Community Merchandise Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary Merchandise Guide 21/9/22 By Colum Blackett Edited by Ashlea Blackett Share Welcome to our very special Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary Merchandise Guide! Here we will be logging all of the merchandise we find celebrating 15 years of the series! About the Author Col is the Community Admin for The Ones Who Came Before, and one of the Assassin's Creed Community Ambassadors (formerly for The Mentors Guild.) He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player, and has spent the last 8 years working within the Assassin's Creed community on countless projects. Twitter Colum Blackett Article contains ads that support TOWCB. Apparel Assassin's Creed 15th Year Anniversary T-shirt (Black or Dark Grey) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary T-shirt: Altair (Black) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary T-shirt (Black or Dark Grey) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Year Anniversary Hoodie (Black) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Year Anniversary Hoodie (Grey) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Year Anniversary Cap (Black) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Year Anniversary Cap (White) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary Hoodie: Altair (Black) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary T-shirt: Altair (White) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary T-shirt: Ezio (Black) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary Hoodie: Ezio (Black) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary T-shirt: Ezio (White) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary T-shirt: Ezio (Black) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary Hoodie: Ezio (Black) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary T-shirt: Ezio (Black) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary Hoodie: Ezio (Black) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary T-shirt: Connor (Black) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary Hoodie: Connor (Black) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary T-shirt: Connor White) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary T-shirt: Edward (Black) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary Hoodie: Edward (Black) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary T-shirt: Edward (White) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary T-shirt: Shay (Black) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary Hoodie: Shay (Black) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary T-shirt: Shay (White) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary T-shirt: Arno (Black) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary Hoodie: Arno (Black) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary T-shirt: Arno (White) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary T-shirt: Jacob (Black) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary Hoodie: Jacob (Black) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary T-shirt: Jacob & Evie (White) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary T-shirt: Bayek (Black) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary Hoodie: Bayek & Senu (Black) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary T-shirt: Bayek & Aya (White) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary T-shirt: Kassandra (Black) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary Hoodie: Kassandra (Black) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary T-shirt: Kassandra & Alexios (White) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary T-shirt: Eivor (Black) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary Hoodie: Eivor (Black) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary Hoodie: Eivor (White) Available from Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary Men's Short Sleeved T-shirt. Difuzed delivers to various retailers, shops and businesses. Preview Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary Men's Zipped Hoodie Yvolve Difuzed delivers to various retailers, shops and businesses. Preview Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary Men's Short Sleeved T-shirt. Difuzed delivers to various retailers, shops and businesses. Preview Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary Men's Adjustable Cap Difuzed delivers to various retailers, shops and businesses. Preview Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary Men's Adjustable Cap Difuzed delivers to various retailers, shops and businesses. Preview Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary Men's Dressing Gown Available from GameStop Part 2 Previous Guides AC Odyssey AC Movie Funko Pops Valhalla AC Origins AC Rogue Black Flag Mirage

Assassin's Creed Shadows Spoiler-Free review & personal impressions. Review Share 18 Mar 2025 Written By: Edited By: UbiCypher (Joe) Colum Blackett Back To Database Assassin's Creed Shadows might be the last minute effort to save Ubisoft or a suicide note. Alright, I'll try to be as grounded as possible but its not going to be easy. It took me around 35-40 hours to beat the game on Expert difficulty and sticking as much as I could to the main quest, barely doing anything secondary except at times that I saw myself forced to do so because of the level gating. I finished the game at level 34 (max is 60) with my gear upgraded on par and level 3 knowledge rank that gave me enough options to properly build my arsenal to overcome almost every challenge presented to both Naoe and Yasuke even though I struggled at times but emerged victorious nonetheless, having to abuse of passives that granted health on hit or on critical hit in order to survive without rations at times, specially because of how spongy bosses are for no reason. (*coughs* Odyssey). Japanese World & Parkour. Shot taken by Ubicypher on Xbox Series X|S. First things first, two days from now, you will be roaming the lands of the Kansai region at your pace with the beautiful score composed by The Flight (If you spent 100H+ on Odyssey you'd know) and honestly, that alone is pretty awesome. But, with every new innovation there is always something that is downgraded along the way. “Place history back at the center of the player’s experience” That is what Marc-Alexis Côté said back in December at the BAFTA awards in regards to how the narrative in upcoming games will be handled from Shadows onward, and back at the cent er it is, no doubt. Assassin's Creed Shadows is what I believe to be the most "virtual tourism-oriented" game in the series given the amount of details and non-stop cultural homages scattered under the form of side activities in the likes of meditating atop a mountain with a gorgeous vista on valleys or practicing Kendo katas with your katana in the middle of a pond with ducks struggling to comprehend what you are doing and why. Shot taken by Ubicypher on Xbox Series X|S. It is all there for the average Japanese enthusiast to experience and enjoy. Truly, if I were to compare the level of beauty this game has (not personally being a fan of Japanese culture myself) to other games in the franchise like Origin's recreation of Egypt or Odyssey's Greece which I'm more fond of, I believe this one wins the round. The graphics are just good and the textures very well detailed. This new entry I believe is what Unity was to the franchise back in 2014 and we can really see the engine upgrade Anvil Pipeline is. Granted, movement is similar to other games in this new trilogy, assets were obviously going to be reused, same as sounds like that darn screeching rabbit sound that was introduced in AC III back in 2012 but that's not the point. The gameplay is good, it has been polished and it shows, parkour feels fluid and it is actually cool to have its practicality and fluidity adapted to environments in the wild and around the world (Cliffs, Caves, Narrow Mountain Trails, Dense Forests, among many other environments in which parkour is actually fun to use) something that was totally forgotten and simply compacted into one full sandbox where everything was climbable because the protagonists were able to glue themselves on flat walls for some reason. No, not at all. That kind of immersion-breaking-albeit-fun climbing system has been overhauled. It is now more grounded and realistic clearly marking a difference between what is "realistically" climbable and what isn't for someone with the sufficient training. I actually was one of those rancid fellas that disliked the constant vaulting and acrobatics used just to descend from a 1-meter wall, but damn it if its not actually addictive. A few minutes in the game and I just couldn't stop using it. Actually, it is a step up from previous games, it gives you a reason to engage with parkour and actually pull off cool traversal sequences in order to avoid enemies or to reach the higher end of a Tenshu tower in contrast to the three previous games were you literally climbed everything in a straight line when you didn't feel like taking your horse to take a detour or simply did not wanted to play how it was indented, reaching your objective in an almost cheat-like way, but then you remember that it simply is the trade-off enticed with the RPG transition of the franchise, having the character built around the world and not the other way around. Well, forget all that. Now , everything is designed in a way that you have to plan where and how you're going to go, not everything is climbable and the hook is only really useful to climb towers that are otherwise not climbable without it or if you want to quickly acscend a wall instead of manually climbing it yourself (which comes in handy when you want to quickly pass by a guard's patrol detection view) and it is in these little moments of gameplay, specially at night, that you feel like a true Shinobi with Naoe. However, since the focus of it all was to actually and almost forcefully make you stick to preset parkour-made routes out in the wild, the traversal of certain regions of the map -specially the ones that are mainly populated with dense forests and steep hills- is hellish in almost every way, you will be forced to follow dwindling paths and small trails that realistically circle mountains and hills as an human being would do, but we are in a videogame after all, so the fact that the map is heavily dense with vegetation that you literally can't see in front of yourself when you "try" to take a shortcut is criminal. Also, the geography is mainly hills and steep mountains in almost every province in Kansai (the region in which the game takes place), so you will find yourself sliding downhill most of the time if you choose not to follow the path you were on just because you wanted to take a shortcut through the forest. It's irritating. Other than that, the recreation of Japan and its biome diversity is incredible, I didn't have the time to fully appreciate everything but from what I could gather during my rushed playtime was enough to know that I'll fall in love again when taking in the game's atmosphere in the following days where I'll be completing everything. You are going to love it if you're into Japanese culture, that's for sure. Shot taken by Ubicypher on Xbox Series X|S. Combat & Loot. Assassin's Creed Shadows Promotional Photo. If there is one thing I hated in this new trilogy, that would be the combat. Except for maybe Valhalla. You see, people have an insane obsession with Dark Souls and The Witcher and in truth, I couldn't care less about any of the two, I was actually happy with older AC's combat and recently I replayed AC1 for the sake of getting all those flags so I had time to appreciate the combat once again and it was actually pretty good. What do you expect from a medieval game, actually? It is well balanced between waiting for your opponent to strike and you observing when it was ok for you to land your hits without being hit by another NPC from the back, which, they loved to do when you decided to finally engage after a 2-minute staring contest with the AI. When you compare AC1's "tactical" approach on combat to the rest of the games in the franchise you can see how it has progressively deteriorated until it eventually became a simple-button-press scheme where you could be playing the game and tearing through armies with one single hand, specially more so when they added the "chain-kill" mechanic that completely cancelled the point of even attempting to use the appropriate combos that were "required" to take down bigger enemies as all enemy archetypes could be taken down with a simple chain kill. However, The RPG Trilogy attempted to change this for good by taking inspiration from the aforementioned games (The Witcher 3, Dark Souls, etc) by focusing on response time; Blocks, parry, dodge and so on. This not only changed how you play but also how everything is tailored around the character (Space, Locations, Arenas) etc, trading off enclosed or even, claustrophobic environments more akin to an Assassin for plain out "arenas" that once you see them you know a boss fight is incoming. Shadows does not fall short on this either, however, the combat is polished indeed. Naoe's combat is "doable" but clearly not your main focus and you will find yourself abusing of the classic "smoke drop-hide-stabby stab-" moves when tougher enemies spot you which can be fun but tiresome, specially in higher difficulties. You could argue that that's why there's the "One-shot" assassination but let's be real, turning it on after three games of full on RPG is a low blow and actually a hit to your Ego. At least for me. Plus, the game is intended to be played in Expert if you ask me. You basically become more careful and attentive to your surroundings which in the long run reward you with better executed approaches to your targets. Yasuke's combat on the other hand is highly addictive. There's nothing else to say. I got into the game thinking I would only play with Naoe (specially after three games playing as a mercenary-like figure) but God only knows how brutal the slap in the face was when I actually played with him and realized how good it is to play with him. The only thing I will say is this; you will instinctively know when and how to use either Naoe or Yasuke in the story. Assassin's Creed Shadows Promotional Photo. However, one thing you do not know when you will be able to use, is Naoe's legacy outfit. Shot taken by Ubicypher on Xbox Series X|S. There is ONE thing that Assassin's Creed has always been known for and that is the cool-looking attires each Assassin has worn in each game. It is basically a staple in the series. Each Assassin has one. Even Naoe right? Well, no. It is random and I actually got it in the early hours in a random chest without any explanation or plot-related reason as to why Naoe chooses that specific gear with, mind you, an actual Assassin crest holding together the many belts and ropes across her back. This genuinely pissed me off. And the worse part? It was in a completely different color too. I actually spent the game without actually acquiring the full set. Well, yes, technically I had it. But in another color and look I know it isn't a big deal but it is actually for me. Other than that, the loot system is Odyssey 2.0 with no major overhauls. Essence & plot. Shot taken by Ubicypher on Xbox Series X|S. Honestly, the story is weak. Don't get it wrong, it starts on a good pace, there's a lot of intrigue, the characters are mysterious and actually introduced in a badass allure. The Onryo (Main antagonists) are cool successors to the Cult Of Kosmos and Order Of The Ancients but as you progress in the game and begin tracking them down, the story quickly becomes yet another story of revenge. The Assassin presence is almost non-existent and the Templars are a joke, it was basically a hook to lure us in, sadly. At least for me. The Templar presence didn't really seem threatening nor important, not quite memorable to be honest. And their endgame is not really that well explained, there is of course your typical "control everything" theme but if just feels generic and frankly, one would ask himself why even put them in the story at all other than to make the audience remember that the franchise was once about these two factions clashing throughout history. Now, this is the most "sensitive" part of this review as I'm not allowed to disclose anything about more than the first 20 hours of the game, so, I'll just say it like this; If you complained about too much Isu presence in previous games, well, we went from 100 to 0 without cashing in the 50. Make of this what you will. Modern day wise, it is a miracle that I managed to pull off something from my contacts that got the game before the press review teams and myself, (yes those who were lucky enough on Facebook's marketplace) otherwise, you wouldn't have what I managed to prepare for you guys on the 20th. I'll keep digging on my end to bring the MD out and have it freshly dissected, but for now, it is basically about whoever is able to spend the most hours playing and completing the weekly missions to progress through the free battle pass in order to get more files and it is only a handful of rewards that you can get because then you have to wait for a weekly reset. This is for now all I can say on the game. Here's how I would rate it; Combat: 8 (Grounded but spongy). Exploration: 8 (Immersive but clunky). Progression: 8 (Skills are useful and some of them are OP). Control: 7 (I don't like the new layout and crouching with X|◾️ after three games being with B|⚫️ is not a smart decision). Loot System/Reward: 7 (Nothing out of the ordinary). Hideout Building: 9 (Probably the coolest feature but I can't give it a ten because of how janky it is, needs an update + frame drop on Series X|S and PS5 in the Hideout's area). Side activities: 5 (I see why Japan fans would get a boner but paiting animals, meditating and practicing katas is not for me). Side Quests: 9 (Extremely varied and in quantity, numerous characters and different sub-plots + your league's allies have personal missions like in Far Cry 5 to 6). Database: 5 (Descriptions are mainly historical but there is a lack of in-game character descriptions + nothing on the antagonists or detailed entries on individual characters like the ones that are part of the Templars or historical figures). Quest System: 3 (Structure of the narrative is horrible, abuse of flashbacks that are important, yes, but the game should have followed a traditional "memory block" flow to properly and chronologically understand the whole thing). Personally, I wiped out pretty much all of the Order of The Onryo and then I realized that I needed to complete a certain side activity in order to unlock a flashback for Naoe that allowed me to continue the main story when I thought it was only to kill the baddies, plus, those flashbacks lead to a revelation that is narratively important and by the time I did it, the shock of such a revelation and impact weight to the natural character development of Naoe was not the same. Ubisoft Québec thought that bringing back Assassin's Creed Mirage's Objective Board was good because it worked. Yes, but in that game because it was short and smaller, specifically designed as an homage to AC1 using the same style of "investigation missions". This doesn't work here and the game is so vast that you can easily loose track of what you were doing and what you have already done. Assassin's Creed Origins and Odyssey's quest logs would have been, in this case, more appropriate. In short, I'd give this game a 7.5 to 8. We'll see what the DLC's have to offer as the ending is left open. Shot taken by Ubicypher on Xbox Series X|S. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author UbiCypher (Joe) is an Assassin's Creed Transmedia expert who worked as the Lead Admin for the Isu_Network social media team, providing consistent social media content in the form of Assassin's Creed lore trivia, puzzles and news coverage, spending countless hours researching the series and real history. In 2025, he stepped back from his social media duties to pursue other opportunities. UbiCypher (Joe)

