Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 19th November to 12th December

Welcome to the virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from the AC Partnership Program.

Each theme Aaron and the team will be picking their top five favourite Assassin’s Creed shots from across multiple social media platforms and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website. Our aim is to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community.

This theme has been run by the @ACFirstCiv Virtual Photography team, with special guest judge @JChoukroun – Jean is a technical artist at Ubisoft Paris and worked on Valley of Memory. However more importantly he is an avid virtual photographer. His passion to the medium shows through his wonderful portfolio of captures. Jean has also been a judge with the VPAwards for the last two years.

Keep an eye on the site as more articles are added, we are looking for captures across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to #ACFirstCivVP for a chance to be featured.

Theme: Valley of Memory

Tomb Raider

Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage

VP Artist: capturedby.allister (Instagram)

The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Theme

Judge: @JChoukroun

Jean

I really like this one because it focuses on the biggest component of Valley of Memory: the world of AlUla. The tomb of Lihyan, son of Kuza is AlUla’s most well-known landmark, and is the main focus of this shot. Basim and his camel are looking at it, as if in awe of its beauty, and are gently blurred by the depth of field. This ensures the viewer’s focus remains on the tomb itself.

Aaron

For me Assassin’s Creed Mirage not only brought the nostalgia back to the franchise, but it also harnessed the vibes we experienced in Assassin’s Creed Origins. The base game and this fantastic DLC are a platform to show how much love and attention went into the development process. I have to agree with Jean; the depth of field is such a contributor to why this shot is so magnificent. The tomb of Lihyan looks majestic in the arid desert. I really like the colour palette here because it makes you feel the harshness of the environment Basim is exploring.

Jumping In

Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage

VP Artist: @StormSpider2022

The populated areas within Valley of Memory are so excellently crafted for Basim to explore. Having these playgrounds with lots of parkour opportunities helps to add variety and tie the game to its roots. I found the balance worked well with the wide-open deserts. Here we find Basim performing a leap of faith in front of the AlUla prison. Its presence in the game serving the story well both narratively and visually. Once again, I am enjoying the colours on show, and I find the tilt very satisfying. This is a classic Assassin’s Creed photo that reminds us of why we love this incredible franchise.

Alleyways

Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage

VP Artist: Virtualtourism (Instagram)

I always find the details in video games to be some of the most interesting aspects to take in. I found becoming a virtual photographer that I notice so much more of these now I actually take the time to pause and view my surroundings. Jack has always had an inclination for the finer details, most famously his pots and sand. This capture tells me he enjoyed his foray into the DLC. The light and shadow work on show helps the viewer feel as if they are in the alleyway as Basim. I am a fan of the carpets and sheets framing the photo nicely. Its elements like these that bring these world to life.

Purple Sky

Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage

VP Artist: cyriellevp.bsky.social

A peaceful moment is not always the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Assassin’s Creed. However, I found that Valley of Memory really embraced this side, especially within the story. The way Basim's journey unfolded showed a lot of emotion which is just as important as the combat. I think Cyrielle has found a nice vibe here that evokes feelings of closure and solace. The minimalist approach has always been a forte of Cyrielle and Mirage obliges with its environments. The purple sky with the orange glow gives a feeling of warmth, and the birds circling a nice touch.

Shadows

Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage

VP Artist: @unfazedvp

Hiding in the shadows has got to be one of the best things you can do in an Assassin’s Creed game. The towns and cities of these games allow us to be the hidden one and wield the hidden blade as the order intended. Julio’s shot is taking me back to the market section within the main game. I am not sure how he has managed to find one sole person wandering in such a busy place. Once again, we see a nice balance of light and shadows, which help to set the scene. I especially like the silhouette of the person walking toward us. A good use of grain to give that movielike feel.

And that sums it up for this Assassin’s Creed virtual photography showcase.

Thank you for checking out the photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next time keep those shots coming in!