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The Perfect Protagonist: Edward Kenway Analysis Share 7 Nov 2025 Written By: Edited By: Hayden Bird Colum Blackett Back To Database When Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag released in October of 2013, the game was a huge success and many fans pointed to the cast as a key aspect in the game being a huge hit for Ubisoft. Many loved the main protagonist, Edward Kenway, partially due to his major difference to past main characters and also his connection to the same bloodline that Ubisoft had created for several games in a row. The connection to past installments and an overall satisfaction for Edward was a huge factor into why the game became such an instant classic. His charismatic personality and the great story that accompanied him is a strong reason why many fans see this game as the best in the entire series. Promo image for Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag (2013) Many loved the main protagonist, Edward Kenway, voiced by actor Matt Ryan, because of how different he was as a character compared to previous leads. Edward was simply a very different protagonist, and still remains an outlier for the standard of all the great main heroes we have gotten in the series over the years. Edward was different because he was not a typical Assassin. In fact, he wasn’t really an Assassin at all, he was first and foremost a pirate in the West Indies who cared about nothing more than himself and personal gain. The Assassin’s Creed games had yet to feature a true protagonist that had basically zero ties to the famous Assassin Brotherhood. It was certainly a gamble from the developers, as they couldn’t have been sure that a character so far off from their standards would translate well to the fans. Some could see his resentment towards the main faction in the entire game as an insult. Some may have seen this as disrespectful to the main story, but that was far from the case, as instead it turned out to be a massive success despite taking a risk. Edward’s story followed a path of a husband who lives an unpredictable and albeit selfish lifestyle and goes to chase riches in the Golden Age of Piracy. Edward goes through a serious transformation from being a person who only cares about himself to a man who could leave behind a life of notoriety to become a loving father and devoted master of the Assassin Brotherhood. Edward showed he could be so lost and self-centered but still turn his life around and make his impact on the world. Edward meets many characters along the way in Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag that both help or deter his life and choices. In the end of his story, Edward shows one is never too far gone. Edward Kenway in Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag Edward Kenway was proof that the Assassin’s Creed series could branch farther beyond the expected. Edward did not even join the Assassin Brotherhood until basically the final 45 minutes of the game. That means for almost the entire story he resented the brotherhood and even mocked them. It very easily could have gone sideways for Ubisoft, but their execution with storytelling made the difference. Many gamers like to see characters with development. Not just a protagonist that starts as a proven hero and ends as one. Instead, watching a character being so far from the expected that eventually turns into the hero, most gamers like to see. Unfortunately, writing a story for a game is much easier when you don’t have to add any character development, as it takes way more work to come up with a great character arc that eventually comes full circle. Ubisoft and the developers of Black Flag had an opportunity to turn a reckless and selfish pirate into a Master Assassin that we all know to expect. There was a challenge in creating that true character arc, and Ubisoft aced the chance at creating a memorable character with a memorable story. Many gamers loved the connection Edward Kenway had with past games and past characters. The Kenway family line went farther back than most would expect. Most of the family were the main focal points of the previous game, Assassin’s Creed III , and showed the main two playable characters as ancestors to Edward. His son, Haytham and grandson, Connor, were the two protagonists in the past game. Gamers enjoyed seeing a connection between games and bloodlines. Even the epilogue of Black Flag had a cameo of the young version of Haytham Kenway, who is the initial playable character in Assassin’s Creed III . Many enjoyed such a connected family line distributed among consecutive games in the series. Connor in Assassin's Creed III, Grandson of Edward Edward Kenway was loved for his differences and that was shown evident in Black Flag . The Assassin’s Brotherhood was mentioned and featured quite a lot in the game, but Edward the protagonist never joined or paid them any attention until the very end of the game. It was the first Assassin’s Creed game that was willing to take such a large risk and create a protagonist that had no initial resemblances to the main characters all the main games had seen over the years. The fan feedback could have gone either way, and potentially become an issue to the public opinion, but Ubisoft doubled-down on their storytelling ability and showed the players that they could create a protagonist so different and so unlike previous heroes the series has featured and still successfully pull it off. Much of the success Ubisoft found with their main protagonist owed credit to the story of the game, that showed anyone, no matter how different or how self centered, could come through in the end and make something of their life. Ubisoft showed that Edward, a man so occupied with personal greed and carelessness for those around him, could come home and turn his life around before it was too late. Giving him a true success and redemption arc all together. Ubisoft found true success by taking a risk to go out of their comfort zone and creating a character so unlike what the games in the past have featured, and for it to pay off shows how impressive the writing of the game, and the protagonist Edward truly was. Even today, many consider Edward Kenway to be the best main character of the entire series, and that says a lot given the fact the game is over a decade old and there have been many main protagonists before and after Edward’s story was told. Fans of the franchise consider Edward to be the main star of the franchise aside from the most popular and well known character, Ezio Auditore, who received three mainline games, which shows how good Edward truly was to only have had one game to tell his story and still be so fondly remembered even so many years later. It is safe to say Ubisoft knew what they were doing when taking a risk that they hadn’t attempted before and turning it into universal acclaim. The writing that Edward Kenway received was some of the best the entire gaming world has ever seen, and he remains such a fan-favorite main character to this day. Edward Kenway wearing the Mayan Outfit in Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag 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

