Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Siege of Paris Review

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla ventures to new shores as Eivor and the Raven Clan look to the West as a rising army, under the command of King Charles the Fat, threatens England from distant shores. The Siege of Paris is the latest DLC available in the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Season Pass and promises players a whole new region to explore, new conflicts to resolve, and new characters to meet. Following the incredible Wrath of the Druids DLC is no easy feat, but players looking for a more realistic adventure will have a lot to look forward to.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Siege of Paris Review

The story of 9th century Francia begins as Eivor and friends receive visitors from the West. Members of the Elgring Clan from Francia came to England in hopes of finding allies and armies to join them in overthrowing the mad king Charles the Fat. Having little success, Eivor represents the last hope to have assistance arrive from England and he sets off across the seas to learn of the looming threat of the French.

Sigfred, Chieftain of the Elgring Clan, and his niece, Toka, are rallying troops to siege Paris as King Charles looks to rally his forces and come to the defense of Count Odo, the Protector of Paris. The main narrative in The Siege of Paris lacks the mystical and fantastical nature of the Wrath of the Druids DLC, instead offering a more realistic story in a war-torn kingdom, led by a man corrupted by his past and his demons.

The Siege of Paris doesn’t make any real strides to break away from the tried and tested formula of the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla universe. Players familiar with the base game will instantly recognize many of the activities available, although once again we were denied more of the wonderful dice game Orlog or more Flyting battles. Instead the old makes way for the new as The Siege of Paris introduces a number of new activities, albeit in a very similar package.

Small pockets of rebels, those loyal to the Elgring Clan looking to dethrone King Charles, are scattered throughout Francia’s gorgeous countryside. Aiding these freedom fighters provides missions where Eivor and a small group of rebels attack King Charles’ troops and strongholds. It’s simplistic in design, but operates almost entirely free of the main game, offering little reward for its repetitive and lackluster quests outside of upgrading the rebel forces to open more opportunities. A romance opportunity does arise towards the end, but having finished the entire rebel quest line, I can honestly say it was a complete waste of time.

Other areas of side content provide a more worthwhile venture, such as hunting down the Frankish Nobles, but it’s all very much similar to activities we’ve complete before, such as fighting the Lost Drengr in previous episodes of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.

While the side content in The Siege of Paris feels a little lackluster, more choice and variation are interjected throughout the main campaign with Infiltration Missions. These are open-ended missions where Eivor is given a target to kill. However, the approach – and ultimately the execution of the target – can be completely different depending on how you decide to tackle the mission. You can opt to smash down the door, decimate an entire army of troops, and slaughter your target face to face. This is my preferred option, as Valhalla’s combat is still as engaging and rewarding as it was the first day I stepped foot on Norway’s shores.

However, this is seldom the “best” route, as it skips on additional story and interactions that you may have if you decide to go down an alternate path. Scouting out the mission, speaking to contacts, finding secret passages – there’s a flurry of optional objectives that eventually open a unique assassination opportunity, allowing Eivor to use stealth and subterfuge to get close enough to his target to get the job done.

For those yearning for more of the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla approach, The Siege of Paris offers a gorgeous Francia to explore, complete with World Events, hidden treasures, new armor sets, new weapons, and new challenges to face. The Siege of Paris lacks the narrative splendor of the previous DLC pack, but in its place is a more realistic and believable story that’s closer to the heart of the Assassin’s Creed games.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: The Siege of Paris is very much a creature of habit, offering more of what we’ve seen before and doing very little to break away from its tried and tested roots. Whether that’s good or bad is entirely up to you. If you’ve loved the path so far, you’re sure to love Eivor’s latest adventure; just watch out for those bloody rats.

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