Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla has been keeping players busy since its launch in November 2020, but as more and more players begin to wrap up the story, it’s about time for some DLC. Thankfully, that time has now come with the release of the Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla ‘Wrath of the Druids’ DLC. Is it worth your time? Let’s have a look.
Narrative
Without giving away story spoilers, Wrath of the Druids takes Eivor to Ireland, where they’re first tasked with helping the King of Dublin with various missions and quests. There’s a lot to the story, and it slots in nicely with the rest of Valhalla. The DLC works very similar to that of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, where it does feel like you’re playing extra content, without feeling too needlessly tacked-on.
In terms of story and quests, expect the formula you’re used to from the base game. Eivor will be helping establish Trading Posts, “liberating” settlements, and of course, pillaging, hunting and more.
Setting
Ireland is visually a nice change of pace from England, looking – as Eivor will point out – distinctly more green. The more mystical elements of the DLC again make it feel very much like The Witcher 3, which is more than welcome in my book. You’ll encounter Gaelic Kings, take down a druidic cult and meet some mythical creatures along the way. In essence, it’s the perfect fantastical AC DLC we’ve been waiting for.
Ireland is a vast place which offers a huge chunk of map to explore. While obviously smaller in scope than England, Ireland still has a lot to offer, though the map can feel a little too empty at times. That said, even the empty areas are beautiful, so at least travelling on your noble steed doesn’t get stale despite the length of some of those rides.
The DLC treats players to some wonderful music-heavy cutscenes which truly embrace the Gaelic culture of music and singing. One particular moment feels almost like a video game music video, albeit one from the 9th century.
The whole DLC feels as though it’s steeped in much richer lore than the base game, offering players a chance to learn some of the most exciting parts of Ireland’s rich history and culture.
While many elements of the DLC show off AC’s inclination for the mystical, it doesn’t stray too far into the fantastical, so expect to learn a thing or two about Ireland and its roots. Perhaps my own Britishness is showing here, as I felt that Valhalla’s base game didn’t really teach me too much about the history of England. The DLC corrects that (at least in my case) with its exciting ways to deliver some of Ireland’s incredible history and mythology.
Gameplay
Gameplay in Wrath of the Druids doesn’t stray far from what you’ll be used to in Valhalla. You’ll still be wielding all of your favourite weapons as they’ll carry over from your base game, and you won’t have many new mechanics to contend with. The Wrath of the Druids DLC is just that – DLC, so there’s not too much to write home about when it comes to gameplay.
The DLC – annoyingly – features quite a few instances of “follow the NPC.” While I appreciate having one character speak to another as you walk to your destination is sometimes a convenient way to relay some of the story, it’s also incredibly boring. I came across a few instances of this, as well as the same on horseback. I’d much rather have a cutscene or just the ability to move to the destination in my own time, rather than having to move at a snail’s pace to keep in line with the NPC. While a small niggle, it definitely slows the pace of some of the missions in the DLC.
Length, Power & Timings
Wrath of the Druids’ main storyline can take anywhere up to 13 – 15 hours to complete, depending on your playstyle. Ubisoft also promises around five hours of extra content for those trophy chasers out there. In a nutshell, you’re more than getting your moneys’ worth with this DLC.
If you’ve not completed Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, don’t fret! You’ll still be able to access the Wrath of the Druids DLC as long as you’ve completed one of the game’s first main story arcs once you’ve landed in England. The recommended Power level for the DLC is 55, which I have to commend Ubisoft on. Power 55 could be anywhere from 10 – 16 hours of Valhalla gameplay, meaning you won’t need to have sunk 50-plus hours into the base game before being able to access the DLC.
If you’re way past Power 55, you also don’t need to worry. Ubisoft promises the game difficulty will scale depending on your own Eivor’s level, so you won’t find Wrath of the Druids a step down if you’ve already maxed your Power.
Should You Play Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla ‘Wrath of the Druids’?
If you’re already a fan of Valhalla, you won’t want to sleep on Wrath of the Druids. Aside from its pretty hefty story expansion, the DLC gives players a whole new realm in which to hunt, battle and explore.
While Ireland could definitely be a little more fleshed out in terms of quantity (it can feel a little empty), there’s still plenty to enjoy here, totalling nearly 20 hours of fresh gameplay. If you’ve found Valhalla is growing a little stale since launch, Wrath of the Druids is the magical pick-me-up you’ve been waiting for.
Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla Wrath of the Druids releases on May 13th.
Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla Wrath of the Druids is a DLC expansion which requires the base game. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Wrath of the Druids are available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
Review of Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla Wrath of the Druids DLC conducted on PS5.
Featured Image Credit: Ubisoft