A decent addition to Eivor's story, providing more of AC Valhalla's core gameplay loop without too much new variation. In fact, some aspects of the campaign are repetitive in that they mirror activities that push the base-game's campaign forward. It tells a serviceable tale set in an interesting period of Irish history, with clever incorporation of notable historic figures. 9th Century Ireland is beautifully brought to life in "Wrath of the Druids," from the Giant's Causeway to Dublin's harbor.
This review contains spoilers
Spoilers only discussed at the very bottom
This is a review of the first Valhalla DLC. For the main review see: https://backloggd.com/u/RedBackLoggd/review/1368448/
For a comprehensive breakdown of the game as a whole, please see: https://backloggd.com/u/RedBackLoggd/review/1368458/
For the second DLC, The Siege of Paris, please see: https://backloggd.com/u/RedBackLoggd/review/1368452/
For the third DLC, Dawn of Ragnarök, please see: https://backloggd.com/u/RedBackLoggd/review/1368455/
For the final story DLC, The Last Chapter, please see: https://backloggd.com/u/RedBackLoggd/review/1368457/
While best known for being Valhalla’s debut DLC, Wrath of the Druids was interesting in that it was also the first time the series indulged in non-sequential add-ons. What do I mean by this? Well, in prior titles, expansion packs followed the template laid out by most AAA games; create a mini-sequels of sorts that was either set after the events of the main game (Hidden Ones, Freedom Cry, Jack the Ripper) or filled-in some gaps during said game (Battle of Forli, Dead Kings).
In keeping with the proto-live service format of Valhalla, though, Wrath of the Druids’ primary purpose was to give players another reason to stay in Ubisoft’s world; thus, to prevent continuity errors/potential confusion from arising, all historical relevance has been tossed out. Wrath of the Druids may take place a year removed from the Battle of Edington, but you’d never know it because nothing is referenced or mentioned, not even in optional stationary, and while this is disappointing, I understand why Ubisoft did it: they were more interested in creating new adventures than pushing forward Eivor’s journey.
The question then is how well does Wrath do in this regard? All cards on the table, not too great. The biggest problem is that it feels less like a unique story and more like a glorified arc, which was not an inherently bad concept given the quality of many of Valhalla’s arcs; however, you guys need to understand, after 50+ hours of playing kingmaker, it was a bit tiring to do so again, especially with the setting being relatively unexceptional. Ireland is inherently indifferent from the fertile English countryside you extensively explored in the base game: rolling green hills, riverbeds tied to waterfalls, cloudy skies, etc…Sure things like rainbows and stone fences add a bit of personalization to the Emerald Isle (though rainbows were later added to the base game); however, it’s fundamentally the same landscapes you’ve already witnessed time-and-time again. And yes, I get that this is probably reflective of the real-life landscape, but perhaps that should’ve been a reason against going with it as a setting in the first place?
Then again, Skye island’s visual similarities were overridden by a strong plot, so perhaps it’s best to explain why I felt Wrath of the Druids faltered in the narrative department. The premise is you’re helping your cousin Barid secure favor with the High King of Ireland Flann so that he may preserve autonomy over his control of Dublin. Making this initiative tough are a cult of druids called the Children of Danu, who are intent on murdering Flann and sowing chaos throughout Ireland, leaving it up to Eivor to save the day.
If you started Wrath early-on in your playthrough of Valhalla, I could understand this tale being appealing. However, anyone who booted it up after completing the base game (as I imagine the majority did given its release date) will notice the eerie similarities to prior arcs: helping out a family member = Snotinghamscire; dealing with a dangerous clan = Glowecestrescire; fighting alongside a King dealing with political turmoil = Eurvicscire, and so forth….I’m not saying there isn’t ANYTHING unique here, it’s just burdened by the thematic familiarities of stories past, and, unfortunately, it’s not as though said unique elements were good enough to outweigh those similitudes.
The presentation of the Children of Danu, for starters, literally reminded me of the presentation of the coven from the first Twilight; a conveniently evil sect at odds with the peace-loving main hippies. You’ll have to hunt down a number of them outside the main story (in another reskinned Cult of Kosmos menu), wherein they’re treated as generic variations of the Order of the Ancients who, worst of all, lack Confession scenes that could’ve at least expanded upon the motivations of individual members (particularly aggravating given that The Hidden Ones DLC from AC Origins still had Confessions).
