The highly anticipated game Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla is set to release in the holiday period of 2020: the same time that the next generation of consoles will be rolling out. As such, there’s still a bit of a wait left, and plenty of time to get into the Viking spirit.

You might want to marathon the wealth of Assassin’s Creed titles out there, but there are other gems outside of Ubisoft’s flagship franchise that are worth giving a look. In that vein, here are ten games to play whilst you wait for Valhalla.

10 Jøtun

9 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim / The Elder Scrolls Online: Greymoor

Skyrim isn’t strictly about Vikings, but the developers at Bethesda took a lot of inspiration from the Scandinavian people when making their most popular Elder Scrolls to date. It’s an open-world adventure RPG with the main quest revolving around the return of the World-Eater, a dragon called Alduin.

Alternatively, if you want a more up-to-date experience, you can delve into the brand new Elder Scrolls Online expansion, Greymoor, which takes place in Skyrim as well. ESO is an open-world MMO RPG, and the expansion pits you against a Vampire Lord, so if Skyrim’s DLC Dawnguard was your thing, then this will be right up your ally.

8 Saga: Rage of the Vikings

Saga is a classic RTS game from the 90s, so if you’re not big on strategy or retro experiences, then this one likely won’t be your cup of tea, but if aged graphics and archaic design don’t put you off, it’s a wonderful experience.

It drew a lot of inspiration from the Age of Empire series, but it bases itself on the Viking era, having you partake in Scandinavian culture, with elements of Norse mythology thrown in for good measure.

7 Apsulov: End of Gods

Naturally, most Viking games are going to be historical, given that they are a people of a bygone era, and their pantheon of gods has almost entirely fizzled out in terms of believers. However, Apsulov takes us to the future.

The premise is simple: humans dug too far down and found hidden Nordic God’s secrets that they should’ve never unearthed. It’s a horror, so if you scar easily, this might not be your thing, but if you’re a fan of the genre, this is definitely one worth trying.

6 God of War (PS4)

It’s only natural that one of the best games of the past decade would make this list, and that is God of War, a PlayStation 4 exclusive that acts as a soft reboot to the hit hack and slash franchise that began on the PS2.

In this open-world, action-adventure RPG, you play as Kratos, the man who wiped out the Greek Gods, who is now thrust into the world of the Nordic pantheon. His wife has passed and he and his son embark on a journey to spread her ashes, but things get complicated fast.

5 Volgarr the Viking

Sidescroller platformers are plentiful, with it being a dominant form of expression in the indie scene, from the Dark Souls inspired Salt and Sanctuary to the comedic but brilliant Shovel Knight.

However, the aptly named Crazy Viking Studios took it upon themselves to develop a Nordic-themed entry into the genre, and with it boasting a pretty solid 80% on Metacritic, it seems to be worth giving a spin.

4 Dead In Vinland

For context, Vinland is the name that the Vikings gave to the area of North America that they discovered way-back-when and CCCP’s survival RPG is all about a small, tight-knit family trying their best to survive on an island in this region.

There are 14 playable characters, 150 areas to discover, mechanics that allow you to hunt, harvest, fish, and build your own settlement as well as a bunch of side quests that impact your character’s outcomes by the end of the story. With Valhalla sporting a growing settlement as you play, this entry seems like a no-brainer to get into the swing of things.

3 Pirates, Vikings, and Knights II

If survival games, horror, strategy, and singleplayer RPGs aren’t your speed, and you’re looking for something multiplayer, then this might be the golden ticket - it’s a multiplayer FPS that uses Valve’s Source engine.

In it, the three factions duke it out in various game modes, with a class-based system much like in another Source game - Team Fortress 2.

2 Expeditions: Viking

Expeditions: Viking is another strategic, birds-eye-view game, this time with turn-based combat and a hexagonal-grid system that dictates your movement. You’ll find yourself as a young thegn with the task of defending your title.

As the name suggests, it takes place during the Viking era, particularly being set in Northern Europe. You lead a clan who lands on the shores of England and make your own way in this RPG all about conquest.

1 The Banner Saga

The Banner Saga isn’t just an artistic treasure trove of stunning, cartoony visuals, but it is also an incredibly well-received tactical RPG. The US Gamer described it as “Game of Thrones Meets Vikings Meets Disney.”

That’s a fairly fitting description, as it sports a great story, a fantastic imagining of the Viking era and, at times, brutal gameplay. Every choice made has an impact, which is great for any RPG, and dictates the way in which the story will unfold. It may not have next-gen, realistic graphics, or over-the-shoulder combat like Assassin’s Creed, but it’s a damn good way to fill the time until this holiday season.

NEXT: Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla - 7 Things We Want To See In The Game (& 3 Things We Don’t)