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Assassin's Creed Shadows Merchandise Guide Merchandise Share 6 Feb 2025 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) TOWCB Team Back To Database ! Widget Didn’t Load Check your internet and refresh this page. If that doesn’t work, contact us. 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 Virtual Photography: 1K Celebration Community Share 18 Aug 2024 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young TOWCB Team 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 Virtual Photography team. We wanted to celebrate reaching 1K members in our Twitter VP Community. This has been a joy to watch as we have grown over the years. Thanks to Ubisoft we were able to mark the occasion with a VP contest. We have been monitoring the hashtags and the community hub to see all your wonderful shots. This time we will be putting the spotlight on the winners and allowing them to tell us a bit about themselves and their wonderful captures. 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 VP Community Celebration 1st - Ship of the Desert Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ saskiaemmischVP I am Saskia, 28 years old, and I’ve been doing virtual photography as a hobby for about 2 years. I got into this pastime because I always loved the worlds and designs of video games and wanted to capture them. At some point I started posting my pictures, which is why social media and virtual photography also became a hobby. Since then, I’ve nurtured and cultivated my passion for it and put a lot of effort, work, and creativity into my VP. I came up with the picture itself because I love silhouettes. I happened to find this cave in Assassin’s Creed Origins and placed my camel in such a way. I then adjusted the photo mode settings so that this silhouette effect with the great colours was created. I thought the idea of a slight reflection in the water was very nice. My pictures are usually created spontaneously in the game, and that’s also the most fun. I hope that I can soon inspire this community with my VP from Assassin’s Creed Mirage. Aaron Saskia is a worthy winner of this competition with this beautiful shot from Assassin’s Creed Origins. I really love the minimalist approach with the reflection on the water. The blackout framing works perfectly and compliments the rich warm orange of the cave. This is an exceptional capture, and I can’t wait to see what Saskia can do in Mirage. 2nd - Longship Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ playpausephoto Imagine being a Viking far from land with nothing to see but the vast sea. All you hear are the crashing waves, the creaking sound of the oars and the wind tugging at the sails. The longship must feel so small, and the dark waters so endless. This is the feeling I tried to capture in this photo. I used a strong contrast between light and dark and a minimalistic composition to create a sense of isolation. I am truly honoured to be selected as one of the winners. It was my friends at TOWCB that introduced me to the games and the support from the AC community has been amazing from day one. Aaron A striking piece of virtual photography from Malin. I love the contrast and how it makes the wood on the ship pop. For me it is ingenious to split the shot down the middle of the longship, allowing us to only see half of the crew. There is a real isolating feel to this capture that fits with the narrative of long voyages to new lands. Assassin’s Creed often lends itself to minimal VP so I am very excited to see what Malin can capture in AC Mirage. 3rd - The Light Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ Yumejin Taking photos in video games has been an attraction to me since I was very young. The thought of seeing your favourite character in action and pausing the game just to enjoy the smallest details and immortalizing them all in a photo, seemed so appealing and interesting to me. Through time, as video games got more and more advanced, so did the technique of taking photos in them. The winning photo was taken by me just after I started going more in depth and taking virtual photography more seriously. Through learning different techniques of composition and how to take advantage of lighting and colours, I managed to capture a part of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey that is so visually pleasing and immediately sends you to Greece. Throughout my journey as a VP, I encountered so many talented people, and I also got so much encouragement, the AC community being one of the many cases in which everyone is very friendly and always supportive towards all the photos. I also see such a huge plethora of people who make amazing shots and play such different games, and it makes me realise that this whole VP community is great because it celebrates the universe of gaming and the beauty of exploring every frame to get the best photos. A worthy third place. Aaron What is so spectacular about this capture is the shadow work. I adore how the roof section is completely dark creating a frame around the photo. The pillars and meshing on the left really grab the attention as they leave varying shadows on the beautiful flooring. The shot really shows the wonders of Ubisoft’s attention to detail when creating these worlds. 4th – Setting of the Sun Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ astroghost001 I took this shot in Assassin’s Creed Origins by using a trainer to change the time of day, this allowed me to get the sun into an interesting position. I then used camera tools to get this extreme angle where it looks like the sun is rolling down the slope. I waited for Bayek to call Senu and that’s how I took the shot. In Lightroom I changed the colour from orange to purple just because I like exotic colours, and I already had a lot of sunset/amber shots. As a virtual photographer I like to try different styles and experiment a lot, every month I try to do a new style, also I love to work with colours to achieve a vibrant feel. Aaron What a breathtaking capture this is. The silhouette of Bayek with Senu on his arm is exceptional and the sunset mesmerising. I love how AstroGhost has experimented with the colours to produce something so unique and captivating. The line down the centre from the sand dunes really adds a new dimension parting the colours beautifully. 5th - Flowering Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ NovA1990 I hadn’t initially planned to capture this shot. I was photographing Kass, but I wasn’t satisfied with the results. So, I decided to take a break and explore the surroundings using the camera mode. That’s when I noticed the curve of the cherry tree branch, framing the birds flying by. After some careful adjustments, I managed to align the photo just right. I then did all the normal editing in Lightroom Classic and finished by adding blur to the birds. Aaron Sometimes amongst all the chaos you need a little serenity. Nova has definitely found that with this exquisite shot of a cherry tree. The vibrant colours of the petals have such a calming effect and the birds in the background are wonderfully placed. At first glance they almost look like petals blowing off the tree. This is a beautiful photograph, worthy of its place in this article. 