Ever since thetrailer releaseforAssassin’s Creed Valhalla, there’s been more and more new information revealed about the next installment in Ubisoft’s popular franchise. A Kotaku interview with Ashraf Ismail, the creative director for the game, revealed some key info about the progression system.
Most games up throughAssassin’s Creed Syndicateallowed players to gains skills and gear through story advancement and exploration.OriginsandOdysseydeviated from the formula by integrating levels and experience points, though someOdysseyplayers found itfrustrating to have to level grindin order to stay involved in the main story. Many players are curious now as to whetherAssassin’s Creed Valhallawill follow this same format.
RELATED:Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Dev Explains Map Size Compared to Odyssey
Ismail commented that Ubisoft has been analyzing theOriginsandOdysseyprogression systems and “what that means for players.” He adds that the devs have come up with a “new take” that focuses on the “concept of power.” One way he suggested that players might gain power is through gaining skills, which inValhallaare confirmed to use anew form of skill specialization called “skill graphs,“which will supposedly be unique to the upcoming game.
ManyOdysseyplayers found themselves being taken out of the main story andforced to level grind.Valhallawill have a large number of activities available outside of the story, like Viking raids and rap battles, but it sounds like these are meant to supplement the main story and not drag the player out for arbitrary grinding. Ismail said he wants to avoid players hitting a “progression spike” that will lead to this exact problem of players being forced to grind so they can continue the narrative.
Aside fromOdyssey’s level and experience system being just plain annoying, it also led toplayers abusing Story Creator Mode to unfairly farm XP. While there’s no doubt that these players were cheating the system, ifOdysseyhadn’t had such a grind problem in the first place there wouldn’t be a desire for players to get fast and easy XP. IfValhallaends up being more balanced, hopefully at least this type of system abuse won’t happen.
AnotherOdysseymistake that players should hopeValhallawill avoid is the$10 50% XP boost. Some players are willing to spend real-life money on the game, but others are content with paying the original price of the game and want to be able to play something that rewards skill and effort, not wallet size. It’s a very good sign that Ismail is speaking out so strongly against grinding inValhalla, and that Ubisoft seems to have learned from their big mistake inOdyssey.
Assassin’s Creed Valhallawill be available to play later this year for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