Chinese Pirates: Pitching an Assassin's Creed Game Wishlists Share 13 Sept 2022 Written By: Edited By: Finn Fletcher Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Following the latest Assassins Creed showcase, we can all see that the future of the brand will be exciting and varied. While Mirage undoubtedly stole the show as an exciting return to form for the series, there was a more unusual announcement with the new Assassins Creed Infinity platform. I can't lie, it does have me worried, but my personal concerns aside, the exciting aspects of this new platform is getting to explore more varied historical periods with smaller, stranger stories. Taking advantage of this, and after having fun through replaying the series recently, I had an idea for a story that I think could add wonderfully to this new tapestry. When replaying Assassin's Creed Rogue, I couldn't help but wonder why Ubisoft gave up on the genuinely spectacular naval gameplay. Black Flag was obviously a huge success, and while Rogue wasn't such a smash hit, it was built to fail next to Unity's next gen glitches. Naval gameplay is still beloved and missed by players, whether hardcore Assassins Creed fans or not, and it seems no other developer stepped in to fill that gap. So today I want to pitch Ubisoft an idea, the most simple plan for success I could possibly imagine. At first I thought the obvious location for another naval/pirate game would be India. With a full and vibrant history of piracy and sea fairing, matched with corrupt politicians and tyranny to fight against, the Indian Ocean would definitely provide a great setting for a game in this series. However, with the upcoming and, in my opinion, incredibly bland looking Skull and Bones filling this period, I reconsidered. If we're already getting a pirate, naval game to explore this period, then let's look elsewhere, find a location and culture that could provide something distinct. With that in mind I moved my sights to East Asia, specifically the exploits of Pirate Queen Zheng Yi Sao. For those who don't know, Zheng Yi Sao was an infamous pirate of the early nineteenth century, who rose from a prostitute to leader of 70,000 men in the largest pirate fleet known to history. She terrorised the coasts of China, plundering both European and Chinese vessels alike. The reason she gained so much success, was because, unlike the pirates of the Caribbean, Zheng Yi Sao's fleet was well organised, with a set governance and rules in place. This pirate confederation stopped the pirates from falling to the greed and chaos that destroyed cities like Nassau and the characters we saw in Black Flag. This period of the great Chinese pirate confederacy, I think could make a stellar follow-up to Black Flag, allowing Ubisoft to show not just different visuals of East Asian culture, but explore new themes for this series. It would also the first Assassins Creed game in Asia, which is mind boggling in itself. The particular region of china I am envisioning is Hong Kong, Canton (modern day Guangzhou) and the surrounding sea and islands. Historically this was the hub of trade and therefore, pirate action and the city of Canton was pivotal in the end of Zheng Yi Saos career. This area would also provide good geography to match the gameplay; two bustling cities that can accommodate the Assassin fantasy and an island filled ocean for interesting naval exploration. Ideally, the smaller islands surrounding the mainland would function a lot like the islands of Assassin's Creed Odyssey. Each will house a target, with stories that involve the locals. This can give fun smaller narratives/side missions, while showing the personal effects of Templar control. In terms of narrative , considering this game's setting, I believe we should start at the turn of the 19th century. The lead character will be an original character (OC) named Lai Jun. Captain of her own ship, and master Assassin. I want her to be older, middle to late thirties , similar to Ezio in Brotherhood. The franchise has settled into protagonists around the age of twenty, and while I appreciate getting to be the age of every lead character, I think we need to push different stories about different types of characters. Having been an Assassin her whole life and from an Assassin legacy (you thought Jun was just a coincidence?), Lai has never needed to question her role. She is determined, talented at the art of being an Assassin and dedicated to its creed. Yet, despite the brotherhood being her whole life, her whole heritage even, she has grown rather cynical. At this period in time, China, like the rest of the world, was in a rather tumultuous position. Globally, capitalism and industrialisation were being born, leading to unmitigated starvation and inequality, revolutions were rising everywhere and power was being funnelled to increasingly fewer people. Then in China, the people were about to enter what would be, in retrospect, called the "century of humiliation" with the death of the emperor just behind them, with in-fighting and rebellions to come. The British Empire was sneaking in, and, while it didn't have the chokehold it had over the rest of the world, it was still only a few decades away from taking control of Hong Kong; an action that has caused trouble in the region which remains to this day. This is the context of Lai's introduction, as she runs across the rooftops of Hong Kong during New Year's festivities to kill a Templar target. The world is changing and the future is uncertain. At this point in her life, Lai has killed more Templars than she can count, and yet there are always more to fill the positions. The war doesn't seem to be swaying either way, and she can't help but feel that her actions are futile in the wider chaos of the world. I think when a franchise reaches a certain point, it needs to consider the emotions of its audience, and its place in the wider culture. Think of Halo 3, a massive event game which was built from the ground up as a war game, the scale of which you've never seen. It was a tour de force, a the best of compilation for the Halo franchise so far, all turned up to 11. Then, having set the world alight with this event game, Bungie made Halo Reach. A game with the same mechanics and fun action of 3, but which took a sombre approach. It was a reflection really, of the franchise as a whole, and how it may never live up to the hype and scale it previously had. After 15 years, 12 mainline games and god knows how much multimedia content, fatigue has set in to the Assassin's Creed franchise. Lai, like us, doesn't know the direction her fight is going or if it will ever have a satisfying end. Searching for her first target will let us understand Lais position, and tutorialise land based gameplay. In general I want to go back to the aspirations of Unity, a stylish free flow movement with a focus on social stealth. Combat should be deadly and swift, I envision the same precision of Ghost of Tsushima, a back and forth of attacks and deflections. Sneaking through the highly populated celebrations, Lai will find her, target a low level and frankly unimportant Templar. His insignificance will be reflected in the confession scene, with Lai seeming unimpressed but still remaining respectful as Assassins are expected. Escaping the scene, Lai will return to her ship and flee the city. We can here get a glimpse of the new naval mechanics, which in all honesty I can't imagine being that different from Black Flags. They are already perfect, adapt them to Chinese ships (that are named "Junks"), which are usually smaller and faster than the frigates and brigs of Western navy's Lai will reunite with the Brotherhood to report on her mission. I really want this branch of the Brotherhood to feel ancient, capturing the atmosphere of Masyaf. Historic dens with intricate architecture retelling the stories of great Assassins from this part of the world. Nevertheless a lot of this has fallen into disarray, rituals and repeated phrases taking the place of effective, organised action. Walking through the den we can see that Lai is comfortable there, friends with everyone she has always lived alongside. The mentor, who's not much older than Lai, is clearly unprepared for his responsibilities and unsure of how to direct Lai from here. His fear of appearing too controlling, and his constant search for approval and advice leave the Brotherhood rudderless. With no new target given to her, Lai heads to her pirate friends and here we can meet some of the more unusual side characters who will join our journey. At this point there was no large spread confederacy, however the region around Hong Kong did have a large pirate presence. One important figure of this group of pirates was the husband of previously mentioned pirate queen Zheng Yi Sao, known by the same name. For my own sanity from here on out I'm going to refer to the male Zheng Yi and original pirate king as "Zheng", while the female Zheng Yi and later pirate queen will be referred to as Sao. Anyway, at this point the two Zhengs were not married. Sao was still a prostitute and while this may not be entirely accurate, I want her to be living among the pirates, already close to this growing fleet. Her and Lai are friends, very different people who manage to see the charm in one another. Zheng meanwhile is a charming gentleman, a rather eccentric character who hasn't yet taken control as pirate chief but has clear ambition. His eccentricities allow him to get close to people, and his cunning mind allows him to continue rising and taking advantage of opportunities. Also historically he was bisexual, marrying Sao but having male sexual partners up to his death. It’s incredibly important to show this side of his life, providing representation for the real historical figures who were LGBTQ+. If I was to use a more modern comparison, I want these pirates to be like the free love hippies of the sixties. Lai clearly enjoys her time among them, and we truly get to understand how this group of criminals find freedom and acceptance in one another. Yet, it's still important to show that this community has important rules and leadership. One of these early missions could see Zheng sending Lai after a crew member who ignored orders, establishing his rulership as firm but fair. This directly contrasts the current Brotherhood, who seem in disarray without leadership. It can also be through the pirates that Lai will meet the main antagonist of the game. When robbing a merchants storage warehouse, we will overhear two British merchants discussing the arrival of a large incoming shipment, led by the aristocrat and famous businessman Charles Vidic (OC and descendant of Warren Vidic), a name instantly recognisable to Lai. Vidic is a Templar grand master, and like Lai, has a legacy in the order. He was raised a Templar, with incredible wealth and a commitment to restoring what he calls “the natural order of things”. A traditionalist, Vidic's ideals heavily resemble the older Templars, who subjugate and control the populace by any means necessary, believing it to be for their own good. He also hides a major secret, but we’ll get to that later. Seeing a chance to hit a huge target and finally make an impact, Lai contacts the pirates to organise an attack on the coming delivery. She wilfully chooses to not inform the Brotherhood, worrying that they may interfere with her plans. The attack is a major failure, Vidic captains a huge man o war, unusual for a merchant vessel, and decimates the pirates. Lai flees, losing a majority of her crew, with only a few pirate ships surviving. Broken and injured, Lai returns to the den and faces the chagrin of the mentor. Lai is criticised for acting too rash, but communication is made with the brotherhood of England to learn more about Vidic. While taking on other targets, both Chinese and British, we will get a better understanding of Vidic’s behaviour and the overall goals of his version of the Templars. Importantly, I want the game to clearly indicate the passage of years. This journey should be long, spanning across the full decade to 1810. We can see the pirate confederacy rise and fall, become a full fledged government, while British merchants become more prominent in the area. During these time jumps, Lai and Sao become closer, good friends who support one another as Sao becomes leader of the pirates. As the journey goes on, Sao pushes Lai to take a more proactive role in the Brotherhood. While not wishing to join herself, Sao sees its importance to Lai and how the disastrous leadership has affected her. It will be in Sao’s final scene where we can truly see her impact. In real life Sao did not go out in a dramatic blaze of fire we like to see for heroes. She did not fall in some great battle like Blackbeard does in Black Flag, screaming some inspiring quote. No, the ever cunning Sao saw the increased pressure placed upon her pirate confederacy, after she’d spent so many years raiding the coasts. In 1810, she sailed her huge fleet directly into the city of Canton, disembarking to hand herself in for her crimes. Due to her high profile, the state handed her and her crew a pardon, allowing them to keep the riches they’d earned as long as they didn’t resume pirating. Before doing this I’d like to see Sao and Lai converse, as Lai begs for her to reconsider. She doesn’t want to lose her friends and allies, seeing this as only another loss, a failure of making any major change in her life. Sao reassures Lai, informing her that we can only try to find the best in the situations we are given. For Lai, she needs to finally stand up to the Assassins' leadership, take control to implement the actions that are necessary. Watching her friends sail off to a peaceful life, Lai is provided with a choice. Settling down, or continuing her fight. Unable to give up on her ideals, Lai returns to the den, demands the position of mentor and creates a plan to finally finish off Vidic. More will be revealed of Vidic throughout the narrative, I want multiple encounters between him and Lai, failed assassination attempts or aggressive responses from the Templars. As it turns out, Vidic's mental state is rather erratic, and while he’s a talented leader the claims he makes about himself seem outlandish. Now let us take a look into the Isu lore for this instalment and I have to admit I’m not an expert in this area. The additions I’m going to make should fit in with the existing lore, however any creed fanatics who see problems with what I write please leave a comment. I’m genuinely interested to know. Anyway, Vidic has the ability to glimpse through time. It’s not clear visions, rather small insights, almost like poetry that describes what has and what will happen. One of my favourite parts of Isu lore in Origins was the description of how the Isu could physically see time. When the humans first revolted for their freedom, Isu who supported the human cause attempted to grant this ability to us. They performed experiments on willing subjects, hoping that if this power was provided they would gain equality, or at least be powerful enough to truly fight. The experiments were not completely successful though, leaving hundreds of people with parts of this code abandoned in their DNA. Through the pure chaos of existence though and centuries of genetic combinations, Vidic was created with the right combination of genes that gave him a sliver of this power. This connection to the Isu drove Vidic into his more fundamentalist Templar beliefs. Glimpsing the future has given him foresight of the coming globalised and industrialised worlds, and the problems that they will cause. This march toward progress must be orderly, and it’s only by having a fully dominated populace that this can occur. He will label the the pirates as degenerate terrorists and the Assassins as mindless, pointing to the poor leadership that has left them unable to ever effectively eradicated the Templars. We can see that he is not necessarily wrong, the current Assassin leadership is weak and the pirates attack and kill merchants in sometimes brutal ways, leaving regular citizens without food. As trade increases, and the demands of the public become much more complicated (internet, television, food that can only be grown in different nations etc.), this level of chaos will lead directly to the downfall of civilization as we know it. His mental gift will also reveal to him the location of an Isu temple, one that was intentionally left unrecorded due to the power it held. Imagine it like a black ops base, redacted even from official records. Being able to glimpse through time is the only way Vidic could find it. The base itself will house a “telescope” that will allow Vidic to gain a clearer image of the future. With it, he could monitor what every person on the planet will do, and act to make sure they behave in a way he deems suitable. That is why he came personally to Hong Kong with such an impressive fleet, to access this temple and defend himself during the search. This way the finale of the game can take place inside the temple, Vidic getting to truly envision the future as he had always wished, only to mentally crumble under the strain. We as people were never meant to have this gift, our psyche cannot process the information and it leads only to madness. An epic fight occurs, where Vidic dies in disgust, knowing of the great terrors that will occur. Nuclear explosions, world wars, climate change and the potentially apocalyptic solar eclipse are all to come, with no way of stopping it. He dies in anguish, screaming at Lai for her foolish commitment to freedom, which will only lead to humanity's ruin. Obviously there’s an irony to Vidic’s belief. The greatest minds to ever live could not figure out how to give the power of temporal sight to humans, with it only truly being solved by the infinitely powerful chaos of existence. In a world as controlled as he would like, the power that guides him wouldn’t exist. This should be explicitly stated in game either by an Isu messenger (like seen in Origins) or potentially Basim if he is still the modern day protagonist. With the telescope available to her now, the temptation of its power hits Lai. She questions whether to use it, whether to see if her fight will be worthwhile, but refuses. At heart, she knows that to do so would stand against her tenants, that seeing what will happen can only lead to the removal of people's free will, whether intentional or not. She destroys the temple, leaving this path behind. Of course as modern viewers we know her fight wasn’t as impactful as she would have hoped. Hong Kong would fall to the British, weaponized addiction would sweep the nation, and the last dynasty would fall. Her people had much more strife ahead of them that no one person could change, but the ideals she preached and her trust in humanity are the only cure to the plagues which face us all. I know this exploration of time may seem out of left field, but I think it could provide an additional layer to the drama of this story. To have someone who can provide accurate information on what will occur in this difficult era for China can truly express the dramatic irony of trying to fight what we know will come. Additionally, a core principle of Chinese political philosophy is the “dynastic cycle”, which refers to the continuous rise and fall of different dynasties' rulership, destined to repeat the mistakes of before. Culturally we can relate this story of time exploration with this philosophy, providing a nice link between the region and narrative, as Vidic (an outsider) acts to defy this ancient belief in cycles of repetition. And so that’s the pitch, the world of a cynic finding hope even in the darkness. With any luck, this can reinvigorate the community, providing a game that can recreate some of the heights of the franchise while reflecting growing franchise fatigue. Gameplay wise, mixing the impressive naval with the heights of city based action allows the best of both worlds, which was never quite reached before. Additional Isu exploration can continue to expand the lore, while potentially setting up future modern day plots. Based on what direction the series heads with the modern day, Basim or otherwise, the telescope can reveal the next major event the modern day Assassins must face. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Finn is a creative writer from Rotherham, UK who has previously supported TOWCB's Fundraising events, and raised awareness surrounding Men's Mental Health. Finn's writing covers a wide scope, with releases including reviews, interviews and stories. He is known in the AC Community for his 'Pitching an Assassin's Creed Game' series, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website! In February 2026, he left the team to focus on real-world opportunities as a journalist, writing for a newspaper! We're thrilled to see Finn using his skills to build a career! Finn Fletcher

