From the Third Crusade to the Ptolemaic Kingdom, Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed franchise has visited more time periods than Doctor Who and Quantum Leap combined. Okay, that might not actually be true, but video games allow players to explore these foreign cultures in a way that is simply not possible in film or television!
While precious little can replace a gripping and historically-accurate book, actively interacting with the society is the next best thing. Even if Assassin’s Creed hardly prides itself on presenting an authentic reenactment of The Italian Renaissance or the Golden Age of Piracy, Ubisoft’s series sprinkles tidbits of educational factoids over a blockbuster experience designed to entertain and soak up all of our cash.
With the studio unlikely to stop publishing new entries anytime soon, Assassin’s Creed is destined to recreate countless of other crucial historical events as a backdrop to the fictional war between the Assassins and the Templars. When picking a setting for the franchise, certain things need to be taken into account; primarily, does the period’s architecture compliment the franchise’s style of gameplay? Furthermore, the developers need to choose an area brimming with personality and identifiable personnel that can be recognized without a Ph.D. in History. Just because an era sounds fun on paper, does not mean it is a good fit for Assassin’s Creed!
Ready for a trip through history’s darkest moments? With Assassin’s Creed Odyssey set to take place in Ancient Greece: here are 10 countries Assassin’s Creed should go next (and 10 it should avoid)!
20 Go To: Viking Age
Following the well-received Assassin’s Creed Origins, a concept artist employed by Ubisoft Milan released a couple of images that sent fans into an uproar. Suddenly, everyone wanted a Viking themed Assassin’s Creed game. However, is this era a good fit for the franchise? In terms of architecture, Vikings generally struck to more rural constructions, so there is a genuine lack of massive monuments for gamers to climb. While this is definitely a point against this period, the Vikings’ advanced navy allows for enough wiggle room to overcome this disadvantage. As raiding was the group’s preferred past time, a Viking experience needs to explore more than one location. Honestly, this would be the perfect spiritual successor to Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag.
19 Avoid: World War II
For a brief second, SergeyGudz’s brilliant concept art nearly changed World War II Germany from an avoid to a must-play. However, this particular era has already been explored by countless titles, so anything new would feel somewhat redundant. Putting aside oversaturation, WWII’s atrocities are still firmly engrained in the public’s consciousness, so Ubisoft would need to tread extremely lightly. Wolfenstein is so over-the-top that it is borderline impossible to get offended by the material, but Assassin’s Creed tries to present an authentic experience of its respective eras. Using such a devastating war as a backdrop for some silly fictional conflict between Templars and Assassins is a recipe for disaster.
18 Go To: Sengoku Period Japan
Prior to Assassin’s Creed Unity coming out to a mixed reception, fans speculated whether Ubisoft would take full advantage of the next generation hardware to deliver a truly breathtaking experience. If they plan to deliver that, the Sengoku Period should also be taken into consideration. Initiated by the Ōnin War, this era lasted for over a century and saw the Emperor of Japan relegated to nothing more than a figurehead. While the leader took a more laissez-faire approach to dictatorship, lords fought over the land to see who would come out on top. In terms of scalable building, the Sengoku Period saw the construction of many awe-inspiring castles that seem like a perfect fit for the franchise!
17 Avoid: The Wild West
Illustrated by Xavier Thomas, who put together many of the franchise’s box covers, the Wild West would just be Assassin’s Creed III all over again. On the one hand, an assassin would slip right in as a bounty hunter, but the American Frontier simply does not lend itself well to a franchise that shines when set in massive cities with already established infrastructures. The idea of traveling across the land on horseback worked in Assassin’s Creed Origins, but the Ptolemaic Kingdom consisted of more than small towns with a couple of single-story buildings. In recent years, Westerns have experienced a small resurgence in cinema, but Ubisoft should leave the old west to Rockstar Games.
16 Go To: Roman Empire
Frankly, we are astonished that Ubisoft has yet to pick the Roman Empire as a setting for Assassin’s Creed. Besides offering countless well-known historical figures, including Julius Ceasar and Gaius Marius, there has always been a fascination with this particular time period. The Roman Empire lasted for longer than a thousand years, so a specific era would need to be chosen; for our money, the first and second civil wars between Marius and Sulla would make for the perfect entry point. Serving as a lead up to Ceasar taking the throne, this era was defined by social unrest due to the inequality that existed between citizens of Rome and members of its larger republic. The latter were forced to fight in wars and pay high taxes but had no say in the way they were used.