Assassin's Creed Codename Hexe Theories Theory Share 27 Apr 2023 Written By: Edited By: ActualSpider-Man Colum Blackett Back To Database Let’s Revisit & Reanalyze What We Know on Codename Hexe Some of you may remember u/bool0011’s original Reddit post about some of this a few months ago, but if not, I wanna get deep into the weeds of what Access The Animus assumed early on, and what else has come to light. Things we the always questioning should take into account when looking at the decoding of the Official Logo, and what it might mean for the game on the way, albeit far from now! AtA did somewhat reveal most of the secrets hidden within, with their early access to the trailer allowing them to get out in front of the pack the day of the Ubisoft Forward. While they were correct in much of their findings, we can thank @ AC_Mac for their infographic translation and u/bool0011 for their more astute directions towards where and when we might be visiting in game, along with a commenter on their video sharing some interesting inputs regarding German history! As you might know, the AC Hexe logo contained several secret messages hidden around what’s called a Pentacle. The star inside that circle in the Hexe logo is the *Seventh Pentacle of Mars* from the book called The Key of Solomon, or Clavicus Salomonis in Latin. The symbols chalked inside each leaf of the pentacle and around the outside used a form of The Alphabet of the Magi, and we really should look into the front page for said alphabet on Wikipedia: “The Alphabet of the Magi is the modern name of a variant of the Hebrew alphabet used for inscriptions in talismans in 17th-century occultism. ... It is based on a variant of the Semitic alphabet given by Theseus Ambrosius (1469–1540) in his introduction in chaldaicam linguam (1539, pp. 202f.) ...Ambrosius here simply gives variant glyphs of the Hebrew alphabet, labelled Aleph, Beth, Gimel, Daleth, He, Vau, Zain, Hhet, Teth, Iod, Caph, Lamed, Mem, Nun, Samech, Ain, Phe, Zadai, Coph, Res, Sin, Thau. The alphabet is different from the other variants of the Semitic abjad given by Ambrosius in that he mentions that these letters are said to have been invented by Gamaliel and transmitted in the a book called Liber ignis associated with the angel Raphiel. Claude Duret (1570?–1611) included it in his Thresor (1613, p. 117) under the name "the characters of the angel Raphael", citing Ambrosius.” “Edmund Fry included it in his Pantographia (pp. 28–29), stating: "Theseus Ambrosius asserts that this character was brought from Heaven by the Angel Raphael by who it was communicated to Adam who used it in composing Psalms after his expulsion from the terrestrial paradise. Some authors pretend that Moses and the prophets used this letter and that they were forbidden to divulge it to mortal man." ... That alphabet is described in the pseudo-Paracelsian Archidoxis magica, translated into English by R. Turner (1656). S.L. MacGregor Mathers included it in his 1888 edition of the Key of Solomon (plate XV) under the name "Alphabet of the Magi."” ‘Hexe’ itself was also a clue, as its origins come from Old Germanic and means “Witch”, so if the Blair Witch sticks and occult spiral of symbols wasn’t enough, there’s easy confirmation for witchy rituals happening. Now back to AtA’s findings. We now know the message around the outside of the circle to read: WIR ARBAITEN IM DEM TUNKEL UM DEM LICHT ZUDIENEN. “We work in the dark to serve the light.” An easy pull given the context of an AC game, despite “Tunkel” being an even older form of German for ‘dark’, as one commenter on their post has since said: “Love the analysis, some additions from a German native speaker: "Arbaiten" and "Tunckel" both are words written in "altdeutsch" (old german) used in the 15th to 16th century germany. U V W are the same letter because Latin only had the U. V and W evolved in the Romance languages as did J. So V and W are categorized with U and J with I and Y.” The words spirally etched into the pentacle itself read: MEPHISTO / RACHE / HAUS, and the native speaker in the comments shared more insights: “"Rache" is a noun translating to "revenge", singular imperativ would be "räche" In Goethes "Faust I." Faust uses the pentagram to keep MEPHISTO trapped in his home (HAUS), some would say to get the opportunity for revenge (RACHE). Act I. Study, line 1393 and on if you want to look it up. It could be an analogy to Faust I. but pentagrams were often used as a sign to protect your house from all Evil including the Devil (=Mephisto). Historic evidences of the Pentagram, e.g. the "Drudenfuß" found at a gate in "Ahrweiler", correlate to the era of witchhunts in Germany (16th century).” [Top right of the image, source: https://www.sacred-texts.com/ grim/kos/kos30.htm ] But first, about the Key of Solomon book (full book here). “The Key of Solomon (Latin: Clavicula Salomonis; Hebrew: שלמה מפתח]\ Mafteah Shelomoh\]) is a pseudepigraphical grimoire (also known as a book of spells) attributed to King Solomon. It probably dates back to the 14th or 15th century Italian Renaissance. It presents a typical example of Renaissance magic.” “The Key of Solomon is divided into two books. It describes the necessary drawings to prepare each "experiment" or, in more modern language, magical operations.” “Unlike later grimoires such as the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (16th century) or the Lemegeton (17th century), the Key of Solomon does not mention the signature of the 72 spirits constrained by King Solomon in a bronze vessel. As in most medieval grimoires, all magical operations are ostensibly performed through the power of God, to whom all the invocations are addressed. Before any of these operations (termed "experiments") are performed, the operator must confess his sins and purge himself of evil, invoking the protection of God.” “Elaborate preparations are necessary, and each of the numerous items used in the operator's "experiments" must be constructed of the appropriate materials obtained in the prescribed manner, at the appropriate astrological time, marked with a specific set of magical symbols, and blessed with its own specific words. All substances needed for the magic drawings and amulets are detailed, as well as the means to purify and prepare them. Many of the symbols incorporate the Transitus Fluvii occult alphabet.” Interestingly enough, Key of Solomon was referenced in Goethe's Faust, and where? With Mephistopholes! “For such as your half-hellish crew – The Key of Solomon will do.” Now getting back to our Seventh Pentacle of Mars. “Write thou this upon virgin parchment or paper with the blood of a bat, in the day and hour of Mars; and uncover it within the Circle, invoking the Demons whose Names are therein written; and thou shalt immediately see hail and tempest. “ Editor's Note.--In the centre of the Pentacle are the Divine Names, El and Yiai, which have the same numerical value when written in Hebrew. The Letters in Hebrew, and in the Secret Alphabet called the Celestial, compose the Names of Spirits. Round the Pentacle is: --'He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land. He smote their vines also, and their fig-trees.'--Psalm cv. 32, 33. What about other pentacles? The First Pentacle of Mars, Figure 25. --It is proper for invoking Spirits of the Nature of Mars, especially those which are written in the Pentacle. Editor's Note.--Mystical Characters of Mars, and the Names of the four Angels:--Madimiel, Bartzachiah, Eschiel, and Ithuriel written in Hebrew around the Pentacle. The Second Pentacle of Mars, Figure 26. --This Pentacle serveth with great success against all kinds of diseases, if it be applied unto the afflicted part. Editor's Note.--The letter Hé, in the angles of the Hexagram. Within the same the Names IHVH, IHSHVH Yeheshuah (the mystic Hebrew Name for Joshua or Jesus, formed of the ordinary IHVH with the letter SH placed therein as emblematical of the Spirit), and Elohim. Around it is the sentence, John i. 4:--'In Him was life, and the life was the light of man.' This may be adduced as an argument of the greater antiquity of the first few mystical verses of the Gospel of St. John. The Third Pentacle of Mars, Figure 27. -It is of great value for exciting war, wrath, discord, and hostility; also for resisting enemies, and striking terror into rebellious Spirits; the Names of God the All Powerful are therein expressly marked.Editor's Note.--The Letters of the Names Eloah and Shaddai. In the Centre is the great letter Vau, the signature of the Qabalistic Microprosopus. Around is the versicle from Psalm lxxvii. 13:--'Who is so great a God as our Elohim?'* The Fourth Pentacle of Mars, Figure 28. --It is of great virtue and power in war, wherefore without doubt it will give thee victory. Editor's Note.--In the Centre is the great Name Agla; right and left, the letters of the Name IHVH; above and below, El. Round it is the versicle from Psalm cx. 5:--'The Lord at thy right hand shall wound even Kings in the day of His Wrath.'* The Fifth Pentacle of Mars, Figure 29. --Write thou this Pentacle upon virgin parchment or paper, because it is terrible unto the Demons, and at its sight and aspect they will obey thee, for they cannot resist its presence. Editor's Note.--Around the figure of the Scorpion is the word HVL. The versicle is from Psalm xci. 13:--'Thou shalt go upon the lion and adder, the young lion and the dragon shalt thou tread under thy feet.' The Sixth Pentacle of Mars, Figure 30. --It hath so great virtue that being armed therewith, if thou art attacked by any one, thou shalt neither be injured nor wounded when thou fightest with him, and his own weapons shall turn against him. Editor's Note.--Around the eight points of the radii of the Pentacle are the words 'Elohim qeber, Elohim hath covered (or protected),' written in the Secret Alphabet of Malachim, or the writing of the Angels. The versicle is from Psalm xxxvii. 15:--'Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bow shall be broken.' Also, we should collect as much info as possible from the book itself, not just pictures. THE ORDER OF THE PENTACLES: Seven Pentacles consecrated to Saturn = Black Seven Pentacles consecrated to Jupiter = Blue Seven Pentacles consecrated to Mars = Red Seven Pentacles consecrated to the Sun = Yellow Six Pentacles consecrated to the Moon = Silver Five Pentacles consecrated to Venus = Green Five Pentacles consecrated to Mercury = Mixed CHAPTER XVIII CONCERNING THE HOLY PENTACLES OR METALS These Pentacles are usually made of the metal the most suitable to the nature of the Planet; and then there is no occasion to observe the rule of particular colours. They should be engraved with the instrument of Art in the days and hours proper to the Planet. Saturn ruleth over Lead; Jupiter over Tin; Mars over Iron; the Sun over Gold; Venus over Copper; Mercury over the mixture of Metals; and the Moon over Silver. They may also be made with exorcised virgin paper, writing thereon with the colours adopted for each Planet, referring to the rules already laid down in the proper Chapters, and according to the Planet with which the Pentacle is in sympathy. Wherefore unto Saturn the colour of Black is appropriated; Jupiter ruleth over Celestial Blue; Mars over Red; the Sun over Gold, or the colour of Yellow or Citron; Venus over Green; Mercury over Mixed Colours; the Moon over Silver, or the colour of Argentine Earth. CHAPTER II OF THE DAYS, AND HOURS, AND OF THE VIRTUES OF THE PLANETS It must, therefore, be understood that the Planets have their dominion over the day which approacheth nearest unto the name which is given and attributed unto them-viz., over Saturday, Saturn; Thursday, Jupiter; Tuesday, Mars; Sunday, the Sun; Friday, Venus; Wednesday, Mercury; and Monday, the Moon. The rule of the Planets over each hour begins from the dawn at the rising of the Sun on the day which takes its name from such Planet, and the Planet which follows it in order, succeeds to the rule over the next hour. Thus (on Saturday) Saturn rules the first hour, Jupiter the second, Mars the third, the Sun the fourth, Venus the fifth, Mercury the sixth, the Moon the seventh, and Saturn returns in the rule over the eighth, and the others in their turn, the Planets always keeping the same relative order. Note that each experiment or magical operation should be performed under the Planet, and usually in the hour, which refers to the same. For example:-- In the Days and Hours of Saturn thou canst perform experiments to summon the Souls from Hades, but only of those who have died a natural death. Similarly on these days and hours thou canst operate to bring either good or bad fortune to buildings; to have familiar Spirits attend thee in sleep; to cause good or ill success to business, possessions, goods, seeds, fruits, and similar things, in order to acquire learning; to bring destruction and to give death, and to sow hatred and discord. The Days and Hours of Jupiter are proper for obtaining honours, acquiring riches; contracting friendships, preserving health; and arriving at all that thou canst desire. In the Days and Hours of Mars thou canst make experiments regarding War; to arrive at military honour; to acquire courage; to overthrow enemies; and further to cause ruin, slaughter, cruelty, discord; to wound and to give death. The Days and Hours of the Sun are very good for perfecting experiments regarding temporal wealth, hope, gain, fortune, divination, the favour of princes, to dissolve hostile feeling, and to make friends. The Days and Hours of Venus are good for forming friendships; for kindness and love; for joyous and pleasant undertakings, and for travelling. The Days and Hours of Mercury are good to operate for eloquence and intelligence; promptitude in business; science and divination; wonders; apparitions; and answers regarding the future. Thou canst also operate under this Planet for thefts; writings; deceit; and merchandise. The Days and Hours of the Moon are good for embassies; voyages envoys; messages; navigation; reconciliation; love; and the acquisition of merchandise by water. Thou shouldest take care punctually to observe all the instructions contained in this chapter, if thou desirest to succeed, seeing that the truth of Magical Science dependeth thereon. The Hours of Saturn, of Mars, and of the Moon are alike good for communicating and speaking with Spirits; as those of Mercury are for recovering thefts by the means of Spirits. The Hours of Mars serve for summoning Souls from Hades, especially of those slain in battle. The Hours of the Sun, of Jupiter, and of Venus, are adapted for preparing any operations whatsoever of love, of kindness, and of invisibility, as is hereafter more fully shown, to which must be added other things of a similar nature which are contained in our work. The Hours of Saturn and Mars and also the days on which the Moon is conjunct with them, or when she receives their opposition or quartile aspect, are excellent for making experiments of hatred, enmity, quarrel, and discord; and other operations of the same kind which are given later on in this work. The Hours of Mercury are good for undertaking experiments relating to games, raillery, jests, sports, and the like. The Hours of the Sun, of Jupiter, and of Venus, particularly on the days which they rule, are good for all extraordinary, uncommon, and unknown operations. The Hours of the Moon are proper for making trial of experiments relating to recovery of stolen property, for obtaining nocturnal visions, for summoning Spirits in sleep, and for preparing anything relating to Water. The Hours of Venus are furthermore useful for lots, poisons, all things of the nature of Venus, for preparing powders provocative of madness and the like things. But in order to thoroughly effect the operations of this Art, thou shouldest perform them not only on the Hours but on the Days of the Planets as well, because then the experiment will always succeed better, provided thou observest the rules laid down later on, for if thou omittest one single condition thou wilt never arrive at the accomplishment of the Art. For those matters then which appertain unto the Moon, such as the Invocation of Spirits, the Works of Necromancy, and the recovery of stolen property, it is necessary that the Moon should be in a Terrestrial Sign, viz.:--Taurus, Virgo, or Capricorn. For love, grace, and invisibility, the Moon should be in a Fiery Sign, viz.:--Aries, Leo, or Sagittarius. For hatred, discord, and destruction, the Moon should be in a Watery Sign, viz.:--Cancer, Scorpio, or Pisces. For experiments of a peculiar nature, which cannot be classed under any certain head, the Moon should be in an Airy Sign, viz.:--Gemini, Libra, or Aquarius. So here are the associations regarding Mars pentacles: • Its pentacle is made over Iron metal • Its adopted color is Red • Its dominion is on Tuesday • Mars comes third in the planet rule from the dawn; • Experiments under Days and Hours of Mars are cast for war, courage, giving death, military honour • Mars is also used in its hours to summon the souls from Hades, specifically if killed in battles, and to speak with the spirits But how does all this tie back into what we’ve already been told in Assassin’s Creed history? Where else have we heard of such True Magic and Divine Science before? It’s time we got deeper in the weeds on Project Legacy’s potential connections, beginning with the other alchemists we’ve met that had handled a very similar tome - or tomes - as the one we’ve been exploring, and may yet help us in theorizing when, who, and what we’ll be looking forward to in Hexe! Nicholas Flamel, Edward Kelley, John Dee, Paracelsus Bombastus, Giovanni Borgia, William Robert Woodman, Mina Bergson/Moina Mathers, Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers, William Wynn Westcott, Aleister Crowley. All these names either handled, experimented with, or otherwise knew of the secrets contained within a sacred alchemical text that had been split in two, in the hopes that its secrets would remain lost to whomever held only one or the other, though as it turned out, plenty of miracles and magick could be performed if the right reader researched its indecipherable pages. Heavily connected - though not explicitly confirmed - to the Voynich Manuscript we’ve seen pop up several times in various sources, Divine Science and True Magic have only been known to be combined in one man’s hands: Abraham of Würzburg. His name is mentioned by a lot of the above alchemists, and for good reason - they all attribute their findings to this man’s work before them, written and published into a grimoire titled The Book of Abramelin, or alternatively, The Book of Abraham. However, this book is somewhat confusing, as is the man it’s about, but we can diffuse as much confusion as possible by looking into things further. One such “Book of Abraham” was a collection of scrolls discovered in an early 19th century archeological expedition to Egypt by a man named Antonio Lebolo, which were then sold on July 3rd, 1835 to none other than Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism - and known Templar in AC - who then went on to translate and claim it to be the story of Abraham from the Bible, his early life in Canaan and Egypt, and his vision of the cosmos and creation. Smith then published this translated Book of Abraham into part of The Pearl of Great Price in the Book of Mormon. I can’t say definitively that Assassin’s Creed lore conflates this story with what I’m about to explain, but I think it holds much significance with the arguably more important Abraham at play in the lore. There’s another book that has manuscripts dating back to 1608, attributed to a man named Abraham von Worms, about a different Egyptian mage named Abraham from the 14th century (henceforth referred to as Abra-Melin). Abra-Melin made a grimoire that he then taught to another German man from the 14th century named Abraham of Würzburg, and this German Abraham’s journals of his trip to Egypt and his studies under Abra-Melin were catalogued into 4 major parts - “an autobiographical account of the travels of Abraham of Worms to Egypt, a book of assorted materials from the corpus of the practical Kabbalah (including some which is duplicated in the German-Jewish grimoire called "The Sixth and 7th Books of Moses") and the two books of magic given by Abramelin to Abraham.” Two books of magic, they said? Interesting... Now, the pages of this grimoire that Abra-Melin gave to Abraham of Würzburg are never claimed in our history to relate to the later-discovered Book of Abraham that would wind up in the Book of Mormon, but I think the culturally congruent Egyptian Abrahams both having books of particular importance revolving around nature and how things came to be, should put both of these stories in the same vein when talking about how this could be and has been used in AC. For an irrefutable example, we can look to the most famous grimoire to spawn from Samuel Mathers’ macabre magicks in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, whom took the writings of this supposed Abra-Melin as possibly more fervent gospel than Smith took his scrolls! Mathers would go on to publish his studies and findings into his own translated grimoire, titled The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage, in 1897, sparking new interest in the occult in the early 20th century. But where does all this bring us in answers about Hexe? To sum up my theory on the story, it’s been posited for a while that we’ll be seeing 17th century German witch trials, but what I think is that we’ll be witnessing the fallout of whoever found these 1608 manuscripts regarding Abra-Melin, perhaps practicing what it contained, communing with “spirits of Hades”, and eventually being outed or going into hiding during the 1625-1631 Würzburg Witch Trials, a harrowing time in 17th century Germany for anyone showing any occult interests, and a hotbed for hidden Assassin and Templar - and Hermetic Order - secrets to discover! What did they know of Isu writings? Could the language connect to the ritualistic Hebrew and Alphabet of the Magi we see in the pentacles? I could add that Abramelin Oil is used in consecration rituals, but that’s a whole other rabbit hole of possible connections I’ll leave for you to explore further if you wish! But what are your thoughts? Am I stretching too many threads to make sense of what little we’ve been given so far? Or do you think my Spidey-senses are spot-on? What are you most excited for that might be coming in Codename Hexe? Let’s discuss! • Your Friendly Neighborhood Mentor ṇoænos wahæáid oænosr zàrhṇdichṛ comments debug Comments (1) Write a comment Write a comment Sort by: Newest Guest May 01, 2023 Wow, that sounds extremely convincing Like Reply 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