Sounds Of History - an original Assassin’s Creed inspired instrumental project by Gargudon: Influences and Inspirations Other Share 8 Apr 2023 Written By: Edited By: Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon) Colum Blackett Back To Database In this article, Gustav Poulsen ( Gargudon ) from the The Ones Who Came Before team talks influences and inspirations, for his upcoming original Assassin’s Creed inspired instrumental project titled Sounds Of History. Project Synopsis: A unique fan project, never really seen before in the Assassin’s Creed community, featuring five original tracks written, arranged and produced by Gargudon, each inspired by different AC games. A tribute to the soundtrack, to sneaking, fighting and free running throughout the years, and the composers behind them who have shaped the sound of the franchise. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvFmigArf3o French Highlands - Inspired by Assassin’s Creed Unity The project and the whole idea for it started with this track. I was sitting with my acoustic guitar one day just “noodling”, played this random shape, and just from those few notes I suddenly heard this whole piece in my head. Having found the remaining notes and playing the full piece, I realised it had this very cinematic, AC soundtrack leaning vibe to it, and hence the idea for an instrumental project inspired by the games was born. I felt like it had this very prominent Medieval tone to it that reminded me of Unity specifically; the Medieval sequences of that game and various areas of Paris, from old (abandoned) cathedrals to the underground catacombs. To accompany the main guitar piece, I wanted an instrumental relying on a certain ambient soundscape - which among other sounds features direct in-game noise from the Paris catacombs - and all sorts of Medieval sounds and instruments, to really capture that dark vibe and tone of 14th century Medieval France seen and felt in the game, whether in old towns and fortresses or the vast surrounding highlands. ...Away From The Crowds... - Inspired by Assassin’s Creed 2 & Brotherhood This is one of my favorite tracks from the project, and it was a lot of fun to write and work on. I knew early on I wanted this track to capture some of the most prominent sounds and vibes of Jesper Kyd’s iconic Assassin’s Creed 2 soundtrack, which ones and how I wanted to try and do that. Some very certain eerie and ominous ambiences, reminiscent of the old abandoned undergrounds and empty cathedrals explored in AC2 and Brotherhood, the dark secrets of which make the beauty and glamour of the Renaissance, but a facade for something larger. Ultimately, the track is quite simplistic, not relying on much to make it sound big, but achieves a lot and just what I wanted it to with just that. Another major influence for this track would actually be Alternative Rock band Bring Me The Horizon, especially their 2010 album “There Is A Hell Believe Me I’ve Seen It. There Is A Heaven Let’s Keep It A Secret”. A lot of the sounds and production on that album remind me of Assassin’s Creed 2’s soundtrack; strings, choir voices, glitchy electronics, ambient guitars, big reverbs and many more that brilliantly capture the hidden darkness of the Italian Renaissance. 60’s - Inspired by Assassin’s Creed Syndicate Despite this track being the shortest, it was actually the one that went through the most changes, fully settling upon as to how I wanted it to sound. I did however know from the beginning I wanted something inspired by British Rock, specifically Oasis, their instrumental songs and that whole 90’s Britpop sound. A lot of that music has this certain attitude and rawness to it, reflective of the working classes of England at the core of Assassin’s Creed Syndicate. Originally I thought of just making this something along the lines of a regular song with the sound of a full band, but that ended up just feeling quite off. Then I tried taking that same idea but stripping it down to just an acoustic arrangement, but that sounded a bit bland. Then finally I got the idea of fusing that Oasis inspired acoustic instrumental, with that ambient Animus leaning soundscape that also comes across on other tracks, and that would turn out to be the best approach for this. Admittedly I might have free styled a bit with this one in some places, at least compared to the official Syndicate soundtrack, but still wanted to stay true to some of the sounds of that, some of which oddly enough also come across in Britpop, hence that influence. Eagle’s Path - Inspired by Assassin’s Creed 3 & Liberation While I have tried to stay true to some of the sounds of Assassin’s Creed 3’s existing soundtrack with this one, I have admittedly also free styled a bit with it, for example with the more Western sounding sections; all intentional though and with good reasoning. I knew I wanted one of the primary tones of this track to be very tribal, Native American sounding, and what better style for that to go with than among other some Western? I also wanted a section of it to capture the tone of AC3’s add-on Liberation, and it’s southern Louisiana setting, hence the middle section that relies on more Cajun and African percussion, to capture the vibe of the bayous explored in that g ame. In addition to the primary tribal aspects, I also wanted the track to be reflective of the American Revolution itself, and American history overall to some degree, past, present and future from the time period of the game. Hence the section with big sounding horns, symbolising the fight for freedom, and once again the Western tone that’s also heavily prominent towards the end with the gunslinger-esque electric guitar, symbolising one of the next big eras awaiting the future of American history. Tales Of The Winds And Waters - Inspired by Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag This track has got to be my favorite from the project. I got to play around with so many cool ideas and sounds, capturing the spirit of not only my favorite Assassin’s Creed game, but one of my favorite games overall. I actually fully wrote and made arrangements for this one last, and as it would turn out the track would be a good chunk longer than anticipated, closing in around 10 full minutes; really I suppose it is 2-3 tracks all crammed into one big one. Oddly enough, that process was pretty easy though, and I built most of the track’s foundations fairly quickly not too long after. From the beginning though, I had a good rough idea of how I wanted this track to sound, and what styles I should be tapping into. Black Flag’s soundtrack is ultimately quite diverse, from traditional Spanish, electronic glitchy Animus ambience, Caribbean and tropical, to classic Pirate music with a touch of Celtic to it, so there were a lot of possibilities and I wanted to cover as many of these as possible in my own way. In addition to incorporating these melodies and tapping into various styles, trying to capture the vibe of exploring the Caribbean and its many islands and settlements, I also wanted the chronology of track to try and be a representation of Edward’s journey throughout the game. From first wandering the lively and wild streets of Havana, sailing the vast waters at day and night, reaching Kingston, discovering the Observatory, to having eliminated the Templar threat, meeting his daughter and peacefully being homebound, taking the Jackdaw for one last sail. As a tribute to not only the existing Black Flag soundtrack, which is one of if not the best in the franchise in my book, but composer behind it Brian Tyler overall, I wanted to implement some melodies from other favorite score pieces of his, which oddly enough have some of the same vibes and instrumentation as the tracks from the game. Featured in the beginning during the traditional Spanish section are the melodies from “Letty & Dom” and “Neela Drifts” from the Fast & Furious movies. Beautiful pieces and melodies played on classical guitar, which tones in some ways are similar to the tracks of the Black Flag soundtrack. The Sounds Of History project is coming soon! Stay tuned here on the site and our social media channels for updates and previews! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Gustav / Gargudon is an active and versatile content creator, who started out in podcast hosting in 2016 - hosting the discussion based show “The Memory Corridor” - but today mostly specialises in video creation, interviews, writing and composing. He joined The Ones Who Came Before in 2019 for a merger, publishing new episodes - and reviving the show following nearly a year of inactivity - on our platforms, until phased out in 2023. Today, his landmark projects include the Sounds Of History project - an original Assassin’s Creed inspired instrumental music project, featuring five tracks inspired by as many different games - other original fan themes plus covers of iconic AC tracks, as well as video interviews with a number of high profile names in the world of AC, from Roger Craig Smith, Jesper Kyd and more. Fun fact, among his growing colourful tattoo collection, Gustav is the only member of our team to have the TOWCB logo inked. Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon)

Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 15th to 26th April 2024 Community Share 14 May 2024 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Back To Database Welcome to the biweekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from the AC Partnership Program. Every two weeks we will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. This theme has been run alongside @PodToGo, a long-time friend of mine in the VP community. Pod has been a pillar of support since I joined this wonderful community. His excellent virtual photography often catches the eye, whilst also being a very humble and supportive member of the VP community. Keep an eye on the site as more shots are added, we are looking for captures across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to #ACFirstCivVP for a chance to be featured. This theme week: Action Strike Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ visionevp The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week Judge: @ PodToGo This image is a great combination. The colouring and timing are fantastic. A worthy winner of the action theme for me. Aaron (@ FalconSwift87 ) “Underestimating your opponent is a fool’s folly”. Bringing justice to the order has always been a pivotal concept of the Assassin’s Creed franchise. It was fitting that Mirage returned to those core values in 2023. There now seems to be a real breath of fresh air into the much-loved series. Striking from the shadows Is what all Assassins do best, and here we have Basim doing just that. A difficult shot to take as timing is everything for these types of captures. I must applaud Visione for managing this without the red glow around the guard. I do really like the colours too as the vibrancy helps the picture stand out. A very Assassin’s Creed photo for shot of the week. Quick Reflexes Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ BasimIbnIshaq_ “Training Is nothing, will is everything”. I must admit when Assassin’s Creed Mirage was announced and we were informed there would be no bows in the game, my heart sank a little. That being said the throwing knives are so much fun, and the design is exquisite. I would have been disappointed if I hadn’t had seen a shot like this in an action themed week. I am really liking the composition with the knife flying through the air. The details of the knife are showcased excellently with that intricate design the hero of the shot. I do think Basim looks great performing the throwing action, his angered face shows that he means business. Taking Aim Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ astroghost001 “You have failed this city”. Despite feeling extremely out of place the Isu gear in the RPG games definitely looks awesome. The dark colours mixed with the bright lights stand out, allowing for excellent photo opportunities. I still remember the fun of trying to find the Isu bow in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla by the rock. This capture has everything you could want from an Isu warrior. I am a huge fan of the white boarder, with the blurred rock face in the middle. Bayek looks badass as he almost acts as a 3D image, bursting out of the photo. It’s amazing to see out of the box virtual photography that really catches the eye. Glory Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ _fallenmemory_ “If I was your punishment, you’d already be dead”. The conquest battles are arguably the best place to create action shots. These epic battles played out in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey once you had lowered the power of the region. It was such a brilliant idea and choosing a side made it even more enjoyable. I just wish they had more meaning to the overall story. Here we have Kassandra reaching to the sky with the spear of Leonidas. She looks incredibly powerful dressed in the full Spartan armour. I really like the light glowing from the spear and the depth of field allows us to see the other participants deep in combat. I am not sure any of them stand a chance against this Misthios. Dive of the Valkyries Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ G_Assassin90 “You couldn’t kill me if you tried for a hundred years”. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla has such a monstrous number of abilities to obtain. The sheer amount can almost be overwhelming. Finding those books of knowledge is key and unlocking skills such as throwing axe fury and dive of the Valkyries, these can be real game changer in combat. This shot is perfectly timed as Eivor looks to descend upon her victim. I love the silhouette style, especially with the spear in full swing. Very topical too having the Northern Lights as the background, they are a treat every time you see them in game. The composition is really giving a god like feel to Eivor and that makes perfect sense given her harrowing story. And that sums it up for this Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list! 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! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2021 after the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. After building momentum and interest on TOWCB website for Virtual Photography, Aaron established TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, of which he is now Team Leader. Throughout 2024, TOWCB VP Team will be sharing community captures in dedicated articles, and providing a positive environment on Twitter for gamers to share their shots. Aaron Young

Assassin's Creed Shadows Wallpaper Collection Released by Frame Hold Photography Community Share 27 Jan 2025 Written By: Edited By: Frame Hold Photography Colum Blackett Back To Database The launch of Assassin's Creed Shadows is fast approaching and the recently released Story Trailer has only increased excitement for the game. Our very own Frame Hold Photography today released the Assassin's Creed Shadows wallpaper collection, compiled of edits and key moments from the trailer! Let us know your favourites in the comments down below and enjoy Assassins! Desktop Desktop (Textless) Mobile Did you just find your new wallpaper? Show us on social media! Links can be found below. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Frame Hold Photography is a passionate Virtual Photographer who joined our Video Content Creation Team in Summer 2022, as we began our efforts to break away from solely written content. During a period of uncertainty for TOWCB website, FHP stepped up and took on the role of Site Manager, overseeing our restoration efforts. Our website today now sits at the top of many Google searches📈 Outside of AC, she is also a full time editor and visual effects artist on TV commercials, and has been putting her skills to use in the community by creating epic Assassin's Creed tribute videos, miniature figure painting videos and editing episodes of our Rally the Creed podcast! Frame Hold Photography

This Week in Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 5th to 11th June Community Share 15 Jun 2023 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Colum Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the weekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from The AC Partnership Program. Every week I will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. Aaron is a keen virtual photographer and loves to post his journeys through Assassin’s Creed on Twitter. Keep an eye on the site as more weekly shots are added, we are looking for captures across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to the #TOWCBWeeklyCapture for a chance to be featured. This week’s theme: Vikings Set Sail Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ Cll3ar “I joke about many things, son of Ragnar, but never about shipbuilding” A fitting quote for a spectacular shot of Eivor’s longship cutting through the waves. I applaud the use of the longship in Valhalla as it lets you feel part of something rather than working solo. The details here on the shields are impeccable and the reflection on the water delightful. What I love the most are the splashes of water, which are a nice touch to make you feel at one with the waves. Blodwulf Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ NIKOOO_WOLF “Men do not relish the shield wall. They do not rush to deaths embrace” I was so disappointed not to be in a proper shield wall in Valhalla. That being said, the shields were great fun to use. I really like this particular one as it’s given to you by Soma. This capture epitomises the theme and Eivor’s stance and facial expression make him look ready for battle. The colours here are on point, with Eivor’s outfit really standing out. The fog in the background adds that ominous feel. I would not want to be a Saxon. The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week: Judge: @ TuridTorkil ''This is exactly what comes to my mind when I hear the phrase Vikings. A light haired warrior with an axe and shield, ready to fight. I like the foggy background, the silhouettes of the trees and the longship, not to mention Eivor’s grim expression. A true Drengr emerging from the water to face whatever challenges await him.'' Valkyrie Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ Majdulf47 “Valkyries! Odin must’ve sent them!” Eivor riding Alsvinder absolutely oozes Valkyrie vibes. Especially when jumping mid-air with the wings spread out. I really like how the background makes you feel like this is a flying shot. Excellent use of light too as it highlights Eivor’s tattoos, adding a real Norse feel. Who would dare stand in her way? Varin’s Axe Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ artschoolglases “Blow the horns! Beat the drums and have courage, for there will be no turning back. Only victory! Or death! Whenever Eivor is dressed as a berserker she means business. This is one mightily fierce shot of her as she prepares for battle. How can you not like that eye catching bear draped across her head, along with that ferocious look on her face? I adore the lighting of this capture and how it highlights certain details to perfection. The shadow work also adds some powerful vibes, making it seem like Eivor has appeared from the darkness. The star of the shot though is Varin’s axe and how the details just pop, excellent virtual photography. The All Father Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ GamingPhotos15 “You are the Wolf Kissed one, who lingered at the edge of death, yet fought back.” This is a phenomenal capture that really encapsulates the essence of Odin. Havi wears his name sake outfit with such grace. Once again the darkness has been used to great effect, allowing Havi to appear from nowhere. I love how the light bounces off the metal amplifying the details. This shot instantly takes me back to the great scenes between Eivor and The High One. And that sums it up for this week’s Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list! Thank you for checking out this week’s photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next week keep those shots coming in! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2021 after the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. After building momentum and interest on TOWCB website for Virtual Photography, Aaron established TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, of which he is now Team Leader. Throughout 2024, TOWCB VP Team will be sharing community captures in dedicated articles, and providing a positive environment on Twitter for gamers to share their shots. Aaron Young

Assassin's Creed Codename Red confirmed for 2024 release by Ubisoft Employee News Share 31 Jan 2024 Written By: Edited By: UbiCypher (Joe) Colum Blackett Back To Database It seems that Assassin's Creed Codename Red has been officially confirmed for a 2024 release by a Ubisoft Employee on LinkedIn! In a post created last year advertising marketing opportunities between Ubisoft and potential partners, Arisa Lagunzad, (Business Development and Brand Partnership at Ubisoft Shanghai), stated that ''Assassin's Creed Red is set to be the biggest blockbuster of 2024”. The post has since been edited, removing the release date, suggesting that this confirmation of a release window wasn't supposed to be shared yet. According to numerous LinkedIn profiles related to employees currently assigned to Assassin's Creed: Codename Red, it would seem that the game's marketing campaign is currently being worked on behind the scenes in preparation for a full reveal, given the role of Philippe Bellemare Fraser; ''promotional trailers and announcement video editor.'' Another developer's profile suggests that the game may include naval elements, a key detail spotted by eagle-eyed Assassins. According to history, the Samurai were also seamen. It is well documented that they had their fair share of piracy as well, with the Japanese pirates roaming along the coast of China under the name of Wokou. One of the most famous examples of Japanese naval warfare supremacy was Oda Nobunaga. Nobunaga had six iron-covered Ō-atakebune (Great Atakebune) made in 1576. These ships were called Tekkōsen, (iron armored ships), armed with multiple cannons and large calibre rifles leaving no quarter to the wooden enemy vessels he mostly faced). Finally, Ubisoft Shanghai revealed at their Annual Meeting 2024 meeting that they are working on Assassin's Creed Codename Red! #AssassinsCreedCodenameRed . We can't wait to learn more about Assassin's Creed: Codename Red! Stay tuned for more news and updates on Assassin's Creed here at The Ones Who Came Before. Credits Updates by Assassin's Creed News ( @ _L3vi3 ) Translation by NerdLad comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author UbiCypher (Joe) is an Assassin's Creed Transmedia expert who worked as the Lead Admin for the Isu_Network social media team, providing consistent social media content in the form of Assassin's Creed lore trivia, puzzles and news coverage, spending countless hours researching the series and real history. In 2025, he stepped back from his social media duties to pursue other opportunities. UbiCypher (Joe)

