Some research points towards your typical Viking warrior getting off their head on special herbal tea before battle, pushing them into that ‘berserker’ state that inspired fear in so many of their enemies. Other research suggests that the same combination of drugs they took to psych themselves up for war also treated and cured many of their physical ailments – the Vikings were efficient people! Well, to reflect that, it looks like Ubisoft will be letting us get equally as high on Britain’s magic mushrooms in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. An ERSB rating for the game suggests that you’ll be able to take some mushrooms and inhale ‘mushroom-based fumes’ in order to get your buzz on. The description of the drug-related content states: “A handful of sequences depict screen distortion/discoloration and impaired movements after players’ character consumes mushrooms or inhales mushroom-based fumes (dialogue states, “I may still be buzzing from these mushrooms")". We can’t wait to hear that authentic Viking dialogue in situ. You’ll also be subject to a bit of nudity (one mission takes place in a brothel) and some choice swearing. Nothing too surprising for veterans of Assassin’s Creed games, then. The drug effects are nothing new to Ubisoft, either – psychoactive substances have always been part and parcel of the Far Cry games, and anyone that’s blasted through a Rayman game will be forgiven for thinking they’ve engaged on a drug-fuelled spiritual journey of their very own, too. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is due to launch for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Google Stadia on November 17, 2020.
