Assassin's Creed Valhalla's extensive playtime drew criticism, prompting Ubisoft to refine the experience in its upcoming installment, Assassin's Creed Codename Red. Feedback regarding the length of the main plot and abundance of optional tasks has been addressed.
Game director Charles Benoit stated the main storyline of Codename Red will take approximately 50 hours to complete, with full exploration and side quests potentially requiring 100 hours. This contrasts with Valhalla's minimum 60-hour main story and a potential 150-hour completion time.
Ubisoft has reportedly streamlined optional content to avoid overwhelming players, aiming for a more balanced ratio of narrative and side activities. The goal is to eliminate tediousness without sacrificing world richness or narrative depth. The developers intend to cater to both players who prefer extensive gameplay and those focused on the main story, avoiding excessively long playtime.
Director Jonathan Dumont highlighted the team's research trip to Japan, significantly influencing the game's development. The scale of Japanese castles, mountainous landscapes, and dense forests surpassed expectations, emphasizing the need for heightened realism and detail.
A key change involves world geography. Travel distances between points of interest will be greater, fostering a more open and natural feel, unlike the densely packed points of interest found in Odyssey. This increased travel time is offset by significantly richer and more detailed locations. Dumont emphasizes Codename Red's superior level of detail, promising a deeply immersive Japanese atmosphere.
