The Assassin's Creed Valhalla gameplay trailer dropped during the Xbox 20/20 May presentation and showed off the first look at what actually playing the game will look like. The Xbox 20/20 May presentation was a stacked event that unveiled footage of 13 different games but, with advance knowledge, fans were all waiting for the true star of the show in Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Ubisoft's upcoming entry into its popular franchise that will star vikings for the first time ever.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla is a departure from what fans might normally expect from Ubisoft's game, since it will be set in a much different time period and environment. Fans already got a look at the game's protagonist, Eivor, earlier this week, with follow-up confirmation that the character will be able to be customized as either a male or female hero. The series will also be leaning heavier into RPG elements, featuring a viking settlement that will be the central location in the story that will develop out as players accomplish different tasks - on top of the systems that will inevitably be iterated on after Assassin's Creed Odyssey.
The Assassin's Creed Valhalla gameplay trailer didn't show off a ton that fans didn't already know the game would feature, but it did demonstrate some truly impressive graphics chops. The trailer also hinted at a few different gameplay elements in Assassin's Creed Valhalla, though all of them were just glimpses that only teased rather than showcased. There were some axes being thrown, a raven familiar flying around the battlefield briefly, and some highlights of the rafters of some viking settlements that seems to indicate that the assassination element of Assassin's Creed won't be departing just because vikings are more well-known for their prowess out in the open.
It was a pretty light look at a game that's already gotten cinematic trailers. The Assassin's Creed Valhalla gameplay trailer was a first look at the game, but it's pretty clear it was never intended to demonstrate anything meaningful about the game. Instead, it's meant to tease fans a little bit more in the build-up to a heavily anticipated locale and story involving vikings. It also reinforced the idea that Assassin's Creed Valhalla will have smart delivery on Xbox.
Still, with so much anticipation directed at Assassin's Creed Valhalla's gameplay trailer debut, it's a little disappointing that it was so unbelievably short. It would be one thing if the game had just been a part of the Xbox 20/20 May presentation, but it was positioned as though it would be a central piece in the puzzle. While the game still looks absolutely beautiful, that was never in question - what is, even after the Assassin's Creed Valhalla gameplay first look, is how the game actually plays.
Source: Inside Xbox May 20/20