Hunting Simulator 3 vs Assassin Creed Valhalla

• Perspective: Third-Person
• Multiplayer: None (Primarily Single-Player with minor online social features)
• Setting: Viking Age (873 CE) - Norway & Anglo-Saxon England (Mercia, East Anglia, Wessex, Northumbria), Mythical Realms (Asgard, Jotunheim), Ireland (DLC), Francia (DLC)
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Google Stadia (discontinued), Amazon Luna
• Unique Feature: Viking Raids & Settlement Building, Dual-Wielding Combat System, Extensive Skill Tree & Abilities, Exploration of Norse & Anglo-Saxon History/Mythology, Playable Male/Female Eivor with Shared Progression.

• German Shorthaired Pointer: Excels in scent detection, pointing upland birds, tracking difficult blood trails across rocky terrain, and alerting to nearby predators.
  Hunting Dog (Canis lupus familiaris)
• Labrador Retriever: Master retriever that swims across deep river currents and lakes to cleanly collect downed waterfowl and small game on command.
  Hunting Dog (Canis lupus familiaris)

• Synin (Eivor's Raven): Eivor's raven companion, used for scouting from an aerial perspective (similar to Eagle Vision in previous AC games). Synin can spot enemies, identify points of interest, locate resources, track targets, and sometimes distract enemies. Not directly involved in combat but essential for reconnaissance.
  Corvus corax (Raven)
• Viking Crew (Jomsvikings for Raids & River Raids): Eivor leads a crew of Viking warriors (Jomsvikings) on their longship. During Raids on monasteries or settlements, the crew disembarks and fights alongside Eivor, helping to defeat enemies and open chests/doors. Players can customize their personal Jomsviking lieutenant, who can also be recruited by other players. For River Raids, a larger crew is assembled.
  Human (Norse Warriors)
• Story-Specific AI Companions (Sigurd, Basim, Ivarr, Ubba, etc.): During many main story quests and alliance arcs, key characters like Sigurd, Basim, or regional allies will temporarily join Eivor, fighting alongside them as AI-controlled companions. Their presence and combat abilities are scripted for those specific missions.
  Human (Various)
• Wolf Mount (Can be acquired): Besides horses, Eivor can acquire a wolf as a rideable mount through specific means (e.g., special editions, in-game store, or specific quests in DLCs like Dawn of Ragnarök). Functions similarly to a horse for traversal.
  Canis lupus (Large Wolf)

• Diamond-Grade Boone & Crockett Trophy Antlers: Earned by harvesting mature, high-scoring male big game specimens; displayed on custom taxidermy wall plaques in the hunting lodge.
• Historic Pioneer & Ranger Badges: Found inside abandoned lookout fire towers, historic trapping cabins, and old trail markers throughout Colorado and Texas.
• Naturally Shed Deer & Elk Antlers: Discovered on forest floors and game trails during spring thaw; tradeable for in-game currency or lodge table centerpieces.

• Wealth (Ingots, Gear, Cargo, Books of Knowledge, Abilities): Marked by golden icons on the map. Ingots (Carbon, Nickel, Tungsten) are used for upgrading gear quality. Gear icons represent new weapons or armor pieces. Cargo is raw materials used for building and upgrading settlement buildings in Ravensthorpe. Books of Knowledge unlock or upgrade Eivor's special combat Abilities.
• Mysteries (World Events, Flyting Duels, Offering Altars, Standing Stone Puzzles, Treasures of Britain, Legendary Animals, Lost Drengr, Daughters of Lerion, Fly Agaric Hallucination Challenges, Animus Anomalies): Marked by blue icons. These encompass a wide variety of side activities: World Events are short, often quirky, narrative encounters. Flyting is a Viking rap battle. Offering Altars require specific items. Standing Stones are environmental perspective puzzles. Treasures of Britain lead to powerful Isu artifacts. Legendary Animals are tough boss fights. Lost Drengr are duels against old Viking warriors. Daughters of Lerion are mystical boss fights. Fly Agaric challenges are hallucinatory puzzles. Animus Anomalies are platforming puzzles in a glitchy modern-day simulation.
• Artifacts (Roman Artifacts, Cursed Symbols, Flying Papers, Rigsogur Fragments, Treasure Hoard Maps, Isu Data Fragments - in Anomalies): Marked by white icons. Roman Artifacts can be traded for settlement decorations. Cursed Symbols are small environmental puzzles that must be destroyed to lift a curse from an area. Flying Papers are parkour challenges to catch a moving collectible. Rigsogur Fragments tell parts of a Norse saga. Treasure Hoard Maps provide clues to hidden wealth.
• Opal: A premium-like currency found in small quantities throughout the world or earned from Reda's daily/weekly contracts. Used to purchase unique cosmetic items or gear from Reda's shop.
• Order of the Ancients Medallions / Clues: Dropped by defeated Order members or found as clues. Collecting medallions and clues helps Eivor identify and track down other members of the Order, ultimately leading to the Grand Maegester.

