This November, Ubisoft will release Shadows, the latest entry in its iconic Assassin’s Creed franchise. These games have always been regarded as some of the best in the stealth and open-world genres. However, in recent years, the series’ quality has been questioned regarding its writing and game design. This latest game will be a defining moment for the franchise. The games finally explore a desired setting where the series can return to its roots and win back audiences. There are many tasks laid out for Ubisoft if they want to redeem their historical epic. Here is a rundown of how Shadows will either make or break the future of Assassin’s Creed.
The Game Must Make Use of Its Setting
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Firstly, the game must make use of its setting, which is Feudal Japan. Over the years, there have been many settings gamers have wanted to explore within the Assassin’s Creed universe. Examples include the prohibition era, the West, the Civil War, and many others. However, few have come close to the scale of the demand for a game in Feudal Japan. The era is perfect for the AC mythos, due to the nature of ninjas, shinobi, their codes of stealth and honor, feudal warlords, and European traders who would be plausible in-universe.
Many other titles paved the way for the portrayal of feudal Japan. Examples include Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Ghost of Tsushima, and Ubisoft’s own For Honor. Shows such as Hulu’s Shogun also increased interest in this era. However, few other series have had the same potential synergy with the period as Assassin’s Creed. There are many ways in which the way of the shinobi could combine with the philosophies and tools of the Assassins, perfected across centuries and various cultures. One example is the newly introduced grappling hook to aid in the series’ iconic parkour.
Shadows Must Balance Stealth and Exploration
The next biggest necessity for this new game would be properly balancing stealth and exploration. Ever since the days of Ezio and Altair, these have been the central pillars of the franchise. Players have always traveled across vast settings that accurately captured their eras while sneaking through crowded cities and enemy strongholds. As stated above, Japan is a beautiful nation with a rich architectural legacy. However, the series has begun to lose its way in recent titles.
Many recent games felt more like traditional fantasy epics rather than stealth titles. The worst offender would have to be 2020’s Valhalla, a game where players spend hundreds of hours burning down villages or even battling Norse Gods during vision sequences. Furthermore, the game also featured many pointless sidequests and filler events littering the map. While the recent Mirage attempted to go back to the series’ roots, many saw it as a step back instead.
The Story of Assassin’s Creed Must Continue
Finally, for Shadows to be a successful entry in the series, it must tell a good story. For the past few games, the series’ overall arc has stagnated. Desmond and his quest to protect humanity became a strong main plot in the first few games, tying the games together. Since then, the series has been content with more unrelated quests and missions across history. Furthermore, many believe Laylah’s arc to be underdeveloped compared to the earlier games. One piece of potential for the story is its dual protagonists, Yasuke and Naoe. Given their status as foils in gameplay, characterization, and backstory, this allows Ubisoft to create one of the more compelling duos for their games.
With this new game, Ubisoft could revitalize the story in many ways. For example, given Japan’s “distance” from other historical regions, they could make it a more personal story during the framing device. Furthermore, the writers also have a chance to delve further into the ideological differences between the Templars and Assassins by exploring how different historical figures and original characters align with the philosophies of both groups. Ultimately, Assassin’s Creed is a template; it allows historical tales to be retold through the lens of order vs. chaos with ancient technology thrown in as a curveball.
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