Assassin's Creed Valhalla Hidden Blade

We think Assassin's Creed Origins and Assassin's Creed Odyssey are both fantastic open world games, but their heavy focus on role-playing systems and mechanics often leaves them feeling very different from how older Assassin's Creed games used to play.

One key example of how the series has changed can be found in how Origins and Odyssey handle stealth. In both games, stealth attacks are still possible, but the damage that you deal depends on your character's level, their equipment, and the skills that you've acquired. If you haven't beefed up your assassin stats, then you're not going to be able to kill even the lowliest of guards with a well-placed strike from the shadows.

Going back to old Assassin's Creed titles now, being able to one-shot almost any foe with a single stab is almost jarring. A lot of fans have criticised Origins and Odyssey for their handling of stealth-based gameplay, but fortunately, it sounds like the upcoming Assassin's Creed Valhalla is bringing one-hit-kills back thanks to the main character's hidden blade.

Director Ashraf Ismail told Kotaku: "We continue with the idea that Eivor is not a trained assassin. Eivor is a Viking who receives this badass weapon and has to learn very quickly. Early in the experience, Eivor will learn a technique that, with the right timing, can one-shot-kill virtually anybody."

The quote's a little vague, but going by the article, it seems as though the development team is keen on addressing the criticisms that Origins and Odyssey faced -- particularly when it comes to stealth. Having a hidden blade that's capable of instant death is surely a step in the right direction.

Are you happy to hear that the hidden blade's lethality is returning? Sneak up on an unsuspecting foe in the comments section below.

[source kotaku.com]