• Hunting
• Wilderness Exploration
• Wildlife Simulation
• Open World
• Realistic Ballistics
• Canine Companionship
• North American Outdoors

• Viking Expansion & Raiding
• Settlement Building & Community
• Norse Mythology & Paganism vs. Christianity
• The Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms
• Fate & Destiny (Wyrd)
• Honor & Glory
• Political Intrigue
• The Hidden Ones (Assassins) vs. Order of the Ancients (Templars)
• Family & Clan Loyalty

• Winchester Model 70 Extreme Weather (.30-06 Springfield): Bolt-Action Big Game Rifle
  Fluted stainless steel all-weather bolt rifle offering pinpoint precision for Rocky Mountain elk and mule deer across freezing rain and snow.
• Browning X-Bolt Pro (.300 Winchester Magnum): Long-Range Bolt-Action Rifle
  High-velocity magnum rifle equipped with a lightweight carbon fiber stock and precision muzzle brake, delivering massive stopping power on grizzly bears and bison.
• Beretta BRX1 (.308 Winchester): Straight-Pull Repeating Rifle
  Linear straight-pull action rifle engineered for rapid reloading and swift follow-up shots on moving wild boar sounders in dense Texas scrub.
• Remington Model 870 SPS Super Mag Turkey/Predator: 12-Gauge Pump-Action Shotgun
  Heavy-duty camouflage shotgun optimized with specialized extended choke tubes for tight pellet groupings on wild turkeys and coyotes.
• Bear Archery Species EV Compound Bow: Modern Compound Hunting Bow
  Ultra-silent, high-let-off compound bow delivering deadly broadhead penetration for silent stalking within timber stands.

• Axes (Bearded Axe, Dane Axe, Varin's Axe): One-Handed / Two-Handed Melee
  Iconic Viking weaponry. Bearded Axes are typically one-handed and fast. Dane Axes are powerful two-handed weapons with wide swings. Eivor can dual-wield axes or combine them with shields or other one-handed weapons.
• Swords (Short Sword, Greatsword): One-Handed / Two-Handed Melee
  Includes faster one-handed short swords and slower, more powerful two-handed greatswords. Offers a balance of speed and damage.
• Hammers & Flails: One-Handed / Two-Handed Melee (Blunt/Impact)
  Hammers (one or two-handed) deal significant stun and blunt damage, effective against armored foes. Flails are flexible weapons that can bypass shields to some extent.
• Spears: Two-Handed Melee (Reach)
  Long-reaching weapons ideal for keeping enemies at bay and performing thrusting or sweeping attacks. Good for crowd control.
• Daggers: One-Handed Melee (Fast, Stealth)
  Very fast attacking weapons, excellent for quick combos, applying status effects, or stealth takedowns. Can be dual-wielded for rapid attacks.
• Shields (Light Shield, Heavy Shield): Defensive / Offensive (Off-Hand)
  Used for blocking, parrying, and shield bashing. Light shields are quicker for parrying, while heavy shields offer better protection and can stagger enemies more easily. Can be equipped in the off-hand when dual-wielding or with a one-handed weapon.
• Bows (Hunter Bow, Light Bow, Predator Bow): Ranged
  Hunter Bows are versatile for mid-range. Light Bows offer rapid fire at shorter ranges. Predator Bows are for long-range sniping, allowing manual aiming and zoom. Various arrow types available (standard, fire, poison, explosive).
• Mythical Weapons (e.g., Gungnir, Mjolnir, Excalibur, Gae Bolg - DLC): Unique Legendary (Various Types)
  Powerful, named weapons often tied to Norse or Arthurian legends, possessing unique perks and visual effects. Typically acquired through completing difficult challenges, mysteries, or DLC content.
• Hidden Blade: Stealth Melee (Assassination)
  The iconic Assassin weapon, worn by Eivor on top of the wrist (Viking style). Used for stealth assassinations. Can be upgraded to perform chain assassinations or advanced assassinations on tougher targets.

• Browning High-Visibility Pro Hunting Vest: Visibility Safety Rating 100%, Hunter Concealment (Ungulates) 95%; blaze orange regulation safety vest with deep shell loops and game pouch.
• Kryptek Highlander All-Weather Softshell Jacket: Thermal Insulation +40%, Scent Block +30%, Noise Dampening +25%; technical camouflage outerwear designed for alpine wind and brush protection.
• Rex Specs V2 Canine Protective Goggles (Smoke Lens): Eye Injury Prevention 100%, UV Glare Reduction 60%; rugged eye protection fitted for hunting dogs navigating dense thorn thickets and rocky scree.