Other miscellaneous abandoned plot points include Barid’s son Sichfrith being at odds with his father only for this conflict to be tossed aside when he disappears (until the third act), and the Druids drawing their power from the Lia Fáil without a single explanation given for the stone’s power (not even a lazy Isu lore drop). In addition, a big quandary props up in the last third of the game wherein the writers evidently struggled to come up with a logical reason for extending the playtime and pulled out a nonsense plot twist from the blue.+
Don’t get me wrong, Wrath of the Druids’ story is enjoyable enough. It’s nice to spend extra time with characters you’d normally be one-and-done-with in an hour or two, and while they’re not particularly fleshed out, it does lead to the Fi Effect of you enjoying their company more than you normally would’ve courtesy of their extensive screen presence. But if you’re going in expecting something on par with past AC DLCs as far a deeper yarn or continuation of Eivor’s odyssey, you’re going to be disappointed. Heck, I wouldn’t be surprised if Wrath was originally meant to be a part of the vanilla game that Ubi had to scrap courtesy of time constraints.
Of course, with all of Ireland at your behest, you’re going to be doing more than just partaking in the campaign. In terms of side content, Wrath of the Druids hearkens back to AC Brotherhood via bringing back the renovation system and pigeon coop contracts. You’ll frequently come across tradeposts, have to retrieve their deeds, and then rebuild their various structures; doing so generates resources needed for contracts back in Dublin, the fulfillment of which grant rewards and increase the city’s notoriety. Just like with Brotherhood, it’s a very simple mechanic, and just like with Brotherhood, I loved it. Maybe it’s the old dopamine theory of short successes causing a positive feedback loop, but it made completing such endeavors worth the repetition. Unfortunately, yet again similar to Brotherhood, there are simply not enough things to spend money on, meaning you’ll cap out pretty quickly (leaving three evergreen commissions you can reap for infinite money ala ACB’s banks).
Besides that, new enemy types have been built to spice-up combat, the lion’s share of these being Druids. You’ll often face them inside clouds of hallucinogenic gas that amplify their speed and weaponry to supernatural levels, and while you’ll most likely be overleveled, some of these fights can actually pack a challenge, particularly in certain mysteries where you’re unable to stealth them. Werewolves are perhaps the most interesting archetype; chimeric visions of standard wolves inside the aforementioned mist. Pray you get the drop on them before said transformation, otherwise you’re in for a brawl!
Sadly, that’s about it as far as the side content. While you’re getting more than your buck’s worth, I can’t help feeling more could have been done. There’re no world events, no flytings, no tombs, and only a single legendary animal. Sure, you’ve got armor sets to loot, but at that point in your playtime they’re effectively meaningless besides being new aesthetic skins (and half of them don’t even have alternate versions when upgraded).
Voice-wise, Ubisoft went out and hired actual Gaelic-sounding VAs for the new cast, though their performances are hit-or-miss. Flann and Barid come out looking great, while a number of the other Irish Kings, as well as Sichfrith, falter under standard NPC mediocrity. Ciara, a poetess and Druid working for Flann, is the deuteragonist of the DLC and feels just as anachronistic as past female characters in this franchise; another one of those strong independent women capable of speaking her mind without getting thrown in jail. She’s brought to life by a singer named Julie Fowlis, and it becomes quite clear Fowlis was chosen primarily for her musical capabilities as, while her solo contributions to the OST are absolutely mesmerizing, she’s mixed as far as acting out Ciara’s more more emotional moments (succeeding at the playful c%cktease, but not so much with the angrier witch).
If there’s one thing Wrath of the Druids does objectively better than Valhalla, it’s the music. I found Max Aruj and Einar Selvik’s compositions to be more memorable than the base game’s due to a consistent Gaelic/Norse hybrid motif that encompassed synths, drums, and orchestral chords alike. Its biggest downside is it tends to suffer from the Call of Duty problem of sound mixers drowning out melodies with louder background beats (makes for a good action scene at the expense of memorability).