This Week in Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 23rd to 29th October Community Share 1 Nov 2023 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Colum Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the weekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from The AC Partnership Program. Every week I will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. Aaron is a keen virtual photographer and loves to post his journeys through Assassin’s Creed on Twitter. Keep an eye on the site as more weekly shots are added, we are looking for captures across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to the #TOWCBWeeklyCapture for a chance to be featured. This week’s theme: Basim Close up Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ G_Assassin90 “You now follow in the eagle’s path” Stepping out into Baghdad for the first time in the initiate robes has a special feeling. It has been too long since we have played as a full Assassin protecting their city. The Initiate outfit is arguably the best one in the game, and Basim will always be remembered for wearing it. This close up capture of our protector is beautiful. I like that it was taken at night, with what looks like a torch adding saturation to his face. The cold of the night allows the blue on the hood to stand out, and the details on the hood are flawless. Basim may not have many facial expressions but this soft look suits him at the beginning of the game. Link to set: Moonlight Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ FrameHoldPhotos “Basim, what happen here?” Crossing the desert at night under the moonlight has a magical feel to it. Assassin’s Creed Mirage balances the city missions with the wilderness ones very well. I like that Ubisoft allowed us to explore these more baron places, as it mixes up the gameplay. This incredible shot of Basim under the moonlight is gorgeous. Often night shots in Assassin’s Creed games can be difficult but here you can see so many details. The moonlight reflecting off of the hood is elegant, whilst the shadows across his body are very mischievous. The lighting and composition is so good, and really makes for a perfect Basim portrait. Who is Next? Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ Jedicentinel “Are you aware this women works for the order?” The Assassin’s are all about writing wrongs and delivering justice. In Assassin’s Creed Mirage, it is Basim’s purpose to rid Baghdad of those who wish to harm it. That being said I love how there are pros and cons to both the Hidden Ones and the Order's beliefs. Here we see Basim right after what looks like an Assassination. I like that we can see the target on the floor with the blade just in front of her. The guard behind is readying his horn to call for reinforcements. We all know this to be futile as Basim is poised ready to attack. I love this stance in the game and it has been captured so well here. Valhalla Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ Cll3ar “I am always at peace. And never alone” After playing as Basim in Assassin’s Creed Mirage, I think the Valhalla version of the character is more interesting. That being said I have really enjoyed witnessing the character development for him and I wish Ubisoft would explore more characters in this way. I love this shot for the contrast of colours. The Valhalla outfit looks stunning against the clear backdrop and the greenery. Nice use of depth of field to highlight Basim in the centre. The outfit is definitely a step up from Valhalla and helps to bridge the two games. The Gladiator hand movement is a subtle icing on the cake. Reflection Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ belegarsson115 “We have drifted apart” When I think of Basim there is one word that springs to mind, mysterious. His whole time in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is shrouded in mystery. Yet for the most part, our time with him in Mirage is also a cryptic affair. Basim is a compelling character and I have enjoyed my time exploring his origins. This shot sums up Basim’s life, you can see he is conflicted here and in pain. The black background serves the shot well by highlighting his expression. The lighting is on point allowing you to only see one side of his face. Basim only wants you to see one side of him and this shot illustrates that beautifully. Link to set: The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week Judge: @ BasimIbnIshaq_ ''The choice of a black and white portrait was obvious to me. I particularly like this photographic method. I find that black and white photography highlights more details in a shot than colour, this is true for both real life and virtual photography. This black and white portrait of Basim, I notice the details and subtlety that the photographer Belegarsson transmitted. I completely feel Basim’s emotions and this play of light on his face is just beautiful. The grip angle is excellent too. This portrait of Basim has a big place in my heart.'' And that sums it up for this week’s Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list! Thank you for checking out this week’s photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next week keep those shots coming in! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2021 after the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. After building momentum and interest on TOWCB website for Virtual Photography, Aaron established TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, of which he is now Team Leader. Throughout 2024, TOWCB VP Team will be sharing community captures in dedicated articles, and providing a positive environment on Twitter for gamers to share their shots. Aaron Young

Quick-Fire Community Questions Round 7: Caleb Allen Community Interview Share 12 Aug 2019 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database For this round of Quick-Fire Community Questions, we invited Cosplayer Caleb Allen, the newest member of the AC Partnership Program. Caleb as Ren Faulkner, the Scottish Assassin Col: Hi there Caleb. Welcome to the series! Please could you tell us about when you first start playing Assassin's Creed games, and which one is your favourite? Caleb: I first started playing AC when AC:III was released. I heard the hype surrounding it and decided to pick up the first game and go from there. I've been hooked ever since. My favorite game has switched over the years, but currently my favorite is AC: Origins. It's an amazing setting, with a great story and fluid gameplay. Col: How long have you been cosplaying, and do you have any favourite Cosplayers? Caleb: I've been cosplaying for a year now, and a few of my favorite cosplayers are @ appalachian_assassin and @ annettabarbierithementor on Instagram. Both are fantastic people and they supported me when I first started cosplaying! Col: When creating Ren Faulkner, what was your main inspiration? Caleb: My inspiration stemmed from the lack of Scottish Assassins in the AC universe. The idea was just too cool to pass up, and I went with it. Col: Did you use many reference images to aid you in the production of your Scottish costume? Caleb: I only used a couple I found on deviantART, the rest came from my imagination. There's not many Scottish Assassins to be found online, so I went ahead and added to the roster. Caleb as a Levantine Assassin during the Third Crusade Col: How do you decide on a backstory for your characters, and are you looking forward to developing these further now that you're a member of the partnership program? Caleb: Absolutely! I love delving into the backstory of OCs. It's a fun challenge because I want to stay as historically accurate as possible, which is a bit hard since Ren Faulkner is a bit anachronistic. Col: How long does a cosplay project normally take from start to finish? Caleb: That depends. A lot of my costumes I've gathered from performing in the Sarasota Medieval Fair, so I had the kilt and shirt already from 2015. But making cosplays from scratch can take a bit of time finding and/or making the right pieces. Col: If Ubisoft were to include one of your characters in a future game, which one would you choose and why? Caleb: A Scottish Assassin's Creed game set in 1314 with the War for Scottish Independence! You could meet historical figures like Robert the Bruce and Walter Stewart, and explore the moors and lochs of Scotland. It would be such an awesome game and would bring the series back to its medieval roots. Col: Which is your favourite cosplay project you have done to date? Caleb: Ren Faulkner! It's what started my page and I've had the most fun working on it. Caleb as a Pirate Assassin Col: How easy/difficult is it to make an Assassin costume? Were there any challenging details or processes involved in creating the finished product? Caleb: With my three Assassin OCs so far, the most difficult was my Scottish one. Creating the look and putting together the leather pieces was a nice challenge. I think the shoulder belt was the hardest to get right. Col: Which part of one your cosplay projects are you most proud of? Caleb: The leatherwork I do for my cosplays is my strongest area. My favorite piece I've made is a full length scabbard for Ren's sword! Col: Do you wear your costumes at events, and what is the general response to them? Caleb: I've worn several of my cosplays to renaissance festivals and events! I've gone to METROCON twice now with Ren and people have loved it! Col: Do you have any future plans? Caleb: I want to make a Roman Assassin! Not Renaissance, but early Imperial Era. I was hyped for the rumors surrounding Ubisoft's next game, but since that's not happening anytime soon I want to make my own take on it! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

AC Movie Press Event London (First 20 minutes (From Memory & Notes) Events Share 12 May 2016 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database I recently attended The AC Movie Press Event in London, and saw the first 20 minutes of the upcoming Assassin's Creed Movie (Amongst many other things). This article is written from my memory and a few notes. (MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE ASSASSIN'S CREED MOVIE) So the movie begins with an Eagle soaring over New Mexico, showing us a high angle shot of the sand below. After flying over several isolated buildings, we zoom in on a small town. The music playing is Young Dead Men by The Black Angels , a song that I thought worked very well with the scene. The lyrics especially made it work. "Run for the hills, pick up your feet and let's go" The Eagle flies off, and we focus in on a hooded young boy riding his bike through a quiet, dusty town. After several cinematic shots showing the boy biking, he bikes towards his home and gets off the bike. The lively introduction music that was playing fades out, and we the boy slowly enters his home. A new song starts playing through a record player, creating a creepy atmosphere. The boy calls out for his mother as he comes in through the back door. The next shot we see is of a woman sitting in a chair, staring across the room. Blood can be seen on her chest, and it becomes apparent that she has been stabbed. The camera slowly pans across her body, and we see that she is holding a strange looking necklace with the Assassin insignia. The necklace is wrapped around her hand, and is covered in blood. The boy walks towards his mother slowly, looking at the injuries inflicted on her. The camera pans towards the right hand side of the room, and we see a hooded man facing the other way. Whispering to himself he says "Laa shay'a waqi'un moutlaq bale kouloun moumkine." (Nothing is True. Everything is Permitted). It was nice to hear the Maxim of The Creed again, but this was a super creepy scene! He turns around, and the camera zooms in on his face. He is a bearded man, and looks like he is possessed. The boy nervously says "Dad", and the man begins to walk towards the boy. The camera focusses in on his hidden blade, dripping with blood. His dad, looking menacing in a dark green hoodie, walks towards his son. In the distance we hear sirens approaching, and Joseph says to his son "Your blood is not your own Cal." As the police cars slowly pull up, Callum runs out the door as his father is arrested. As the cars pull up, we see a Templar Cross Necklace (The Ubiworkshop one) danging from the inside car mirror. (It was the exact same one that I was wearing at the time, and Justin Kurzel had actually noticed we wearing it earlier that day) As the police enter the house, the camera pulls away and focusses on Cal, freerunning accross the rooftops. We see several slow motion shots, as he jumps from roof to roof. As the sirens fade away, we cut to present day, and Lynch is now sat in a prison cell drawing. We see his wall, and the entire segment is filled with dark sketches. several seconds of watching Cal sketch away in his cell, we see a guard talking to a priest. "All he does is draw. It's against the rules, but what can we do. Man likes to draw" says the guard, looking at Cal on the CCTV monitors. We are then told by the guard that Callum beat someone to death. The priest enters the cell to speak to Cal, and sits down beside him. Lynch looks at the priest and says, "Are you here to save me". The priest asks Cal if there is anything he can do to bring him comfort. Cal says that there is a poem that his mother used to say to him as a kid. (It's an extract from " After Apple Picking" by Robert Frost) . The priest and Cal recite the poem together, and then we see Cal being taken to the Execution room. In the room Cal is strapped to a machine that will give him a lethal injection. Lynch appears to show no remorse, as he looks at the family members of the person he killed through the glass. He is asked if he has any final words and he says "Tell my father I'll see him in hell". With this the clock hits 18.00, and we see the liquid being pumped into his arm. This is quite a horrible scene, as Lynch realises that he about to die. Bits of this execution scene can be seen in the first 30 seconds of the trailer . As Callum falls asleep, the camera goes blurry then dark. He then wakes up next to a woman, who tells him that her name is Dr Sophia Rikken. He's in a hospital bed, and is extremely weak. "Where am I" he asks. "At 6pm yesterday evening, you were executed, and pronounced dead. You no longer exist". She tells him that he needs to take some time to recover, as they have to use a liquid so strong that it makes the prison guards think that the convict is dead. "It's the only thing strong enough to get past the guards". She tells him that he is now her patient at an Abstergo facility, and she is going to help him get better. Cal gets out of the chair and tries to escape. As soon as he gets up, his legs give way and he falls into the corridor. Sophia says that it's okay to the guards, and Cal slowly limps around the facility. He sees many other patients wearing the same white outfits that he is wearing. The Abstergo Facility looks like a hospital, and is extremely white and clean. Cal slowly runs underneath the Abstergo logo, and stumbles onto the floor. Getting back up, a little girl says to him "Your blood is not your own". This is the same line that his father said to him earlier in the movie. Cal gets up and continues his slow run around the facility. He enters a room that is filled with trees and plants, being attended to by other patients in the facility. Cal slowly walks towards the edge, where he bumps into Michael K. Williams who says Nothing is True. Everything is Permitted. (In Arabic) Cal walks towards the ledge, and we are shown the building that he is being kept in. The Abstergo facility is in an old church in Madrid. Cal looks out at the city and he is told that there is only one way to escape this facility. Cal gets up and continues his slow run around the facility. He enters a room that is filled with trees and plants, being attended to by other patients in the facility. Cal slowly walks towards the edge, where he bumps into Michael K. Williams who says Nothing is True. Everything is Permitted. (In Arabic) Cal walks towards the ledge, and we are shown the building that he is being kept in. The Abstergo facility is in an old church in Madrid. Cal looks out at the city and he is told that there is only one way to escape this facility. Sophia enters the room with Abstergo guards and Michael K. Williams says "The walls have eyes". Cal looks at the guards, and at the height below, considering whether to jump or not. "You are not a prisoner here" Sophia says to Cal. "You can leave whenever you chose". We are then shown Alan Rikkin, watching the entire thing. Panning across his office, we see the Aguilar's crossbow on his desk. We also see a vast collection of weapons, including hidden blades. Cal looks around the room, and is hit with a tranquiliser dart. Sophia is furious that her patient has been subjected to violence already, but the guard replies tells her that her father ordered it. We are then shown Aguilar and Maria running away from a group of Templars. The fight through several buildings, using several weapons including throwing knives and bow and arrow. Maria is especially talented with hidden blades.The fight breaks into several houses, and after killing many enemies, the two Assassins take to the roof tops. We see several long jumps across buildings, as the Assassins are chased by their enemies. They both jump into a tunnel, and kill the remaining Templars with hidden blades. The fighting is quick and clean, something that can be seen in the trailer. We then cut back to modern day as Callum wakes up. Sophia says "Prepare the Animus" and Callum is strapped in. This scene needs to be edited digitally, as it currently just shows Cal climbing wooden planks. It's like an indoor freerunning course, but with editing, will probably look more like the structures that Aguilar is actually climbing. I really enjoyed the event, and the footage was amazing! Images from UbiBlog comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