• Armor Sets (Helm, Torso, Cloak, Bracers, Pants - Raven, Bear, Wolf Aligned): Eivor can equip five pieces of armor. Each piece provides defensive stats (Armor, Light Resistance, Heavy Resistance, Evasion) and belongs to one of three alignments: Raven (stealth/assassination focus), Bear (melee combat/durability focus), or Wolf (ranged combat/utility focus). Equipping multiple pieces from the same set often grants set bonuses that enhance the aligned playstyle. Armor is color-coded by quality (Fine to Mythical) and can be upgraded to improve stats and unlock rune slots.
• Runes (Weapon & Armor): Enhancements that can be socketed into weapons and armor pieces with available slots. Provide various passive bonuses like increased critical chance, attack speed, elemental damage, health, armor, or resistance to specific damage types.
• Cosmetic Customization (Tattoos, Hairstyles, Beard Styles, Warpaint, Ship & Settlement Decorations): Extensive cosmetic customization options for Eivor (tattoos, hair, beard, warpaint), their longship (hull, sail, shields, figurehead, tailpiece), and their settlement Ravensthorpe (various decorative items). These are primarily visual and do not offer direct stat bonuses, though some settlement decorations might provide minor passive buffs to feasts.
• Transmogrification (Change Appearance): A system allowing players to change the visual appearance of any equipped weapon or armor piece to look like any other item of the same type that they have previously collected, while retaining the stats of the originally equipped item. This is done at the blacksmith in Ravensthorpe.

• Kryptek Obskura Camouflage Field Uniform: Multi-environment concealment pattern designed to blend against varied mountain granite, sagebrush, and dry scrub.
• Heavy-Duty Gore-Tex Alpine Hunting Boots: Reinforced waterproof leather hiking boots with Vibram outsoles for silent walking across loose rock and damp forest moss.
• Waxed Canvas Field Jacket & Flat Cap: Traditional heritage upland hunting apparel featuring oilskin weatherproofing and brass cartridge buttons.

• Armor Sets (Raven, Bear, Wolf Aligned): Eivor can equip five pieces of armor: Helmet, Torso, Cloak, Bracers, and Pants. Each piece is aligned with one of three skill tree philosophies: Raven (stealth, assassination), Bear (melee combat, brawling), or Wolf (archery, utility). Equipping multiple pieces from the same set (e.g., Hidden Ones' Set, Thegn's Set, Huntsman Set) provides synergistic set bonuses. Armor can be upgraded in quality (Fine to Mythical) and enhanced with runes.
• Cosmetic Customization (Tattoos, Hairstyles, Beard Styles, Warpaint): Eivor's appearance can be heavily customized. Tattoo designs can be collected and applied at the tattoo shop in Ravensthorpe. Various hairstyles and beard styles (which can be changed and grow) are available. Warpaint can also be applied.
• Transmogrification (Change Appearance): Players can change the visual appearance of any equipped armor piece or weapon to look like any other item of the same type they have collected, while retaining the stats of the originally equipped item. This is done via the blacksmith Gunnar in Ravensthorpe.
• Longship Customization: Eivor's longship, the 'Nottfeigr' (or player-named), can be customized with different hull paints, sail designs, shields displayed along the sides, figureheads, and tailpieces. These are primarily cosmetic and unlocked through purchase, exploration, or as rewards.
• Raven Customization (Synin): Eivor's raven companion, Synin, can have its appearance changed with different cosmetic skins unlocked through challenges or store purchases.
• Settlement Decorations (Ravensthorpe): Players can find or purchase various decorative items to place around their settlement of Ravensthorpe, personalizing its appearance. Some specific decorations are tied to seasonal festivals or completing certain activities.

Progression is built on practical outdoorsmanship skills, weapon proficiency, and canine bond development. Players advance Hunter Attributes including Scent Suppression (reducing downwind animal detection), Silent Stalking (dampening brush rustling noise), Keen Eye (expanding blood-trail and footprint visibility in tracking mode), and Steady Breathing (extending scope stabilization hold times). Additionally, dog companions level up through active fieldwork, improving their scent range, trail retention, obedience responsiveness, and stamina recovery.

The game features two gargantuan open-world maps measuring 100 km² each (totaling 200 km² of explorable territory). Each territory boasts dynamic microclimates, variable terrain elevations, and interconnected biomes: Colorado encompasses high-altitude alpine tundras, dense conifer forests, rocky scree slopes, and tranquil river valleys; Texas offers semi-arid mesquite flatlands, sprawling brush country, steep limestone river canyons, and cultivated agricultural margins. Both territories are fully open for uninterrupted roaming, tracking, and vehicle expeditions without artificial boundaries or loading screens.

The game features a vast open world encompassing large swathes of England (Mercia, East Anglia, Wessex, Northumbria, etc.) and parts of Norway. Additionally, players can visit mythical realms like Asgard and Jotunheim through vision quests. DLCs added Ireland ('Wrath of the Druids') and Francia ('The Siege of Paris'). The total landmass is significant, with diverse biomes including rolling hills, dense forests, marshlands, snowy mountains, and fortified cities like Lunden (London), Jorvik (York), and Wincestre (Winchester). Map size estimations for England alone are often cited as over 120-140 sq km, with other regions adding substantial area.