But yeah, there’s not much else to say. Wrath of the Druids is a fine diversion that ultimately pales in comparison to the standards of prior AC expansion packs. You won’t regret playing it, yet probably won’t take much from it.
NOTES
-Wrath of the Druids unfortunately has a lot of Valhalla’s technical shortcomings in droves. I don’t think a single mocapped scene was made here, the animators instead relying on the body motion algorithm that sees every character cross their arms like they’re trying to cover their nipples in the cold. The handicapped cloth physics are also on pristine display when large gusts of wind fail to move Eivor’s (or anyone else’s) cloak.
-Was not a fan of Ubisoft ascribing the ballad “Flann over Ireland” to a fictional character (Ciara) when it had a real-life poetess (Máel Muire Othain).
-Ciara is, tragically, subject to one of the most laughably bad consummation scenes in the franchise (which is saying something given the low quality ones in Odyssey).
-The OST is a bit of a cheat since it features three variations of the same exact song.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
-
SPOILERS
+After beating one of the main Children of Danu elders, the cult is effectively taken out of the picture….until Eivor learns that the abbot sent to oversee the adjudication of power is actually the leader of the group, having been using them in his opposition to Flann’s unification of pagans and Christians alike. This could’ve made for a decent revelation, but the way it’s thrown into the game comes across as a haphazard plot twist meant to artificially elongate the story. The Abbot’s motivations are hypocritical, it’s never revealed how he enlisted/learned of the Children (he has intimate knowledge of Ciara’s former role too), and his replacement plan for Flann is never laid out.
Following the disposal of the Children of Danu, Flann and the other kings opt to institute an inquisition to purge the country of pagans through forced conversions/exiles. It’s a fascinating development that’s sadly rushed and reduced to a simple boss fight with Ciara as she (rightfully) goes apesh!t as the prospect of her people being pogrommed, after which Flann magically decides to reverse course on the decision. Had this occurred instead of the Abbot twist and been expanded upon the way the anti-witch riots were at the end of the second Witcher, Wrath could’ve finished on a high note. As it stands, you get standard AC flair.
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
--
--
--
-
-
-
-
-
--
--
--
-
-
-
-
-
--
--
--
-
-
-
-
-
--
--
--
-
-
-
-
-
--
--
--
-
-
-
-
-
--
-
This is a review of the first Valhalla DLC. For the main review see: https://backloggd.com/u/RedBackLoggd/review/1368448/
For a comprehensive breakdown of the game as a whole, please see: https://backloggd.com/u/RedBackLoggd/review/1368458/
For the second DLC, The Siege of Paris, please see: https://backloggd.com/u/RedBackLoggd/review/1368452/
For the third DLC, Dawn of Ragnarök, please see: https://backloggd.com/u/RedBackLoggd/review/1368455/
For the final story DLC, The Last Chapter, please see: https://backloggd.com/u/RedBackLoggd/review/1368457/
While best known for being Valhalla’s debut DLC, Wrath of the Druids was interesting in that it was also the first time the series indulged in non-sequential add-ons. What do I mean by this? Well, in prior titles, expansion packs followed the template laid out by most AAA games; create a mini-sequels of sorts that was either set after the events of the main game (Hidden Ones, Freedom Cry, Jack the Ripper) or filled-in some gaps during said game (Battle of Forli, Dead Kings).
In keeping with the proto-live service format of Valhalla, though, Wrath of the Druids’ primary purpose was to give players another reason to stay in Ubisoft’s world; thus, to prevent continuity errors/potential confusion from arising, all historical relevance has been tossed out. Wrath of the Druids may take place a year removed from the Battle of Edington, but you’d never know it because nothing is referenced or mentioned, not even in optional stationary, and while this is disappointing, I understand why Ubisoft did it: they were more interested in creating new adventures than pushing forward Eivor’s journey.
