It’s been two weeks since Assassin’s Creed Valhalla launched, and many players have suffered plenty of bugs while playing the game. I myself have encountered several bugs, including a rather frustrating corrupted saves issue.

All of that will hopefully change later tonight when the Assassin’s Creed Vallhalla update 1.04 drops at 8pm GMT+8 on 26 November 2020 across all platforms.

Here are the size of the update for each platform:

• Xbox Series X/S – 5.3GB
• Xbox One – 4.9GB
• PS5 – 2.5GB
• PS4 – 4.1GB
• PC – 4.3GB

The Assassin’s Creed Valhalla 1.04 patch will bring tons of new content and improvements. When I say that, I do mean a lot.

I’ll list down the official patch notes below, but highlight the biggest improvements and fixes that I can identify after my own experience of sinking many, many hours into the game.

Interestingly, the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions of the game will soon give players an option between Graphics or Performance modes.

Notably, many players (including me) have discovered that they stopped being able to collect any more Fabric in the game after a certain point, which means that they’re locked out of upgrading their bow and arrow/rations, as well as completing a particular altar offering.

That issue will be fixed, as will many others. What’s weird is that the patch notes does mention several improvements to Save Games, but we’ll have to wait and see if the corrupted saves problem will truly be solved by this patch.

Content

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 Xbox Series X/S and PS5.
• Choosing Performance allows the game to adapt the resolution and graphic settings to maintain 60FPS.
• Choosing Quality enables the game to run maximum resolution and graphic settings while maintaining 30FPS.
• Default values since the launch of the game are as follows:
  • Xbox Series X / PS5: Performance
  • Xbox Series S: Quality

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.
• (Xbox Series) Improved experience on Xbox Series X/S consoles including screen tearing.
• (PC) Addressed a VRAM/RAM leakage issue when alt-tabbing to desktop.

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.
• Shadow resolution on High will now use correct values.

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.
• Crows will no longer randomly fall from the sky in Asgard.

Gameplay, Combat, AI

• Addressed various bow-aiming issues.
• Improved NPC and Boss behaviour across the board.
• NPCs will now react to the player 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.
• Zealots will no longer heal themselves while in player vicinity.
• Guards who clearly saw Eivor shoot their ally will now turn hostile.
• Guards will now hear the impact of dead bodies dropping to the ground.
• Improved guard reactions to whistling.
• Improved disguise behaviour in distrust zones.
• Shooting bows from the Longship now consume arrows.
• Players will now be able to air-assassinate sleeping NPCs.
• Improved fish-reeling behaviour.
• Addressed an issue where the horse wouldn’t use the gallop animation in combat.
• The crowd will now cheer during drinking games.
• 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.
• Subquests 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 travellers.

User Interface / HUD

• Addressed various issues with the User Interface/HUD.
• Addressed various localization issues.
• Addressed various Mouse- and Keyboard-related input issues
• Secrets will now be discovered when synchronizing a Viewpoint. (This does not apply to Pathfinder difficulty)
• Experienced travellers 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 traveller.
• 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 behaviour.
• 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.
• 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) Colourblind 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.
• Addressed a display issue where the poisonous powder trap could become invisible after using Synin.
• Adjusted chain-assassination behaviour. 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

• Effect values can now be adjusted with arrow keys or WASD.
• 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 centre to the camera instead of the player in Photo Mode.

System

• (PC) Updated readme files to show correct PC specifications.
• 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.
• (PC) Updated the autodetect config for Nvidia Geforce 1650 S.

In the meantime, check out our full review of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla here, or head on over here for our guide on how to be the best Viking in the game.