• Polaris RANGER EV (Pursuit Camo Edition): Electric All-Terrain Utility Vehicle (UTV)
  Silent electric off-road UTV capable of navigating rugged mountain trails without spooking nearby wildlife herds with engine noise.
• Kawasaki Mule PRO-FXT 4x4: Heavy-Duty Multi-Passenger UTV
  Four-seat utility vehicle ideal for transporting co-op hunting parties and large harvested game carcasses back to camp.

• Longship ('Nottfeigr' / Player Named): Primary Watercraft / Mobile Base for Raids
  Eivor's Viking longship, used for navigating rivers and seas in England and Norway. Essential for initiating Raids on monasteries and settlements. Can be customized with different hull paints, sails, shields, figureheads, and tailpieces. The crew can sing sea shanties during travel.
• Horse Mounts (Various Breeds/Skins): Primary Land Traversal
  Eivor's primary means of land travel. Various horse breeds and cosmetic skins can be acquired from stables in Ravensthorpe or other settlements. Horses can be taught new skills (like swimming) by upgrading the stable. Can be called with a whistle.
• Wolf Mount (Unlockable/Store): Alternate Land Traversal
  A large wolf that Eivor can use as a mount. Functions similarly to a horse but with a different aesthetic. Often available through special editions, in-game store, or specific DLC content (like in Dawn of Ragnarök).
• Small Boats / Rowboats: Minor Watercraft
  Smaller boats found along rivers and coasts, useful for short-distance water travel or reaching areas inaccessible by longship.
• Fast Travel (Synchronization Points & Docks): Map Traversal Mechanic
  Eivor can synchronize high points (typically church towers or ancient ruins) to reveal map details and unlock them as fast travel locations. Docks for the longship also serve as fast travel points.

• Rocky Mountain Elk (Cervus canadensis): Large Cervid
  Majestic big game animal roaming alpine meadows and pine forests, alert to wind shifts and prone to bugling during rutting season.
• North American Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis): Apex Carnivore
  Formidable predator inhabiting high-elevation Colorado ridges that may charge aggressively if startled or wounded.
• Texas White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus): Medium Cervid
  Wary herbivore frequenting Texas creek bottoms and brush borders, highly sensitive to human scent and sudden movement.
• Feral Wild Boar (Sus scrofa): Aggressive Omnivore
  Destructive herd animal found in Texas brush country, travelling in sounders and capable of dangerous defensive charges.

• The Hunter: Protagonist / Master Outdoorsman
  The player-created outdoorsman who travels across Colorado and Texas, mastering fieldcraft, wildlife tracking, and marksmanship.
• Ranger Sarah Miller: Colorado Wildlife Conservation Officer
  Veteran state wildlife officer who coordinates regional tag allocations, enforces ethical harvesting guidelines, and rewards conservation contracts.
• Travis 'Doc' Calhoun: Texas Rancher & Master Gunsmith
  Lifelong West Texas landowner and ballistician who offers custom barrel tuning, optics mounting, and local predator tracking advice.

