Xbox Series X/S, and right from the start, writer and developer Darby McDevitt wants to remind fans not to forget about the modern day story. It's easy to get lost in the historical worlds that Assassin's Creed so vividly recreates, but every so often players should step out of the Animus and see what's happening in the "real world."
Although using the Animus to travel back and forth through time is an integral part of the narrative and has been featured in every Assassin's Creed game, it has Ubisoft has finally gotten the message and has fleshed out the modern day world in Assassin's Creed Valhalla.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla narrative director Darby McDevitt tweeted a tip for players on launch day, alluding to there being more to the present day than recent Assassin's Creed games. He advises players who enjoy the modern day to get up and out of the Animus every so often, especially after major events in the main storyline, as McDevitt says Layla's dialogue with her colleagues is updated "quite a few times."
The Animus is a very sci-fi concept in a game about historical stories, and it seems the Assassin's Creed film that was released in 2016 struggled to move the concept from the video games to the screen. Michael Fassbender, who plays the protagonist in the film, TV series about the Assassin's Creed universe will hopefully deliver the concept of the Animus more accurately, and with less theatrical whimsy.
McDevitt conceded that Assassin's Creed Valhalla doesn't wrench the player out of the past very often; rather it seems that the game allows players to jump between past and present at their will. This probably means that many players will avoid the modern day as far as possible. Perhaps players should take McDevitt's advice and hop out of the Animus occasionally to see what Layla and the gang are up to, as it seems there might be something to this storyline this time.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla is available on PC, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and will be available on PS5 at launch.
Source: Darby McDevitt/Twitter