6th – Shooting Star Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: Couch_Gamer2k23 To introduce myself I go by Couch_Gamer in the community, an avid lover of video games and someone who fell in love with virtual photography through the community. Until last year I had no idea what a photo mode was and as soon as I was introduced to it through the community, it made me realise you can appreciate a game more through it. About this shot, I was playing Mirage one night and I found out when you look at the sky during the night time you can see shooting stars and from my childhood, I heard stories from my grandparents that a shooting star when passing through, grants you a wish. So, I too decided to take a shot when the shooting star appeared on the screen. Took me a few tries but I was able to capture it. I admire the TOWCB community of Assassin’s Creed a lot for appreciating newcomers like me and giving a platform to showcase or participate in these types of events. They have been doing it for 10 years and I wish them all the best for next 10 years. Aaron This is such a tranquil shot that almost captures the essence of Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Basim's story. I love the black and white as it serves to promote the beauty of the starry night. Obviously, the shooting star is a fabulous addition, but so too is the composition with just enough white sand appearing at the bottom. I think having Basim stand with his back to us in white robes gazing into the night sky is a kind of insightful moment. 7th – Tomb Raider Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ BetweenDPixels Origins was my first Assassin’s Creed game, and Bayek is my favourite character from the games so far. Exploring these worlds is amazing and finding likeminded fans in the AC community has made it better. I can’t wait to keep exploring through my Assassin’s journey to see what other adventures and characters await. Not to mention the photo mode opportunities I already know to expect. Thank you for all the support. Aaron For me this is Assassin’s Creed Origins. There were so many promotional captures of Bayek walking with a torch in a tomb. The framing is excellent with the foundations of the pyramid surrounding Bayek. I really like how one lantern is aflame, and the other isn’t but compensated by the torch in his hand. The warm colours of the desert shine through with Bayek’s face covered in shadows but encompassed by the classic white hood. A contrast of a man who has gone through a crucible. 8th – Spiralling Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ BreizhThe “On the heights with eternal geometric shapes…. we perpetuate our credo from generation to generation” My name is TheBreizhGamer I have been passionate about virtual photography for around 10 years. I appreciate the world of Assassin’s Creed for all the historical settings that the saga takes us through. Assassin’s Creed Origins and Odyssey, although criticised enough, are my favourite AC. I salute here all the talented artists who have been selected and it is an honour to be part of them. A big thank you to the entire TOWCB team. Aaron A feast for the eyes is what springs to mind when I think of this shot. The dazzling tiles of that incredible roof really capture the attention. I find myself almost mesmerised by them. I do like the little triangle at the top and the white point with Kassandra atop of it. These little details help take you away from the stunning backdrop. 9th – Warrior Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ Tigas_VP Assassin’s Creed Origins marked my return to the saga, unfortunately I hadn’t played the series since Assassin’s Creed 2. I love the game and the fact that it takes place in Egypt, combining this with my passion for virtual photography was incredible. Aaron Tigas is one of my favourite Assassin’s Creed Origins photographers, this is mostly due to the cinematic effect of the shots. I adore how intense this capture is with Kensa staring us down from behind the shield. I do like the sparks and the mist just behind her as it adds to the atmosphere. She is a fierce gladiator, and I think Tigas portrays that with this shot. 10th – Field of Reeds Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ thefrostysm My name is Frosty, and I’ve been a part of the VP community for approximately 9 months now. One of my all-time favourite games series is Assassin’s Creed. I wasn’t old enough to play the first few games, so I started with Assassin’s Creed 3. That game was so impactful for me in so many ways that it has solidified itself as one of my favourite games of all time. I’ve played every AC since and don’t plan on stopping any time soon. Regarding my shot, this is from AC Valhalla and my focus was to show the peaceful, mindful side of Eivor. With so much rage, violence, and pressure as a new Viking King, I imagine what he would do to gather himself and his thoughts. A stroll through a seemingly endless field of roses seemed perfect to me. Thanks again for the selection, it really means a lot. Aaron Every time I see a shot like this I think of Gladiator, how could you not. Although not reeds this time, these awesome plants really make the capture with their red and white contrast. There is a huge element of reflection to this shot with Eivor walking away from the camera. I feel like it would fit as a scene following one of the tragic moments of the game. Having black and white with a colour splash really heightens a piece of VP and that is evident here. 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 Compartilhe sua opinião Seja o primeiro a escrever um comentário. 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: 21st - 27th May 2022 Community Share 6 Aug 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) Pharos Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins This week’s first capture comes from @ flyingfeather_g over on Twitter. This week’s first shot takes us back to Egypt, and one of the most stunning locations in the game. The Lighthouse of Alexandria features fairly early in the story and serves a wonderful viewpoint. I love the view you get from this shot, especially with the ship sailing away. I really hope a portrait function comes to consoles. 2) Anubis Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins Photo number two comes from @ G_G_snaps over on Twitter. Sticking with Origins, and another amazing shot but this time taken during the Trials of the Gods. I actually thought this mini mode in Origins fit the theme of the game brilliantly. It reminds me of the Scarecrow scene in Arkham Asylum. This is a perfectly timed shot showcasing the amazing detail of Anubis, and the wonderful atmosphere that is created in these fights. 3) The Northman Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla This week’s third shot comes from former AC Partnership Program Member @ vikingdad278 over on Twitter. This capture is a crossover of Valhalla meets The Northman. With sword and axe in hand, Eivor could not look anymore Viking. I have seen a few shots like this since the film’s release, and with the Last Kingdom and Valhalla on Netflix there’s never been a better time to play this game. Despite the incredible feel of this shot I can’t help but think Lion King. 4) Lazy Day Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP number four comes from @ Yamis_Art over on Twitter. Photo number four brings a little peace to this showcase. I love the simplicity of this capture, the depth of field lets you know that there are amazing things in the background but on this occasion a sleeping cat is all that matters. Animals and there behaviours in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla are some of the best I have seen. We all needs animal pictures every now and again. 