The question then is how well does Wrath do in this regard? All cards on the table, not too great. The biggest problem is that it feels less like a unique story and more like a glorified arc, which was not an inherently bad concept given the quality of many of Valhalla’s arcs; however, you guys need to understand, after 50+ hours of playing kingmaker, it was a bit tiring to do so again, especially with the setting being relatively unexceptional. Ireland is inherently indifferent from the fertile English countryside you extensively explored in the base game: rolling green hills, riverbeds tied to waterfalls, cloudy skies, etc…Sure things like rainbows and stone fences add a bit of personalization to the Emerald Isle (though rainbows were later added to the base game); however, it’s fundamentally the same landscapes you’ve already witnessed time-and-time again. And yes, I get that this is probably reflective of the real-life landscape, but perhaps that should’ve been a reason against going with it as a setting in the first place?
Then again, Skye island’s visual similarities were overridden by a strong plot, so perhaps it’s best to explain why I felt Wrath of the Druids faltered in the narrative department. The premise is you’re helping your cousin Barid secure favor with the High King of Ireland Flann so that he may preserve autonomy over his control of Dublin. Making this initiative tough are a cult of druids called the Children of Danu, who are intent on murdering Flann and sowing chaos throughout Ireland, leaving it up to Eivor to save the day.
If you started Wrath early-on in your playthrough of Valhalla, I could understand this tale being appealing. However, anyone who booted it up after completing the base game (as I imagine the majority did given its release date) will notice the eerie similarities to prior arcs: helping out a family member = Snotinghamscire; dealing with a dangerous clan = Glowecestrescire; fighting alongside a King dealing with political turmoil = Eurvicscire, and so forth….I’m not saying there isn’t ANYTHING unique here, it’s just burdened by the thematic familiarities of stories past, and, unfortunately, it’s not as though said unique elements were good enough to outweigh those similitudes.
The presentation of the Children of Danu, for starters, literally reminded me of the presentation of the coven from the first Twilight; a conveniently evil sect at odds with the peace-loving main hippies. You’ll have to hunt down a number of them outside the main story (in another reskinned Cult of Kosmos menu), wherein they’re treated as generic variations of the Order of the Ancients who, worst of all, lack Confession scenes that could’ve at least expanded upon the motivations of individual members (particularly aggravating given that The Hidden Ones DLC from AC Origins still had Confessions).
Other miscellaneous abandoned plot points include Barid’s son Sichfrith being at odds with his father only for this conflict to be tossed aside when he disappears (until the third act), and the Druids drawing their power from the Lia Fáil without a single explanation given for the stone’s power (not even a lazy Isu lore drop). In addition, a big quandary props up in the last third of the game wherein the writers evidently struggled to come up with a logical reason for extending the playtime and pulled out a nonsense plot twist from the blue.+
Don’t get me wrong, Wrath of the Druids’ story is enjoyable enough. It’s nice to spend extra time with characters you’d normally be one-and-done-with in an hour or two, and while they’re not particularly fleshed out, it does lead to the Fi Effect of you enjoying their company more than you normally would’ve courtesy of their extensive screen presence. But if you’re going in expecting something on par with past AC DLCs as far a deeper yarn or continuation of Eivor’s odyssey, you’re going to be disappointed. Heck, I wouldn’t be surprised if Wrath was originally meant to be a part of the vanilla game that Ubi had to scrap courtesy of time constraints.
Of course, with all of Ireland at your behest, you’re going to be doing more than just partaking in the campaign. In terms of side content, Wrath of the Druids hearkens back to AC Brotherhood via bringing back the renovation system and pigeon coop contracts. You’ll frequently come across tradeposts, have to retrieve their deeds, and then rebuild their various structures; doing so generates resources needed for contracts back in Dublin, the fulfillment of which grant rewards and increase the city’s notoriety. Just like with Brotherhood, it’s a very simple mechanic, and just like with Brotherhood, I loved it. Maybe it’s the old dopamine theory of short successes causing a positive feedback loop, but it made completing such endeavors worth the repetition. Unfortunately, yet again similar to Brotherhood, there are simply not enough things to spend money on, meaning you’ll cap out pretty quickly (leaving three evergreen commissions you can reap for infinite money ala ACB’s banks).