Ubisoft Forward 2024 Breakdown: Assassin's Creed Shadows Gameplay Reveal Breakdown Share 10 Jun 2024 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Colum Blackett Back To Database Ubisoft released the first ever glimpse at Assassin's Creed Shadows gameplay on the 9th June 2024 in a brand new 'First Look Gameplay Trailer' which was shown at the 2024 Xbox Games Showcase event, with the promise of more to follow at Ubisoft Forward the next day! Watch the teaser here: Ubisoft Forward has become a highly anticipated event since the collapse of E3, with players eagerly awaiting trailers, reveals and gameplay for their favourite franchises, and Assassin's Creed is no exception. As fans awaited the 19:30 BST launch time for the pre-show, screenshots, short clips and images of the game started to appear on Twitter, as just before Ubisoft's own event, Apple's WWDC event was going on. In a short section featuring Assassin's Creed's Vice President Executive Producer Marc-Alexis Côté, it was announced that the game would be available on both MAC and iPad! The main focus of the short teaser was the environment, which looks stunning in each and every scenario! Assassin's Creed was mentioned a couple of times in the build up to the show during the pre-show, with my favourite reference being a pigeon passing the camera along with the iconic eagle screech. We also see a few community photo mode shots on the walls of Ubisoft Montreal which were taken in Assassin's Creed games. The pre-show section dedicated to Assassin's Creed highlighted the fact that Mirage is available now on Apple devices. The Main Show As the biggest Ubisoft franchise of all, Assassin's Creed was naturally shown last at the event to end things on a high, with the tone set early on in the event by a series of excellent reveals, focusing on the passion of the developers, rather than pre-written jokes, audience participation and celebrity endorsement, as was often the case with E3. Coverage of #AssassinsCreedShadows at Ubisoft Forward kicked off following a stunning musical performance! Twelve minutes of gameplay was shown during the main show, focussing oin Yasuke. Features we noticed in the gameplay, written by Yazen (MidnightMarauder) Full year seasonal weather (depending on the season, the terrain changes). Can pet stray Shiba Inu. Yasuke is respected which can be seen by NPC bowing to him. Armour types on enemies affect their health, armour can be broken. Can easily switch between weapons with Yasuke. Unique kill screen for big targets. Noae has eagle vision. Many tools to assassinate not just the hidden blade. Grappling hook can be used to reverse vertical obstacles. You can choose to grab rather than assassinate for a non-lethal takedown. Can assassinate through Japanese doors. Kuni knife replaces the regular throwing knife. Can swim underwater to remain hidden for assassinations, breathe using a stick. Yasuke and Naoe now have different abilities which can be recharged through assassinations or kill like AC Mirage. Post-Show Features we noticed in the developer interview / gameplay, written by Yazen (MidnightMarauder) Monkeys are a visual clues for loot and interesting places The look of the map and animals even changed through the seasons Environment is highly interactive which can lead to breakable things during combat The ability bar is called the meter adrenaline meter Unlike Valhalla posture and parrying is paramount playing as Yasuke Different enemies of different types of combat encounters some enemies are more patient than others You can switch between characters, however, during missions or infiltrations that is not possible You can use a spy network to scout ahead for where your target is Grappling hook is highly dependent on speed and positioning Can peek around corners enemies are highly affected by light and shadows Weapons have different assassination animations like the hidden blade and the long blade The grappling hook can be used to grab at enemies quickly that are far away Thunder and different weather condition can affect assassination ways can change based on the weather condition where a pond can be frozen during winter but can be swam in in other seasons Media Coverage After the show, the floodgates opened on Assassin's Creed Shadows as the embargo lifted and media coverage and reactions of an early access gameplay demo hit the web. 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)

PureArts reveal incredibly detailed Assassin's Creed Revelations Diorama Merchandise Share 9 Feb 2023 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database PureArts have revealed a new product on their social media channels. The officially licenced Assassin's Creed R.I.P. Altaïr 1/6 Scale Diorama is a 1/6 scale masterpiece, recreating arguably the most iconic scene from Assassin's Creed Revelations. There's no mistaking the high quality of this product, as PureArts once again deliver on their pledge to deliver premium quality collectible figures. Numbers: The Exclusive Edition is limited to 250 units, (which have all sold out already at the time of writing this). The PureArts Exclusive Edition includes a wearable Memory Seal pendant. 1250 Non Exclusive units are also available via the PureArts website. The diorama is slated for a Q1 2024 release, with the non-exclusive edition costing $499.00 USD. For some, the high price point may be a turn-off, but to own this diorama is to own a slice of Assassin's Creed history. It really is the pinnacle of collectors' items, and we can't wait to see more! “I have lived my life as best I could, not knowing its purpose, but drawn forward like a moth to a distant moon. And here, at last, I discover a strange truth.” – Ezio Auditore Ezio Auditore entered the Library of Altaïr Ibn-La’Ahad expecting to find books. Instead came face to face with the remains of Altaïr himself, seated in a chair and holding a Memory Seal in his hand. Kneeling before Altair to pay his respects, we’ve captured the pivotal moment when Ezio discovers his life’s purpose! Re-live this unforgettable moment in Assassin’s Creed Revelations with our Assassin's Creed R.I.P. Altaïr 1/6 Scale Diorama rendered in exquisite detail and care. 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 Teaser Analysis Breakdown Share 21 Dec 2024 Written By: Edited By: UbiCypher (Joe) Colum Blackett Back To Database To celebrate Assassin's Creed Day, Ubisoft has released a 7-second teaser trailer for Assassin's Creed Shadows! The teaser also serves as an end to the AC Shadows promotional campaign for 2024, kickstarting once again in early 2025. The short teaser contains possible snippets from an upcoming story trailer. Here is our breakdown! 1) The Hidden Blade. It's finally back. The Devil is in the details or so they say, such is the case for this short trailer that has somehow managed to hype the community in a much more impactful way in mere 7 seconds than it has in the whole marketing campaign over the past months, undoubtedly. First things first, in the opening sequence of the trailer we can see Naoe's surprise upon the activation of the iconic Hidden Blade handled by what is assumed to be her father, Nagato Fujibayashi, most likely at the end of her proper induction into the Brotherhood. We know according to Entertainment Weekly's article that she will be introduced to the Assassins at some point as it was heavily implied that her mother might have been an Assassin as well as her lineage being from a long line of "Different type of Shinobis" (Assassins). 2) Assassins Tombs. Who's ready for some good old ACII dungeon crawling?! Anyone?... No..? oh well... Well. I'm certainly glad that what looks like to be Assassin Tombs are making a return to the franchise, many of you surely happy as I am, however, those who do not know what it is, let me break it down for you. The Assassin Tombs originated in ACII back in 2009 introducing enclosed areas filled with puzzles and time-based obstacle courses that you had to navigate through while doing parkour eventually reaching the resting place of a legendary Assassin or treasure depending on the game. The way you accessed those Tombs was just how we see it in the trailer; Hidden Blade plunged in a hole in the wall acting as a key that you need to spin in order to unlock the mechanism of the door, so, hopefully this is an Assassin Tomb or at least an obstacle course! 3) Oda Nobunaga & Yasuke. Looking more epic than ever before. In this snapshot, we can appreciate the Model of Oda Nobunaga with its iconic Clan Insignia and his stylized kimono looking at what appears to be Naoe given the legs appearing in the frame. Yasuke appears once again enshrouded in this dramatic/cinematic tone showing off his charismatic yet out of place character that will earn a place among Japanese nobility and Oda himself before making an alliance with Naoe as previously revealed by Ubisoft. As noted by TOWCB team member Zephryss , this appears to be a younger Yasuke, possibly when he first arrives in Japan! 4) The Templar Order. I'm just genuinely happy. The Templars, ah, remember them? They used to be the backbone of the reason why the Assassins used their Hidden Blades in the first place. Jokes aside, we have, for the first time, a visual confirmation of the Templars being present in Assassin's Creed Shadows. We have talked about this before in the threads, the Portuguese and Italians are the ones who introduced the Templar Rite in Japan with Alessandro Valignano and Francisco Javier seeking to expand the Templar ideology using the Jesuits as a front for their activities. It is very interesting to see how this all plays out as in 1565 the Assassins arrived in Japan with Kotetsu -Shao Jun's disciple- aiming to build a Brotherhood in the Islands eventually ending Templar activities by 1615 according to the established lore and AC: Memories. 5) Naoe captive Also spotted by Zephryss , it appears that Naoe is being held captive by someone! Could the Templars use her as a bargaining chip? 6) Seven Samurai Zephryss counts seven samurai in this shot, possibly acting as a reference to Akira Kurosawa's iconic film Seven Samurai. This makes us wonder how many other nods towards popular movies or books will feature in the game. 7) Bright Future. The sun is rising, indeed. I'm always highly judgemental, however, I will allow myself to be hopeful now that I've see this and I also believe many of you are feeling the same right now, yes, just because of a stupid cross, but a cross that brings back the essence of the Assassin-Templar war. Merry Christmas! I wish you all the best Assassins. Stay tuned! Article made up of observations by TOWCB Team members Ubicypher and Zephryss . Original Isu_Network thread 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)