5) Collection Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla The final capture of the week comes from @ Jakeste66386991 over on Twitter. The final shot of the week is a clever one. I do like it when people edit their photos and put them together in one cool photo. I actually thought this capture summed up Assassin’s Creed Valhalla really well. Eivor with the hood representing the Assassin’s. The Raven (Odin) signifying Vikings/Norse and the cross symbolising the Saxons and Alfred. 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 Поделитесь своим мнением Добавьте первый комментарий. About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2021 after the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. After building momentum and interest on TOWCB website for Virtual Photography, Aaron established TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, of which he is now Team Leader. Throughout 2024, TOWCB VP Team will be sharing community captures in dedicated articles, and providing a positive environment on Twitter for gamers to share their shots. Aaron Young

Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 6th to 17th January Community Share 30 Jan 2025 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Renzo Back To Database Welcome to the biweekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from the AC Partnership Program. Every two weeks we will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. This theme has been run alongside @ saskiaemmischVP the winner of our VP competition in 2024. Saskia has been around for some time now and has such a distinctive photography style. You can often find her beautiful minimal or moody shots throughout various games on social media. Saskia has recently joined @ ArtistofSociety where she will be supporting virtual photographers and building a community. You can feel the passion Saskia has for VP and we are delighted she has joined us for this 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. Banner by Turið Torkilsdóttir Theme: Assassin’s Creed Moody Cold Desert Nights Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ wingsforsmiles The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week Judge: Saskia Saskia I love the dark and moody atmosphere in this shot. Combined with the fog it envelops the silhouettes of the rider and the trees. I also find the shot to have minimalist inspiration, which is a very nice addition. This adds to the overall clarity of the picture. Aaron Moody isn’t really something that springs to mind when capturing Assassin’s Creed Mirage. The sun-drenched, golden city of Baghdad is full of corruption but remains one of the most beautiful locations we have visited in the series. I have to applaud wingsforsmiles for producing a shot that effortlessly fits the theme. This exquisite silhouette of Basim atop his camel is situated so smartly amongst the trees. I love the use of deep blacks and lighter blues, coupled with the fog to give that mysterious feel. There is such a seriousness to this shot, and Basim remaining in the shadows suits his story arc perfectly. The Golden Archer Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ Defalt368 It's nice to see some Assassin’s Creed Origins return to these articles. Once again, it’s not the first game I would think of for a moody shot, but Bayek epitomises the moody hero. Josh has nailed the framing in this capture. The sun encased elegantly between the arrow, string and riser, but also surrounded by the clouds in the sky. I like how Bayek is a silhouette and having him pose with a bow fits with his skills as an archer. It would have been easy to make this a black and white photo but keeping the strong orange glow reminds the viewer that we are in the hot deserts of Egypt. Wandering Viking Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ BetweenDPixels The essence of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is two siblings wanting to step out from their father’s shadow and forge their own path in England. Although at times this can be lost in the pure scale of the game, it’s humble beginnings always live on throughout the story. This shot instantly wows you with that sun lighting up the clouds providing the photo with a tantalising glow. There is a balance of colours here that match the English countryside, and despite the dull moody tone they serve to add some warmth to the shot. For me this capture symbolises the journey Eivor has experienced. I really like how she is strolling off into the unknown with new horizons in front of her. The Wheat Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ cyriellevp.bsky.social Assassin’s Creed Odyssey often has some really unique moods that are linked to the varying landscapes the game has to offer. This is a real treat for us virtual photographers. You can see in the shot above that Cyrielle has managed to capture the beauty Odyssey has to offer. There is a nice moody ambiance to this photo with the ominous sign of birds flying away. The dark cloud entering from the left adds a dull tone and there is that nice haze in the sky. I like how the camera is situated giving height to the shot. Being amongst the reeds obviously brings the Gladiator feel and that sad mood that you experience at that point of the film. The Odyssey Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ wondernoob.bsky.social Just before the launch of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Ubisoft released promotional shots of the game showcasing the jaw dropping scenery and Kassandra exploring the Greek world. This capture reminds me of them but instead of bright colourful landscapes, here we have the moody and shadowy version. It's nice to see this darker side to Odyssey, the game actually has quite a few harrowing moments. I am enjoying the lower textures and how they amplify the fog to shroud the photo in mystery. The tree looks so realistic, and I like how Kassandra is walking towards the forest evidently in search of her next victim. 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

Best quotes in Assassin's Creed Brotherhood (2010) Share Written By: Edited By: Reporter Name Back To Database xfbfbb comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author This is placeholder text. To connect this element to content from your collection, select the element and click Connect to Data. About the Author