Besides that, new enemy types have been built to spice-up combat, the lion’s share of these being Druids. You’ll often face them inside clouds of hallucinogenic gas that amplify their speed and weaponry to supernatural levels, and while you’ll most likely be overleveled, some of these fights can actually pack a challenge, particularly in certain mysteries where you’re unable to stealth them. Werewolves are perhaps the most interesting archetype; chimeric visions of standard wolves inside the aforementioned mist. Pray you get the drop on them before said transformation, otherwise you’re in for a brawl!
Sadly, that’s about it as far as the side content. While you’re getting more than your buck’s worth, I can’t help feeling more could have been done. There’re no world events, no flytings, no tombs, and only a single legendary animal. Sure, you’ve got armor sets to loot, but at that point in your playtime they’re effectively meaningless besides being new aesthetic skins (and half of them don’t even have alternate versions when upgraded).
Voice-wise, Ubisoft went out and hired actual Gaelic-sounding VAs for the new cast, though their performances are hit-or-miss. Flann and Barid come out looking great, while a number of the other Irish Kings, as well as Sichfrith, falter under standard NPC mediocrity. Ciara, a poetess and Druid working for Flann, is the deuteragonist of the DLC and feels just as anachronistic as past female characters in this franchise; another one of those strong independent women capable of speaking her mind without getting thrown in jail. She’s brought to life by a singer named Julie Fowlis, and it becomes quite clear Fowlis was chosen primarily for her musical capabilities as, while her solo contributions to the OST are absolutely mesmerizing, she’s mixed as far as acting out Ciara’s more more emotional moments (succeeding at the playful c%cktease, but not so much with the angrier witch).
If there’s one thing Wrath of the Druids does objectively better than Valhalla, it’s the music. I found Max Aruj and Einar Selvik’s compositions to be more memorable than the base game’s due to a consistent Gaelic/Norse hybrid motif that encompassed synths, drums, and orchestral chords alike. Its biggest downside is it tends to suffer from the Call of Duty problem of sound mixers drowning out melodies with louder background beats (makes for a good action scene at the expense of memorability).
But yeah, there’s not much else to say. Wrath of the Druids is a fine diversion that ultimately pales in comparison to the standards of prior AC expansion packs. You won’t regret playing it, yet probably won’t take much from it.
NOTES
-Wrath of the Druids unfortunately has a lot of Valhalla’s technical shortcomings in droves. I don’t think a single mocapped scene was made here, the animators instead relying on the body motion algorithm that sees every character cross their arms like they’re trying to cover their nipples in the cold. The handicapped cloth physics are also on pristine display when large gusts of wind fail to move Eivor’s (or anyone else’s) cloak.
-Was not a fan of Ubisoft ascribing the ballad “Flann over Ireland” to a fictional character (Ciara) when it had a real-life poetess (Máel Muire Othain).
-Ciara is, tragically, subject to one of the most laughably bad consummation scenes in the franchise (which is saying something given the low quality ones in Odyssey).
-The OST is a bit of a cheat since it features three variations of the same exact song.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
-
SPOILERS
+After beating one of the main Children of Danu elders, the cult is effectively taken out of the picture….until Eivor learns that the abbot sent to oversee the adjudication of power is actually the leader of the group, having been using them in his opposition to Flann’s unification of pagans and Christians alike. This could’ve made for a decent revelation, but the way it’s thrown into the game comes across as a haphazard plot twist meant to artificially elongate the story. The Abbot’s motivations are hypocritical, it’s never revealed how he enlisted/learned of the Children (he has intimate knowledge of Ciara’s former role too), and his replacement plan for Flann is never laid out.
Following the disposal of the Children of Danu, Flann and the other kings opt to institute an inquisition to purge the country of pagans through forced conversions/exiles. It’s a fascinating development that’s sadly rushed and reduced to a simple boss fight with Ciara as she (rightfully) goes apesh!t as the prospect of her people being pogrommed, after which Flann magically decides to reverse course on the decision. Had this occurred instead of the Abbot twist and been expanded upon the way the anti-witch riots were at the end of the second Witcher, Wrath could’ve finished on a high note. As it stands, you get standard AC flair.
