Which is Better? Assassin’s Creed Odyssey or Valhalla?

The Assassin’s Creed series has always been about exploring history through sprawling open worlds. Over the years, the franchise has shifted from stealth-driven action games to full-blown RPGs. Two of the most notable examples of this modern direction are Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. Both titles embrace vast settings, branching quests, and immersive character development, but they do so in very different ways.

For fans considering which game to play or revisit, the question often comes down to preference. Do you want the mythic grandeur of ancient Greece, or the grounded brutality of Viking-age England? Do you prefer more branching choices, or a tighter narrative with structured relationships? In this article, we will compare Odyssey and Valhalla across major categories: story, world design, gameplay mechanics, choice and consequence, post-launch expansions, and technical polish. By the end, you should have a clear sense of which game is better for you.

Story and Characters

Odyssey casts you as either Kassandra or Alexios during the Peloponnesian War. The central story is personal yet expansive, intertwining family drama with the fate of Greece. Myth and legend are woven into historical events, giving the game an epic tone. The branching narrative allows for dramatically different endings depending on your decisions, and the game offers plenty of freedom to shape the story your way.

Valhalla focuses on Eivor, a Viking warrior who leads the Raven Clan into England. The game’s tone is grittier and more grounded, with politics, alliances, and clan loyalty at the forefront. Norse mythology plays a role through visions and side arcs, but the core story is about survival and expansion. The narrative is more structured than Odyssey’s, with less divergence but stronger personal relationships between Eivor and allies.

• Odyssey excels at giving players branching narratives with multiple outcomes.
• Valhalla excels at telling a cohesive story with emotional through-lines.

If you want to shape the story and see your decisions ripple outward, Odyssey offers more agency. If you prefer a more focused narrative with grounded relationships, Valhalla delivers.

World and Exploration

Odyssey presents one of the largest maps in the franchise. Set across Greece, it features dozens of islands, bustling cities, and vast oceans. Naval travel is central, and players spend significant time commanding their ship, the Adrestia. Exploration feels boundless, with underwater ruins, hidden caves, and mythic locations sprinkled throughout.

Valhalla takes a different approach. While still massive, its world is denser and more cohesive. Players begin in Norway before traveling to England, where regions like Mercia, Wessex, and East Anglia are rich with history. Rivers serve as Viking highways, allowing for raids and exploration, but land-based travel and settlement-building take priority. The landscapes feel atmospheric and immersive, with moors, forests, and villages that ground the world in a believable Viking era.

• Odyssey stands out for its sense of scale, verticality, and the importance of sea travel.
• Valhalla stands out for density, atmosphere, and cohesion across regions.

If you enjoy island-hopping, naval combat, and mythic landscapes, Odyssey will feel expansive and adventurous. If you prefer atmospheric immersion in detailed landscapes and towns, Valhalla feels more grounded and cohesive.

Gameplay and Mechanics

Both games share the Assassin’s Creed foundation of parkour, stealth, and combat, but they emphasize different elements.

Odyssey leans heavily into RPG systems. Players choose between gear sets, ability trees, and branching builds. You can specialize as a stealth-focused assassin, a hunter with powerful ranged skills, or a warrior who thrives in open combat. Leveling is tied closely to gear progression, and loot is abundant. Naval combat is also central, with ship upgrades and large-scale sea battles forming a big part of the experience.

Valhalla streamlines the RPG mechanics. Gear is less about constant upgrades and more about acquiring and enhancing key items. Abilities are unlocked through exploration and progression, but the skill tree is less complex than Odyssey’s. Unique features include raiding monasteries and fortresses, dual-wielding weapons, and building up your settlement, which serves as a base for upgrades and personal connections.

• Odyssey shines for players who want deep RPG systems and build variety.
• Valhalla shines for players who prefer streamlined progression and unique Viking activities like raiding and settlement building.

If you enjoy tinkering with builds and collecting gear, Odyssey provides more variety. If you want to focus on combat, exploration, and meaningful but simplified systems, Valhalla is more accessible.

Choice and Consequence

Choice is where Odyssey makes its biggest mark. Dialogue options and decisions carry weight, affecting relationships, quest outcomes, and even the game’s ending. Players can decide the fates of key characters, determine political outcomes, and alter the overall resolution of the story. The sense of agency is one of Odyssey’s defining features.

Valhalla includes choices, but they are more contained. Decisions usually affect relationships or short-term outcomes rather than the larger narrative. For example, choosing how to resolve disputes between clans may alter alliances, but the broader story remains intact. While choices matter, they rarely change the overall arc.

• Odyssey offers branching endings and significant narrative divergence.
• Valhalla offers smaller, character-focused consequences that shape personal stories.

If your priority is seeing your decisions reshape the world, Odyssey has more to offer. If you prefer subtle variations that enhance relationships without changing the entire plot, Valhalla may feel more consistent.

DLC, Expansions, and Longevity

Post-launch content is another area where the two games diverge.

Odyssey offered Legacy of the First Blade and The Fate of Atlantis. These expansions added major story arcs, new regions, and mythological content. The Fate of Atlantis in particular was praised for its creativity, introducing realms inspired by Greek myth. Together, Odyssey’s DLCs expanded lore and added dozens of hours of content.

Valhalla expanded even further with Wrath of the Druids, The Siege of Paris, and Dawn of Ragnarok. These expansions introduced entirely new regions such as Ireland and Paris, along with mythological adventures tied to Norse gods. Valhalla also received a steady stream of seasonal updates and limited-time events that kept players engaged long after launch.

• Odyssey excels with tightly written expansions that complement the base game.
• Valhalla excels with sheer volume and variety of post-launch content.

If you want concise, high-quality expansions with mythological depth, Odyssey delivers. If you prefer extensive, ongoing support with multiple expansions and seasonal content, Valhalla is the clear winner.

Technical Polish and Stability

Both games launched with issues, but patches have since improved stability.

Odyssey benefits from time. As an older title, it has been refined through updates and now runs smoothly across platforms. On PC, mods extend longevity and improve quality-of-life features.

Valhalla launched on newer hardware, with stronger baseline performance on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and modern PCs. While it had bugs at launch, Ubisoft’s ongoing support improved its stability and performance. Its engine handles transitions between exploration and combat smoothly, and its visuals remain impressive.

• Odyssey is a mature title with well-known fixes and strong community support.
• Valhalla is more polished on current hardware, benefiting from modern optimizations.

Both games are now stable and reliable, though Valhalla offers a more modern presentation.

Final Thoughts

So, which is better: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey or Valhalla? The answer depends on what you value most in an open world RPG.

Odyssey is the choice for players who want branching narratives, mythological elements, and deep RPG mechanics. Its scale is massive, its choices matter, and its expansions provide creative storytelling. It feels bold, colorful, and full of freedom.

Valhalla is the choice for players who want a grounded story, immersive landscapes, and streamlined systems. Its world feels denser and more atmospheric, its settlement mechanics add flavor, and its expansions are ambitious in scope. It feels gritty, cohesive, and polished.

Neither game is a bad choice, and both represent the modern identity of the Assassin’s Creed franchise. Odyssey leans toward freedom and myth, while Valhalla leans toward focus and atmosphere. The better game is the one that aligns with your preferences, but both remain standout entries in one of gaming’s most enduring series.