AC Community Questions: Andy (SisterlyThrower) Interview Share 11 Jul 2024 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) TOWCB Team Back To Database Col: Hi Andy, thank you for joining me for this introductory interview. Please could you tell us a little bit about yourself and your role within the Assassin's Creed Community. Andy: Thank you for the welcome! My role within the AC Community has had a few different key aspects so far. Mainly, I have been live streaming and making videos about the games for several years. Now, I am making further videos and live streams on content beyond just the games, including utilizing my personal life as a therapist for mental health analysis of the universe. Col: In March 2024 you joined The Ones Who Came Before's Assassin's Creed Partnership Program, known as the Isu_Network. How have you enjoyed your time working with our content teams? Andy: I have absolutely loved my time working with the teams so far. At a most basic level, it is always enjoyable to be around people who love the same content you do. But even beyond that, it’s inspiring to be on these teams, because it forces me to level up my own content. Everyone on the team is amazingly talented, and I have to make sure that what I make is of the same calibre! Col: When did you first start making videos, and what in your opinion would you say has been your most popular / recognisable creation? Andy: I first started live streaming and making videos in 2018. My most popular live stream series has been playing through the Assassin’s Creed games under various challenge conditions, including spinning a wheel of punishment when I fail a challenge. My most popular video series has been my mental health analysis of video game characters, entitled, “The Video Game Therapyst.” Col: What are some of your most recent Assassin's Creed Community Projects, and what are you working on currently? Andy: My recent projects include mental health analysis of Assassin’s Creed characters in “Creed and Counsel: Unravelling the Minds of Assassin’s Creed,” and challenge live streams. I am currently working on gearing up for live streams on Twitch for The Ones Who Came Before, in addition to a martial arts analysis of Assassin’s Creed combat, and an exploration of Assassin’s Creed books. Col: Have you visited any of the locations from the games? Andy: Unfortunately, I have not gotten a chance to visit any of the game locations yet, but if I could visit any one, I would probably start with Boston, New York, and Philadelphia to see how much of Connor’s journey I could recreate from Assassin’s Creed III. Col: Which Assassin's Creed game is your favourite and why? Andy: I won’t pretend it was a perfect game, but I have always had a special place in my heart for Assassin’s Creed Unity. I think that Arno pushed the boundary more than any other previous protagonist on whether the Assassins had the right viewpoint on how to conduct themselves as a movement. He was willing to threaten his place within the group out of love for Elise, and I have always considered myself a romantic at heart. And as flawed as the game’s release was, the parkour system and open nature of how to carry out assassinations really revolutionized gameplay for this game and all future games. Col: Have you attended any events within the Assassin's Creed Community? Andy: Sadly no, but nothing would make me happier than to start exploring cosplay and go to a general convention like Pax or a specific Ubisoft event. Col: Do you have a favourite Assassin's Creed community moment/ story you would like to share? Andy: I know this was incredibly recent, but the excitement and buzz around Assassin’s Creed Shadows has honestly been one of the best things in this community that I’ve ever been a part of. Fans have been begging for a Japanese release for years, and to see it come has been exciting. I think the environment and gameplay aspects they are trying in this entry will really elevate this game’s quality. Col: What would be your dream setting for the upcoming AC Netflix TV show or future game? Andy: I know we’ve spent a lot of time in America, but I would love to see the Assassin and Templar conflict at the time of the American Civil War. I could also potentially entertain the idea of the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Cold War around the time of the Fall of the Berlin Wall. Col: Do you have any personal AC goals you would like to achieve? Andy: My short-term goal would be to get accepted into the Ubisoft Partner Creator Program. The long-term goal is to be in a position where I could live stream/ make videos as a full time career. Col: What would you say is your most significant community achievement to date? Andy: For me, the idea of consistent viewership of audience members that I have had no previous relationship with has been the most exciting achievement for me. I have some viewers who are people I know IRL or am related to in some way, but the idea that my content is even good enough to bring in other viewers whom I don’t know has always been confirmation that what I am making is good. Col: What is your favourite part of being a community member? Andy: I think being a community member lends itself to a level of excitement you may not feel otherwise. It’s one thing to experience a new game or beat a level when you’re by yourself, but to do that surrounded by others who are just as passionate as you just brings things to another level. Col: Do you collect AC merchandise? If so, what if your favourite item? Andy: I just recently started to collect merchandise myself. As such, I don’t have a huge collection right now. However, I am proud to report that I have a complete collection of guide books for the Assassin’s Creed games. Having guidebooks was always really enticing for me, as it gave me reassurance that I was seeing everything there was to see in a game. Col: What advice do you have for people looking to get in to games journalism and creative writing? Andy: Don’t underestimate the importance of fun. If what you are writing about is not fun, at least some of the time, you will lose your passion for what you’re doing, and without passion, what you are writing about will not be as good as it could be. Col: Where can our community members find you online? Andy: My guilty secret as a content creator is that I’m not online nearly as much as I should be, but I am by far most consistently on X @ SisterlyT . I’m doing personal live streams on Twitch every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday night at 11:30 PM, EST as well. 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 Beans: An AC Fall Guys Crossover Event Breakdown Share 8 Jul 2022 Written By: Edited By: Michael Smith Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Article contains ads that support TOWCB Fall Guys is a platforming-based, battle-royale game show where players control a customizable “Bean '' character in a variety of obstacle course races, or survival matches against up to 60 other contestants in a Solo, Duo, or Squad mode. This is a fun fast-paced game that can be played in small sittings, or for long marathons as each “show” lasts 5 rounds at a few minutes a piece. For those that can make it to the end, a show can last up to 25 minutes, but the chaos of everyone grouped together, jumping and diving around obstacles, can eliminate a player within seconds of starting. For those that do reach the final match, the end goal is presented in a floating crown that goes to the first player to grab it. Initially a paid title on Playstation 4 and PC, the game was then rereleased for Nintendo Switch, Playstation 5 and Xbox Series S/X on June 21, 2022. Now the game has been released as a free-to-play title for the Epic Game Store on PC with a Season Pass allowing players to unlock new customization items for their 'Bean'. With the release of Season 1, Fall Guys began a cross promotional campaign with Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed franchise. The first character they released was a Special Costume for Ezio Auditore from the Assassin’s Creed: Ezio Collection, the most recognizable character from the franchise. Within the Season Pass purchasable with 950 Showbucks, the game’s premium currency (1000 Showbucks can be purchased for $7.99 USD), a handful of Assassin’s Creed customization items can be unlocked. When purchased, the Season Pass rewards the player with: Ezio Special Costume (instant unlock) “Enter the Animus” Special Nameplate (Level 3) “House of Auditore” Special Nickname (Level 8) Leap of Faith Celebration (Level 9) (which