2020’s Assassin’s Creed Valhalla may be not be the biggest game in the series, but it’s the longest for sure, requiring around 60 hours to complete the main story, and around 146 hours to 100% the game. It also allowed players to choose between a female protagonist or a male protagonist.
However, Valhalla went one step further with the ‘Let the Animus choose’ option for Eivor, which broke away from the standard male/female selection by changing the character’s gender throughout the game, and according to producer Julien Laferrière, that may be the intended way to play the game.
Eivor’s Gender Can Shift According To Story Moments
Speaking with Game Informer, Laferrière shed light on the thought process behind this offbeat approach to character portrayal:
For me, it’s the perfect option for players who are really into the lore and players who will connect to the question: “Who is Eivor, really?” But that being said, we’ve made sure it doesn’t feel random, so it’s not like, “Sometimes I’m male, sometimes I’m female.” And it’s not only for lore-obsessed players; anybody should be able to say, “I’m playing female Eivor in that case, but male in that case – okay, that makes sense.”
The ‘Let the Animus choose’ option caters to players who find the lore of the Animus, the series’ fictional device for reliving genetic memories, particularly intriguing. This choice delves deeper into the question of Eivor’s true identity within the series’ historical record.
A shifting gender for the protagonist gives Valhalla‘s story a unique opportunity to explore the ambiguity the Animus encounters when attempting to decipher the Viking raider’s past. Laferrière emphasizes that these gender changes are not random but serve a narrative purpose, offering clues about Eivor’s identity.
Animus Unlocks Assassin’s Creed Valhalla ‘Director’s Cut’
While aimed at lore enthusiasts, the option is designed for a broader audience. Players who might not be deeply invested in the narrative can still enjoy the game with the gender-fluid option, as the shifts aren’t jarring or disruptive. Laferrière emphasizes this further:
They may not understand the deep-down reasons, but we were aiming for a certain coherency. It’s meant a bit like a director’s cut – if you want to have the experience the way the creators envisioned it. But if your Eivor is a female badass warrior all the time, that’s fine! If you choose the male [option] and are into the beards, that’s fine!
Valhalla‘s acknowledgment of player choice is crucial, as it caters to players who prioritize a more personal connection with a singular portrayal of Eivor.
However, the ‘Let the Animus choose’ option ended up receiving mixed feedback. Some critics and players praised the innovative way it contributes to the game’s lore, but others found the gender switching disruptive to their immersion in the narrative.
Nevertheless, the option undeniably opened up a new way to experience Assassin’s Creed Valhalla‘s story, encouraging players to go deeper into the nitty-gritties of both Eivor’s character and the nature of historical memory reconstruction through the Animus.
It provides players with an opportunity to prioritize lore exploration, akin to a “director’s cut experience,” while still respecting the traditional approach of choosing a consistent gender for Eivor.