The Future of Assassin’s Creed at UbiForward 2023 Part 3 - Assassin's Creed Mirage Story Trailer Breakdown Share 17 Jun 2023 Written By: Edited By: Michael Smith Colum Blackett Back To Database Banner by Thea Marie Rivedal (Moonchildgecko) from TOWCB Art Team. Welcome to the third part in a new series breaking down all of the Assassin's Creed content presented at Ubisoft Forward 2023. In part three, we take a look at Assassin's Creed Mirage Story Trailer reveal! Related articles The Future of Assassin’s Creed at UbiForward 2023 Part 1 - Pre-Show & Assassin's Creed Nexus The Future of Assassin’s Creed at UbiForward 2023 Part 2 - Assassin's Creed Codename Jade The Future of Assassin’s Creed at UbiForward 2023 Part 4 - Assassin's Creed Mirage Gameplay Trailer Mirage is the game that many fans tuned in to learn more about at UbiForward this year. It has been pitched as a return to roots when it releases on October 12th 2023. The story trailer opens on a skyline of 9th Century Baghdad where a young thief named Basim is cornered by two Caliphate guards. As one of the guards raises his sword, Mentor Assassin, Roshan attacks him from behind by stabbing through the soldier with her sword. She dispatches the second guard and helps Basim off the ground while directing him to “Move.” A look at Roshan and the signature Assassin’s hood. Roshan takes out a guard by the stairs, climbs and dodges two more before pivoting off the wall to stab one guard and kick the second off of the landing. Roshan and Basim climb a tower and when the young thief sees the Assassin on the edge of the building, he asks “What are you doing?!” to be met with a calm “Don’t think.” before Roshan performs a Leap of Faith. Basim attempts to follow suit but is chased onto the synchronization point beam where he dodges the guard’s blade, only to fall backwards into the water below. The trailer song “How Villains Are Made” by Madalen Duke plays its first line “Time to put my medal on” a nod to Basim putting on the robes of The Hidden Ones? It is here that we see what many have determined to be the djinn that haunts Basim’s mind. Could this be a reference to the Sage’s connection to Loki from Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, or is this a horrific way of depicting the evil of the men Basim kills in a Confession Room? The trailer continues at a later point where Basim is seen sitting around a fire with four other people. From the matching markings on their clothing, they appear to be members of the Assassin’s Brotherhood. Prominent are Basim, Fuladh, and a female character on the right. The two in the foreground are not as visible. The female character speaks to Fuladh, “Tell Basim the story of the feather.” He turns to Basim, “Our tradition of the feather comes from Egypt. The feathers of the heron were dipped in the blood of the targets.” Basim kneels over a member of The Order of the Ancients, the man’s identifying golden mask (much like the Cult of Kosmos masks) can be seen in the lower right corner of the dark scene. For this character, their mask has a large golden crescent mustache. Could this be representative to the “Mask of Agamemnon” from Greek mythology, the original nation of the Order, or is it part of the history of Baghdad and the Middle East that we will learn more about in the game? Similar to this, Assassin’s Creed Origins had masks for some of the Order’s members, based on animals from the region. Basim looks at the feather as Fuladh continues the story about the feathers, seeming to contemplate what it means and symbolizes before marking it with the blood of the mustache mask Ancient. Based on the simple clothing of the man and the way that Basim took pause before finishing his time in this Confession Room, I would assume that this is his first assassination as a member of the Hidden Ones and said target is some form of street level authority, similar to Tamir from Assassin’s Creed (2007). A transitional fight scene with Basim and members of the city guard moves us to a landscape shot of Alamut and Basim’s Aquila Heliaca eagle, Enkidu (based on the myth of Gilgamesh). In this Epic, Enkidu was created by the goddess, Aruru to match the power of the tyrannical ruling Gilgamesh and after fighting him, the two found an equal in the other and became friends. It is later in the Epic that Enkidu dies and so causes Gilgamesh to mourn the loss of his friend, ceasing his rule over the city of Uruk and bringing an understanding to him that he is not immortal. Seeing that Basim no longer travels with Enkidu, is there a similar fate for the feathered companion that helps Basim come to terms with the loss of believing himself to be “a god”? Could Enkidu bring forth the connection to Loki? “The feathers forge our paths. Remind us of who we are. Who we can be.” Fuladh continues as Enkidu flys over a combat circle where Basim (now an Initiate, with no colored sash) fights Roshan with his dual blades. She parries his attack and kicks him away from her. The surrounding area has banners with the Assassin’s logo, showing that Alamut is the headquarters (or will be) for the brotherhood. Four Order of the Ancient masks are shown, including the recurring mask with the mustache, leading me to believe even more that they will be the first target in the game. With the length of the game stated to be around 30 hours playtime, I could easily see room for eight targets with a scattering of smaller targets that players may have to eliminate to get information, similar to the hierarchy trees from the RPG games. Roshan explains to Basim as she gives him a feather, “The Order has held dominion over men and their empires for centuries. Strike quickly and end this.” This is an assignment she has provided to what appears to be a higher ranked Basim as he now has his blue sash, and matches his outfit from when he assassinated the mustached Ancient earlier in the trailer. Could this be his first assignment? We can also see from his outfit that he has the brooch that is being replicated in physical form for the game’s collector’s edition. Could this be a gift from a friend in his past, or a trophy that he wears in defiance of the city’s government? Basim and Enkidu stand above the city looking out towards the sunset as Basim’s friend, Nehal asks, “Swallow your questions. Serve without complaint. Who is she to tell you when to strike?” From the rebellious nature of the character and being a street kid like Basim, it is assumed that she is questioning his joining The Hidden Ones and how he is taking orders from the outsider to their world, Roshan. “Everything you do serves The Hidden Ones.” Ali ibn Muhammad (an historical figure) says to Basim as a scene showing a sneak assassination is played. Ali is the leader of the Zanj Rebellion, the key historical point in the story of Assassin’s Creed Mirage. According to his character snippet on the site, he works alongside The Hidden Ones, but doesn’t respect their creed as he doesn’t believe that there should be restrictions to obtaining freedom. Basim performs a confident Leap of Faith as the outer environments of Baghdad are shown, with Basim traveling with two companions across the desert on camelback. The developers have stated in previous interviews that there would be a small map to explore outside of the city of Baghdad. A sandstorm is moving towards them which will most likely play into at least one Sequence of the game’s story. This could be a similar experience to when Bayek of Siwa fought The Hyena in Giza during the events of AC Origins. I would assume that this is a venture that Basim is taking to return to Alamut from Baghdad. The song “How Villains Are Made” continues playing as the desert scene closes. “ Whose neck to cut? | I don't know | Whose side I'm on?” This is a very heavy indication that Basim will face the struggle of supporting his people against the Caliphate and his new place within The Hidden Ones. “You are not the first to walk the shadows broken. Pour your pain into the Brotherhood.” Roshan attempts to motivate Basim, most likely after a failure or conflict with his previous life. Another scene of Basim parkouring through the layered streets of Baghdad before performing another air assassination. The scaffolding and posts throughout are a good indication of the freedom players will have moving through the map. “We are messengers of justice, and not the final judges” Fuladh finishes his story on the heron feathers as Basim extends his hidden blade, ready to kill a man speaking to an audience within what appears to be the House of Wisdom (the Grand Library of Baghdad). Basim rushes a heavy guard and knocks him to the ground, a sprint assassination. Basim and Nehal ride out of the city. Basim is shown here not in his Assassin’s garb, so this could be prior to his initiation, but from the look on her face, this could be during a turning point in the story where Basim must choose who to protect as the Zanj Rebellion begins. A wealthy man backhands street-clothed Basim. The dark lighting in the scene is either a memory or a nightmare as the djinn appears before the main character. Is it trying to scare him, or trying to get the young protagonist to give into his anger? “He knows not what he is. Have you not wondered, that’s your nature?” Will Basim be an anti-hero for this story? Basim releases his Hidden Blade for the first time in a scene with Roshan in the background. This is most likely after his ceremony as his left ring finger has been removed. The trailer song continues as Basim stands in the shadows: “When the lines are blurred and faded” But the final lines of the verse don't play. The next lyrics are “No one ever starts that way | This is how villains are made”. If this isn’t an indication of Basim giving into his anger, his demons, or Loki, I don’t know what is. The trailer ends with the game logo, title card, release date, and marketing to pre-order the Deluxe Edition with the Prince of Persia costume add-on. The game will release on October 12, 2023 and has all of us at The Ones Who Came Before very excited. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Mike Smith is a collector of all things Assassin's Creed and a major supporter of transmedia who joined TOWCB as a writer from 2021 - 2024 With nearly a full library of Assassin's Creed media, his work explored the universe in order of Genetic Memory. Notably, his Assassin's Creed Timeline became an essential tool for fans of the franchise looking to complete their collection and consume AC media in a particular order. Michael Smith

Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 1st to 12th April Community Share 24 Apr 2024 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Colum Blackett 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 by the TOWCB VP team. We have been monitoring the hashtag and the community hub to see all your wonderful shots. 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. Theme: Assassin’s Creed The Mask Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ Jaco8ee The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week Judge: Jack (@ _Virtualtourism ) This headset happens to be one of my favourites from the game, so I was happy to see it this week. It’s such a great piece and very menacing in the right light. Jacobee nailed the lighting in the image as it plays the crucial role of highlighting the vibrant colours and bringing out the details of the headpiece. Couple that with the contrast between the vibrancy and the cold, metallic surface it creates a striking visual. The subtle expression in the eye adds some sort of humanity giving the otherwise lifeless exterior a sense of emotion. Aaron (@ FalconSwift87 ) “The cult is nothing without me, even the gods cower in my wake.”. Dramatic outfits and concealing masks have always featured prominently in the Assassin’s Creed franchise. Most notably the order, who often conceal themselves in a manner fitting of the deeds they carry out. Here we have such an awesome shot of Alexios hidden behind the mask. The portrait is perfect with that striking black background. The details are insane, with both mask and fabric looking so good. Despite this being the hero, it feels like a menacing shot and instantly reminds me of the Origins cinematics. A glorious portrait that fully deserves photo of the week. Lookout Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ visionevp “Baghdad and its surroundings call to me”. Stunning scenery has always been one of the huge pulls for the Assassin’s Creed franchise. We get to experience so many beautiful worlds that many of us will never see in real life. Mirage and its colour palette are simply gorgeous, and when roaming the wild you cannot help but stop and stare. For me this shot is so peaceful and reflective. I often find myself doing this when riding my horse in the desert. Visione has captured the moment the flamingos have taken off which is always a delight. I love the blue and sandy tones with Basim looking on over the water. A very captivating picture that brings a little calm. Hidden Blade Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ playpausephoto “The world is changing, and we must change with it”. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla features for me one of the coolest looking hidden blades. It’s a shame that it often gets overlooked due to Eivor not actually becoming an Assassin. Either way it is still awesome, and I am curious why Basim does not use the same one. Here we can see Eivor thrusting the blade in what looks like a training session. I really like the use of fog as it reduces the noise in the background. The purple flowers add a softer touch to the capture in contrast to the hidden blade and Norse tattoos on Eivor’s body. An elegant shot which is quite unique for a Viking simulator. Lone Warrior Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ redmaiden_vp “We are all lonely and all seek a hand to hold in the darkness.” Assassin’s Creed Valhalla struck a perfect balance between solo and team play. I really enjoyed that you could just ride your horse around the breath-taking landscapes, and take it all in. Equally you could travel by longboat with your crew and raid as part of a war band. The capture we have here is one of those beautiful solo moments within the game. I think the shot is elevated by using black and white, it adds both mystery and grace. I love how the photo has been split by the land and the sky, and how Eivor is riding up the incline. The sunrays bursting through from the left look magical and having the stone structure and Sýnin in the distance adds further context to this exceptional capture. Vengeance Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ UnfazedVP “You would fight me?” The range of outfits in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is quite something. You can be a nimble Assassin or full-blown gladiator. Either way you will look like a badass as you traverse the Greek landscapes. The moment I saw this capture I could not think of anything else but the arena scenes from Gladiator. This is absolutely a movie poster shot. The details on the helmet are incredible, especially the dents and scratches. But for me that background is ferocious and gives the heat of the battle vibes. It is all consuming and sums up this warrior’s tale. 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

This Week in Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 22nd to 28th May Community Share 30 May 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: Assassin’s Creed Paradise Game: Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag VP Artist: @ TheLordReylus This letter box capture is such a perfect way to kick start this week’s showcase. For a 9 year old game this shot looks great, a testament to the quality of Assassin’s Creed games. On first glance I was sure that this was from Odyssey it looked that good. The colours here are so relaxing and the shot is very peaceful. I adore the sun bouncing off the sea, and the seagulls in the distance. The gem of the shot has to be the ship's sail just poking up on the horizon. The Ancient World Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ Birgamerinalbu1 We are now off to Odyssey for some truly mesmerising shots of the Greek landscapes. Check the link below for the full set, I picked this particular shot due to the incredibly colourful scenery. That water flowing against the shore is stunning. I also like the palm trees and the beautiful statue in the distance. The mountains and the beach are so picturesque and the whole ambience of this shot is so captivating. Link to set: The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week: The Ancient World - Picked by Oliver (Aged 5) ''I like this photo because it is very peacful and calm. I really like the palm tree and the beautiful colours. I would really like to be on this beach having fun.'' Mirage Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ missroseplays In the week where we finally saw some gameplay from the much anticipated Assassin’s Creed Mirage, I thought it fitting to feature a shot that looks like it could be straight from Baghdad. This beautifully minimalistic photo captures the essence of a weary traveller crossing the desert in search of his next target. I admire how the shadow line splits the shot with the delightful image of Bayek on his horse just off-centre. A truly wonderful piece of virtual photography. Norse Warrior Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ reddeadgem This is an awesome portrait of Eivor as he stares into the distance. The depth of field is faultless, allowing Eivor to stand out amongst the scenery. Attention to detail is on point. The hair looks almost real and the tattoos impeccable. This capture would have fit nicely with our tattoo themed week. I really believe Ubisoft did a fantastic job with both character models for Eivor, and they are one of my favourite protagonists to capture for sure. Duo Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ NIKOOO-WOLF The final shot of the week is spectacular. I cannot believe how good this capture looks. The level of detail on both Sýnin and Eivor is immaculate. The fog-like hue that surrounds them adds so much mystery. Such a well-timed shot with both characters looking in the same direction, I wonder what it is they have seen. A perfect pick for #Thorsday with Synin representing Odin’s eye, even if he is a Falcon here. 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

This Week in Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 25th to 01st October Community Share 3 Oct 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: Assassin’s Creed Origins White Senu Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ PodToGo “Be my eye, Senu” The friendship between Bayek and Senu is heart-warming. She is his only friend while gallivanting around the desert. Senu is Bayek’s eyes in the sky, spotting danger before it is too late. Her ability to distract guards and hunt animals make Senu a powerful alley. This capture of the special white feathered Senu is so good. I love the composition with Senu nestled beautifully between the pyramids. The contrast of colours are charming with the luscious green of the trees popping behind her. I have to applaud the timing, Senu looks so graceful coming in to land on Bayek. Let’s Dive In Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ Defalt368 “Fear not the darkness, but welcome its embrace!” Ezio’s Brotherhood robes seem to be a staple for all Assassin’s Creed games. The legendary Italian is a real fan favourite. He went from young tearaway to Master Assassin thanks to the tragedy of house Auditore. In that sense he mirrors Bayek, making it fitting the Medjay should wear his robes. What I love about this capture is the classic Assassin’s Creed feel. The leap of faith always looks fantastic but add to it those amazing reds from the flags and we have one hell of a shot. The positioning and depth of field really help to showcase the shot, with Bayek nicely in the centre of the flags. You could not wish for a better framed shot. The Hood Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ giraph_1 “Every morning of my childhood, my father and I spoke the Prayer of the Medjay, a promise to those in need” The Egyptian Hedj outfit is definitely one of my favourites in the game. It has such distinguishing features and works perfectly to help Bayek hide in plain sight. I was over the moon when Ubisoft added it to Valhalla. This shot immaculately showcases the finer details of the hood, allowing Bayek to look just like an Egyptian Assassin. The angle is brilliant permitting us to only see his nose and mouth. The sandy tones are beautiful, but the darkness entering from the right really epitomises Bayek’s story. A wonderful capture that tells of Bayek’s fight against evil. Link to Set: The Wonders of Egypt Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ Cll3ar “We will find you. We will find you, in your sleep” There is an elegance to Assassin’s Creed Origins thanks to the beautiful landscapes of Egypt. It must have been a dream for the developers to recreate such a famous place in history. However underneath the visage is a deeply corrupted Order who Bayek must put to the sword. This gorgeous capture could easily be mistaken for a painting. I adore the colours and the framing, and those trees either side of the columns look exquisite. I think Raven has captured the beauty of Origins in this shot, and it shows us why Bayek and Aya were so keen to protect their beloved Egypt. Link to set: The Hidden One Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ KaiVirtualPhoto “You are the Medjay from Siwa” Bayek is one of the last Medjay of Egypt and the co-founder of the Hidden Ones. His time training with his father prepared him for the duty he would later endure. The death of his son to the Order ignited a vengeful streak that saw Bayek cross Egypt in search of those responsible. This cinematic style shot of Bayek is so good. I am loving the assassin come warrior look with the Anubis sword at his side. The desert sandstorm feel is really elevating the shot with those stunning particles blowing pass him. The level of detail here is insane, and I cannot believe how lifelike he looks. I cannot wait to see what Kai can do in the Mirage photo mode. The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week Judge: @ DaveWoodwardAC ''The reason I have selected this shot for feature of the week is I absolutely love the colour tone which is a big stand out for me. The use of the sun in order to capture this image is fantastic.'' 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