Strat is a Youtuber / Streamer who has been a fan of the series since the very beginning. He loves the games and transmedia, and has been around the in community now for a number of years. He has been making stealth content on YouTube since 2014, starting with Black Flag. His goal has always been to make stealth content focused on how an Assassin would complete the mission. He recently started streaming on Twitch with a focus on stealth and AC, but with some variety sprinkled in. Peter joined our Video Content Creation team in Summer 2022, so keep an eye on our socials for new videos and streams. Previous Next Video Content Strat Previous Partner Strat is a Youtuber / Streamer who has been a fan of the series since the very beginning. He loves the games and transmedia, and has been around the in community now for a number of years. He has been making stealth content on YouTube since 2014, starting with Black Flag. His goal has always been to make stealth content focused on how an Assassin would complete the mission. He recently started streaming on Twitch with a focus on stealth and AC, but with some variety sprinkled in. Peter joined our Video Content Creation team in Summer 2022, so keep an eye on our socials for new videos and streams. Twitter | Twitch Work

Searching For The Creed - Rome Breakdown Share 12 Sept 2024 Written By: Edited By: Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon) Gargudon Back To Database The legendary and iconic Italian capital, has a special place in our hearts here at The Ones Who Came Before. It is where founder Colum got engaged, and a city others from our team also have fond memories with from when visiting. In continuation of our articles, showcasing and comparing the landmarks of London and Florence, portrayed in-game versus real life counterparts, we now shift focus towards the heart of the world’s first superpower, the streets wandered of in Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, Roma. Note any real life pictures of Rome’s landmarks, have been taken between 2018-2020, and may therefore be slightly outdated. Text, in-game and select Rome pictures by Gargudon. Select Rome pictures by Col_96. Pantheon Kicking off the list we’re taking a look at the Pantheon, the iconic Roman temple located in the heart of the city, famous for its roof with an always open oculus. Not much to say about the temple itself, other than Ubisoft Montréal did a great job replicating it. It’s more the area outside where the game takes its liberties, featuring a much wider and more open space, with much different looking buildings surrounding the temple. Construction of the temple originally began in 27 BCE, with it standing finished in the early 2nd century under Emperor Hadrian. The Pantheon is open from 9:00-19:00, every day of the week year round with the exception of 1st January, 15th August for Ferragosto, as well as 25th December. Entry is 5€ for tourists, free on the first Sunday of each month, as well as for Roman residents, worshippers and people under 18. Piazza Navona The famous square in the heart of the city, more or less looks the same as it did 500 years ago. Only major differences being the game’s portrayal being moderately downsized, the addition of the Sant’Agnese in Agone church, as well as the Quattro Fiumi / Four Rivers fountain surrounding the obelisk in the 17th century. The place has certainly also seen a further uptick in crowds with the centuries, coming to house a number of restaurants, bars and street performers among other things. You can visit Piazza Navona almost any time of the day, witnessing its unique, vibrant life and atmosphere. The square was founded in 86 AD, under the commission of Emperor Domitian, with the purpose of serving as a stadium for athletics competitions, with stands where there are now buildings. Campidoglio There are a few notable differences, between the game’s portrayal of one of the seven hills of Rome, and its real life counterpart. The overall look and structure of the Senatorial palace, the Palazzo dei Conservatori, as well as outside square is pretty spot on, but there is some slight downsizing, and most notably this is prior to Michelangelo’s rework of the whole place starting in 1536, commissioned by Pope Paul III. While the game’s version houses a fountain in the middle of the square, part of Michelangelo’s renovation project included adding a statue of Emperor Marcus Aurelius instead in 1537. Not only did he completely redesign and rework the facade of both existing palaces, but a third one, the Palazzo Nuovo, was added opposite the Conservatori. Today all three buildings serve as the Capitoline Museums, and can be visited from 09:30-19:30 for 32€. Santa Maria In Ara Coeli The small church of Santa Maria In Ara Coeli, located right besides the Campidoglio, is with the exception of its size, another landmark there isn’t much to say about, other than Montréal did a great job replicating it; both the outside seen in 1503, and the inside explored during the Modern Day finale of Brotherhood. As far as we and historians are concerned though, there are no secret advanced mechanisms within the church, nor any ancient civilisation temples hidden beneath it. The church was built in the 5th century, technically still on the ruins of the “Temple of Juno”; the Temple of Juno Moneta, a temple in Ancient Rome used to mint Roman coins. The Santa Maria In Ara Coeli can be visited free of charge, and is open from 7:00-19:00 every day of the week. Foro Romano Although fairly downsized, the heart of Ancient Rome in the centre of the city, located right between Capitoline Hill and Colosseum, is otherwise as accurate as can be, and Montréal did a stellar job recreating it. From the overall look and feel of the area, to the remaining ruins of all the temples and arches it houses. In ancient times, the Roman Forum was home to everything from public meetings, trials, and gladiatorial matches, as well as housing a number of shops and markets, and being home to different religious ceremonies. The Roman Forum can be visited every day of the year, from 8:30-19:15 from January-September, and from 8:30-18:30 from October-December. Tickets start at 24,90€, also including access to Palatine Hill and the Colosseum. Colosseum Up next, we take a look at one of the city’s as well as the world’s most famous landmarks, the iconic gladiatorial arena of Il Colosseo. The exterior of the arena more or less looks the same as it does in-game, and has done so for hundreds of years now, with one half of the original iconic facade still standing, the other destroyed by an earthquake in 1349. Constructed in 72 AD, the original facade is believed to have been fully round, more white coloured, with statues in each window and flags on top. Inside of the arena, a few notable differences are prominent, most notably on the centre battlefield itself. Not only is the game’s version moderately downsized, but also has a flatter, greener surface, and is a more open space, with the absence of the big walls standing there today. The area above with the old stands, then holding thousands and thousands of spectators is as spot on as can be. The Colosseum can be visited every day of the year, from 8:30-19:15 from January-September, and from 8:30-18:30 from October-December. Tickets start at 24,90€, also including access to Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum. Castel Sant’Angelo Penultimately on this list, we shift focus towards the massive and iconic fortress of Castel Sant’Angelo, located right next and en route to The Vatican. Constructed between 135-139 AD, originally serving as the mausoleum of Emperor Hadrian, then converted into a fortress in the 5th century. Although absent in-game, a note worthy aspect of the castle, the atop statue of the archangel Michael, has quite the story behind it. Legend has it, in 590, Pope Gregory The Great, praying for the end of a plague, had a vision of said archangel sheathing his sword over the castle, signifying the end of the plague. Hence, the castle got its modern name, and said statue to symbolise it. Other than this statue, Brotherhood’s portrayal of the iconic castle is more or less spot on, including Ponte Sant’Angelo crossing the Tiber, leading to it. Militant use of the place ceased in 1901, the castle underwent restoration, and serves today as a military history museum. Castel Sant’Angelo can be visited every day of the year, with the exception of Mondays, 1st January, 1st May and 25th December, from 9:00-19:30, with tickets starting at 22,90€. Basilica Di San Pietro And last but not least, the iconic basilica of St. Peter’s, one of the most sacred sites in Christianity, has seen its fair share of change, from first being founded in 326 under Roman Emperor Constantine, to Pope Julius II in 1506, laying the first stone of the massive church standing today. As portrayed in Brotherhood, the original basilica was nowhere near as big as its successor, but based on a 19th century drawing, showing the place as it is believed to have looked mid 15th century, it is safe to say Montréal did a great job replicating it. From the basilica itself and its facade, the atrium, and most of the surrounding area. Only exception and where the game’s portrayal has free styled a bit, is the iconic dome, which technically wasn’t designed until mid 16th century by Michelangelo, with construction being finished from 1588-1590. The basilica stood fully finished in 1626, a whole 120 years after construction began. St. Peter’s Basilica is open and can be visited free of charge, every day of the week, all year round from 7:00-19:00. Going up in the dome costs 8€ using the stairs, and 10€ using the elevator. It is open from 7:30-18:00 in the summer months, closing one hour earlier in the winter months. And that concludes this comparison, of yet another iconic city, portrayed in-game versus its real life counterpart! Make sure to stay tuned as we shift focus towards other towns and cities in the future, and check out our other articles comparing London and Florence, as well as our video comparing Monteriggioni, available on our YouTube channel and TikTok page! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Gustav / Gargudon is an active and versatile content creator, who started out in podcast hosting in 2016 - hosting the discussion based show “The Memory Corridor” - but today mostly specialises in video creation, interviews, writing and composing. He joined The Ones Who Came Before in 2019 for a merger, publishing new episodes - and reviving the show following nearly a year of inactivity - on our platforms, until phased out in 2023. Today, his landmark projects include the Sounds Of History project - an original Assassin’s Creed inspired instrumental music project, featuring five tracks inspired by as many different games - other original fan themes plus covers of iconic AC tracks, as well as video interviews with a number of high profile names in the world of AC, from Roger Craig Smith, Jesper Kyd and more. Fun fact, among his growing colourful tattoo collection, Gustav is the only member of our team to have the TOWCB logo inked. Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon)