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
--
--
--
-
-
-
-
-
--
--
--
-
-
-
-
-
--
--
--
-
-
-
-
-
--
--
--
-
-
-
-
-
--
--
--
-
-
-
-
-
--
-
fun level design and story
(Review from Oct 2021) The expansion is fine. It’s just more Valhalla. The core gameplay is still decent but the map still has a few too many things and the story was just fine. Hoping they do something more interesting with the next one!
Exactamente más de lo mismo que te ofrecía Valhalla.
Me ha gustado, eso sí, el sistema de generar recursos de manera pasiva mientras conquistas y mejoras algunos asentamientos.
No está mal, pero claro, te tienes que haber quedado con ganas de más para disfrutarlo.
Me ha gustado, eso sí, el sistema de generar recursos de manera pasiva mientras conquistas y mejoras algunos asentamientos.
No está mal, pero claro, te tienes que haber quedado con ganas de más para disfrutarlo.
valhalla dlc meh
This review contains spoilers
Ireland
Dublin
Donnegal
Dublin
Donnegal
Same, same really. Grinding with a decent story. Fun combat, cool new items.
It feels likena full Ubisoft game, not in a good way. Long, repetitive and tedious design that takes the worst of the main game and just set it on a different island.
mercifully short
the main romantic interest is scottish don't believe the game's lies
the main romantic interest is scottish don't believe the game's lies
the expansion is inoffensive but a bit uninspired. it's disappointing that it didn't follow up on the interesting twist from the end of the base game. i do like a few of the characters introduced, but none of the new mechanics do anything interesting.
Una ambientación muy chula bastante desaprovechada con una expansión que no hace nada más que darte más horas de juego.
Está bien si quieres eso, más horas de juego, pero no innova en absoluto en ningún aspecto y es una lástima.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Great setting, but quite underused in an expansion that does little more than giving you extra hours of gameplay.
It's fine if you want that, more hours of gameplay, but it does absolutely nothing new and it's a shame.
Está bien si quieres eso, más horas de juego, pero no innova en absoluto en ningún aspecto y es una lástima.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Great setting, but quite underused in an expansion that does little more than giving you extra hours of gameplay.
It's fine if you want that, more hours of gameplay, but it does absolutely nothing new and it's a shame.
With a 70-hour campaign that roughly doubles in length when going for a map-clearing completionist run, Assassin's Creed: Valhalla did not need more content. It was both bursting at the seams with stuff to do and also ironically filled with a ton of dead, empty space. Wrath of the Druids, its first expansion, brings yet another underwhelming green landmass to explore and suffers from a lot of the issues from the main game, but it’s a more digestible portion of a passable RPG.
Read the full review here:
https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/681225-assassins-creed-valhalla-wrath-of-the-druids-dlc-review-ps5-xbox-series-x-pc
Read the full review here:
https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/681225-assassins-creed-valhalla-wrath-of-the-druids-dlc-review-ps5-xbox-series-x-pc
Tho I loved the characters I didn't really care for the Druids and I truely hated traversing the terrain to be honest. Ireland should've been a beautiful green dream, but it was quite the sh*thole. Still, I had some more AC Valhalla which was awesome!
A nice map to explore but not extraordinary in any way.
Mto massa vc visitar a Irlanda e a nova mecanica do comércio é bem interessante. No mais, é mais do mesmo, a historia é OK, porem tenho a impressão que a batalha final poderia facilmente ser resolvida com uma conversa, achei meio forçado.
É legalzinha essa DLC, mas é mais do mesmo. Única personagem interessante é a Ciara mas não foi bem aproveitada.
pelo amor de deus acaba
Played on PS5
Playtime: 13-14 Hours
Completion Date: October 2, 2022
No Spoilers For the DLC or the Main Game
What Valhalla Should Have Been
Well, if you don't know, I also reviewed the main game of AC Valhalla and I talked a lot about how I hated it. I gave it a 5/10 because while I liked the core gameplay systems like the combat, I really didn't enjoy the main story or the side stuff. It was also way too long.
Wrath of the Druids is like, the opposite of Valhalla. It's short, dense, packed with great stories including a very good main one with some very solid characters. So ok, here is the story.
