First Impressions
Today is the worldwide release date for Valhalla (PlayStation 5 gamers may have to wait a couple more days). Who here already has the game? I'm expecting a copy for my birthday in a couple of weeks. 
Please share you first impressions of the game and use spoiler tags where appropriate. I'm most interested in whether there are big assassination sequences for prime targets.
I haven't played it myself, but I've checked out some lengthy gameplay videos. I haven't been impressed from what I've SEEN, but I'm patiently waiting for Leo K's impressions video he'll no doubt release soon. I'd also love to test it out on my new PC to see what it can handle.
From the little bit that i've watched, it seems even MORE RPG than the last two entries. I'm still not a fan of that and prefer the open-world action-adventure feel of the first half dozen of so games in the franchise. (sidebar - i'm almost done with Odyssey with nearly 200 hours of play)
“Force has no place where there is need of skill." Herodotus
From the little bit that i've watched, it seems even MORE RPG than the last two entries. I'm still not a fan of that and prefer the open-world action-adventure feel of the first half dozen of so games in the franchise. (sidebar - i'm almost done with Odyssey with nearly 200 hours of play)
This is funny after playing for a decent chunk of time now (yeah, I bit the bullet). I feel as though it's a massive step AWAY from the RPG formula that Odyssey gave us. I think it still has some of that, like how there are "power levels" that the game recommends you get up to in order to handle a particular area of the map. The thing is, I don't really think about this option when there's a "guaranteed assassination" toggle in the menu. If you can take out a camp stealthily, your power shouldn't matter. How accurate this is, I'm not 100%, because I only took on one camp that was about 20 levels above mine.
The missions I've played so far have almost all been laid-out as: "Find and assassinate [target name]". I haven't been desynchronized for being seen nor from silently killing every guard. It definitely lets you play the mission how you want to play it.
Also, catch ledge is back.
Odyssey just didn't feel like Assassin's Creed to me. I get the story significance, but they could have named it something else and it would have worked just as well as a new IP. Valhalla has a hidden blade, social stealth (could be better), actual Assassin members, and a freeing mission structure. It makes me feel like a next gen successor to AC1 - Black Flag rather than a continuation of everything since.
What's keeping me away is how Valhalla appeared to be hyped as a battle themed game in the trailers. Which normally I don't mind, but I don't want to have to spend large amounts of time fighting just to get through the storyline.
I know AC Valhalla is one of the titles that if you buy on ps4 you get on ps5 too... what about save files? Is the technology such that you can save your game progress on ps4 to some cloud service then continue on PS5?
“Force has no place where there is need of skill." Herodotus
I have the REAL final mission left to do and I'm apparently underpowered for a specific section. But overall, this game is on another level. It FEELS like Assassin's Creed again. There's even a huge homage to AC1 in one section of the game. I hope they keep this quality up.
You should probably look up and do the Animus Anomalies when you can, since The Hidden Truth video file is pretty important to understanding what's going on. And, once you finish everything in your Quest Log and it's empty, go sit at the campfire outside the Animus. 