Gamescom 2016: Star Player Diary Events Share 22 Aug 2016 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database On the 19th July 2016, I received an email from Dominique Falkenberg (Ubisoft Community Manager) inviting me to Gamescom 2016 as a Ubisoft Star Player. “We recognize your noteworthy engagement within our community, and we would like for you to take part in this very special week designed for you, our biggest fans.” I was shocked to receive the email, as I had only recently been invited to London by Ubisoft to attend the Assassin’s Creed Movie Press Event. That had been an amazing experience, so I immediately accepted the invitation. I started to research Cologne. A quick google search showed a historic yet vibrant city. I had never been to Germany before, or even on a plane, so this was an invitation I was always going to accept. As August slowly approached, I thought of several ways to tell the Assassin’s Creed Community the news. After speaking to Irakli and Sofija (The Ones Who Came Before Admins), we decided that a graphic would be a suitable way to share the news. Irakli (McHeisenburglar) created a beautiful announcement graphic. I began packing my bag, and choosing the items I would need in Germany, such as Laptop, portable chargers etc. I set my alarm for 6am the next morning, ready for the big day. I didn’t get much sleep that night, as I was really nervous about getting from Birmingham to Cologne by myself. My Dad drove me down to Birmingham and I arrived at the airport with several hours to kill before my flight. Before that I had to check in, pass security and find my gate, which wasn’t as difficult as I had imagined. Luckily I didn’t have to queue for long when waiting for the next stages. To kill time, I started reading Assassin’s Creed Forsaken (For like the 10th time). It took ages for my gate to appear on the board, but as soon as it became visible, I made my way towards it. I got on the plane, which was only a small Flybe aircraft, and luckily had a window seat. I somehow managed to squash my bag into the overhead locker, and waited for take-off. This was my first time on a plane, so I was a bit nervous about taking off. The plane gathered speed and took off down the runway. As the plane left the ground, I realised that it felt very similar to a roller coaster. It was actually quite interesting to look out of the window and see how small everything was! I videoed some of the flight for the vlog I was putting together. As the plane started to decline, after about an hour of flying, I started to get a sharp pain in my head. I realised that it was due to the air pressure, and was completely normal. As we declined further, the pain got even worse, and I was actually in agony at one point. Flying had been great until the last 5 minutes. The plane landed, and the pain went away. We all left the plane, and got onto a little shuttle bus. Many of the passengers were speaking German, a language I barely hear in the UK. The bus stopped, and we all entered Dusseldorf Airport. It was only a small airport, and I immediately found the sky train I needed to get to Dusseldorf Flughafen Train Station. I had about an hour to kill, so again, I started videoing for my Vlog and reading Forsaken. A train arrived 10 minutes before mine was due, so I got on and hoped that it would take me to Cologne HBF. Luckily, it did! On the train, I had tried to get my phone signal to work, but for some reason it was playing up. I had missed two phone calls from one of the Star Player Guides, Angèle. When I arrived at Cologne HBF, I rang her back, but my phone signal was so weak that I could barely hear her. I got off the train and after about 5 minutes received a call from one of the other Star Player Guides, Natchai. Now for some reason, my phone was working again. We met at Platform 9, and began walking to the hotel. As we left the station, I had my first look at Cologne Cathedral. It looked stunning in the sunshine. We arrived at the hotel, and I was handed a Ubisoft goodie bag. I had 2 hours to kill before we all met for the Star Players dinner, so I spent the first hour unpacking, and recording an update for my vlog. The hotel room was absolutely massive! I was messaged by one of the other Star Players, Arnauld (Red Fox), and we met in the lobby. Arnauld told me that he was a member of an E-sports team, and played online games such as The Division and Rainbow Six. After about 30 minutes speaking to Arnauld, I went back to unpacking. At 7 o’clock, I met the other Star Players and Guides. We went round in a circle and told the group which Ubisoft franchises we enjoy the most and how we all contribute to communities. Before the trip, I had done some research on the other Star Players, so I already roughly knew about the content everyone else produced. We had several Youtubers, Forum Moderators and Community Creators in our selection. I recognised Charbel and Elias from the Assassin’s Creed Community. It was great to be around people who love different franchises, yet individually add something different to Ubisoft Communities. We walked to the restaurant, which was about 10 minutes away from the hotel. I took this opportunity to get to know the other Star Players. The food was really nice at the restaurant. After the meal, I was introduced to the Assassin’s Creed Community Team, San San and Laureline. Next we walked to Cologne Cathedral, the iconic landmark that can be seen from everywhere in the city. We had our pictures taken by the camera crew in front of it. It was one of the most impressive structures I’ve ever seen. Such a gothic, dark building. I now want an AC game set in Cologne, as it looks like something straight out of the games! After about half an hour outside the Cathedral, we had the option to go to a party or back to the hotel. It was quite late, and many of the Star Players had travelled a long way. I decided to go to the party. It was full of people in different company shirts. Bethesda, Ubisoft and several others I recognised. We stayed for about an hour, then made the walk back to the hotel. It was late now, and we were up early the next morning. Gamescom Day 1 I slept in the next morning, so missed breakfast unfortunately. Luckily the Star Player guides had given us packets of skittles and chocolate, so I had that instead. We met in the lobby at 8.15, and waited for the shuttle bus to arrive. The drive to Gamescom took about half an hour. We all had our bags searched twice on entry, but the security still wasn’t as tight as I had expected. Hall 6 was where Ubisoft was based for the event, and we were given a tour by Leon Winkler. I was really impressed with the layout. Huge posters for games such as Eagle Flight and South Park. After looking at the Steep booth, we were taken to the Assassin’s Creed booth! It looked amazing! Aguilar and Maria’s robes were in glass cases, and you could take pictures with them. I had seen the robes once before at the London press event, but hadn’t been allowed to take pictures. Behind the robes was a Leap of Faith Photobooth experience! I knew this was where I would be spending most of my time at Gamescom. I felt right at home, wearing my AC Movie shirt and Assassin necklace. The next stop on the tour was the main stage, where Just Dance was taking place. Two of the Star Players (Liam and Can) joined the dancers on stage. I was so impressed that they had the courage to get on stage and dance in front of everyone! They were just as good as the professional dancers, and received a loud round of applause. After the dancing, the Star Players had a group photo taken on the main stage. We then had 2 and a half hours of free time to explore the event. I met Gabe Graziani, Marco from Access the Animus, and Rino The Bouncer! It was amazing to meet people who have contributed so much to the Assassin’s Creed Community! At 12 we had lunch over the road. Outside the weather was ridiculously hot, and I was regretting wearing a hoodie. Food was nice at the restaurant, and a huge table had been reserved for Ubisoft. Angele, Natchai and Moritz sorted everything out with the staff. I was impressed by how organised everything was! After lunch, we went back to Gamescom, and had the opportunity to explore the Ubisoft Lounge, as we had VIP access. Here we could play games such as Steep, South Park, For Honor and Star Trek.The first game I played was For Honor. It was an interesting experience, as it’s very rare I play multiplayer games. I was actually quite good at killing the enemy, but rubbish at blocking, so I died quite a few times. The Demo lasted about 20 minutes, and we had the opportunity to play in different ways. I enjoyed the game, and it felt different to any other game I’ve played. The next game I played was South Park: The Fractured But Whole using the Nosulus Rift. It was such a strange experience. The smell was disgusting, but my headphones weren’t working for some reason. I spent my time wandering around Cartman’s house. I love South Park, and enjoyed the first game, so it was cool to play the sequel before release. Next I tried Steep, which is an upcoming snowboarding game. I was impressed with the graphics, as the sun/snow aspects are really nice looking. It’s actually a pretty simple game when playing, but it becomes difficult when avoiding trees and going down slopes. I can see people perfecting tricks and techniques after a long time playing. I didn’t get the chance to play Star Trek, but I could see that the other Star Players were enjoying the experience. I went and did an Assassin’s Creed Leap of Faith photo. I found Laureline and San San, and we all got some great pictures at the AC Photobooth. Throughout the event, I was uploading images to an album on TOWCB Facebook page to keep fans updated on what was going on at Gamescom. I met Rick Boer at the AC Booth. His Aguilar robes are even more impressive in real life! Some of the Star Players went to the Ubisoft Business Booth to play The Crew. I had played the beta previously, so knew what the game was about. The new DLC was about Police and Criminals, and it reminded me of the old Need for Speed games. It was actually really difficult to escape the police cars, but it was a great game. I attended the Might and Magic talk with several of the other Star Players. It was really interesting, as it’s a game I don’t really know much about. It seemed like a cross between Lord of the Rings and Mythical Lore, so it was cool to see the original art for creatures I’ve seen in other franchises. After the talk, several of the Star Players were interviewed by the Ubisoft Communication Team. The interviews were really professional, and I watched Jon and Charbel answer questions on their Gamescom experiences. After the interviews, the Star Players all met outside the Ubisoft Lounge and travelled back to the hotel. We travelled back to the hotel by taxi, and it was weird to see the steering wheel on the left side! From the hotel we walked to the restaurant for dinner. It was quite late when the meal finished, and we were all tired after a long day. After the meal we all went back to the hotel. Some of the Star Players went for a few drinks in the hotel bar, which was practically empty. We tried the Cologne Kohn Lager, which was pretty similar to the stuff I drink at University. Gamescom Day 2. Waking up early once again, I met the other Star Players in the reception and travelled to Gamescom. This took a lot longer than the day before, as the traffic was crazy! We could see Cosplayers and Fans walking to the event, and I finally realised how big the event really was. When we arrived, the venue was absolutely packed. It was so busier than the day before .I took photos of every Assassin’s Creed Cosplayer I saw and added them to the album. So much time and effort had gone into the robes! I spent a lot of time with Elias exploring the other halls. Gamescom was much bigger than I had imagined. We had spent most of Day 1 in Hall 6, which in itself was massive, so I was shocked to find out that 11 Halls were open to the public. We all met at 11.45 and went to the restaurant over the road. After lunch, we had the chance to play Eagle Flight. It was such an interesting game! I spent most the time shooting other birds out of the sky! It was my first time using an Oculus Rift in years, and it’s improved so much. By moving your head, the bird changes flight path. It took me a while to get used to the movement, as I was holding a controller as well, but after the demo, we played the multiplayer experience. I kept flying into the trees, but loved the game! Speaking to the other Star Players after, we all agreed that it is a very unusual game that takes a while to master, but is worth it in the end. It’s so satisfying to shoot the other team out of the sky! After Eagle Flight, I went back to the Main Stage with Charbel to watch the Assassin's Creed Movie Behind The Scenes Footage! Rick Boer was on stage, and the crowd absolutely loved the footage. After the AC Movie section had finished, we went back to the Assassin's Creed Booth, which was now absolutely packed! So many people wanted to use the Photobooth to get a Leap of Faith photo. Cosplayers were taking pictures with fans. Laureline and San San were handing out exclusive Ezio prints. I managed to get #3 out of 100! It’s now been framed. Next, I attended the Watch Dogs 2 Masterclass with Charbel. It was great to finally meet Chase Straight and Hanny! It was a really interesting talk, and we all learned about the development and creation of the game. After the talk, we went back to the Ubisoft Lounge, where the Assassin’s Creed Star Players were handed so many cool gifts! We were given Statues, Busts, Figures, T-shirts and an Elgato Gaming Capture Card! The Assassin’s Creed Community Team gave us so much! Honestly can’t thank them enough. After receiving a mountain of gifts from the AC Team, we went to the business booth and tried Watch Dogs 2! I wasn’t expecting to actually be able to play the game, so it was a huge surprise! When we entered the business booth, I immediately recognised Aline Piner (PR Manager) from the Assassin’s Creed London Event. It was great to see her again, as she had also seen the first 20 minutes of the movie. We spent a long time talking about Movie promotion and fan responses. I was then taken into the Watch Dogs 2 booth, where I met Colin Graham (Animation Director). It was great to finally meet Colin, as I had wanted to meet him years ago at the Watch Dogs release event in Newcastle. He had been unable to attend the event back then, so finally meeting him was a nice surprise. He talked me through Watch Dogs 2, and I noticed how detailed the game is. The technology has been advanced so much, and the hacks are now so clever. I spent much of the demo hacking cars and changing clothes. Using the Drone was great fun, as you can spot enemies from the sky. I also enjoyed using the Taser, as it knocks out the enemies with one shot. I tried to be stealthy, but I kept forgetting the controls (as it was on console). It ended in a shoot-out, and thankfully the multiplayer partner helped me to escape with the loot. I waited for a train with Sam (For Honor Community Reporter), and travelled to Dusseldorf. Sam got off at the stop before me, and I then made my way to the Airport Trainstation. From there, I got on the shuttle train to the Airport, and found the correct gate after checking in. After passing security, I killed time by reading for an hour, and got on the plane to Birmingham. I saw the most beautiful sunset on the way back. From Birmingham my Dad picked me up and drove back to Carlisle. The Star Player Experience was extremely well organised, and was an experience that will stay with me for the rest of my life. To be selected as a Star Player is such an honour, and I absolutely loved every moment of the trip. I met some amazing people, and I will never forget the experience. It was a real eye opener to meet people who knew of my own work in the Assassin’s Creed Community. I never consider my work to be of huge significance, so it was so strange to hear people telling me how The Ones Who Came Before is a great source of information for them. To be recognised at a huge event was such a shock to me. To represent the Assassin's Creed Community as an ambassador once again was a huge personal achievement for me. It's a brand that I have loved for many years, and has given me so much over the years. Thank you so much to everyone at Ubisoft who made this trip possible. Special Thanks to: Natchai Stappers, Angele Perrottet, Moritz Steck, San San, Laureline Petit, Andrien Gbinigie, Dominique Falkenberg Click here to see all the photos taken at the event. Click here to watch the Gamescom Vlog. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