Eivor gets a new visitor in Ravensthorpe, this new visitor says she came from Ireland and that Eivor's cousin Barid needs help. Eivor agrees and the journey begins. Don't want to spoil anything so this is the summary you get.
The story here is a classic Viking story, but it's been crafted really nicely. This is mostly thanks to characters and atmosphere. Characters first. Eivor still doesn't have much of a character. But the supporting cast does.
Our cousin Barid is definitely one of the highlights. We see him a lot. We see his relationship with some other characters. He has a clear story arc with a beginning, middle and end which is something we should congratulate Ubisoft for, the main game had nothing like this.
We have a poet character called Ciara. Her story is a bit predictable but as a bridge between the Ireland and Children of Danu story, she is pretty good. Also, her story being predictable doesn't eliminate the fact that her story can be good. And it is.
Flann is an important character but he could have used more screen time. While Azar starts out like a main character, she quickly becomes a side one though that is not something bad because her side story is a nice one.
I mentioned "Children of Danu", but never explained it. Basically, it's another order filled with 10 people you need to kill. Every single one of them except the leader has no story development at all. At least the leader of this group is a surprise character. Something I couldn't predict.
It's a cool twist but in classic Ubisoft style, they do nothing with that character. They just reveal that it's the leader and you kill it. The other nice thing is the atmosphere. Ireland is much more colorful and there is a nice dose of mystery in these lands. Loved that.
Main story missions are fine, stealth works a bit better thanks to some better level design but that awareness thing is still broken. Combat is nice with a new weapon type and a few new skills and abilities. There are werewolves in this game, yes.
And they are not easy. They are not super hard but I definitely felt like they were more aggressive and they hit harder than a normal enemy. About their origins, I won't say anything. But it's the thing that probably most people predicted.
One final thing, then we move on to the technical stuff. This DLC includes a new mechanic, trading. The character named Azar will help you with this new mechanic. Basically, you capture some trading posts. These are like smaller settlements. Each of these has 3 upgrades waiting for you. The resource for those upgrades can be earned with raiding.
Each of these posts crafts one of the new currencies of the DLC. They have a timer. You will use these to trade. If you want to get more of them without waiting for the crafting process, pigeon coop's are back. These spawn random quests. Random means there are like 7,8 of them and you repeat them.
And each of these has side objectives. Like don't get seen. Or take no damage. Stealth is broken so these side objectives are broken too. Completing these random missions gives you one or two of those currencies. A nice amount of them.
Completing the side objectives gives you even more. I did 10 to get the trophy and never done them again. Technical stuff, ok. I already mentioned that I liked the atmosphere. I also think that character models are nice. At least the main ones. All children still has the same face.
On PS5, in performance mode, it works nicely. No frame drops or anything. Of course, as another Ubisoft classic, it has bugs. Still. 2 years after the main game launched and almost 1.5 years after this DLC launched. And yeah, I think it's verdict time.
Wrath of the Druids is the Viking Assassin's Creed game Ubisoft said they were making. A nice 8-10 hour story focusing on a small number of characters, really good ones, a beautiful new area and a bunch of minor additions to the combat makes this the ultimate Viking experience I was waiting from the main game. Can't recommend this enough.
Playtime: 13-14 Hours
Completion Date: October 2, 2022
No Spoilers For the DLC or the Main Game
What Valhalla Should Have Been
Well, if you don't know, I also reviewed the main game of AC Valhalla and I talked a lot about how I hated it. I gave it a 5/10 because while I liked the core gameplay systems like the combat, I really didn't enjoy the main story or the side stuff. It was also way too long.
Wrath of the Druids is like, the opposite of Valhalla. It's short, dense, packed with great stories including a very good main one with some very solid characters. So ok, here is the story.
Eivor gets a new visitor in Ravensthorpe, this new visitor says she came from Ireland and that Eivor's cousin Barid needs help. Eivor agrees and the journey begins. Don't want to spoil anything so this is the summary you get.
The story here is a classic Viking story, but it's been crafted really nicely. This is mostly thanks to characters and atmosphere. Characters first. Eivor still doesn't have much of a character. But the supporting cast does.
