'Assassin's Creed Valhalla' Is The Number One Game In The UK For Christmas

Well, isn't this a turn-up for the books? Assassin's Creed Valhalla rules the roost in the physical game charts in the UK this week, earning it pride of place on the top of the Christmas tree.

The latest entry in the shadowy-and-stabby series, Assassin's Creed Valhalla begins in Norway in the medieval period, and introduces a new hero named Eivor. Abandoning their homeland and seeking greener pastures, they and their brother Sigurd arrive in England and attempt to settle and start anew in the town of Ravensthorpe. However, the four kingdoms of England don't take kindly to their actions, and even perceive their arrival (along with the other masses of Danes dotted up and down the country) to be an "invasion." How rude!

In the game, which is an intricate yet expansive RPG, Eivor battles to call this country their home and uncovers the corrupt Order of the Ancients with help from the Hidden Ones. Eivor's strange connection with the god Odin and their ability to visit the realms of Asgard and Jotunheim then becomes a vital piece of the puzzle in the present day, where the finale of Assassin's Creed Odyssey means that the world is threatened by imminent environmental collapse. Really though, running around in medieval England is the best bit, and especially when it looks that darned pretty. And, you can bring a cat along on your longboat.

As Assassin's Creed Valhalla is a chart-topper this week, it awards Ubisoft their very first Christmas number one, so congratulations to the team for a job well done. I wouldn't expect an official song or dance from the studio, but, it is 2020. Anything could, and can, happen. Upon launch, Assassin's Creed Valhalla sold more than any other game in the series, and the PC version enjoyed the biggest launch of any PC game made by Ubisoft. In addition, it was a hit with critics, praising its control over its sprawling scale by offering a saga like no other, so it's brilliant to see that it has sustained its momentum into December.

Hot on Assassin's Creed Valhalla's heels is Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War which settles for the silver medal in the physical games charts. Then, we see Cyberpunk 2077 in third place, after sliding from first place only last week and suffering an 80% decrease in sales. If you're wondering why that would be, click here for a summary. FIFA 21, also known as "Ol' Faithful" in the biz, jumps to fourth place, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons plumps for fifth place. Interestingly, there's only 9,000 units between Animal Crossing and Assassin's Creed Valhalla, meaning that the chance of Animal Crossing stealing your man is low... but never zero.