I've been a big fan of the Assassin's Creed series. I've learned a bit about architecture and history, particularly the "Ezio" / Florence, Italy one which was probably the best. Also the assassins vs templars was a really engaging idea, parallel to the Dan Brown secret society stuff.
Also if you stay behind the current release, you can often pick up the titles for around $15. Of course, like everything else they have been going downhill. The assassins / templars stuff plays less of a role as they go on.
I was warned here that the latest ones suck. I've played a few hours of Valhalla, and I just don't care about the characters or the plot at all. It's kind of pretty, taking place in Norway and England. But I'm also sort of over the "explore this beautiful world" thing because I've already spent hours doing it on the last couple of games. I don't even really understand what I'm doing, it's something to do with avenging my father? I don't really care.
There was a scene in Valhalla where this obnoxious wife is openly complaining to me (a STRANGER, no less) that her husband no longer fornicates with her on the battlefield. There's a tiny side quest where you can "help" them by smashing some things in their house, to remind him of the excitement of warfare, and that doesn't work, so this trollop asks you to set their house on fire. Then the husband gets excited and gets it on and you have "succeeded." What total garbage!
I'm also playing as a Big Bad Brave Female character. I'm going to hold on a bit more until it switches later to playing as her brother, but so far this thing is total garbage, slightly better than Red Dead Redemption 2 but not much. I already know there is some gayness in Valhalla, so I am prepared for that, but honestly just the lack of engaging storyline and interest in the characters is far more offensive to me. Gayness is in everything these days, so whatever. (It's obviously out of place 2,000 years ago)
As I recall a lot of these Ubisoft games are programmed by Ukrainians and the degeneracy is really showing.
I believe the next one in the series is Japan, and I may still buy that as I'm enthralled with Japanese culture and society but maybe this one will offend me enough to quit completely.
On a positive note, Nintendo produces mostly quality, non-pozzed stuff, and I am looking forward to the Switch 2 console they will be releasing next year. I haven't had a Nintendo in well over a decade and dislike consoles but I like the idea of good family friendly Japanese content, and I think the Zelda games are probably fun for adults.