Assassin's Creed Shadows: One Week Later News Share 30 Mar 2025 Written By: Edited By: Hayden Bird Colum Blackett Back To Database Assassin’s Creed Shadows has now been released worldwide for a week, and gamers across the globe finally have had their chances to experience this long awaited and heavily anticipated journey into Feudal Japan, a location that has been long requested for years, and now the gaming world finally gets the opportunity to experience Japan in the style of what any new Assassin’s Creed game offers. After two significant delays, first from its original release date in November of 2024, then to February this year, and delayed once more about a month later to March 20th, fans were more than ready to get to play Shadows and divulge themselves into a lengthy gaming experience, with countless hours of content put together in one game. Yasuke and Naoe in the Assassin's Creed Shadows TV Launch Trailer Shadows does a great job of showing the past life of Feudal Japan in its own unique way, the format gamers have known and loved for the last years, as Shadows has faced competition from a PlayStation made game from 2020 called Ghost of Tsushima , which focuses on a very similar time period, but it was created quite differently in terms of gameplay and similar in ways that were part of real Japan hundreds of years ago. The Samurai, Shinobi, and all the things that were common back then like wielding longswords known as Katana’s, which was the famed weapon of any Samurai. Shadows brought these historical elements into the game but added their own special touch that makes it a great Assassin’s Creed game overall. Shadows will also continue to face some steep competition after launch as PlayStation has recently announced that in some ways, Shadows ’ sole competitor, Ghost of Tsushima , will be getting a sequel called Ghost of Yotei , another journey to past Japan, which is due to release later this year in 2025, so Shadows eventual post-launch content needs to be a worthy rival of soon to be smash hit Ghost of Yotei if they are to both coexist while performing strong in their own respective categories. The new dual protagonist feature Ubisoft has implemented into Assassin’s Creed Shadows has proven to be a successful and smart move by the developers, as the ability to switch between characters at anytime during the game was a fan-favorite approach that was only briefly featured in 2015’s Assassin’s Creed Syndicate and was short lived, appearing in just the one game, but it remained a beloved feature, so bringing this option back to play between two characters instead of choosing a male or female protagonist at the beginning of the game was a good strategy from the developers at Ubisoft Quebec that has clearly worked out thus far. It is creatively unique that the main characters, Naoe and Yasuke, both have immensely different strengths, as Naoe is a great option for stealth and speed, where as Yasuke is a brute force combat expert, but Ubisoft has made it possible that given how different each character is, the mission can still be completed regardless of who you choose to play as for the designated objective. It seems like a tough task to have both protagonists with different skill sets, can both do missions equally as well, regardless of the choice you pick, but Ubisoft aced their approach in creating this new and improved dual-protagonist system. Promotional image for Assassin's Creed Shadows via Ubisoft Assassin’s Creed Shadows has also succeeded on the technical side of things. Through graphics comparisons, looking at each platform side by side, it is evident to see how each game was crafted for the different platforms, sometimes all with different levels of overall power. For example, on the base high end consoles, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, the game runs excellent and was perfectly optimized for both consoles that are likewise equal in internal power levels. You can notice a difference in the less powerful devices too, as for the Xbox Series S and lower end gaming PC’s, the game has had to make graphical sacrifices to perform well on these platforms that lack the pure horsepower that the higher end devices have. But Ubisoft has still managed to optimize and make Shadows run well even with lesser power platforms. Another difference is the very high end systems, such as the PS5 Pro, which is Sony’s high end PlayStation 5 console and also compares well to high end gaming PC’s, where there is a clear visible difference even standing beside the base new-gen gaming consoles, the PS5 Pro has easily visible graphical improvements to the base PS5, even considering the original PS5 is a very powerful console. Ubisoft took their time perfectly optimizing the game so that you get a great experience no matter where you play. The hype of Assassin’s Creed Shadows remains high, as the game is just entering its first full week after release. There is lots still to be explored in this game, both with upcoming post-launch content and future updates that the game may receive. It is evident the gaming community and all Assassin’s Creed fans can be glad with the so far very successful launch last week, and excitement further of what's to come. The new life of Assassin’s Creed Shadows has only just begun, and the fans clearly cannot wait to see how the next months into the games life cycle continues. Assassin's Creed Shadows is available now comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Hayden is a passionate Freelance Writer based in South Carolina who joined TOWCB's Writing Team in 2020 during the Covid-19 Pandemic, writing articles on all things Assassin's Creed Valhalla. He left the group to focus on studies, joining our Alumni program, but triumphantly returned with fresh ideas in 2024 to pick up where he left off, only this time covering Assassin's Creed Shadows. In 2025, Hayden took on the position of Team Leader for TOWCB's Writing Team, overseeing article releases, assisting with recruitment and providing assistance with internal operations. Hayden Bird

William is a young writer and Assassin's Creed fan who joined TOWCB AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer. ​Throughout 2021, William and other writers joined the admin team in a collaborative effort to create an Assassin's Creed Guide Database, which you can find here. ​William left the program in June 2021 due to a change in personal circumstances, Previous Next Writer William Adler Previous Partner William is a young writer and Assassin's Creed fan who joined TOWCB AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer. Throughout 2021, William and other writers joined the admin team in a collaborative effort to create an Assassin's Creed Guide Database, which you can find here. William left the program in June 2021 due to a change in personal circumstances, --- Work

The Grand End Of An Era - Assassin's Creed Syndicate 10th Anniversary Special Retrospective Analysis Share 25 Oct 2025 Written By: Edited By: Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon) Gargudon Back To Database 2015’s Assassin’s Creed Syndicate took players on the most modern and technologically advanced Assassin adventure yet, set during the dawn of the Industrial Revolution at the height of Victorian London. The game brought to life one of the most lively, vibrant and activity packed open worlds the series has ever seen, packed with a wide variety of activities to keep you entertained for hours. This game also marked the end of an era for the franchise, being the last game of what could now be considered the classic era of AC, as well as being the final game after 6 years of annual instalments since Assassin’s Creed II in 2009. It might also be safe to say a lot was hanging on this game, coming off of the infamous and disastrous launch of AC Unity only a year earlier. In the end though, for the final instalment before the franchise would go on a two year hiatus and in different directions, it definitely went out in style, offering some of the most fun gameplay to date, all to critical acclaim and more. We explore this and everything else from the story and characters, Modern Day, Jack The Ripper story DLC and more in this special retrospective, celebrating 10 years of Assassin's Creed Syndicate! Full retrospective up now on our YouTube channel! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQFCavk2AIk comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Gustav / Gargudon is an active and versatile content creator, who started out in podcast hosting in 2016 - hosting the discussion based show “The Memory Corridor” - but today mostly specialises in video creation, interviews, writing and composing. He joined The Ones Who Came Before in 2019 for a merger, publishing new episodes - and reviving the show following nearly a year of inactivity - on our platforms, until phased out in 2023. Today, his landmark projects include the Sounds Of History project - an original Assassin’s Creed inspired instrumental music project, featuring five tracks inspired by as many different games - other original fan themes plus covers of iconic AC tracks, as well as video interviews with a number of high profile names in the world of AC, from Roger Craig Smith, Jesper Kyd and more. Fun fact, among his growing colourful tattoo collection, Gustav is the only member of our team to have the TOWCB logo inked. Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon)

Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Sword of the White Horse Temporized Breakdowns Share 7 Jul 2022 Written By: Edited By: ActualSpider-Man Ashlea Blackett Back To Database A Celtic warrior defending her people from Viking raiders infiltrates an ancient sect to save her homeland, in this gripping original saga set in the world of Assassin's Creed® Valhalla Mercia, 878. Witch-warrior Niamh discovers a new order called the Hidden Ones is seeking to establish a foothold in Lunden. Her land is already scarred by Viking raiders, bloody wars, and clashing cultures. Determined to protect what remains of her homeland, she infiltrates this new group to discover whether they stand with her… or against her. Yet when Niamh learns the Hidden Ones have stolen an artifact sacred to her people, her own loyalties are challenged. Casting aside newfound alliances and friendships, Niamh soon discovers that betrayal comes with a heavy price and it will take everything in her power – her gods willing – to survive. Document contains MAJOR SPOILERS for Sword of the White Horse Welcome to another Assassin's Creed deep dive, this time covering the recently released Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Sword of the White Horse novel by Elsa Sjunneson and Aconyte Books. In this extensive breakdown, ActualSpider-Man from the Isu Network Writing Team explores the events which take place in the book, analysing the key moments of importance by chapter. Different factions are highlighted using a colour system, which you can find on page 2 of the document. We hope that you find this comprehensive research useful! AC Valhalla - Sword of the White Horse Temporized .pdf Download PDF • 1.78MB comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Author of the all-encompassing timeline, Codex Temporis, and the Isu-to-English dictionary, Codex Transferendum, Your Friendly Neighborhood Mentor is here to help unweave the confusing web of AC! ActualSpider-Man

Louise (TheNerdyArcher) is a UK Assassin's Creed community ambassador and former member of The Mentor's Guild and 'Scholars of the Creed' community. She is an Archaeology graduate and passionate historian. By joining TOWCB Writing Team, we aimed to provide her with structured guidance, early access to transmedia, and a platform for her written works. Louise left the program in 2025 to focus on her studies. Previous Next Writer Louise // TheNerdyArcher Previous Partner Louise (TheNerdyArcher) is a UK Assassin's Creed community ambassador and former member of The Mentor's Guild and 'Scholars of the Creed' community. She is an Archaeology graduate and passionate historian. By joining TOWCB Writing Team, we aimed to provide her with structured guidance, early access to transmedia, and a platform for her written works. Louise left the program in 2025 to focus on her studies. Blog | Twitter | Instagram Work

Zephryss is a passionate social media manager based in India who joined TOWCB's Social Media Team in Summer 2024 to help the team prepare for coverage of Assassin's Creed Shadows news and updates. Recently, he completed his Masters degree in Electrical Engineering and is now preparing to take on a PhD. He loves video games very much, and since childhood has enjoyed playing various types of games in different genres He also has 3 gaming channels (Zephryss, Assassin Zephryss & Spider Zephryss) where he uploads gameplay videos regularly. Previous Next Social Media Team Zephryss Zephryss is a passionate social media manager based in India who joined TOWCB's Social Media Team in Summer 2024 to help the team prepare for coverage of Assassin's Creed Shadows news and updates. Recently, he completed his Masters degree in Electrical Engineering and is now preparing to take on a PhD. He loves video games very much, and since childhood has enjoyed playing various types of games in different genres He also has 3 gaming channels (Zephryss, Assassin Zephryss & Spider Zephryss) where he uploads gameplay videos regularly. X (Twitter) | Zephryss Youtube | Assassin Zephryss Youtube | Spider Zephrys Youtube ┃ Twitch Work