In Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Eivor collects a wide variety of weapons and gear – and some even have godlike power. But optimizing your performance and customizing your appearance don't always go hand-in-hand; you may like the look of one piece of gear, even if its stats aren't ideal. Starting today, that won't be a problem in Valhalla anymore. The new title update introduces a transmog feature that lets you change the way an equipped item looks while keeping its other properties intact. 

According to Ubisoft's latest blog about the game, the new content and features (which are free to all players as Title Update 1.2.0) are rolling out today, March 16. As for the ability to change the appearance of your weapons and armor, this is what the post says:

"We added Change Appearance aka Transmog to the game.

• Change your gear and weapon appearance within the same category of items at Gunnar’s blacksmith in Ravensthorpe for 50 silver. “This piece was already exceptionally beautiful, but if there’s anyone who could improve it, it’s me!” —Gunnar
• Changed items will be marked with a star in the inventory."

The transmog feature may be familiar to players of Assassin's Creed Odyssey; the feature was also added to that installment as part of the game's extensive and impressive post-launch support.

The new title update also lays the groundwork for a new seasonal festival (like the Yule Festival this winter) called the Ostara Festival, but the event isn't actually available until March 18. Ubisoft's post describes it like this: "The Ostara Festival will be available from March 18 to April 8. It will feature a bloomy Ravensthorpe, some unique side activities (such as egg hunts), and special rewards."

That's not all the update holds! Players can also find three added skills, make use of a new close camera option, and benefit from a huge list of bug fixes and balance tweaks.  

Are you going to jump back into Assassin's Creed Valhalla to check out transmog and the other new additions? Let us know in the comments below! It might be the perfect way to reacquaint yourself with the game before the Wrath of the Druids DLC launches later this spring. 

Valheim players are incredible when it comes to putting their creativity to the test. Earlier this month, we shared an impressive 1:1 replica of Skyrim's Whiterun that is still in progress. Now we're sharing a slightly different kind of creation: a humongous U.S Navy battleship replica. 

As a former U.S. Navy sailor (turned greenside Marine), this wooden creation by Redditor u/wjdql64334 was too good not to share. This creation was modeled after the USS Iowa (BB-61), a retired battleship that was actually the fourth ship to be named after this particular state in North America. Given that Valheim doesn't quite have the same creative resources that titles like Minecraft have, this build is insanely impressive. 

Click image thumbnails to view larger version

It's impossible to get an exact replica with the in-game creative tools in its current Early Access state, but who knows? The team behind Valheim continues to make updates to the Viking experience to prepare for a full launch; maybe even more color options and crafting help will be on the way. 

If you're really particular and want to compare in person (there are even online tours), the battleship Iowa is on display in the Los Angeles, California museum seen here. 

As for the game itself, it's been taking our community by storm. Valheim continues to dominate the Steam charts, and for a good reason. This survival game is one of many, but where it shines is that it's a survival game for those that might not particularly like this genre. It's not as unforgiving as other titles in this same niche, and the soundtrack is beyond compare. It's soothing, it's challenging, and it's all done perfectly in tandem for a social experience that is amazing shared and equally enjoyable solo. 

There are so many mods out there to make a great game even better, as well. While many more have been added since our recommendation list was added, you can find a list of essential mods that we love right here. You can also learn more about what it takes to succeed in the world of Valheim with some helpful tips and tricks, courtesy of our own Dan Tack, with our game hub here.