• Eivor Varinsdottir / Varinsson (Wolf-Kissed): Protagonist / Viking Raider / Raven Clan Leader
  The player-customizable protagonist (male or female options, voice acting changes accordingly). A fierce and respected Viking warrior who leads their clan from Norway to England to build a new home. Eivor is also revealed to be a reincarnation of Odin (Havi) and grapples with this divine connection throughout the story.
• Sigurd Styrbjornsson: Ally / Eivor's Adoptive Brother / Jarl of Raven Clan
  Eivor's ambitious and charismatic adoptive older brother, and the Jarl of their clan. He believes himself to be descended from the gods and seeks glory and a divine destiny, which often puts him at odds with Eivor and leads to conflict.
• Basim Ibn Ishaq / Loki: Ally (Initially) / Antagonist / Hidden One Master
  A Master Hidden One from Constantinople who travels to Norway with Sigurd. He mentors Eivor in the ways of the Hidden Ones and their conflict with the Order of the Ancients. His true identity as a reincarnation of the Norse god Loki is a major plot reveal, making him a complex antagonist with his own agenda.
• Layla Hassan (Modern Day Protagonist): Modern Day Protagonist / Assassin
  The modern-day protagonist using the Animus to relive Eivor's memories. Her story arc from previous games continues as she seeks to prevent another global catastrophe, interacting with other modern-day Assassins like Shaun Hastings and Rebecca Crane.
• King Alfred the Great of Wessex: Antagonist / Historical Figure
  The king of Wessex, the last major Saxon kingdom resisting Viking incursions. A pious, intelligent, and cunning ruler who also operates in the shadows as the Grand Maegester of the Order of the Ancients in England.
• Randvi: Ally / Sigurd's Wife / Ravensthorpe's Strategist
  Sigurd's wife and the chief strategist for the Raven Clan in Ravensthorpe. Eivor consults with her at the Alliance Map to pledge to different regions in England. A potential romantic interest for Eivor.
• Valka: Ally / Raven Clan Seer
  The Raven Clan's seer (völva). She provides Eivor with potions that induce visions, allowing them to experience mythological events in Asgard and Jotunheim as Havi (Odin).
• Hytham: Ally / Hidden One Apprentice
  Basim's young apprentice in the Hidden Ones. He tasks Eivor with hunting down and eliminating members of the Order of the Ancients throughout England, managing the Hidden Ones Bureau in Ravensthorpe.
• Ivarr the Boneless & Ubba Ragnarsson: Allies / Historical Viking Leaders
  Sons of the legendary Ragnar Lothbrok and leaders of the Great Heathen Army. Eivor forms alliances with them to conquer parts of Mercia.
• Oswald, Ceolwulf, Halfdan Ragnarsson, Soma, Hunwald, Goodwin: Allies / Saxon & Viking Regional Leaders
  Various kings, ealdormen, jarls, and thegns Eivor interacts with and forms alliances with (or deposes) across the different shires of England. Their individual storylines form the regional story arcs.
• Fulke: Antagonist / Order of the Ancients Agent
  A sadistic and fanatical agent of the Order of the Ancients who plays a key role in Sigurd's capture and torment, believing him to be a divine being.
• The Builder (Asgard Vision): Antagonist (Mythological)
  A Jotun (giant) who tricks the Aesir gods in Asgard, encountered during Eivor's vision quests as Havi.

• Monarch of the San Juans: Big Game Trophy Contract
  Scout the high alpine ridges of Colorado, assess wind currents, and ethically harvest a legendary 6x6 Rocky Mountain Bull Elk.
• The Texas Ghost: Predator Management
  Track an elusive cattle-raiding mountain lion across steep limestone canyons at dusk using dog scent tracking.
• Waterfowl Conservation Survey: Upland & Waterfowl Guild Challenge
  Set up a decoy spread in Texas river wetlands, calling in and harvesting legal bag limits of migrating mallards with your retriever.

• Main Story Arcs (Norway, England Pledges, Asgard/Jotunheim Visions, Order of the Ancients Hunt, Modern Day)
  The overarching narrative divided into several major arcs: Eivor's departure from Norway, establishing Ravensthorpe and forging alliances by pledging to various shires in England (each a self-contained regional storyline), experiencing mythological sagas as Havi in Asgard and Jotunheim, systematically hunting down members of the Order of the Ancients, and Layla Hassan's modern-day investigation into Isu mysteries and a looming global threat.
• Raids
  Lead Eivor's Viking crew on longship raids against monasteries, encampments, and fortresses along rivers in England to pillage Raw Materials and Supplies needed for upgrading the Ravensthorpe settlement. Involves combat and breaking open chests/doors with crew assistance.
• Assaults (Large Scale Battles)
  Major story-driven battles where Eivor and their allies (often from pledged regions) lay siege to large enemy fortresses or defend against significant attacks. These involve multiple stages, siege weapons, and fighting alongside numerous AI combatants.
• World Events (Mysteries)
  Short, often quirky, self-contained narrative encounters found throughout the world. These can range from helping a child find their pet, to resolving a dispute between villagers, or participating in a bizarre local custom. They offer XP and a glimpse into the lives of ordinary people.
• Flyting Duels (Mysteries)
  Engage in a battle of wits and rhyming insults with various NPCs. Winning requires choosing the correct responses that match the opponent's rhythm and theme, increasing Eivor's Charisma (which unlocks unique dialogue options).
• Offering Altars (Mysteries)
  Find altars that require a specific offering (e.g., a certain number of fish, animal parts, or silver) to appease local spirits or fulfill a request. Completing these rewards skill points.
• Standing Stone Puzzles (Mysteries)
  Environmental puzzles where Eivor must find the correct vantage point to align symbols carved on standing stones, revealing a larger pattern. Rewards skill points.
• Treasures of Britain (Mysteries)
  Explore dangerous, puzzle-filled Isu (First Civilization) vaults hidden across England to collect mysterious tablets. Collecting all of them unlocks the legendary weapon Excalibur.
• Legendary Animal Hunts (Mysteries)
  Track and defeat exceptionally powerful and unique animals found in specific locations. Rewards include XP, resources, and a trophy for the longhouse in Ravensthorpe.
• Lost Drengr (Mysteries)
  Challenge and defeat six legendary Viking warriors, former members of Ragnar Lothbrok's army, who seek a glorious death in battle. Each is a difficult duel.
• Daughters of Lerion (Mysteries)
  Defeat three powerful and mystical sisters who guard pieces of Thor's armor set. Each is a challenging boss fight with unique magical abilities.
• Fly Agaric Hallucination Challenges (Mysteries)
  Consume Fly Agaric mushrooms to enter a hallucinatory state and solve a short environmental puzzle or complete a bizarre task. Rewards skill points.
• Animus Anomalies (Mysteries)
  Modern-day data fragments manifested as glitched platforming puzzles in the historical simulation. Eivor (controlled by Layla) must navigate these unstable structures to retrieve Isu data. Rewards lore.
• River Raids (Repeatable Game Mode)
  A separate repeatable game mode where Eivor leads their Jomsvikings on raids along various rivers to find new gear, resources, and Books of Knowledge. Features unique river maps and upgradable Jomsviking barracks.
• Tombs of the Fallen (Free DLC)
  Explore hidden Isu tombs filled with environmental puzzles and platforming challenges to uncover powerful artifacts and lore.
• DLC Story Campaigns (Wrath of the Druids, The Siege of Paris, Dawn of Ragnarök)
  Major expansions with their own main questlines, new regions (Ireland, Francia, Svartalfheim), characters, enemies, gear, and abilities.

