Assassin's Creed Valhalla hidden blade will let you "one-shot-kill virtually anybody"

Assassin's Creed Valhalla is bringing back hidden blade insta-kills.

Game director Ashraf Ismail confirmed the small but very important detail in an interview with Kotaku. Main character Eivor will get the hidden blade fairly early in the course of the game, and while making the most of the weapon will require discretion, patience, and skill, you'll be able to use it to quickly dispatch nearly any target.

“We continue with the idea that Eivor is not a trained assassin," Ismail said. "Eivor is a Viking who receives this badass weapon and has to learn very quickly. Early in the experience, Eivor will learn a technique that, with the right timing ... can one-shot-kill virtually anybody.”

Assassin's Creed Odyssey did not include a hidden blade (at least, not one you could equip). Assassin's Creed Origins did, but actually killing anybody with it was difficult, since the game favored more action-packed, loot-driven combat.

Along with the new (or old) assassination opportunities presented by the proper return of the hidden blade, Ismail teased that Eivor will be able to use another assassin trick that was missing in the last couple games: social stealth will return with "a cool new spin on it."

“The idea that a Norse person or a Viking is in a place that they’re not wanted, for them to sort of go incognito and kind of hide in the crowd, if you will, made a lot of sense,” Ismail explained.

The team has tried to "see the greatness" of the older Assassin's Creed games while unifying it with the best parts of the updated formula. We'll get to see how it all turns out when Valhalla arrives in time for the holidays this year, though Ismail has teased that we'll see more in-depth gameplay and info before then.

You don't have to wait any longer to take a picturesque look at Eivor's home village.