plays when the player wins a full show). On July 7, 2022 the second collaboration with Assassin’s Creed was released with a Special Costume Pack and Limited Time Event. Eivor’s Big Bundle was made available until July 12, 2022 for 2000 Showbucks ($16 USD) and includes: “Odin the All-Father” Special Costume “Eivor the Wolf-Kissed” Special Costume “Eivor’s Battle Cry” Rare Emote “Vitruvian Guy” Special Nameplate “Animus Training” Special Nickname. The Odin costume is based on the “Twilight Armor” from Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök expansion. With his golden eye-patch and Hugr-Rip equipped on his arm, this little Bean will fight his way to Valhalla! This costume can be purchased separately for 1200 Showbucks. Eivor’s Bean costume (shown here with the Battle Cry Emote) draws inspiration from the Raven Clan Armor and shows Eivor with Varin’s Axe and the Raider’s Axe from the game. As leader of Ravensthorpe, Eivor can lead her Squad to victory! This costume can also be purchased separately for 1200 Showbucks. To draw players back into the game, Fall Guys has limited time events that are themed by a special reward or promotional property. Previously in Season 1 was a Limited Event for the Halo video game with the final prize of a cat-eared Spartan Helmet achievable through the multiplayer mode. For the period of July 7 - July 11, The Abstergo Challenge, which is free for everyone, has players completing 10 tasks around the limited ''SWEET THIEVES'' game mode. These tasks range from winning shows in teams based “capture the flag”, to performing actions across matches. As a reward, players will unlock the following items: “Abstergo Trainee” Special Nickname (100 Candies) 200 Kudos Game Currency (300 Candies) “Apple of Eden” Special Nameplate (500 Candies) “Animus Synchronizing Special Pattern (700 Candies) “Apple of Eden” Special Costume Top (1000 Candies) Guardians must defend the candy by capturing the Thieves with the grab action to send them immediately to Prison. They are unable to pick up the candies, but can move certain platforms around the map to limit access to the spawn areas for the candies. If the Guardians capture the opposition or if time runs out, they win the match. I spent a few hours playing the limited mode to gather all of the Assassin’s Creed customization items and had a lot of fun doing so. This is a great game to play in short bursts in breaks between longer sessions of Assassin’s Creed playthroughs or while waiting for the next announcement to come along. Fall Guys is available now on all major platforms and the limited event ends on July 11th. The Season Pass for the first season ends on August 29, 2022, so make sure to download the game and grab your Season Pass while you can to access all of the Assassin’s Creed items. 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

Community Member Eric Allen joins TOWCB Social Media Team News Share 9 Feb 2024 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Colum Blackett Back To Database We are thrilled to announce that community member Eric Allen (@ Milz_VP ) is joining TOWCB // @ Isu_Network Social Media Team! Professionally, Eric has managed social media platforms in a number of fields such as fashion, trucking and more, working alongside 300+ brands. In 2024, Eric will help TOWCB establish a clear identity for @ Isu_Network , and create consistent social media content that is both engaging and memorable. Eric is also well known for his Virtual Photography shots, so you can be sure that showcasing community captures and projects will be a key focus going forward. Behind the scenes, planning has already begun, and a ton of ideas for 2024 content have already been generated. We are confident that this latest addition will strengthen our content and take our coordination methods and planning to the next level. Look out for Eric's content on our social media channels! 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)

Possible Ubisoft Employees spotted photographing Italian architecture Rumor Hub Share 30 Jul 2018 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Colum Blackett Back To Database Freelance journalist Jordan Oloman recently visited the area surrounding Lake Como in Italy, which is situated roughly 2 hours away from Milan. On his travels to the beautiful location, Jordan and his travelling companion Helena had the opportunity to visit Villa del Balbianello, which was used for the filming of Naboo in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. Image by Jordan Oloman Image by TREMEZZINA It was on this visit to Villa del Balbianello that Jordan and Helena noticed two possible employees from Ubisoft taking very particular photos of the architecture. He notes that the two people carried a Ubi30/ UbiProud bag, which were campaigns run by the company. After describing the two individuals, Jordan jokingly wondered if the sighting could be connected to an unannounced Assassin's Creed project. Could the two employees be location scouts? Although the Assassin's Creed franchise has already visited Italy in two major installments (AC2& AC Brotherhood), rumours circulating in 2017 suggested that the franchise would be soon be introducing an Ancient Trillogy, visiting Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. The reveal of Assassin's Creed Origins confirmed these rumours for many fans, and the introduction of Assassin's Creed Odyssey made the claims even more believable. We contacted Jordan, who informed us that he has no concrete proof that the two individuals worked for Ubisoft, and may have just be tourists interested in Italian architecture. Do you think that the two individuals were Ubisoft Employees scouting out locations for an unannounced AC Project or just tourists? Could the Assassin's Creed Franchise be heading to Italy? Would you like to see the franchise return to the country? Does this sighting confirm the Ancient Trilogy rumors for you? Photos by Jordan Oloman You can find Jordan on Twitter Information source 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 Mirage: TOWCB Spoiler-Free Review Reviews Share 1 Jan 2023 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database ''A solid entry that recommits the series to providing a memorable stealth experience'' Assassin's Creed Mirage is here, and our admin team over at The Ones Who Came Before headquarters were lucky enough to play the game early thanks to the Community Development Team at Ubisoft! Taking players back to 9th century Baghdad, Assassin's Creed Mirage is a thrilling stealth game that will surely act as a turning point for the whole series. Recent entries delivered expansive narrative arcs that can be overwhelming for players, but Mirage does everything it can to d eliver a more focussed narrative experience, with a main storyline which can be completed in 15-20 hours. This is a breath of fresh air, and a much needed change, as the risk of getting lost in its own size was beginning to seep in. The biggest strength of Assassin's Creed Mirage is that it isn't afraid to embrace it's identity, proudly reclaiming control over it's own image. The series found itself in a period where it began to lose itself, but Mirage is AC rediscovering itself after an identity crisis, and once again finding what makes it special. The game acts as a very reflective piece of content, and shows great awareness from the development team over the recent issues fans have had in general. I t r eintroduces mechanics which should never have been