Officially, “side quests” have been struck down and replaced by “world events” in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. So there are technically no side quests anymore. Thankfully, after playing the game, this revelation turned out to be more of a relabeling and less of a reduction.
The new side quests (everyone is still calling them that, so nice try on the rename, Ubisoft) are short and usually accomplished within a minute or two. Much like in the past, players that choose to ignore them will miss out on the operatives behind The Order, over-the-top hilarious moments, and deep, heartfelt connections with new friends.
10 Ledecestrescire Sauce
Culinary history in the making happens before our eyes when Eivor stumbles across a man openly calling himself a stupid fool for not being able to get a certain recipe right. His Ledecesterscire Sauce is a fermented liquid that tastes about like it sounds, even after Eivor gets an eel for him.
The plot might not fit into a traditional category of “best” or “worst” story arc, but it’s funny and lighthearted, especially after you check the man’s basement and see how many failed experiments he’s given it. He then makes plans to move to Worchestershire to invent his sauce. Fun fact: His missing ingredient is anchovy.
9 Sisters Of The Axe
Differences in religious values creates palpable contention in the game on various occasions, but Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is not without touching moments about mending these differences. When Eivor finds a group of nuns, he scoffs at the idea that these “sisters of the cloth” will be able to survive on their own.
With a few tweaks and tricks, you can make Eivor completely overpowered, yet even the best build hardly stacks up to what these nuns are able to do. With no armor and their bare hands, they rip apart a faction of soldiers who stole their artifact. Eivor and the nuns part having gained immense respect for one another.
8 Otta, Son Of Slugga
LA Dodgers fans have something else to celebrate aside from a World Series title this year. First baseman Cody Bellinger actually lent his voice to Assassin’s Creed Valhalla as Otta Sluggasson. To say he was type-casted is not an exaggeration.
The quest is perhaps not as noble as, say, saving orphans, but Eivor deserves an opportunity to challenge this superstar in a game of target practice. You should feel bad for winning, by the way, you get to use a bow and arrow while Sluggarson hits rocks with a bat.
7 Degolas The Beautiful
While tabletop gamers have been working hard on putting Legolas from Lord of the Rings into their Dungeon & Dragons campaigns, the folks at Ubisoft have been also been working on how to put him into Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.
The archer Degolas has filled his family’s home with fecal matter with the explanation that it makes his arrows poisonous. The poop has fermented so that it is not only toxic (Eivor will take damage when breathing it in) but flammable. After clearing out the turds, you then have to track down the archer himself and give him a bath against his will.
6 Have You Seen This Man
Before playing Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, when you think about Norsemen, you might think of stereotypical Vikings getting drunk on mead. After finishing the game, you might be more inclined to think about them getting high on shrooms.
Animal lovers have plenty to love about this game, so Eivor eating mushrooms is not too extraordinary but on one occasion you get high on accident and start talking to animals while chasing down your companion Petra as she teleports all over the place. It’s as zany as it sounds, but it does lead to a major romance option.
5 Of Fist-Dances And Sweaty Oaths
Is it even an action-adventure game if there isn’t an underground bare hands fight club happening underground? Probably not, though players don’t exactly have to uncover much for an invitation to the BBB (Big Burly Brawlers?), the 873 AD equivalent of Fight Club.
Some people recreationally take to fishing in the game, but Vikings are better suited for a good-old-fashioned fistfight. The club is supposed to be closed, but the password is located right outside of the entry. They really need some members, though after you clean their clocks, they immediately regret letting a Viking join their events.
4 The Old Guard
Music is central to the game and is inextricably laced into almost every location and vessel. It’s unavoidable, there’s even a tough main quest called Song of Soma. Following the singing, playing, and dancing is only natural for players in cities, but if you follow your ears, you’ll also find yourself drawn to an island in the river.
The unnamed man has been cast out due to his age. Unable to be a combatant, he’s comfortable spending the rest of his life as an outcast with just the land and his instrument, so he gives you a key to his old home and invites you to take everything. You end up finding his original music sheets and can return them to him.
3 The Last Leaf Of Fall
This is a quest that really lets you choose how you feel like role-playing with Eivor. The dialogue trees of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla are sparse for an RPG but decent for an action-adventure game. In this particular quest, though, you really get to flesh out a major part of Eivor’s character.
On a hill, you come across a child looking at the last autumn leaf on a tree. The girl’s father said he would be back before fall has ended, so she is begging for the leaf to hold on. You can reassure her that her father will come home or you can shoot the leaf down and tell her to grow up.
2 The Silver-Tongued Traitor
It’s not too long into the game when we witness a devastating raid on Eivor’s home, leaving his family and friends devastated and scattered. The few who survived are on a first-name basis with one another and even as they travel overseas, Eivor remembers each of their faces, names, and personalities.
All of them, that is, except Sulke. It’s unclear if Sulke was a traitor to his people, but whether or not his family suffered in the slaughter does not stop him from doing the outrageous; selling the artifacts from the dead by passing them off as holy relics. As you can imagine, Eivor does not take finding these priceless heirlooms mislabeled at an auction very well.
1 An Althing For The Half Crown
Ah, the future raiders of the kingdom. The game takes place in the 9th century, so there is plenty of violence and raiding still on the horizon for the English citizenry. Eivor frequently feels it is his duty to prepare the next generation of children for brutal combat.
In one instance, some children are deciding how to name their club, where to raid, and what to do with their captives. In all three cases, they reach a 3-3 tie and ask for your help in breaking the stalemate. You literally get to shape a future faction of warriors and guide their tactics. That’s pretty cool!
NEXT: 10 Questions We Still Wanted Answered In The Assassin’s Creed Universe
