Home Gaming The return of the not-so-hidden blade in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla ties into Viking themes of honour

The return of the not-so-hidden blade in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla ties into Viking themes of honour

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Whether there was a crowded city square, a perfect gargoyle vantage point or even a brief pause between a sword swings, they all had one thing in common in Assassin’s Creed: Those were the perfect moments of opportunity within which to strike hard and fast with a hidden blade, a weapon that had become the trademark tool of the Assassins over many centuries.

That signature weapon and its secret lethality is making a comeback in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, but in a manner which dumps the covert nature of is use for a more overt application. As spotted in the reveal trailer for the game a few weeks ago, protagonist Eivor’s adoption of the weapon favours an in-your-face approach (ouch!), resulting in the blade sitting on top of his forearm instead of secured underneath it for a quick parry. “It is a deliberate decision,” Assassin’s Creed Valhalla narrative director Darby McDevitt explained on Twitter via GameSpot.

It’s something that Eivor feels very strongly about. When he or she gets a hold of this hidden blade, it occurs to Eivor that it would be much more interesting to let people see this weapon, to be conspicuous about it. Vikings were known as having a sense of honour and it was very important that when you killed somebody, that you let people know that you killed them.

Oftentimes, people would not be punished for murder if they had a small justification, like say somebody insulted you. They would not be punished for the murder as long as they admitted to it, as long as they stated openly that ‘Yes, I killed that person because we got into combat.’ And so having the hidden blade visible is actually kind of an extension of that honour. We want this conspicuous aspect of the blade to be reflected in the way that Eivor presents him or herself to the world.

Eivor’s hidden blade will also see the instant-assassination game mechanic return within Assassin’s Creed Valhalla when players trike from the shadows, although Ubisoft has also hinted at this system having a few tricks up its sleeves to make it more interesting. How that blade is used within combat, will most likely be as a combo system similar to how Alexios/Kassandra wielded the Spear of Leonidas whenever they were in a scrap.

Except far more badass, if the first teaser trailer was anything to go by.

Last Updated: June 1, 2020

5 Comments

  1. Ah, finally, a lore-appropriate reason to shout “IN YOUR FACE!” every time you make an epic kill.

    Reply

    • The D

      June 1, 2020 at 11:31

      You’re the worst assassin ever. You’re supposed to shout YOLO before stabbing someone.

      Reply

      • Pariah

        June 1, 2020 at 11:56

        I’d rather stab myself in the face than say “YOLO”. Oddly, I wouldn’t have an issue with squeaking “YEET”.

        Reply

  2. Iskape

    June 1, 2020 at 12:21

    I’m excited for this game, primarily because I am getting Black Flag vibes, although those vibes might be completely wrong.I enjoyed Black Flag tremendously on release. That was the first time we got a naval system that actually worked. I’m assuming there will be sufficient naval battles in this game, considering it is about the Vikings who are known as experienced seafarers.

    Reply

  3. Iskape

    June 1, 2020 at 12:21

    I’m excited for this game, primarily because I am getting Black Flag vibes, although those vibes might be completely wrong.I enjoyed Black Flag tremendously on release. That was the first time we got a naval system that actually worked. I’m assuming there will be sufficient naval battles in this game, considering it is about the Vikings who are known as experienced seafarers.

    Reply

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