The argument of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla being the best in the series may become very one-sided after the release of update 1.04. Set to drop on November 26, it is surely the biggest patch yet and offers tons of improvements and new features.
For one, those on next-generation consoles will be able to play in either Performance or Quality mode. Performance is said to “adapt the resolution” settings to maintain 60 frames-per-second, as Quality will run “maximum resolution” at 30 frames-per-second.
Update 1.04 will fix many combat and visual issues seen during missions, update weapon stats and values, and increase NPC and boss behavior, allowing them to react when stolen from.
Here’s a look at everything within this wildly massive patch, coming to Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, PC, Stadia, and, of course, Amazon Luna.
Graphics/Performance Mode Introduction
Added an option to the game that allows players to choose between Performance or Visual Quality.
Feature breakdown:
- This option is available for PlayStation 5.
- Choosing Performance allows the game to adapt the resolution and graphic settings to maintain 60 FPS.
- Choosing Quality enables the game to run maximum resolution and graphic settings while maintaining 30 FPS.
Miscellaneous
- Added a new background image to the title screen.
- Added various VFX to enhance visuals.
- Added an option that will automatically assign all nodes on the path when acquiring a central skill.
- Added rune categories to the rune menu. All runes are now categorized in Weapon & Armor runes.
- Added a warning when switching from a language that supports TTS to one that doesn’t.
- Sliders can now be moved with left/right arrows on M&K and controllers.
- Increased fabric limit to 82.
- Added fabric to traders once the settlement has reached Level 6.
- Added offering altar requirements to the world map.
Balancing
- Updated gear quality and gear to their correct values.
- Added Assassination damage stats on the character stats page.
- Removed duplicate gear from inventory.
- Heavy and light attack stats will now adjust correctly based on acquired skill nodes.
- Heavy attack modifiers will no longer be applied to range attacks.
Game improvements
Performance and Stability
- Improved stability and performance.
Save Games
- Corrected some instances where Load Game would not display save games correctly.
- Renamed Cloud saves to make them more distinguishable from regular saves.
- Previously the cloud save was only highlighted with a Cloud icon. Now they’ll be called, for example, “Manual Save Cloud”
- Removed Cloud saves from the Save menu. This will ensure that it cannot be overwritten unintentionally.
- Added a notification when a cloud save retrieval has failed.
Graphics, Audio, Animation
- Addressed various graphical issues across the board.
- Addressed various FX issues.
- Addressed various instances of clipping issues.
- Addressed various visual issues with Eivor’s cloak.
- Addressed various instances of player or NPC animation issues.
- Addressed various audio issues.
- Addressed various lighting issues.
World
- Addressed various texture or object placement issues.
- Addressed some instances where the player could become stuck in specific locations.
- Fish in Norway will now spawn in bad weather. Yeah, we had to read this one twice too.
- Crows will no longer randomly fall from the sky in Asgard. *Bad omens, huh?*
Gameplay, Combat, AI
- Addressed various bow-aiming issues.
- Improved NPC and Boss behavior across the board.
- NPCs will now react to the player stealing…so think twice before stealing!
- Addressed an issue where dogs would start levitating when Eivor starts to pet them.
- Blocking Springald projectiles will now consume stamina, as intended.
- Zealots that were hit with a sleep dart can now be stun attacked. Sleep tight.
- Zealots will no longer heal themselves while in player vicinity.
- Guards who clearly saw Eivor shoot their ally will now turn hostile. *presses emergency button*
- Guards will now hear the impact of dead bodies dropping to the ground.
- Improved guard reactions to whistling.
- Improved disguise behavior in distrust zones.
- Shooting bows from the Longship now consumes arrows.
- Players will now be able to air-assassinate sleeping NPCs. *Savage…*
- Improved fish-reeling behavior.
- Addressed an issue where the horse wouldn’t use the gallop animation in combat.
- The crowd will now cheer during drinking games. *You better.*
- Reworked sliding mechanic.
Quests, World Events, Side Activities
- Addressed an issue where the assassination sequence wouldn’t play for some targets.
- Addressed various texture issues during cutscenes.
- Addressed various issues with quests or world events that prevented players from completing them.
- Players can no longer use the fishing tool or the horn during the drunk walk with Tewdr – *you’re drunk, go home.*
- Sub quests will now display the correct “Part of” parent quest.
- The memory stream can now be chosen when starting a New Game if Hold Alternative option is set to ON.
- Increased frequency of experienced travelers.
User Interface / HUD
- Addressed various issues with the User Interface/HUD.
- Addressed various localization issues.
- Secrets will now be discovered when synchronizing a Viewpoint. (This does not apply to Pathfinder difficulty)
- Experienced travelers are now highlighted on the world map and on the compass when in proximity.
- Addressed an issue where the map wouldn’t update once players got intel from an experienced traveler.
- Increased Odin’s Sight radius and enemies will now be highlighted for longer.
- Improved radius in which Synin reveals keys.
- Reduced Synin’s view distance of materials.
- Improved the objective beam behavior.
- Settlement building beams can now be seen using Odin’s Sight.
- Improved enemy target-lock mechanic.
- “Sell all trinkets” will now be greyed out after all trinkets were sold. *Cha-ching!*
- Bosses’ power levels will now be displayed on their health gauge. This does not apply to regular enemies.
- Regular brightness settings will no longer apply to HDR exposure settings.
- The Codex will no longer foreshadow or spoil some events.
- (A11y) Desktop entries and content on Layla’s laptop are now narrated when Menu Narration is ON.
- (A11y) Colorblind filters are now applied correctly to mini-quest log and raid tutorial.
Abilities and Skills
- Addressed an issue where players couldn’t use any abilities anymore when the Dive of the Valkyries ability was interrupted.
- Ally NPCs or horses can no longer trigger body traps. *Some people just want to see the world burn, huh?*
- Addressed a display issue where the poisonous powder trap could become invisible after using Synin.
- Adjusted chain-assassination behavior. Players will no longer be able to assassinate a target who was tackled to the ground.
- The Secondary hand slot will no longer be available when a two-handed weapon is equipped (pre-heavy dual-wield skill).
- Flaming powder traps will now explode when walking over the arrow.
Raids
- “Force Open” will now be displayed correctly even if nearby allies are in combat.
- Addressed an issue where allies would not help Eivor to open a door during Raids.
- Allies will now return to the longship once a raid is complete.
- Added a timer until players can restart a raid that was just completed.
Photo Mode
- The no-filter option will now work correctly.
- The Territory panel is no longer displayed in Photo Mode.
- Changing filters will now work as intended.
- Addressed an issue where an Online Service Error could occur temporarily when looking at photos on the world map.
- Snow FX will now center to the camera instead of the player in Photo Mode.
System
- Added additional checkpoints to some boss fights.
- Addressed an issue that led controllers to vibrate constantly.
- Addressed an issue where players could become stuck in a black screen after closing the menu with start.