Jesper Kyd Interview Interview Share 31 Oct 2019 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Buckley Back To Database To celebrate the upcoming 10 year anniversary of Assassin's Creed II, we're proud to release a new Q&A with BAFTA award-winning composer and sound designer Jesper Kyd. Col: Hi Jesper, thank you very much for joining us today. It's a huge privilege to be able to conduct this interview. I'm sure most of our fans already know, but please could you tell us a little bit about yourself, and your work on the Assassin's Creed franchise. Jesper: I wrote the scores for the first 4 Assassins Creed games including what has become the theme of the franchise, Ezio’s Family. I have also composed all the Borderlands games, the first 4 Hitman games, Darksiders 2, all the State of Decay games, Freedom Fighters and many more. Outside of games my most recent project is the fantasy horror film Tumbbad (Amazon) . Col: It's been a couple years since you last composed a full soundtrack for the series, but your work has now become a big part of the Assassin's Creed legacy. How does it feel to hear different variations of your music in the recent soundtracks, and to have Ezio's family become the signature theme for the franchise? Jesper: I am a huge fan of the Assassin’s Creed franchise and it’s a thrill to see that Ezio’s Family has become the franchise theme. I originally envisioned the theme to represent Ezio’s loss and struggles and I tried to capture the emotion Ezio felt when thinking about this act of betrayal and tragedy. This moment defines who he is and who he becomes and of course why he joins the brotherhood and becomes an Assassin. There is always a sacrifice and struggle for all the characters in the series when they join this secret brotherhood and to me, that’s what Ezio’s Family has come to represent. It’s absolutely wonderful to hear all the different versions of Ezio’s Family not only in the games but also the many fan versions on YouTube . This theme has evolved so far beyond anything I could have imagined. Col: What are your top 5 Assassin's Creed soundtrack songs? Jesper My top 5 Assassin’s Creed tracks that I have written? That’s a tough one but here goes… Ezio’s Family \ Earth, Venice Rooftops, Sanctuary, Home in Florence, Dreams of Venice but there is also of course, Access the Animus. I am proud of all my Assassin’s Creed music, however the creative freedom and journey creating a new music style for the Italian Renaissance in Assassin’s Creed 2 was one of my favorite experiences of any score I have written. I did not have the benefit of a live orchestra budget for Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood and Assassin’s Creed Revelations so it was a bit limiting in trying to match the vision of a similar setting without the means that contributed to the sound of Assassin’s Creed 2. In many ways the achievements of the original Assassin’s Creed led the way for Assassin’s Creed 2 and enabled me to be set absolutely free creatively for the 2nd game. On the first Assassin’s Creed we spent a lot of time and effort coming up with the central music ideas and creating the blueprint for the ‘Assassin’s Creed sound.’ This includes mixing live performances through electronics to remind the audience that the experience is simulated through the Animus. We also had to invent a lot of new gameplay specific music for game mechanics such as eavesdropping, following targets, chase music, unique music for each of the 3 different cities (which included different music writing styles, different arranging and orchestration techniques as well as different instrument sets). Col:Which song for the series do you think holds the most emotion, and why? Jesper: That would be hard to say. I always try to put a lot of emotion in my Assassin’s Creed music such as “City of Jerusalem” from Assassin’s Creed or “Ruins of Rome” from Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood. I can say this though, I was pleased with the emotion in “Earth” from Assassin’s Creed 2 and when we recorded that theme with live orchestra and choir for “Ezio’s Family” I was very moved by the emotion the orchestra and choir brought to the performance. Similarly, with the choir’s performance on “Sanctuary” from Assassin’s Creed 2. Col: Do composers ever experience the musical equivalent to 'writers block', and did you find it difficult at all creating music for a video game? Jesper: I can’t speak for other composers but I feel music should flow naturally so if it doesn’t I think it’s because there’s something wrong. If I have trouble finding the sound or theme it either means I have not fully stepped into the project yet, meaning it’s the wrong time to write the music or perhaps there’s another idea floating around in my head that I need to express first, even if it doesn’t initially fit the game at all. I have been writing music pretty much every day since I was 13, so I just tend to keep writing until I get there. I don’t call that writers block, it’s more like you have to process ideas in your mind before fully finding the right sound, especially when you are inventing something unique, such as the Renaissance sound of Assassin’s Creed 2. Col: When composing music for AC, what would you say were your biggest inspirations? Jesper: How the game feels to play, the setting, the story, the characters and the atmosphere of the game. These are all very integral to the music creation process. On the first Assassin’s Creed, we focused on 3 main themes, Mysticism, War and Tragedy (of the Third Crusade). Then I worked these ideas into 3 different styles of music for the main areas in the game, Damascus, Acre and Jerusalem. For Assassin’s Creed 2 the music was inspired by Ezio’s story and the Renaissance and with Assassin's Creed Brotherhood we introduced a darker tone to reflect the corrupt and tyrant regime of the Borgia family in Rome. My music for Assassin’s Creed: Revelations was inspired by the city of Constantinople (today’s Istanbul), particularly the exploration and city music which features Greek as well as Renaissance and Middle-Eastern instrumentation. Additionally, all of the scores are filtered through the Animus. Col: Do you ever sit and listen to the AC soundtracks, like many of our fans? Jesper: I do listen to the music since it still retains a lot of deep emotions for me. It’s also important to review what you have written before as a refresher for interviews like this one(!) or when talking with fans at events. That might sound kind of strange but when you are working on the score, you are in the moment and everything is written to enhance the game. Once you take a step back, that’s when it helps you realize what you have created. A lot of people have told me Assassin’s Creed 2 is their favorite score of mine but to me it’s just one of many scores I have written and they all hold a special place in my heart for different reasons. Col: How many of the Assassin's Creed games have you fully completed, and which one is your favourite? Jesper: I have played quite a few but only fully completed Assassin’s Creed, Assassin’s Creed 2 and Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood. I really enjoyed the first Assassin’s Creed; Altair is a great character. But I would say Assassin’s Creed 2 or Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood are my favorites. They really improved the Assassin’s Creed 2 gameplay in Brotherhood and I really like the music implementation in Brotherhood. Assassin’s Creed 2 has the best story though. Col: Do you own Assassin's Creed merchandise? If so, what is your favourite item? Jesper: I quite like the Jack in the Box from Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood. However, I would love to have some more vinyl of my music released from Assassin’s Creed outside of the ‘Best of Assassin’s Creed’ picture disc LP that’s currently available. We are in talks with record labels regarding more vinyl releases and hope to have more news to announce soon. I would love to see something similar to the ‘Hitman: The Critical Collection’ box set release from iambit. Col: How did you first hear about the Assassin's Creed Symphony? Jesper: I first heard about the concert tour when the producers of the show, MGP Live, reached out and started collecting material for their suites of my Assassin’s Creed music. Col: How involved were you in the song selection process for the Symphony? Jesper: I was quite involved with the music selection for the ‘ Symphony of the Shadows ’ concert celebrating the 10th anniversary of Assassin’s Creed 2. For the Assassin’s Creed Symphony world tour, I was not involved in the track selection. Col: I understand that you were recently part of a community meet and greet. How did it feel to speak with fans of the franchise after the AC Symphony event? Jesper: Yes, I was at the world premiere of the Assassin’s Creed Symphony in Paris, where they held a meet and greet with fans after the concert. I love speaking to the fans of all the various franchises I am involved with. Often people share their stories about why the music is so important to them and I feel blessed and honored when fans share such personal stories. It’s almost like sharing a part of you with people when writing emotional music. I really try to pick projects where I can maximize the truth behind the music, writing music that has a deep meaning to me too, and I think that translates to people that hear the music in the games. Col: Do you have any plans to attend more AC Symphony events? Jesper: Yes, I will be attending their next show at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles on November 10 and we have a special surprise in store for the fans in celebration of the 10th anniversary of Assassin’s Creed 2. Also, as I am writing, I’m actually flying back from an amazing performance of Assassin’s Creed 2 at the 10-year anniversary concert ‘ Symphony of the Shadows’ which was performed at the National Forum of Music in Poland together with Hitman…one of the best concert halls in Europe and an absolutely amazing performance by the Wrocław Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir. We would like to say a huge thank you to Jesper Kyd for joining us for this interview, and to Top Dollar PR for making it possible. BAFTA award-winning and MTV nominated composer Jesper Kyd has created the iconic music scores for the ASSASSIN’S CREED series, BORDERLANDS series and HITMAN series. Renowned for his non-traditional methodology of blending live instrumentation and manipulated sounds, Kyd’s dark electronic, choral and symphonic scores for the HITMAN series received Best Original Music from the British Academy as well as an MTV VMA nomination. As pioneer of Assassin’s Creed’s musical universe, Kyd’s cinematic and uniquely atmospheric music helped define the series for fans around the world, including his ‘Ezio’s Family’ theme which has become the signature musical theme of the franchise. Most recently Kyd’s evocative original music can also be experienced in the visionary, multi award-winning Indian horror-fantasy Tumbbad. Bestowed with the 2018 Global Creators Award by Rock & Roll Hall of famer Nile Rodgers (David Bowie, Daft Punk), Jesper Kyd’s journey as an artist is ever-evolving and latest opus Borderlands 3 continues his penchant for experimentation with new sounds. Links: Jesper Kyd Website Assassin’s Creed Symphony World Tour Trailer Assassin’s Creed Symphony Tour Launch Trailer Jesper Kyd - Ezio’s Family Concert Suite (Assassin’s Creed II) | WDR FMF 2018 | Video Games Music Gala | Ezio's Family Suite from Assassin's Creed 2 FMF 2018 | Video Games Music Gala | Assassin's Creed Suite from Assassin's Creed 2 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)

Product Review: MADRINAS x Assassin’s Creed Shadows Boba Teas Review Share 6 Nov 2024 Written By: Edited By: Frame Hold Photography Colum Blackett Back To Database Experience a taste of Assassin's Creed Shadows with two new boba teas from MADRINAS! Thanks to MADRINAS for sending me this item to review! MADRINAS, an online specialty coffee and tea brand, recently released its collaboration with Assassin’s Creed Shadows on October 17th. This drop includes two boba tea flavors–cherry blossom fruit tea and strawberry matcha milk tea, and a limited-edition Collector’s Box. MADRINAS sent me a Collector’s Box to review, so let’s jump into everything that’s included! The Collector’s Box has one tub of cherry blossom and one tub of strawberry matcha tea mix. Each tub can make eight drinks (1 scoop of mix per drink). Each tea comes with its own boba pearls. For the fruit tea, you receive four packets of Honey Popping Boba Pearls, and for the milk tea, you receive four packets of Brown Sugar Tapioca Pearls. The Collector’s Box also includes a super awesome Assassin’s Creed Shadows shaker cup, which is exclusive to this box set. The shaker cup features the MADRINAS logo and the Assassin’s Creed logo alongside silhouettes of Naoe and Yasuke. The Japanese text featured on the cup are Naoe’s and Yasuke’s names. I absolutely love the artwork on this shaker, and I will happily use it as I count down the days to Assassin’s Creed Shadows' release on February 14th, 2025! Lastly, the Collector’s Box includes eight plastic boba straws and easy-to-follow instructions on how to make your teas. Instead of single-use straws, it would have been nice to have a reusable Assassin’s Creed Shadows-themed straw to go along with the shaker cup, but the provided straws work well to suck up the boba pearls. I have had boba tea before but have never tried a product from MADRINAS, so I was very excited to try their boba teas! First, I tried the cherry blossom fruit tea. To make the tea, pour one scoop of mix into 13 oz. of ice-cold water and shake. After about 20 seconds of shaking, the powered mix dissolves quickly into the water. I then added some ice and a whole packet of Honey Popping Boba. I have never had popping boba before, so trying them was a super fun experience! The tea has a pleasantly light cherry flavor, and the popping boba provides small, sweet bursts of honey. Since the drink is quite sugary for my taste, I found making it with half a scoop of mix and 13 oz. of water to be to my liking. I encourage anyone who purchases this set to play around with the ratios of mix to water to find what you enjoy most! Next, I tried the strawberry matcha tea. To make this tea, you follow the same steps as the fruit tea. However, to prepare the Brown Sugar Boba, you must open the packet and cook it in the microwave for 40 seconds. Despite the short time in the microwave, these boba pearls get very hot, so it is best to let them cool down for several minutes before handling them and adding them to your drink. Since this is a milk tea, it gets surprisingly frothy once you shake your drink! This tea has a strong matcha flavor, and the tapioca pearls are sweet and chewy. Like the cherry tea, I found adding half a scoop of mix to 13 oz. of water to be the better ratio for me. When diluted, the green tea notes become much lighter, allowing the strawberry flavor to come through more. If I had to pick a favorite between these two, it would be the cherry blossom fruit tea! I love its light fruity flavor, and the popping boba is so much fun. Overall, this is a lovely, high-quality Collector’s Box of boba teas, and the shaker cup is an awesome Assassin’s Creed collectible! Thanks again to MADRINAS for sending me the Assassin's Creed Shadows Collector's Box to review! To pick up your own limited edition Collector’s Box or one of the two boba tea mixes, visit MADRINAS’ website at: https://madrinas.com/products/assassins-creed-shadows-collectors-box And follow MADRINAS on socials: Facebook Instagram X (Twitter) YouTube TikTok Check out our video review of the MADRINAS x Assassin’s Creed Shadows boba teas here! 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

Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 7th to 25th July Community Share 10 Sept 2025 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Back To Database Welcome to the monthly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from the AC Partnership Program. Every four weeks we will be picking our top five 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 @Its__Gurly a valued member of our virtual photography community. Gurly’s a highly talented virtual photographer who often brings her unique style to the world of Assassin’s Creed VP. Gurly specialises in atmospheric photography, and she showcases this in all her shots. We would like to thank Gurly for taking the time to support us with this fantastic theme. 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. Theme: Assassin’s Creed Butterfly Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @ValkyrieQ8 The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Theme Judge: @Its__Gurly Gurly I like this shot because it has the perfect amount of light and darkness. The brightness of the butterfly gives it a feel of hopefulness in the dark times we go through. Aaron Assassin’s Creed Shadows is probably one of the brutalist in the series when it comes to combat. The game really ups the gore for this entry and that’s saying something after Viking England. However, scratch the surface and you will uncover a world filled with beauty that can often be missed. I find this capture to be so peaceful and yet troubling. The leaves breaking out from the darkness look so realistic and the lighting really helps achieve this. I love how the white butterfly stands out proudly, catching the eye immediately. I like to think the butterfly is a symbol of the Assassin’s and those leaves are the templars reaching out to drag it into the abyss. Out in the Cold Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @ opticsshatter.bsky.social Wildlife has always been such an important part of the Assassin’s Creed universe, probably more so since the RPG series. Ubisoft has used these animals to build a living world that assists in player immersion. You could easily boot up the game and play wildlife photographer for an hour. I have always been fond of fox captures, and this one really is up there as one of my favourites. I can’t get over how close to life it looks. The photo is really showing the graphical prowess of Shadows. The fog and tracks in the snow are amplifying the image, making it seem like an Xmas postcard. I think the winner is the tint, I find it helps elevate the shot and give it an almost artistic feel. Reflection Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @ carlswagen.bsky.social Assassin’s Creed portraits are always impressive, and that is down to the protagonists always being great subjects to capture. Like with most video games people like to shoot the main characters it’s a natural urge. What’s made this even better is the time-of-day function in the photo mode. We can now get the perfect lighting for these wonderful portraits. This shot however breaks the mould a little and that is exactly what makes it standout. The heron looks so graceful wading through the water looking for food. I like how the details of the feathers have been captured thanks to that sharp sunlight. I adore the reflection in the water; it really make the shot for me. The symmetry is so satisfying to look at that you can’t take your eyes away. Archway Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @saskiaemmischVP I must say when I started playing Assassin’s Creed Shadows I did not Invision myself capturing the coastal areas as much as I have. I think Ubisoft did a great job at diversifying the landscapes that we get to uncover in Shadows. The seasonal changes also allow for varied shots with no location looking the same throughout a year in Japan. Here we have a solum but striking capture from Saskia. Its photos like this that make you realise the graphical leap in this game. The clouds and rock textures are exceptional, and Saskia has done a fantastic job at showcasing them. I love the balance of sky verses water and that archway with the trading boat floating pass is a nice touch. Through the Streets Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @Birgamerinalbu1 The murky streets are something of a staple in the Assassin’s Creed series. Most notably in Unity and Syndicate. However, the recent switch to the RPG formula has eradicated some of these more sinister street level missions. Mirage did such a good job at balancing the two styles and that is evident here through this wonderful capture. I am very impressed with the composition and the mood of the shot. The foggy street with the warm glow of the exit really adds a layer of mystic to the photo. At first glance I was convinced this was from Syndicate. I like how Basim is heading towards the light, which is ironic because his character ends up doing the opposite. 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

The Gaming Library: How Assassin’s Creed Influenced My Interest in History Books Other Share 12 Feb 2024 Written By: Edited By: Michael Smith Colum Blackett Back To Database Banner by Thea Marie Rivedal (Moonchildgecko) from TOWCB Art Team. Collecting has been my favorite hobby since I was a child. Whether it be games, comics, trading cards, or random items with a shared theme, I was always driven to collecting. As I grew, my focus would change and my collections would be the funding to help me start my next pivot at reaching an undetermined and unmet goal of having an interest to talk about. This would continue with only one collection ever growing, my gaming library. Each year (or sooner) I would find myself bored with my current system and with no way of getting money to purchase something new, I would gather what I owned, go to a game store and trade it all in towards a different console, usually something older as they were cheaper at the time. In 2020 I made a decision to pivot my collecting of games for the Nintendo Switch, to the Xbox family of systems. Selling most of my games, I was able to fund a secondhand system (and later a Series X) and start a new collection of game series that I had interest in or had played before and wanted to revisit. It was a quick way to build my library up again and play games that I actually wanted to and not ones that I felt like I had to because I purchased them for my shelves. One of these series was Assassin’s Creed. A few months after starting this new gaming journey, I began expanding my collection for the Assassin’s Creed series. Purchasing all of the games, their respective strategy guides, novels, art books, and anything I could get my hands on that were considered content for the full world of this franchise; in addition to collectables like statues and figures. My plan was to layout all of the content and transmedia into one large timeline and play/read everything from the oldest historical time periods to the most recent. This is something I have openly shared in other articles written for The Ones Who Came Before and one of the biggest accomplishments in my years of gaming. Starting with Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey, I explored and absorbed the history of Ancient Greece. I wanted to search every inch of the map to complete the game in its fullest form and try to catch up on the series as I was very behind, with Valhalla being the current game at the time. After finishing the game and reading the extra content in the strategy guide and art book, I moved to the novelization of the game and then onto AC Origins. This trend will continue as I work through the series, where I am currently in the 18th Century during the Golden Age of Piracy. As I continue, I keep revisiting older centuries while new content is released, waiting for more from Assassin’s Creed Mirage at the time of this writing. In June of 2022, I was walking around a local bookstore and saw a series of museum photo books for Ancient Greece, Egypt, Rome, and the Viking era. I gathered them and flipped through a few pages to see what they were and sparked the idea of building a library to help me learn more about the real world history that is laid out in the Assassin’s Creed games so that I could have a better understanding and experience when I replay the games in the future. Prior to this visit, I had finished reading Kate Heartfield’s first entry in the Assassin’s Creed Engine of History trilogy; The Magus Conspiracy . In this story, Assassin in training, Simeon Price studies under the mentorship of Oscar Kane and is tasked not just in the art of stealth and combat, but also studies to better his education. Listed in various parts of the book, Simeon reads tomes of great historical value to mankind. This was the first time that an Assassin’s Creed story has provided insight to the materials an Assassin would study. Opening the digital copy I kept on my phone, I went to my highlighted notes and looked at the books Simeon read. Two of them I knew to be easily available so I searched for them with the assistance of an employee and left with the four previously mentioned museum books and a copy of the 1818 text edition of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Anne Bronte’s The Tenant of Wildfell Hall . The former was a book that Simeon was tasked in reading and the former was used in comparison of the creation and rebellion of Frankenstein’s monster to that of the humans to the Isu race; the ancient civilization behind the lore of the Assassin’s Creed franchise. I purchased these two books and when I returned home, I started my comment thread on Twitter to catalogue and share my progress on this new project. Over the course of the next few months, I started scrubbing through the Assassin’s Creed transmedia items in my collection, looking for references to any book in their pages. When I started a new game, such as Black Flag, I would document the books that were used for the codex, mentioned in conversation, or referenced in the Modern Day content or the supplementary strategy guide and art book. I would continue to do this for each new media I consumed and at some point, I will go through the games I have already finished when I work through my timeline the second time. While doing so I will also make note of figures and events in the games so that I can expand my library past the referenced materials. One of the more entertaining ways of finding books that were used to design the games was through old production videos from Ubisoft and pausing to look at the covers and spines and write down what I found. I luckily had picked up one of these books for Assassin’s Creed Origins titled, Sunken Cities: Egypt’s Lost Worlds without realizing it until I saw the BTS video for it. This just excited me more so when I ran out of videos to review, I reached out to a few people around the internet to gather additional book titles and would ask authors for their lists of research books for the novels I would read going forward. Since I started I have collected 81 books covering nearly all of the time periods that have been depicted in the Assassin’s Creed series. Each section is noticeable, especially next to the games that were based around them, and Ancient Greece seems to be the largest group of books. What is funny about collecting is that I don’t read everything right away, so of the 81 books I own, I have only read 10 of them. I’m reading these sporadically, but collecting is the fun part. It is because of Assassin’s Creed that I have an actual interest in history now. In all games and media that I consume these days, I am listening for period appropriate texts and plan on continuing this collection once I finish the AC series with other game titles. Wanting to learn more about the contents of history so that I can better understand the games is enjoyable and I’ve learned a lot in doing so. I think about the future, of having a library that I can not only enjoy, but share with others. Not knowing where the series will go, or if it will even continue after the next decade, I can guarantee that my exploration of history will continue with other games & media. My most recent purchases have been based around the Middle East and The Golden Age of Piracy. I received books for Christmas tied to Assassin’s Creed: Mirage and Assassin’s Creed: The Golden City in addition to books I purchased about the pirates of the Golden Age of Piracy as seen in Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag . I wasn’t aiming to get these specifically, but they were what first caught my eye and I had been wanting a few of them for a while (mainly the pirate books). This weekend I plan on going out again to see what I can find and maybe one day I can find and afford to purchase an original printing of an old book such as The Prince by Machiavelli, or a first edition of The Hunchback of Notre Dame as that would be a great focal point to my library. My love of the franchise has only grown with my yearning to learn more about history. Having the opportunity to look into the process of the developers and how they make the games, studying as Shaun Hastings would to assist Desmond Miles. For now though, I await to see what knowledge I will read from Feudal Japan, the witch hunts of Germany, the Great Wall of China and onwards. History has become my playground, much like Ubisoft sings from this franchise and the creed of the Assassins Brotherhood. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Mike Smith is a collector of all things Assassin's Creed and a major supporter of transmedia who joined TOWCB as a writer from 2021 - 2024 With nearly a full library of Assassin's Creed media, his work explored the universe in order of Genetic Memory. Notably, his Assassin's Creed Timeline became an essential tool for fans of the franchise looking to complete their collection and consume AC media in a particular order. Michael Smith