15 Avoid: Cold War
A battle fought by politicians and the media rather than soldiers, the Cold War commenced in the aftermath of World War II and lasted for nearly half a century. Peaking in the early ’50s, the Soviets and the United States got locked in a decades-long starring contest that nearly resulted in a nuclear catastrophe. In layman’s terms, the Cold War greatly influenced our current societal landscape and should be studied by anyone remotely interested in history. That being said, Assassin’s Creed is not the right property to tackle this particular struggle. Due to the friction having no centralist location and happening largely in the backdrop, the Cold War’s tense atmosphere would be hard to translate into a game.
14 Go To: Three Kingdoms China
If Romance of the Three Kingdoms managed to inspire Koei to develop thirteen tactical role-playing strategy games, then Ubisoft should be able to put together a single Assassin’s Creed title. Triggered by the passing of Emperor Ling of the Eastern Han Dynasty and the mistreatment of the eunuchs by the subsequent Emperor, this period makes Game of Thrones seem like child’s play. Over the span of 60 years, three different kingdoms tried to seize control of the throne, resulting in countless civil wars and betrayals. Whether taking place at the onset of the Three Kingdoms period or at the end, there might actually be too much material for Ubisoft to sift through!
13 Avoid: Dinosaurs
J3nov4’s adorable dinosaur is far from enough to convince us that an Assassin’s Creed set during a Pre-Historic period would be anything other than a disappointment. First things first, Ubisoft has regularly struggled to properly animate humans, so it might be best to leave Tyrannosauruses out of the equation. Obviously, this era would offer precious little in the way of buildings to climb and Horizon Zero Dawn has already done dinosaurs better than anything Ubisoft could possibly create. For this age to work, the dev studio would need to completely forsake any sense of historical accuracy, which seems unlikely. Far Cry would be a much better fit for the Mesozoic Era.
12 Go To: Black Plague Riddled Europe
Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood took place around 30 years prior to the onset of the Black Plague, so Ubisoft nearly ventured down this path already. Originating in Asia before journeying to Sicily and the rest of Europe, the Plague hailed in a new age of hopelessness that reduced the continent’s population by approximately 50%. Spread across multiple nations, Ubisoft could arrange to visit multiple areas or stick to one particular setting, but this Assassin’s Creed would instantly be the gloomiest in the entire franchise. Set in the aftermath of the Italian Renaissance, it might be interesting to temporarily revisit areas like Florence to witness the devasting effects of the Black Plague.
11 Avoid: Repetition
Despite taking place around 40 years after the fact, Assassin’s Creed Rogue felt like an unnecessary retread over Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag’s greatest hits. As a whole, Ubisoft’s IP tends to get lambasted for failing to shake things up, so the studio should avoid revisiting any eras that have been thoroughly explored. With all of history at their fingertips, there is no excuse to take the easy way out and return to a previously traversed environment. Ezio’s trilogy is as far as the series should go, and Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood was already testing our patience. Seriously, Japan and China are still waiting to get their dues!
10 Go To: Post-French Revolution
While we would prefer the series to visit an unexplored country, Assassin’s Creed Unity’s France lands as the one exception. Due to the game’s buggy launch, 2014’s entry is rightfully considered among the worst in the franchise. Just to be crystal clear, the criticism was completely justified, but the setting deserves another chance. Set during the height of the French Revolution, Unity covered one of the country’s defining moments, so it would be interesting to fast-forward a couple of decades to the end of the revolution. Ideally, Assassin’s Creed Dissension would take place in the early 1800s, leading to Napolean’s abdication in 1815.
9 Avoid: Vietnam War
Similarly to World War II, Vietnam is a sensitive subject that hits close to home for a fair amount of people and should be handled with a deft touch. Titles like Men of Valor and Battlefield Vietnam showed that a respectful game can be constructed around this period, but Assassin’s Creed tendency to fudge historical details might not be well received. Historically, Vietnam marked a period of political unrest, but the actual battlefield would not compliment the franchise’s style of gameplay. Generally, Ubisoft sticks to what it knows, so the developer should stay as far away as possible from Vietnam.
