Vikings have definitely come back into fashion. The past few years alone have given audiences several movies, TV shows, and video games inspired by these imposing explorers and their mythology. Among the most high-profile titles isAssassin’s Creed Valhalla.
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After depicting numerous different time periods with their historical fiction franchise, Ubisoft broughtthe Assassin Brotherhoodinto the Viking Age in possibly the company’s biggest game to date, adding enough sim elements to keep players busy for hours on end. Finishing such a massive time sink should bring on withdrawal. On the upside, players have plenty of TV shows reminiscent of this medieval epic to tide them over.
10Vikings
Sure, it’s obvious, but that doesn’t mean it’s not fitting. After all, a huge appeal ofValhallais taking a deep dive into therich history and culture of the Vikings.
This show dives much deeper, chronicling the epic saga of Ragnar Lothbrok and his family line. Viewers experience these explorers' first journey west to places like England and Paris. They wage deadly wars for territory, their culture growing and changing as they encounter other religions. After decades of conflict, they must decide what future they hope to build and whether history will sweep them away. It’s truly a love letter to the Vikings and their way of life, and it doesn’t get much more detailed or engrossing than this.
9The Last Kingdom
Assassin’s Creedhas always been about forging one’s own path amidst the most pivotal historical figures and events. That’s been amplified in recent titles with the added RPG elements, and it’s a focus ofThe Last Kingdom.
Born a Saxon lord but raised as a Danish Viking, Uhtred of Bebbanburg seeks to reclaim his home from his traitorous uncle. Along the way, he becomes a key figure in the plans of Alfred the Great, who works to unite the various British territories into one kingdom of England. Despite believing in Alfred’s dream and being honor-bound to serve, Uhtred always looks for mutual benefit. How can these schemes help him? It’s refreshing to see. People naturally adopt the same mindset in a video game, so it wouldn’t be much of a leap.
8Barbarians
Despite its ties to the largerAssassin’s Creedtimeline, much ofValhallaboils down to people from a distant land colonizing a new country and clashing with the inhabitants.
For those still not done with hairy tribesmen and repelling foreign invaders,Barbariansswitches things up with the Viking-esque Germanic people fighting a losing battle against the tyrannical Roman Empire. Each side worships the gods, but this only fuels the predictable culture shock and ideological battle. That’s somethingValhallaplayers know too well, as are the questions of loyalty to a belief or creed. Yeah, it’s well-trodden territory, but that doesn’t mean it’s not trodden well.
7Britannia
Valhallahas some pretty trippy trials to trudge through. Some quests even involvedrinking hallucinogenic potions to travel to distant realms. Though weird, it certainly mixes up the standard fare of a historical tale.
That is whatBritanniaaims to do. While it appears to be another cliched show about foreign invaders conquering a new land, the creators inject a shocking blend of psychedelia into the works. The dialogue is frequently anachronistic, and the characters get high on a regular basis to commune with the gods and druids. Furthermore, these wacky events are often accompanied by songs straight out of ’60s-and-’70s England. For those bored with straight historical drama, this might be worth a shot.
6The Bastard Executioner
With all of the Viking sim elements, it’s easy to forget thatValhallais anAssassin’s Creedgame. This entails some degree of stealth and medieval covert ops. Remember stealth?
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The Bastard Executionernever forgets it. A warrior turned pacifist must infiltrate a castle as its resident executioner, working to gain justice for his slaughtered family and ensure the safety of his subjugated people. There’s ample backstabbing, uneasy alliances with enemies, and forbidden love. Everything revolves around outwitting your enemies without blowing your cover. In short, it has everything that these stealth games have left on the backburner for years.
5Knightfall
Fans were more than familiar with the Templars by the timeValhallarolled around. These religious warriorsare the overarching antagonists of the entire series, waging a secret war with the Assassins for control of the past, present, and future.
Why not see history from the perspective of these noble guardians?Knightfalldepicts the difficult life of the Templar Order. Both masters and initiates find their faith tested as they tirelessly search for the Holy Grail, eventually coming into a deadly conflict with France that threatens their entire existence. Granted, it’s melodramatic, but this helps sell the deep-seated devotion that these men have to not only God but also each other. Suffice it to say, it’s a bit more interesting than the cartoonish villains of the games.
4Da Vinci’s Demons
At first glance,Da Vinci’s Demonsmight seem more appropriate forAssassin’s Creed IIdue to its setting, butValhallahas more than its fair share of historical conspiracies and quests for religious relics.
Grappling with his wandering mind, the famous inventor is swept up in an ancient war between two elusive factions, each wanting to reshape the world in their own design. Not only do he and his comrades weave in and out of the most game-changing events in the Italian Renaissance, but they also venture off the edges of the known map and reality itself, showing viewers a quirky, cerebral side of history that they’ve never seen before. It’s a fun and stylish swashbuckler, and it should easily be familiar toAssassin’s Creedfans. Just replace the Book of Leaves with theApple of Eden or one of the other MacGuffins.
3Game of Thrones
Most ofthe quests inValhallainvolve meddling in the affairs of kings. Players accomplish tasks for several leaders to conquer the various regions of England. It’s no surprise that this draws comparisons to one of the biggest cultural phenomenons in recent memory.
Game of Thronesdeals with political machinations akin to those inValhalla. Rulers rise, fall, and ruthlessly compete for control of the Seven Kingdoms. It’s (initially) more focused on the nitty-gritty aspects and takes place in a fantasy setting instead of a real place, but the subject matter is generally similar. Plus, the sheer number of parties in play is comparable toValhalla’scolossal cast of characters. Sprinkle in a healthy helping of violence and vulgarity, and the result is a show with the same slow-burn brutality that’s informed many an Assassin mission.
2Pillars of the Earth
Assassin’s Creedusually encourages players to renovate in-game properties to boost their income, but this is taken to a new level inValhalla. Over the course of the game, players can build their own Viking village, adding structures and attracting legions of hopeful settlers.
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A similar goal extends throughPillars of the Earth. Although much of it is framed by turmoil between kingdoms, the constant objective for a family and their community is to construct a cathedral. Although that sounds mundane, it works in practice. They’re aware of this project’s ambition, and they accept that not all of them will make it to the end. However, they also know the meaning of such a structure, believing it will stand the test of time as a pillar of faith. That’s the point of building a village: longevity.
1The Witcher
The last fewAssassin’s Creedtitles have thumbed their noses at history and thrown inclashes with mythical monsters. Players are encouraged to find these beasts, and racking up the levels and equipment to slay them is a major milestone in that pursuit.
It’s only fitting that players delve into one of the most famous monster-slaying franchises in recent memory. Titular witcher Geralt wanders from place to place in an unforgiving fantasy world, combatting monsters both beastly and human. He may get swept up in the trials and tribulations of others, but it always comes down to defeating a seemingly insurmountable opponent. It’s a tense and thrilling experience. In-game assassins know plenty about this by now, makingThe Witcheran unexpectedly fitting companion for this long-running series.