New Assassin's Creed Shadows Fall Roadmap Full Breakdown Breakdown Share 25 Oct 2025 Written By: Edited By: Zephryss Colum Blackett Back To Database Ubisoft has finally revealed the new Fall Roadmap for Assassin's Creed Shadows. Here’s everything you need to know about what’s coming to Assassin's Creed Shadows in the next few months. Parkour Update 2 The new Parkour will be released on October 28. This update will feature a new toggle option named "Advanced Parkour". It will remove all parkour barriers, allowing players to do side ejects and back ejects from any height. There will be some tweaks with side eject on parkour down, giving players more freedom of expression. The vertical ledge grab in regular parkour will now work in more situations, including non-standing objects, whether or not the advanced parkour toggle is on. From those non-standing objects, developers are also introducing a new beam manual jump option and reintroducing a much-requested feature called the directional catch ledge mechanic. Corrupted Castles A new Animus themed activity called Corrupted Castles will also be released on October 28. Any previously completed castle may get corrupted and filled with Animus anomalies, including Samurai Daisho and their corresponding reward chests. Up to five Corrupted Castles will appear on the map each season, allowing players plenty of opportunities to reengage those castles and higher levels of play for even greater rewards. Free Story Drops The 3rd story drop called "A Puzzlement” will be released on November 25th. This quest has a much more humorous, silly tone, much more akin to something like AC Odyssey, in which players are digging up old foes from Naoe's past who are looking for a bit of redemption. As the name suggests, "A Puzzlement", also introduces a brand new and intricate environmental puzzle which will include some Isu content. Yes, Ubisoft has heard the AC community, and they are finally adding Isu content to Assassin's Creed Shadows. The two protagonists will also learn new skills from each other: Naoe will learn how to perform her own spectacular version of Yasuke's war kick ability. Yasuke will learn how to stealthily dispatch enemies in a non-lethal way. The next special collaboration will also be released on November 25th and It will be something big. Ubisoft has also announced that there will be more surprises including new finishers, special missions, animus-themed rewards, and store content until the end of this year. AC Shadows on Nintendo Switch 2 Assassin's Creed Shadows is coming on the Nintendo Switch 2 on December 2nd. It will have all the recent updates and free content drops, except for the Claws of Awaji Expansion that will come later in the new year. It will also work with cross-progression to Ubisoft Connect, so players will be able to pick up where you left off. Switch 2 also offers a new way to play with touch screen features in all menus including world map, store and hideout. What do you think about the new Fall Roadmap for Assassin's Creed Shadows? Share your thoughts in the comments below. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author 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. Zephryss

This Week in Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 20th to 26th February Community Share 28 Feb 2023 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Ashlea 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: Assassin’s Creed In Plain Sight Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ Jakeste66386991 We start this week's showcase with an absolute cracker from Jakester. This shot is all about depth of field and how it highlights the Ezio outfit perfectly. I am definitely getting Brotherhood vibes from this photo. I am always impressed when people can capture the spirit of the old games within the newer ones. Thank you Ubisoft for adding the legacy outfits. The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week: Judge - Michael Doyle This capture has immortalised what it means to be an assassin, hidden in plain sight, yet with an elegance that stands out beyond the crowd around them. I also get a great sense of nostagla towards the original AC in this shot. Bayek appears ancient and wise, which is unique as this was taken early in Bayek’s life before the brotherhood truly began. The Master Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ reephto This shot was titled "The Master'' and I can't argue with that, In fact, I would say this capture is masterful in itself. For me this photo epitomises the Assassin's and what they stand for. I love that Bayek is in the Hidden Ones outfit, and that stunning shadow across his face/hood symbolises the Creed impeccably. Bayek's beard looks so detailed too, is this really a 2017 game? Ready for Battle Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ Nxthxn_Turner18 Next up we have Varin's axe in full view. This axe should be more famous than in is, the details are so impressive. The positioning of this shot is what drew me to it. I like how the depth of field highlights the axe and the hidden blade. You can see Eivor is ready for a fight, and that light forking down in front of her is really something. Saxon Slayer Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ PodToGo I may have some bias to this shot. When you like the hairstyle, armour, and the portrait style, all you can do is feature it. I am in awe of how good this capture looks; I feel like the metal on the outfit just glints in this style. I am definitely going to try this myself now, especially as the Huldufolk set is my favourite. A perfect photo for a Thorsday entry. Fallen Hero Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Platform: PS4 VP Artist: @ _TFoU_ The final shot of the week blends Viking and Isu to give off a real science fiction vibe. I don't usually use these outfits and weapons, but I have to admit it does look cool. The film grain style adds a real sense of grandeur. I love the combo of Fallen Hero, Excalibur, and the band around the eyes. Checkout the link for an awesome close up of Eivor. Link: https://twitter.com/_tfou_/status/1629937557076316160?s=46&t=ouVXsSaqJFul6_HVXb9RLg 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 (1) Write a comment Write a comment Sort by: Newest Guest Mar 01, 2023 Awesome captures everyone!!! 🤗 Like Reply 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

Calvin Roberts Video Collection Community Share 29 Oct 2024 Written By: Edited By: Calvin Roberts TOWCB Team Back To Database Here are the first four Assassin's Creed skits created by Calvin Roberts, the latest member to join TOWCB's Video Content Creation Team, as we seek to branch into entirely new territory for our community. Calvin's appointment to the team is a big step for TOWCB, as it cements our dedication to producing humorous parody content which sets us apart from other AC fan communities. Scared of heights 2) Assassin killing someone in public 3) Waiting for the new Assassin's Creed game to come out 4) First Leap of Faith Keep an eye on our social media accounts for more Assassin's Creed content by Calvin Roberts , as we continue to create content in collaboration with creators that stands out. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Calvin is a video creator based in the UK who joined TOWCB's Video Content Creation Team in Autumn 2024. Known online for his short comedy videos (skits), Calvin was brought onboard to inject a degree of personality and humour into TOWCB's social media presence. He is a big fan of the Assassin's Creed series who will be helping TOWCB grow in late 2024/2025, with a particular focus on Tiktok, Youtube and Instagram Calvin Roberts

This Week in Assassin's Creed Virtual Photography: 14th - 20th May 2022 Community Share 20 May 2022 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the new weekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from The AC Partnership Program. Every week, 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. 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 capture across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to the #TOWCBWeeklyCapture for a chance to be featured. 1) Burning Sands Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins This week’s first capture comes from @missroseplays over on Twitter. Photo number one this week is all about the colour. I am loving the deep red of the sand and the purple in the sky. The hero under a shadow walking away from his last mission gives me endgame vibes. It is as if Bayek has fulfilled his destiny and is walking off into the sunset. Such great use of lighting and colour. 2) Arno the Assassin Game: Assassin’s Creed Unity Photo number two comes from @babidk1 over on Twitter. I picked this capture due to the mood, as it has such an Assassin feel to it. You get a real sense of ‘we work in the dark to serve the light’ from this. I love how Arno is on what looks like a Sync point watching over his city. My eye is always drawn to the lighting on the tower, it just looks so mysterious. 3) Traveller Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins This week’s third shot comes from @GirlWYellowEyes over on Twitter. This capture is really cool. What an array of detail and colour amongst a sandy desert. I must admit I have played Origins many times and I do not remember this outfit. Bayek and his camel are very much coordinated in this shot. I am definitely getting Geralt and Roach vibes here, incredible shot. 4) On Point Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP number four comes from @juanmawl using the #TOWCBWeeklyCapture hashtag on Twitter. Photo number four brings me right back to the launch trailer of Assassins Creed Origins. Bayek atop a Pyramid looking out across the sun-drenched desert. The standout here for me is the positioning of this capture, as it is lined up so well. I am also a fan of Senu circling Bayek on the Pyramid. 5) The Norse Medjay Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla The final capture of the week comes from @kingforever008 over at ACFirstCiv Community. I cannot quite make out how this shot was taken but it seems like Eivor is mid leap to me. It is great how Assassins Creed Valhalla paid homage to Origins throughout the game. Eivor looks awesome in the Egyptian Armour, giving off real Assassin vibes. Great positioning to have Eivor’s eyes covered by the hood, as it adds to the intrigue. 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

TOWCB Statement on the Unacceptable Response to Assassin's Creed Shadows Community Share 20 May 2024 Written By: Edited By: Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon) TOWCB Team Back To Database 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 community member, who started out in podcast hosting in 2016, but today mostly specialises in video creation, interviews & composing. By joining The Ones Who Came Before in 2019, originally reviving 'The Memory Corridor' podcast, which had been offline for nearly a year, he has had the opportunity to expand his audience and further develop his skills. 

His unique skill set made him the perfect candidate for our team. Among other things, he is known in the community for 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)

Ask the VP Episode 15: Interview with TOWCB Virtual Photography Team Leader Aaron Young Interviews Share 5 Nov 2023 Written By: Edited By: TOWCB Team Colum Blackett Back To Database On the 4th November 2023, The PhotoMode invited our very own Aaron Young // FalconVP (Team Leader for TOWCB Virtual Photography Team) for an interview on Twitter Spaces, as part of the 'Ask the VP' series, covering hi s VP Style and process, being a part of The Ones Who Came Before // Isu_Network team, his love for Assassin's Creed and more! Check it out here! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author A collection of articles from The Ones Who Came Before team. TOWCB Team

This Week in Assassin's Creed Virtual Photography: 19th -25th March 2022 Community Share 4 Apr 2022 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the new weekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from The AC Partnership Program. Every week, 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. 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 capture across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to the #TOWCBWeeklyCapture for a chance to be featured. 1) Dawn of Ragnarok Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla This week’s first capture comes from @coalabr14 over on Twitter. Our first Dawn of Ragnarok shot to be featured. I am yet to play the DLC myself, however this picture inspires me to give it a go. I love the statue of what looks like Thor in the centre, with the steaming cauldrons either side. I am definitely getting God of War vibes from this. 2) Havi Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Photo number two comes from @Toringtino over on Twitter. Again I think this capture comes from Ragnarok, especially with how Eivor looks. This is a great portrait of the main man himself. He is fully armoured up and ready for battle, with a stare like that I would not want to get in his way. I really like how this shot showcases that epic beard. 3) The Revolution Game: Assassin’s Creed Unity This week’s third shot comes from @Zorik323 over on Twitter. A stunning black and white portrait of Arno. I particularly like how he is stood in an archway with the blurry background. The detail on the building in front of him is excellent. I am loving the pose more than anything though, classic Assassin. 4) Twilight Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP number four comes from @dpruttz_vp over on Twitter. This shot is too good. I love it when a portrait of the lead character comes off like this. It feels like a painting more than a game capture. The Twilight armour really is on show here, and the sparks behind Eivor just amplify it. Really enjoying the turned head look, showing off the eye patch, nice little touch. 5) Stones Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla The final capture of the week comes from @PodToGo over on Twitter. An amazing bird’s eye view of Aveberie Megaliths Standing Stones. There are so many of these picturesque locations in the game. What I adore about this shot is the camera angle, it really plays tricks on your mind. The white 8 with the stones all around looks very mysterious. 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