Grab your axe and head to the longship in this incredible saga. “Valhalla” is a game that puts you in the Viking age after Ragnar Lothbrok has died. You will have a wonderful time running around both Norway and England; this game is great for deep cultural immersion, as it accurately depicts life in the Viking age. It does take dramatic license on some aspects of society for the game’s overall narrative.

This game is next-gen capable, boasting an incredible frame rate on the Xbox Series X. The scenic beauty that the game depicts is immersive and the landscapes are massive. This game keeps with the new direction of the series with “Origins” and “Odyssey,” with large, open world questing setting. It brings back some flair from previous games, with the Hidden Blade making a return. The social stealth has also made a reappearance and is sure to please the fans that were sad to see it go.

This game is immense, the world is huge and there is plenty to do. “Assassins Creed” continues to emulate the “Witcher III” in its massive open world elements and quests available in the open world. Each area of the map has three categories of collectibles. You can clear each area and dramatically increase your power level early in the game. The game almost anticipates you do this with some challenging quests that require a higher power level early.

The game does drag around the 20-hour mark. If you are familiar with “Odyssey,” it hits that same snag of ongoing quests that never seem to end, and the world is just so massive it takes too much time to navigate. Getting from one section of the map to another can be a chore if you do not like to travel fast. Riding a horse is a great solution to this, however in England, time will drag in between quests.

“Assassins Creed Valhalla” is a fantastic addition to the franchise and beacon of things to come for next-gen consoles. This checks all the boxes for me as a great game and I will give it a 4/5!