Our cousin Barid is definitely one of the highlights. We see him a lot. We see his relationship with some other characters. He has a clear story arc with a beginning, middle and end which is something we should congratulate Ubisoft for, the main game had nothing like this.
We have a poet character called Ciara. Her story is a bit predictable but as a bridge between the Ireland and Children of Danu story, she is pretty good. Also, her story being predictable doesn't eliminate the fact that her story can be good. And it is.
Flann is an important character but he could have used more screen time. While Azar starts out like a main character, she quickly becomes a side one though that is not something bad because her side story is a nice one.
I mentioned "Children of Danu", but never explained it. Basically, it's another order filled with 10 people you need to kill. Every single one of them except the leader has no story development at all. At least the leader of this group is a surprise character. Something I couldn't predict.
It's a cool twist but in classic Ubisoft style, they do nothing with that character. They just reveal that it's the leader and you kill it. The other nice thing is the atmosphere. Ireland is much more colorful and there is a nice dose of mystery in these lands. Loved that.
Main story missions are fine, stealth works a bit better thanks to some better level design but that awareness thing is still broken. Combat is nice with a new weapon type and a few new skills and abilities. There are werewolves in this game, yes.
And they are not easy. They are not super hard but I definitely felt like they were more aggressive and they hit harder than a normal enemy. About their origins, I won't say anything. But it's the thing that probably most people predicted.
One final thing, then we move on to the technical stuff. This DLC includes a new mechanic, trading. The character named Azar will help you with this new mechanic. Basically, you capture some trading posts. These are like smaller settlements. Each of these has 3 upgrades waiting for you. The resource for those upgrades can be earned with raiding.
Each of these posts crafts one of the new currencies of the DLC. They have a timer. You will use these to trade. If you want to get more of them without waiting for the crafting process, pigeon coop's are back. These spawn random quests. Random means there are like 7,8 of them and you repeat them.
And each of these has side objectives. Like don't get seen. Or take no damage. Stealth is broken so these side objectives are broken too. Completing these random missions gives you one or two of those currencies. A nice amount of them.
Completing the side objectives gives you even more. I did 10 to get the trophy and never done them again. Technical stuff, ok. I already mentioned that I liked the atmosphere. I also think that character models are nice. At least the main ones. All children still has the same face.
On PS5, in performance mode, it works nicely. No frame drops or anything. Of course, as another Ubisoft classic, it has bugs. Still. 2 years after the main game launched and almost 1.5 years after this DLC launched. And yeah, I think it's verdict time.
Wrath of the Druids is the Viking Assassin's Creed game Ubisoft said they were making. A nice 8-10 hour story focusing on a small number of characters, really good ones, a beautiful new area and a bunch of minor additions to the combat makes this the ultimate Viking experience I was waiting from the main game. Can't recommend this enough.
achei muito repetitivo algumas partes, segue uma linha padrão da história, não sei explicar, o maior diferencial dele pra mim foi a personagem da Ciara, que é uma personagem muito boa, carrega a DLC nas costas, esperava mais eu acho, mas ainda assim é uma boa DLC, Irlanda é visualmente incrível não tem o que falar, mas a batalha mais marcante é com certeza na parte da púca com os druídas.
Unfortunately feels like a needless and rushed piece of DLC - the story pacing is all over the place, without much payoff & is extremely disconnected with the rest of the world Valhalla created. Ireland feels just like England and the enemies are just reskinned but with added poison. Not worth the price of admission.
The Wrath of the Druids DLC for Assassin's Creed Valhalla was just more of the "same old, same old" from Ubisoft. Ireland didn't feel unique, the story outside the main villain wasn't interesting and the quests just felt like they were designed to keep the player "busy."
Not worth playing unless you're a hardcore Assassin's Creed fan.
Not worth playing unless you're a hardcore Assassin's Creed fan.
Ireland is indistinguishable from England. The combat for this game is incredibly boring. More of the same side content except without any of the unique "mystery" side missions. This could've just been another region of the main game, and would've been one of the weaker ones.
Would you believe me if I said somehow this game get's worse? Why the fuck do I even bother with Ubisoft DLCs at this point tbh
Pretty disappointing and short, kinda wasted the setting which wouldve been interesting