Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is an absolutely massive game. There’s so much to do, so many icons to find, and so many puzzles to solve that it seems almost impossible that you’d complete everything and still want more. In classic Assassin’s Creed fashion, however, more you shall receive. The first major DLC, entitled Wrath of the Druids, is out now, and it allows you to continue your artifact collecting and head-removing exploits in yet another new location: Ireland.
It’s a fascinating new setting that isn’t terribly different from the hills and forests of England that make up most of the base game. However, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Wrath of the Druids offers just enough of a new spin on things to make us want to lace up Eivor’s boots and go raiding once again.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Wrath of the Druids DLC Review — Exploring the Emerald Isle
Once you’ve got the DLC installed, you’ll receive a prompt about some new visitors at your clan’s camp. Upon arrival, you’ll meet a few new faces and learn that Eivor has a connection to the power struggle that’s taking place in Ireland. A few intro quests later, and you’ll find yourself in this new land, complete with a huge collection of objectives to complete.
You won’t notice a massive difference in the way the locations of Ireland look in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. Things are a bit greener and a bit less forested than England is, but overall, everything looks pretty similar. That’s especially the case when you compare it to the striking change from Norway to England that takes place at the beginning of the base game’s story. Where you’ll notice most of the difference is in the towns and people you meet.
There’s a greater emphasis on spirituality and folklore in the Irish countryside. Where the England of AC Valhalla is a constant struggle between Norse culture and Christian culture, Ireland feels much more accepting of the Vikings. One of the first major characters you meet talks about having a place in his heart for both the Christian God and Odin. Of course, you’ll find all manner of unique scenarios and cultures as you explore and open up new quests, as well.
The story in Wrath of the Druids isn’t entirely original but, like Valhalla, it features some well-written characters and fun twists. Eivor is, as always, a joy, and there are plenty of sections in this DLC that allow you to roleplay a bit and create the protagonist you want. There is also, as you’d expect, a huge assortment of new skills, skins, weapons, treasures, and more to find and use to build your perfect Viking.
There are some new elements introduced in Wrath of the Druids that will keep you on your toes, even if you powered through dozens of hours of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla already.
One of the main new types of quests involves setting up trading posts throughout Ireland. As you go on raids and find supplies, you’ll unlock better access to rare goods that are only accessible through these trading posts. Essentially, if you liked the village-building aspect of the base game, this mechanic allows you to continue those types of quests in a slightly different way, earning some fancy goods in the process.
There are plenty of additional enemies you’ll encounter as you journey through Ireland, and, if you’re paying attention, you’ll probably guess that the Druids of the title are going to make an appearance.
I don’t want to give too much away, but these are some fun enemies with unique mechanics that you’ll have to adapt to. Again, it’s nothing ground-breaking, but it’s enough of an alteration to make diving back into this world worthwhile.
One element that doesn’t seem to work as well, though, is Wrath of the Druids‘ “auto-difficulty.” On paper, the DLC adjusts its difficulty to meet your power level, rather than gating different areas of Ireland. I expected to have some rust to brush off, but I was immediately — and single-handedly — invading castles just like I had been in the base game. If you’re looking for tough-as-nails endgame content after already working your way through the base game, Wrath of the Druids isn’t it. This isn’t a huge issue, but it’s something to look out for.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Wrath of the Druids DLC – The Bottom Line
Pros:
- Just different enough to keep you surprised
- A good continuation of the story for old characters, and well-written new ones
- Twists on combat and settlement building are strong
- A solid amount of content overall
Cons:
- Not particularly challenging
Even if you thought you were “done” with Assassin’s Creed Valhalla already, Wrath of the Druids has more than enough elements to drag you back in. It may not break a lot of new ground, but raiding monasteries, making terrible decisions, double-crossing friend and foe, and partaking in more drinking contests is good fun and a well-made complement to an already great game.
[Note: Ubisoft provided the copy of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Wrath of the Druids used for this review.]
