Assassin’s Creed Valhallais the twelfth major entry to thehighly successful and immensely popular franchise. Like manyAssassin’s Creedgames before it,Assassin’s Creed Valhalladoes its best to be ashistorically accurateas possible, and for the most part, it does its job very well.
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Ubisoft doesn’t take historical accuracy lightly, and while there are a few things about the gamemany considers inaccurate, this is mostly only done for artistic liberty. On the other side, however, it is incredibly impressive how Ubisoft Montreal made this game out to be as accurate as possible, especiallywhere the Vikings are concerned.
10Currency
The currency inAssassin’s Creed Valhallais as accurate as they come. While the previous games of the franchise were a little bit more gimmicky with how they handled currencies, the one in this game actually holds true in real life.
Vikings generally had no grasp of how currencies worked, initially, and they simply used silver and based its value on its weight. The English did a similar form of trade as well, so both groups of people were able to exchange currencies easily. They called these pieces of silver “pennies.”
9Choice Of Weapons
Eivor’s main weapon of choice, or at least, how they’re portrayed in early gameplay footages and trailers, is the axe. This holds true for most Viking warriors at the time, with many wielding an axe on their main arm and a shield on the other.
A few warriors wielded the sword, mainly because crafting it was super expensive. Those who did have the wealth to wield one simply carried it around sheathed as a testament to their wealth rather than being their main weapon of choice in combat.
8Gender Roles
Many researchers and scholars now know for a fact that the Vikings were, in their own way, more progressive than other tribes and groups of warriors of days past. Viking warriors and raiders weren’t exclusive to males, they were open to females as well.
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Despite this, however, Scandanavia still mainly adhered to a patriarchal household. Most family heads consisted of men, tribe leaders, and thrones were generally sat on by kings instead of queens, which is portrayed accurately in the game.
7How Vikings Invaded
One aspect inAssassin’s Creed Valhallathat holds true according to historical accounts is how the Vikings managed to get ahold ofmost of Englandat one point in time.
In the game, Eivor is tasked to conquer, or at least gain allies all over England. By the end of the game, Eivor will have conquered most of England, which actually mirrors the time the Vikings held control of most of London and its surrounding areas for a time until the English retrieved their territory back.
6Monastery Raids
Monasteries are the Raven Clan’s favorite raid locations. They raid so many monasteries in the game that one would be forgiven if they believed that this is nothing more than artistic license the studio did to add further emphasize exploration.
As it turns out, Christian monasteries actually were hotspots for Viking raids. These holy areas held many items and equipment that were deemed highly valuable at the time, and the Vikings knew this and took advantage of it.
5Longships
One thing the latestAssassin’s Creedgames absolutely nailed in terms of gameplay is the naval exploration. While the boats in this game is nowhere near as grand and comprehensive as its predecessors, it remains significant for its historical accuracy.
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Viking longboats in real life look almost exactly like the ones found in the game. Like the ones in the game as well, they were capable of navigating through both narrow rivers and open waters with just a small number of crew.
4Longhouses
The chosen household of the Viking elites is the longhouse. A tall, narrow, and long architecture made of timber frames and thatched roofs. They look absolutely pleasant and gorgeous in the game, and their design is almost an accurate representation of how they look in real life.
Perhaps one of the few things the game steers away from its historical counterpart is how big they actually are in the game. Aside from that, it’s considered to be highly accurate, even the one where they place hidden tunnels in case of unexpected invasions.
3Peasant Armies
A peasant army is something many kings and ealdormen in the game call upon whenever they need more foot soldiers for an invasion. Eivor and his companions will often call to the masses and appeal to their faith and loyalty, and most of the time, they will answer the call to arms.
Peasant armies, of Fyrds as they’re called, were common in the early Anglo-Saxon era, right around the time period the game is set. Fyrd armies, like the one in the game, are often called upon to protect their homeland and they’re generally urged to bring their own weapons to the battlefield.
2Worship Of The Norse Gods
The Norsemen of old were nothing but incredibly dutiful towards their gods. Many of the things they did, they owed to a certain god. They called to Odin or Thor in times of war, they prayed to Freyr for a bountiful harvest, they longed Tyr’s guidance when it came to handing down justice, and more.
In the game, Eivor and his Viking compatriots are often seen or heard praying to Odin, especially come battle time. They will often appeal to the gods for victory, and claim lands in their name.
1Berserkers
Berserkers are fearless and terrifying warriors who fought with incredible bloodlust. These kinds of warriors are different from most Viking combatants as they are thought to have no sense of self-preservation. Their use of dual-wielding instead of having a shield on one hand is a testament to this sentiment.
In the game, there are actually types of enemies labeled “Berserkers” and they are the exact mirrors of their historical counterparts. They wield dual axes instead of having a shield on one arm. One of thegame’s side characters, Ivar, was actually thought to be a Berserker, which makes sense considering his demeanor in the game.