The game features robust 4-player drop-in/drop-out online cooperative multiplayer. Up to four hunters can explore the vast 100 km² Colorado or Texas reserves together. In co-op, players can split tracking duties, set up coordinated ambush lines, share vehicle transit in multi-seat UTVs, command their dogs simultaneously, and collaborate on challenging predator hunts while competing for regional leaderboard trophy scores.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla is primarily a single-player experience. It does not feature traditional cooperative or competitive multiplayer modes. Some online elements exist, such as sharing photos, avenging fallen players (community Jomsvikings), and the River Raids mode which allows recruiting other players' Jomsvikings for your crew.

Hunting Simulator 3 launches on October 29, 2026, across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. The Standard Edition retails for $49.99 USD. The digital 'Apex Predator Edition' (Deluxe Edition) retails for $59.99 USD, including the base game and the comprehensive 'Apex Predator Pack' DLC (featuring the Remington Model 783 bolt-action rifle, Remington Model 870 SPS Super Mag Turkey/Predator shotgun, Browning Pro Vest in blaze orange, Rex Specs V2 dog protection goggles with smoke-tinted lenses, the Polaris RANGER EV all-terrain vehicle in exclusive Pursuit Camo livery, Bushnell Fusion rangefinder binoculars, Primos Turkey Bombshell call, and an exclusive Royal hunting lodge interior theme with over 20 unique taxidermy poses). On PC, early buyers receive the Pre-Order Bonus pack free during the first two weeks post-launch.

Available in Standard, Gold (includes Season Pass), Ultimate (Gold content + Ultimate Pack with Berserker items, settlement pack, runes), and Collector's Edition (Ultimate content + Eivor statue, SteelBook, art prints, soundtrack, certificate). A Ragnarök Edition included the base game and the 'Dawn of Ragnarök' expansion. The Complete Edition bundles the base game and all major expansions.

Nacon and Nacon Studio Ghent have established an ambitious post-launch live roadmap. Day-one DLC includes the 'Apex Predator Pack' and the 'Classic American Hunter Pack.' Future planned content includes new international hunting reserves (such as the European Bavarian Alps and Scandinavian Taiga), additional licensed firearm partnerships (Sako, Tikka, and Benelli), specialized watercraft for waterfowl hunting, and seasonal wildlife conservation event challenges.

Valhalla received extensive post-launch support. This includes two major paid story expansions: 'Wrath of the Druids' (set in Ireland) and 'The Siege of Paris' (set in Francia). A third large expansion, 'Dawn of Ragnarök,' (mythological focus, playing as Odin/Havi) was also released. Numerous free updates added content like River Raids, Mastery Challenges, Tombs of the Fallen, seasonal festivals (Yule, Ostara, Sigrblot, Oskoreia), New Game+, transmog, and 'The Last Chapter' (a free story epilogue).

• Q: What is Hunting Simulator 3?
  A: Hunting Simulator 3 is an open-world hunting simulation game developed by Nacon Studio Ghent and published by Nacon, built in Unreal Engine 5.
• Q: When does Hunting Simulator 3 release?
  A: The game releases on October 29, 2026, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.
• Q: What is the 'SimFauna' system?
  A: SimFauna is a dynamic ecosystem AI engine that simulates authentic animal sensory awareness, reproduction, aging, herd communication, and behavioral adaptation to player hunting habits.
• Q: Does Hunting Simulator 3 support multiplayer?
  A: Yes, it supports seamless 4-player online cooperative multiplayer across open-world reserve maps.
• Q: What regions are featured in the game?
  A: The game features two massive 100 km² open-world territories modeled after the landscapes of Colorado (Rocky Mountains) and Texas (plains, scrublands, and canyons).