removed, and builds on the past to deliver an extremely strong and well thought out story that feels like the ultimate culmination of what came before. There's no doubt that Mirage is a solid entry that recommits the series to providing a memorable stealth experience. It really is a special game, and fans around the world are in for an absolute treat. After a lackluster marketing campaign, the main driving force of the marketing pushing general interest has been the passion of the development team who have been vocal in their belief in the project through intervews and dev diaries. After the announcement back in 2022, the community immediately got behind the time period and main character, as Basim is someone who immediately generates interest after his intriguing appearance in Assassin's Creed Valhalla. More importantly though, Mirage promised to return Assassin's Creed to its roots, and it certainly delivered. Comparisons can be drawn to just about every other game in the series, most obviously AC1 and AC2, with a parkour system inspired by Unity. The charm of the game is how it acts as a prequel to the original, released back in 2007, but drives the series forward by reintroducing elements from later games such as a notoriety system. To spark interest, Mirage soesn't need to do anything too innovative, past games laid the groundwork for mechanics, and the game just needed to reintroduce rather than reinvent. Rather than trialling new systems, Mirage examines what worked in previous titles and brings them back in a triumphant blend of past and present, colliding to produce the future. ''A triumphant blend of past and present'' Graphics and Stability I was immediately impressed with how stable the game feels at launch, encountering no bugs or glitches whilst running the game on PC with Ultra settings. In what feels like the most stable release in recent memory, Mirage runs on PC at an uncapped framerate, meaning high-powered machines can deliver an incredible experience for gamers. Baghdad and it's surrounding area are incredibly impressive, with the game doing a great job at bringing a real sense of individuality to the Round City, with each district feeling different from the next, something which was also featured in the original game. It's noticable how poorer districts of Baghdad are run-down, and the living conditions for those living there are insufficient. It's clear that the team did their homework when creating the city, taking great care with its overall creation and delivery. Mirage re-introduces impressive crowds, and along with it, the notion that an Assassin is but a blade in the crowd, waiting to strike. One thing that makes the city feel alive is how NPC's react to Basim's presence when he raises his notoriety. You can hear guards discussing his acts, or comment on his likeness to the culprit they are searching for. Regular civilians will even report Basim to the guards, in the hope that he will be reprimanded for his crimes. This is a first for the series, and a really nice feature to be introduced. Baghdad is a living, breathing environment, and the regularly changing day and night cycle and quest opportunities keep it interesting through the playthrough. The controls feel familiar, something which will be a relief for long-time fans. Change can take a long time to adapt to, but the controls for Mirage feel right, with no remapping needed. Safe parkour routes can be navigated by holding down space, and parkour down returns by pressing 'C', a nice and simple system that is made more dynamic through the flair of freerunning the game adds. One thing I did spot however graphically is how the faces sometimes let the game down. I found that Basim's facial expressions can be comical at times, especially in cutscenes. making him look wide-eyed and youthful. This may be something which the team choose to address in future patches, as releasing a stable and issue-free game at launch is more important. I would be keen to see enhanced details on faces added in a future update later down the line. In order to capture the beauty of the game, Photomode has been available at launch, something which will no doubt thrill the virtual photography community, who are eager to dive in and explore the world. During my playthrough, I frequently found myself stopping to capture the moment with the familiar photomode tool. I can't wait to see what the community manages to produce. ''Mirage re-introduces impressive crowds, and along with it, the notion that an Assassin is but a blade in the crowd, waiting to strike.'' Parkour Parkour is encouraged at every turn in Assassin's Creed Mirage, and the city of Baghdad provides many paths to elevation that compliment the enhanced flair of Basim's movement, which takes inspiration from Assassin's Creed Unity. The dynamic new parkour system is a break away from the wooden, sluggish freerunning styles recent games have provided, opting for a complete overhaul that introduces a splash of intensity and charisma. It feels as if the team behind the parkour animations really wanted to give Basim some personality within his movement, moving away from an uninspired, dated system. Elevators can be found on the streets to take Basim to the rooftops in seconds, giving him the element of surprise over unsuspecting enemies. Movement across the city is aided by the return of the corner swing, which featured heavily in Assassin's Creed Revelations. Ropes bridge the gap between buildings, providing clear routes to navigate. Mirage introduces a new mechanic for parkour, the pole vault, a balanced piece of wood which can be used to cross gaps between buildings or even water. This is a particularly usefu l feature when Basim is being pursued by guards, as each pole has a one-time use, meaning he cannot be followed. Speed of movement is adjustable in the settings, meaning players can tailor their parkour experience. Basim is faster and more agile than Eivor, and animations were produced specially to give players a sense of speed when running, jumping, vaulting and free roaming. Players will notice how the new parkour system allows Basim to glide over objects, moving seamlessly with flair. Also noticable is Basim's ability to jump further than previously possible, leading to more opportunities when on the more. I actually found the new parkour system to be much more realistic than what Assassin's Creed fans have been working with recently, leading me to wonder if the team possibly took inspiration from real-life parkour artists / freerunners. The range of movement in this game is seriously impressive, and it's only a matter of time before we s ee masters honing their craft and navigating the city of Baghdad with creative variety. You can climb fallen trees, which I found to be incredibly useful to gain an aerial advantage. In what is certainly the first 'traditional' Assassin's Creed game in years, Basim certainly has the moves to match his status within the Brotherhood. The game brings back Open windows for Basim to climb through, like in Assassin's Creed Unity,making the game feel more open and lifelike. Overall I think the game lends itself well to parkour, hinting at it's existence at every opportunity. I felt that it was especially pushed within the layout of Baghdad, and missions seem to provide routes for parkour which make quests easier when followed correctly. A good example of this are the tailing missions which make their return. I think Mirage's parkour is way better than the sluggish system we saw in