Should You Buy Assassin‘s Creed Valhalla DLC in 2024? An Epic Expansion Breakdown

As a longtime assassin from the very first game‘s haystacks in 2007, I‘ve joyfully logged over 200 hours in the series. And I must say, while flawed, Assassin‘s Creed Valhalla remains my favorite modern title thus far. I completed the expansive base game and couldn‘t wait to extend my stay in majestic England and Norway.

After playing all major DLC offerings, I know many hardcore fans like myself crave more insights before purchasing. Well, this assassin has scaled every viewpoint and completed each voyage. Let me provide a detailed breakdown of precisely what new adventures await, and whether Eivor is worth rejoining in 2024!

Dawn of Ragnarök: A Visual Splendor Marred By Familiarity

Dawn of Ragnarök sweeps you to the mystical land of Svartalfheim to lead a rescue mission as the mighty Odin. This 35-hour DLC provides the lengthiest experience sporting impressive scope. Previously I highlighted the enjoyment found here. However, I must elaborate on shortcomings causing this expansion to fall just shy of greatness.

Svartalfheim dazzles with otherworldly biomes, from lush forests to fiery mines to grand palaces. Seeing the Nine Realms come alive is a childhood dream. Ubisoft leverages this fantastical setting to introduce hugr-rips – reality-bending powers enhancing stealth and combat. Want to sprout wings or turn invisible? The possibilities entertained my inner Loki through all 35 hours as I experimented with mixing abilities.

Yet while I cherished this super-charged escapism at first, familiarity soon diminished my joy. Most quests still centered on the increasingly monotonous raid, infiltration, or battle format constituting 95% of the base game. Outposts barely differed from those found in England or Vinland. Enemies like dark elves and golems merely provided fresh skins on templar clones employing identical tactics. Even my epic showdown with Surtr the immensely powerful fire giant concluded far too quickly thanks to my honed RPG instincts – a feeling of been there, done that pervaded.

These criticisms echo my original Valhalla playthrough before the shine of being a viking Assassin wore off after 80 hours. Dawn of Ragnarök transports you to an elevated plane. But fundamentally, you undertake the same loops. Ubisoft leaned too heavily on a beautiful coat of paint while the engine sputters from a desperate need for innovation under the hood after 12 AC titles.

Hardcore fans who don‘t mind will find heaps of substance to savor. With 150 hours invested in Eivor’s journey, I was one such zealot. Yet looking honestly at the value compared to cost given recycled activities, I cannot universally recommend Ragnarök unless you must quench an unyielding thirst for more of the same.

Wrath of Druid’s Nostalgic Charms Anchored By Rich Characters

Wrath of the Druids brings Eivor to verdent Ireland on a 15-hour romp through rolling hills serving up light-hearted escapism. While the scenery proves beautiful as expected, this smaller tale captivated me through the colorful cast which outshines Dawn‘s relatively anonymous faces.

I treasured each poetic boast and warm embrace from the likeable bard Azar or gentle giant Bardsen, who joined my longship’s motely crew. Even antagonists like scheming bishop Flann Sinna, who plunged Dublin into chaos to undermine High King Flann, exhibited depth regarding motivation. The ancillary quests delivered enjoyable short stories compared to filler scattered across England.

As the first DLC, in retrospect Wrath also stands out by retaining some semblance of Assassin’s Creed vision versus complete dissolution into mystical fantasy evident in later tale. Eivor dons the hidden blade to eliminate order threats like Zealots, not solely chasing Isu artifact macguffins. The focus remains grounded on realistic political tensions ripped from history books despite sprinkles of Irish mythology.

While the druid storyline stretched plausibly enough to sustain my suspension of disbelief, the telling never reached epic, generation-spanning, civilization-toppling stakes. But not every adventure needs world-ending gravitas! Wrath wonderfully fleshed out the world and time period through Eivor’s eyes. Sometimes small stakes showcase equally compelling drama.

My praise noted, Wrath suffers similarly to all Valhalla content from repeating the same combat, raid, and infiltration templates. The design wizards at Ubisoft continue overlooking the core loop growing arduous. Still, the shorter playtime mitigates exhaustion, especially with vibrant characters propping up familiar actions. For the discounted $25 price tag, dive in to the Emerald Isle for a classic Assassin’s adventure reminding what made us fall for the series!

Siege of Paris Struggles Without Strong Leads Or Stakes

In terms of sheer enjoyment, Siege of Paris ranks lowest among Valhalla’s major DLCs. The shorter 15-hour runtime failed building attachments to new characters or the besieged Frankish capital itself to motivate my investment. Recycled missions involving increasingly preposterous relic chasing drained any intrigue sustained in England or Ireland.

I struggled pinpointing whether Paris or any protagonist demonstrated qualities necessitating my help. Antagonist King Charles the Fat exuded laziness rather than true menace. His scheming mother failed inciting hatred edging her beyond nuisance status. Toka and Pierre, resistance leaders Eivor aligns with, occupied mere steps up from nameless quest dispensers devoid of personality.

The storyline proved serviceable seeing Eivor fighting oppression from an increasingly desperate king losing public faith. But I realized Paris could crumble without my feeling a shred of emotion either way. Sadly no character earned investment, leaving this DLC a cosmetic showcase lacking substance.

Gameplay remained frustratingly familiar, from trivial guard bounties to repetitive supply raids. The handful of black box assassination missions and Infiltrations clashed with feeling like a legendary viking warrior, not fabled assassin. For once I yearned for the series moving away from stealth roots towards open combat in recent entries. The uninspired level design forced reliance on increasingly dissonant elements.

Siege of Paris plays fine enough, with pretty scenery and some enjoyable sequences across an accurately-realized facsimile of medieval Paris. But lacking innovation in structure or characters failed justifying the steep $25 asking price to casual fans. During a prolific era saturated with phenomenal game options vying for our time, better to spend limited hours elsewhere.

Final Verdict: Buy For Hardcore Fans, Skip For Wavering Players

When the sagas conclude, who should embark on these optional adventures? As an assassin eagerly awaiting each AC release annually for over 15 years, I believe:

Hardcore fans will find meaningful content extending their stay through fresh locales and hours of substance站. I happily roamed new lands and relished more stories. But gamers feeling the formula go stale or seeking lower-commitment, innovative experiences should skip purchasing.

Valhalla’s world remains incredible achievement. But Ubisoft leans far too heavily on sheer scale over crafting excellence to push the boundaries. Unless you crave more of the 200-hour base game, I‘d suggest moving on to the embarrassment of amazing 2023 releases until developers up their ambition.

Yet despite valid critiques, my eagerness towards the series persists. The next hidden blade awaits! But for now, this assassin recommends cherry picking your favorite era for replay over expensive complete re-investment. Valhalla delivered my favorite modern map grounded largely in history. Hopefully the next entry further integrates the Creed and innovates upon what came before.