Mindful Games - Assassin's Creed Valhalla (Patreon)

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7e-uTy2c4k

Valhalla was the inception of this show. I beginning my play-through over the holidays and noticed there was an option on the ability wheel just called "Meditate." It got me thinking about how many games nowadays have mechanics like this, whether they just facilitate a regular practice in games (fast-forwarding time in this case) or actually simulate breathing, clearing your mind, etc. As I ran around Europe it was a delight to encounter so many side stories that focused on appreciating the little things. This is such a long game that the collection of these moments probably only makes up a single-digit percentage of the entire experience, but for a game focused on pillage and plunder it was more than I was initially expecting. For those nervous about spoilers, I stayed away from any events concerning the main campaign outside of the first few quest lines. These episodes will also be short, likely under ten minutes, to highlight the fact that achieving a calm and focused mind takes less time than you might think.

- Jones