Valhalla, and the introduction of new animations and fluidity makes it interesting and useful rather than a painful hinderence. ''Basim moves seamlessly with flair.'' Stealth Stealth in Assassin's Creed Valhalla was a step in the right direction, but Mirage goes even further fixes all of the issues players had in the previous title. Social stealth has been restored to it's former glory, and feels more alive than ever before. Basim can blend with crowds, pay groups for cover, use benches and hay bales for cover, and finally, stealthily enter a roof garden to dispatch a nearby guard with a whistle. It feels like the series has come full circle, bringing back the original stealth mechanics in a more lively open world. I like how guards are inquisitive, but don't spot you straight away like in Assassin's Creed Valhalla. The player can once again hide in long grass and bushes to keep out of sight, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Basim can hide in prayer booths, and use them to hide bodies. The same can be said for the roof gardens, which featured in Assassin's Creed I. The most noticable change from Assassin's Creed Valhalla though are the new kill animations. Whilst waiting on a corner, Basim will cleanly dispatch an enemy with the hidden blade to then calmly drag their body out of sight. It's an instinctive but deadly manouver, and it very often prevents other enemies from spotting a body. Basim also has 'Assassin focus', a rapid series of moves that take out enemies so fast, the Animus simply can't keep up, resulting in a glitch effect. This feature was heavily controversial at first as some fans felt it was a supernatural fast-travel power, but it has since been explained as Basim's lightning fast reflexes. It can be incredibly useful to get out of tricky situations. The system stems from a similar thought process to what we saw in Assassin's Creed Syndicate, where Evie Frye could practically turn invisible by controlling her breathing. Air assassinations are the best they have ever been in the series, aided by Basim's long distance jumps, you can take an enemy out from further away than usual. You don't have to be directly above the target, which makes it fun to run and jump down on a target, dropping in to deliver a killing blow. The game provides great variety when it comes to assassination animations, so with practice, fans will soon be performing incredible speed runs featuring a balance of parkour and aerial assassinations. Death from above is extremely satisfying, and it seems that Basim and his Eagle Enkidu have more in common than first realised, moving swiftly like an Eagle above the crowds. The notoriety system returns in Assassin's Creed Mirage, and will affect all players as it did in the Ezio games. Tear down Wanted posters or pay heralds to reduce Basim's notoriety, reducing the heat as he moves through the city. When the wanted level is at its peak, the city will turn on him, making it incredibly difficult to operate undetected. For the first time, civilians will inform the guards of Basim's actions, and call for them to intervene should you commit a public offence. Information gathering plays a crucial role in the game, with all assassination missions starting out with an investigation. This is a real throwback to the original game, where Altair also had to conduct investigations to discover information before he could act. This is because he was demoted to the rank of a novice, which Basim is at the start of Assassin's Creed Mirage. Eavesdropping returns, and is once again a clever way of gaining information. During my play sessions, I have found it quite rewarding to once again sit on a bench and listen out for intel which could aid a later assassination mission. Basim's tools are essential to unlocking the full potential of stealth, with each tool in his Assassin arsenal acting as a lifeline in the right circumstances. The smoke bomb provides cover, masking his actions. This can be useful for assassinations or even for disorienting targets in order to pickpocket. You can escape guards in a cloud of smoke, as was demonstrated in the first trailer for Assassin's Creed Mirage. The Trap is a bomb which condures a plume of gas that renders guards immobile, giving Basim the chance to swoop in and deliver the finishing blow. The blowpipe, which returns from Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag, can be used to either knock out or poison enemies from distance. Throwing knives are similar, providing clean kills from distance. As the game does not allow for Basim to carry a bow, this is the main option for long-range distance kills. The noisemaker is a distraction device that can create a diversion, moving guards away from certain areas or clearing the path long enough for Basim to move. Finally, the flame, to light dark tunnels. This is my least favourite tool as I have not yet found a way of making it work in a stealth situation. Ideally, I would like to be able to throw the torch to set oil spillages on fire or even tents, but so far they have simply burnt out. Overall, the tools are incredibly important to increasing Basim's chances of a successful stealth mission, so I recommend unlocking them all as early as possible when playing Mirage. Finally, Basim's Eagle Enkidu can be used to look for opportunities in the world, and highlight the presence of nearby enemies. After a while I found the eagle mechanic to be quite jarring, as it hones in on a particular point of interest, but it certainly gets better with upgrades. Overall, I found the stealth system in Assassin's Creed Mirage to be excellent, restoring old mechanics and making it deadlier than ever. Basim has the killer instrinct, and his actions feels decisive and calculated. I think fans will be extremely pleased that Assassin's Creed is once again focussing on its stealth roots, and is now pushing itself to be better than ever before. ''The player can once again hide in long grass and bushes to keep out of sight, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.'' Combat In Assassin's Creed Mirage, combat is a last resort for Basim. Before enhancing skills, the game provides a primitive combat system, which amplifies the overall commitment to providing a masterful stealth experience. Attacks are hit-for-hit, and stamina depletes quickly, so it can be tough for the players who wish to battle their way through Baghdad. It certainly can be challenging, especially when facing numerous adversaries. Basim will be cut down in the street as his stamina depletes. Some attacks cannot be parried, leading Basim with just one option, dodge out of the way, a move which heavily depends on stamina. On hard mode, it's frequent to die whilst trying to take on numerous enemies, something which was never a problem in the RPG games. I like that this is the case though, as it really encourages players to reconcide their method, and resort back to a stealth approach. Skills add another element to the combat system, introducing features that make it easier when facing opponents. 'Kick Back' is a skill which introduces a powerful kick attack upon completion of a successful parry, which can be used to disorientate or even cause the death of an enemy by kicking off buildings or even into wooden structures which can collapse. This skill is similar to the Sparta Kick from Assassin's Creed Odyssey. 