can just pick and choose a tattoo whenever they please.
7 Slavery
One of the most abhorrent things the Vikings often practiced during their time was the act of slavery. Interestingly, former games in the franchise such as Assassin's Creed Origins and Assassin's Creed Odyssey didn't shy away from this historical fact but they chose to take this away in this game.
The Vikings would often capture the weak from the places they pillaged and conquered and keep them as slaves. This is something the game not only takes away but somehow fights against considering how Eivor is constantly given the optional mission of freeing the enemies' captured slaves.
6 King Making
One of the things Eivor constantly does in the game is to play kingmaker in an effort of making alliances. While the deed is often valiant and it makes for an interesting narrative, this didn't seem to be the case back in the old days.
When the Vikings first arrived in England, their presence was far from welcome. This is actually fairly evident in the game, where the Saxons would often portray prejudices towards any Danes they encounter. Until the Vikings totally conquered a region, however, their word would not be headed off by anyone, much less those who are deciding who'd be succeeding king of a land.
5 The Crew
In Assassin's Creed Valhalla, every single member of Eivor's crew is believed to be a warrior, or a decent fighter, at least. If we're going to confer with historical evidence, however, a Viking crew was not always filled with valiant warriors. In fact, they were often composed of farmers and merchants.
The game uses peasant armies, or Fyrds, whenever they'd storm a castle or a fortress. Eivor's crew, however, seems to mainly consist of competent fighters only. If this were real historically, it'd be a really rare circumstance. Perhaps Eivor's crew is one of the golden ones.
4 Performing Trade
One of the Viking's most peaceful endeavors back in the day, with all things considered, was their proficiency and willingness in trading. This is actually one of the main reasons why the Vikings became more and more advanced as their prominence rose.
The game rarely ever gives Eivor the chance to perform trade for the sake of his settlement's advancement. Instead, the game focused more on the pillaging of monasteries, which is actually one of the many things the game got right.
3 Greed And Bloodlust
In the game, the Vikings are portrayed in a more positive light to make Eivor and his people more sympathetic. Whenever they pillaged, it is always believed that they did so for the sake of their people. However, the Vikings were not so sympathetic back then.
Often times, the Vikings would raid, pillage, murder, and wreak havoc just for the sake of it. Many Vikings were known for their greed and their bloodlust can be attributed to their worship of Odin, who according to the Vikings, relished bloodshed.
2 Christianization
The Vikings loved their Norse gods, so much so that they were willing, and more than happy, to kill for them. When they arrived in England, however, they got introduced to Christianity through trades and raids, creating allies and enemies alike.
The Vikings apparently did not take a liking to Christianity at first. They, however, eventually got around to it. Other studies indicate that many Vikings adopted Christianity rather quickly, while others say it took centuries for the Vikings to accept this new faith.
1 Innovation In Music
Horns, percussions, and stringed instruments are recurring musical instruments players will often encounter or hear being played while playing Assassin's Creed Valhalla. While this historically accurate factor should be lauded, there is one major factor that's missing in the game in terms of the Viking's innovation in music.
Woodwind instruments, aside from horns, are missing in the game, which is a shame considering it is widely believed that the Vikings made woodwind instruments out of animal bones, which are the precursors to the woodwind instruments we know today.