8 Go To: Prohibition Era
If a demand exists, someone will always answer that call. The Prohibition Era saw an attempt to legalize the manufacture and sale of grown-up beverages, a decision which merely led to bootlegging and the formation of a black market. Shockingly, there are precious few games set during this particular period, so Ubisoft could set themselves apart by visiting this era. In theory, the entry should be similar to Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, just with American gangs replacing the British ones. Be it from the perspective of a gangster or a law enforcement personnel, Ubisoft has a wide array of avenues they could explore. Wait, still not convinced? Well, Kwad-rat’s fanart should be able to fix that!
7 Avoid: Colonial Australia
The British Empire’s colonization of Australia saw convicts exiled in mass and gave birth to one of the most turbulent eras in recent history. The actual crime played no part in whether someone was transported, as many exiled prisoners committed property infringements. Assassin’s Creed III attempted to tackle a similar period with the Revolutionary War, but the setting proved ill-advised for the franchise. Consisting of scattered outposts and same harsh realities that are better left for a gripping documentary, Colonial Australia is best left untouched by Ubisoft.
6 Go To: East Germany (Berlin)
Separated by No-Man’s Land and a wall spread across approximately 27 miles, neighbors from the opposite side of the street might as well be in completely different worlds. Prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall, tensions were extremely high, so this could make for a truly claustrophobic entry in the franchise. Admittedly, the Soviet Union’s grey buildings leave a bit to be desired, but the era’s cultural significant more than makes up for it. Anyhow, climbing the Berlin TV Tower should be incredible!
5 Avoid: Present Day
Assassin’s Creed’s Achilles heel has always been the present day storyline. Considering the more recent titles’ reluctance to leave the security of the past timelines, Ubisoft seems to have accepted that nobody plays these games for the convoluted overarching plot. Logically, the franchise is leading to a final adventure largely devoted to the central narrative, but the developers have done a terrible job of building any intrigue around the Animus Project and the modern conflict between the Assassin and Templar Orders. By this point, Assassin’s Creed seems happy to travel across history while ignoring the franchise’s reason for existing. With Desmond out of the way, there is practically no incentive to return to the present.
4 Go To: Isu Era
Admittedly, the Isu Era would be best left for the final entry in the franchise, so there is a greater chance of Ubisoft creating Assassin’s Creed Jupiter than releasing a genuine origin story. While the main sections anchored in historical periods have generally been enjoyable, Assassin’s Creed has always struggled with its present-day storyline and lore. The Isu Era marked a period of conflict between the dominant Isu race and humanity. Tired of being treated like animals, the latter revolted, launching a ten-year war that ended with a massive catastrophe that wiped out the Earth’s population. Taking place 75000 BCE, Ubisoft would be free to create a truly outlandish environment for gamers to explore.
3 Avoid: The Future
Do we really need to explain why this would be a lousy idea? There are many sci-fi-themed series that take place in futuristic versions of Earth, but Assassin’s Creed is not one of them. If Ubisoft ever ventures down this route, the approach would probably be received about as positively as Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare. While this might contradict the Isu Era entry, at the bare minimum, that period is already established as part of the lore. Jumping ahead to a distant future would go against the franchise’s very essence. At most, this setting might work for a spin-off game, but the main series should stick to the past. Admittedly, ProgV’s art presents a solid case.
2 Go To: Fall Of The Qing Dynasty
Set during the 16th century, Assassin’s Creed China afforded a taste of the endless potential held by a mainline game placed in the Easter nation. Alongside Japan, China is arguably the most sought after location for an Assassin’s Creed title; unfortunately, Ubisoft seems unwilling to tap into this particular market. As the nation’s last dynasty, the Qing Empire lasted for nearly 500 years and established China as the principal superpower in East Asia. With the franchise recently opting to investigate large-scale ancient empires like Ancient Greece, Ubisoft might feel confident enough to explore the Qing Dynasty. Whether set during the White Lotus Rebellion or the final years prior to the fall of the empire, China’s Qing Dynasty is definitely worth examining!
1 Avoid: The Spanish Inquisition
Even if something sounds like the perfect idea, rest assured that Hollywood will find a way to ruin it! On paper, the Spanish Inquisition sounds like a prime candidate to inspire Assassin’s Creed, but Michael Fassbender’s film beat Ubisoft to the punch and failed to capitalize on the concept. Released during a time when the series was losing momentum at an alarming rate, the dev studio is understandably reluctant to remind anyone of this atrocity. In a couple of years, Spain could become a viable option, but the film’s stink has yet to completely subside. Anyway, Ancient Greece sounds like a way more entertaining environment!