• Q: Is Assassin's Creed Valhalla a traditional Assassin's Creed game?
  A: Valhalla blends traditional Assassin's Creed elements (stealth, assassinations with the Hidden Blade, conflict between Hidden Ones/Order of the Ancients, modern-day story) with significant action RPG mechanics (skill trees, gear upgrades, dialogue choices, large open world, settlement building). It leans more into the RPG aspects than earlier titles in the series.
• Q: Can I play as a male or female Eivor?
  A: Yes, players can choose to play as either a male Eivor (Varinsson) or a female Eivor (Varinsdottir). The story and dialogue are largely the same for both, with voice acting being the primary difference. Players can also let the Animus choose, which sometimes switches between them at key moments (canonically, Eivor is female).
• Q: What is Ravensthorpe, and how does settlement building work?
  A: Ravensthorpe is the Viking settlement Eivor establishes in England. Players can upgrade the settlement by constructing various buildings (e.g., blacksmith, barracks, trading post, hunter's hut, seer's hut, museum) using resources gathered from raids. Each building provides new services, quests, characters, or passive benefits for Eivor and their clan.
• Q: Are there choices and consequences in Valhalla?
  A: Yes, Valhalla features numerous dialogue choices and decisions during quests that can impact character relationships, the outcome of regional story arcs, alliances, and even aspects of the main story's ending. Some choices have more significant long-term consequences than others.
• Q: What are the Asgard and Jotunheim sequences?
  A: These are vision quests where Eivor, through Valka's potions, experiences events from Norse mythology as Havi (another name for Odin). These sequences feature unique mythical environments, characters (like Thor, Loki, Freya, Tyr), and storylines that tie into the Isu lore and Eivor's own destiny.
• Q: Does Valhalla have naval combat like previous AC games?
  A: While Eivor has a longship for river and sea travel and for initiating raids, direct ship-to-ship naval combat with cannons and complex maneuvers (like in Black Flag or Odyssey) is not a primary feature. The longship is mainly for transport, raiding party deployment, and navigating waterways. Limited ranged combat from the ship is possible.

Powered by Unreal Engine 5, Hunting Simulator 3 showcases breathtaking visual fidelity. Nanite geometry renders millions of detailed pine needles, rugged rock faces, and individual blades of prairie grass, while Lumen dynamic global illumination casts realistic dappled sunlight through tree canopies. Animals boast meticulously groomed fur shaders that react to wind and rain, realistic skeletal muscle deformation, and accurate eye reflections.

Powered by AnvilNext 2.0, Valhalla showcases detailed and expansive environments, from the fjords of Norway to the rolling hills and forests of England, and the mythical realms. It features impressive lighting, weather effects, and detailed character models. The game's art style captures the rugged beauty of the Viking Age and the distinct cultures of Norse and Anglo-Saxon societies.

Audio design utilizes high-fidelity 3D binaural spatial acoustics. Players can discern the exact distance, direction, and gait of animal hoofprints crunching over dry pine needles, subtle brush rustling, and distant elk bugles echoing across mountain canyons. The dynamic soundtrack features subtle, atmospheric acoustic guitar and strings during sunrise exploration that gently recedes during stalking to allow uncompromised auditory tracking.

Original score composed by Jesper Kyd, Sarah Schachner, and Einar Selvik (of Wardruna). The music blends epic orchestral themes with authentic Norse folk instrumentation and vocals, creating a powerful and atmospheric soundscape. Features Viking chants, sea shanties sung by Eivor's crew, and ambient tracks reflecting the different regions. Sound design includes visceral combat sounds, distinct weapon effects, and immersive environmental audio.

The interface is engineered with a minimalist, diegetic design ethos to maximize outdoor immersion. The HUD features a subtle compass tape with wind direction and velocity indicators, an intuitive scent cone overlay, and an ergonomic radial Command Wheel for directing hunting dogs in real time. The comprehensive Hunter Tablet provides topographical reserve maps, animal harvest history, regional legal tag registries, and ballistics data charts.

Features a customizable HUD with health, adrenaline, stamina, and equipped abilities/tools. A compass with objective markers aids navigation. The world map is extensive with filters for activities and collectibles. Menus for inventory, skills, abilities, quests, and settlement management are accessible. Eagle Vision (Odin's Sight) highlights enemies, loot, and points of interest.

Extensive accessibility options ensure an inclusive experience: fully customizable HUD opacity, high-contrast tracking trails (enabling bright colorblind-friendly hues for blood spatters and disturbed brush), adjustable animal call audio cues with on-screen directional indicators, toggleable aim assist, customizable stick deadzones, and full remapping for mouse, keyboard, and gamepads.

Offers a wide range of accessibility options, including extensive control remapping, subtitle and caption customization (size, background, speaker names), options for QTEs (hold vs. tap), aim assist options, colorblind modes, options to reduce camera motion/screen effects, audio cues for important events, and adjustable text/icon sizes.

