When Ubisoft showed off Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s gameplay at their recent Ubisoft Forward showcase, one of the things they focused on within the game’s combat was the fact that players would be coming across may different kinds of enemy types- supposedly the most any single Assassin’s Creed game has ever had.
Speaking with GamingBolt in a recent interview, narrative director Darby McDevitt described that in greater detail.
“For the combat system of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, we wanted to reflect the grittiness of the Viking experience, and we paid special attention to the feeling of impact during visceral combat,” he said. “The Vikings could be brutal, but were also versatile fighters, and this is reflected in the great variety of weapons, dual-wielding, and playstyles available to the player. ”
McDevitt explained that there are 25 unique enemy archetypes in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, each of whom have different fighting styles, strengths, and weaknesses. Enemies can also use objects in the environment to their advantage, while some can also adapt to Eivor’s tactics and find new ways to defend themselves.
“Eivor will have to face a great variety of enemies,” McDevitt said. “Not only does Assassin’s Creed Valhalla feature 25 different enemy archetypes, we also implemented a defense system, so players can take advantage of enemies’ weak points to open them up to brutal finishers.
“Each enemy archetype has a unique way of challenging the player. For example, some will have the ability to coordinate with each other for special attacks, while others will use objects in their surroundings to their advantage. Some enemies might even adapt to what players are doing during the fight, and find ways to defend themselves.”
“Enemies will also show their personality during combat,” he added. “Some of them might be intimidated by Eivor and will try to keep the player at bay, while others will be more determined, and will do whatever they can to finish off their target even if it means taking damage themselves.”
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is out on November 17 for the PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Stadia. PS5 and Xbox Series X versions have also been confirmed. Our full interview with McDevitt will be going live soon, so stay tuned for that.
Ubisoft recently released over 30 minutes of gameplay footage of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla – check it out through here.