Much of the praise for Assassin's Creed Valhalla has revolved around the way it has brought back some classic elements of Assassin's Creed games that have been missing in the last few entries. But does Assassin's Creed Valhalla allow players to assassinate with one-hit kills again? That actually depends on the player's preference.
The Assassin's Creed franchise has been criticized in recent years for leaning away from the stealth aspects that defined the series. Beginning with Assassin's Creed Origins, the games became much more focused on combat and RPG mechanics, such as assigning skill points and weapon abilities. Although the option to sneak into compounds to assassinate targets still existed, players were much more likely to find themselves in face-to-face combat. Assassin's Creed Valhalla has returned some stealth elements that have been missing from more recent Assassin's Creed games, including the ability to blend into crowds to avoid drawing unwanted attention.
One of the defining elements of the Assassin's Creed franchise has always been the assassination of high value targets, often with the signature Assassin weapon, the Hidden Blade. In earlier games, players could instantly kill opponents they snuck up on, including key people in story missions. But as Assassin's Creed leaned into RPG elements, some opponents became harder to kill. While lowly soldiers could often be taken out in one hit, higher-leveled characters would only find a chunk of their health missing after being stabbed with the Hidden Blade.
How to Turn On Guaranteed Assassinations in Assassin's Creed Valhalla
In Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Eivor will wield a Hidden Blade, but how it works depends on the player. The default setting still leaves one-hit kills variable, dependent on an opponent's level. There is the option, however, to turn on a setting called "Guaranteed Assassination." It brings back the mechanic that all assassination attacks with the Hidden Blade are one-hit instant kills. Assassin's Creed Valhalla will warn players that turning this setting on will mean they aren't playing the game as it was designed. For those looking for an experience even closer to the original games, however, this setting will be just the thing for them.
This toggle is just one of many offered in Assassin's Creed Valhalla's menus. Assassin's Creed Valhalla also has three different difficulty settings that can be adjusted independently of each other, allowing players such options as playing with easy combat and very hard stealth, or vice versa. It also allows players to control the information displayed on the compass, and how much gore or nudity they want in the animations. Assassin's Creed Valhalla is the latest game to allow players to tailor challenges to their liking, and the increased inclusion of these options in games is a win for everyone.
How Long Assassin's Creed Valhalla Takes To Beat
Assassin's Creed Valhalla is available on PS4, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, PC and will launch on PS5 on November 12.