• Built from the ground up in Unreal Engine 5 utilizing Nanite virtualized geometry and Lumen dynamic global illumination for photorealistic wilderness environments. Requires a 64-bit Windows 11 operating system with full DirectX 12 hardware feature support. Solid State Drive (SSD) installation is strongly recommended for smooth streaming of open-world terrain across 100 km² wilderness sectors.
• Laptop Performance Note: Unreal Engine 5 foliage rendering, dynamic atmospheric wind simulation, and complex SimFauna multi-agent animal tracking require sustained thermal dissipation on gaming laptops. Mobile GPUs should maintain a continuous 80W to 115W+ TGP. Elevating the laptop chassis or using an active dual-fan cooling pad is advised to prevent thermal clock degradation during extended multi-hour backcountry tracking expeditions.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: Target at least 80W-105W+ TGP on mobile GeForce or Radeon GPUs to sustain stable framerates when rendering dense aspen forests, volumetric fog, and sweeping alpine vistas.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: The SimFauna behavioral calculation thread and real-time Lumen lighting generate steady thermal loads; keeping cooling intakes dust-free is essential for steady clock speeds.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: Set Windows 11 power profile to High Performance or Turbo to ensure rapid physics calculations for bullet drop, wind deflection, and canine pathfinding.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: Bypass integrated display pipelines by activating discrete GPU mode via internal MUX switch / Advanced Optimus to eliminate micro-stutter when scoping long-distance targets.
• Optimization Detail: Upscaling Tech: Native support for NVIDIA DLSS 3 (with Frame Generation), AMD FSR 3, and Intel XeSS.
• Optimization Detail: Key Settings Impact: Foliage Density, Shadow Quality, View Distance, and Volumetric Clouds exert the largest influence on overall performance and frametimes.
• Game Name: Hunting Simulator 3

• Official PC system requirements from Ubisoft. Performance can vary significantly depending on specific hardware, settings, areas in-game (especially dense settlements or large battles), and background applications. An SSD is strongly recommended.
• Laptop Performance Note: Laptop models of listed desktop GPUs will require comparable performance, high TGP (Total Graphics Power), and excellent cooling. **Assassin's Creed Valhalla is a demanding title, especially at higher resolutions or with maxed-out settings due to its large, detailed world.**
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: Good TGP is important for consistent framerates.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: Robust cooling is essential for sustained performance during raids and exploration.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: A strong CPU is needed for NPC simulation, large-scale battles, and world streaming.
• Laptop Consideration: R A M Speed Dual Channel: Fast dual-channel RAM benefits performance.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: Using a MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is recommended.
• Optimization Detail: Upscaling Tech: Supports AMD FSR 1.0 (later versions may require mods or specific game updates). DLSS support is not native but might be possible via mods on PC for some users.
• Optimization Detail: Key Settings Impact: World Details, Clutter, Shadow Quality, Volumetric Clouds, Water Quality, Screen Space Reflections, Character Texture Quality, and Anti-Aliasing heavily impact performance. The game offers an adaptive quality setting.
• Game Name: Assassin Creed Valhalla

• Upscaling Tech: Native support for NVIDIA DLSS 3 (with Frame Generation), AMD FSR 3, and Intel XeSS.
• Key Settings Impact: Foliage Density, Shadow Quality, View Distance, and Volumetric Clouds exert the largest influence on overall performance and frametimes.

• Upscaling Tech: Supports AMD FSR 1.0 (later versions may require mods or specific game updates). DLSS support is not native but might be possible via mods on PC for some users.
• Key Settings Impact: World Details, Clutter, Shadow Quality, Volumetric Clouds, Water Quality, Screen Space Reflections, Character Texture Quality, and Anti-Aliasing heavily impact performance. The game offers an adaptive quality setting.

• G P U T G P: Target at least 80W-105W+ TGP on mobile GeForce or Radeon GPUs to sustain stable framerates when rendering dense aspen forests, volumetric fog, and sweeping alpine vistas.
• Cooling Thermals: The SimFauna behavioral calculation thread and real-time Lumen lighting generate steady thermal loads; keeping cooling intakes dust-free is essential for steady clock speeds.
• C P U Power Limits: Set Windows 11 power profile to High Performance or Turbo to ensure rapid physics calculations for bullet drop, wind deflection, and canine pathfinding.
• M U X Switch Optimus: Bypass integrated display pipelines by activating discrete GPU mode via internal MUX switch / Advanced Optimus to eliminate micro-stutter when scoping long-distance targets.

• G P U T G P: Good TGP is important for consistent framerates.
• Cooling Thermals: Robust cooling is essential for sustained performance during raids and exploration.
• C P U Power Limits: A strong CPU is needed for NPC simulation, large-scale battles, and world streaming.
• R A M Speed Dual Channel: Fast dual-channel RAM benefits performance.
• M U X Switch Optimus: Using a MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is recommended.