'Counter Roll' allows Basim to quickly move out of the way as an unblockable attack is about to land, moving him into a strategist position behind the enemy where he can inflict damage. Finally, 'knife recover', which is also a useful skill for stealth, which adds auto-collecting throwing knives which have already been used. In close-quarters, throwing knives can be used to eleminate enemies who are charging towards the Assassin. Although combat is quite basic in comparison to previous entries, it does provide a real sense of progression, as Basim climbs the ranks within the Brotherhood. The once-charistmastic thief uses his new training to defend himself in a scrape, and that's what the game does well. It feels like Basim only uses combat if there are no other options, as a true Assassin should act as a blade in the crowd. Plot Assassin's Creed Mirage follows the transition of Basim from a street thief to a Master Assassin. Players begin the game in Anbar, where Basim the thief uses his skills to steal money and food to help those around him and him self. The early on pickpocket tutorial introduces players to the timing mechanic, which can be tricky to master, but essential if you wish to avoid conflict. He wants a better life for himself and others around him facing poverty. He is a conflicted character, carrying a family burden, as his father Ishaq was an architect who was simply forgotten after the construction of the Great Mosque of Samarra was completed, when another took credit for the project. Ishaq was exhiled, and died in poverty, scarring Basim foreve r. He also finds himself experiencing nightmares, where a Jinni torments his resting hours. This is the first time seeing recurring dreams in the series, showing their intensity and effect upon his life. Fueled by confidence in himself and his abilities, Basim seeks a better life for himself, setting his sights upon the Assassins, an illusive group who provide work for street thieves. Desperate to prove himself, but lacking discretion, a trait worthy of The Hidden Ones, and something which is noticed by Mentor Roshan, rejecting his initial advance s to join. Basim is aware of the existence of The Hidden Ones and aspires to aid them more, but not to help their cause, but to better his own position in life. The game quickly evolves from tutorial missions to a main mission which gives the player a reason to care about the enemy faction, The Order of Ancients, which Basim stumbles upon. The opening main mission, the Winter Palace infiltration sets this up nicely, introduces the organisation as a powerful faction operating from the shadows, controlling the leaders of the land, and through their influence, the people. The Order operates ina similar way to the version we saw in Assassin's Creed Origins, hiding behind masks and nicknames to keep their identities secret. Upon joining the Assassins, Basim must hunt them down one-by-one to aid the cause of the Assassins. Additional areas in the game are a nice surprise, as the game was purely advertised as Baghdad. In fact, players can also visit the outskirts and other areas such as Alamut and Anbar for plot purposes. Basim is moved across the map seeking information on his targets and reporting to various Hidden Ones Bureaus. In this sense, the game feels very much like Assassin's Creed I, where Altair would travel across The Holy Land. Although short, Mirage features one of the strongest Isu stories we have seen so far, and makes it more personal and import ant than ever, continuing the reincarnation narrative outlined in Valhalla. Unfortunately the game continues the trend of gradually stripping away Modern Day gameplay that has left players with very little since the Desmond games. The narrative pushes an interesting modern day story through cutscenes, which is certainly better than it's entire removal which would probably be easier for new players to understand. For fans following the ongoing Modern Day narrative, Mirage has a lot to be excited about. I like how the Modern Day seems to be once again moving towards making the threat for humanity , similar to what we saw in Assassin's Creed III, where momentum came to it's conclusion as Juno escaped her prison and unleashed herself upon humanity. Shorter stories work so well in the Assassin's Creed series when told correctly, and what I like about Assassin's Creed Mirage is that it feels like it found clever ways of connecting the past and future. Hopefully this trend continues one-day with the introduction of 'Assassin's Creed Infinity', a project which is set to introduce a launcher which features all past and future content. Mirage reflects Basim's clever and cynical nature in Assassin's Creed Valhalla, revealing his troubled past and journey tow ards becoming an Assassin. Basim's actions have consequences, and Mirage takes the time to remind players of what more recent games in the series have been missing. Conclusion Assassin's Creed Mirage delivers a strong narrative which serves as a poignant tribute to Russell Lees, a writer who sadly passed away during the development of the game. Immediately after booting up the game, the award-worthy music takes hold and doesn't stop, providing atmospheric and moving tracks and sounds throughout. Basim becomes the embodiment of the Brotherhood, acting as its blade from the shadows. He is the stealthiest Assassins yet, using his tools to take down targets, masking himself in the crowd and creating opportunities to lure out targets to strike. The Voice acting was excellent throughout, with highlights from Shohreh Aghdashloo ( Roshan), Lee Majdoub (Basim), and notable performances from the voice actors behind Fulash and Rayhan The stand-out performance from Mirage is Baghdad itself, a city which feels bustling with life and diversity. Each district has it's own personality, and the use of Arabic speaking voice actors abd script writers makes the experience feel more authentic. Finally, I think fans will be particularly impressed with how the team behind Mirage hits pause on the RPG direction of the franchise, and sets a new course, rediscovering what makes Assassin's Creed special and reintroducing cut features which feel familar and refreshed. The game feels extremely satisfactory for old fans of the franchise, and is a great place to start for new players looking to kick off their Assassin's Creed journey. I hope that the developers behind Assassin's Creed Mirage go on to work on future AC projects, and that we don't suddenly have a huge surge of rushed content after this huge step in the right direction. Assassin's Creed Mirage: 9.5/10 'A solid entry that recommits the series to providing a memorable stealth experience'' comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment 分享您的想法 率先撰寫留言。 About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

AC Community Questions: Eric Allen Share Written By: Edited By: Reporter Name Back To Database comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Deel je gedachten Plaats de eerste opmerking. About the Author This is placeholder text. To connect this element to content from your collection, select the element and click Connect to Data. About the Author

Assassin's Creed Shadows Phone and Desktop Wallpapers released by FrameHoldPhotography Community Share 18 May 2024 Written By: Edited By: Frame Hold Photography Colum Blackett Back To Database Check out the first wave of Desktop and Mobile Wallpapers for Assassin's Creed Shadows, created by Frame Hold Photography from TOWCB Core Team using recently released key art. Enjoy! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Partagez vos idées Soyez le premier à rédiger un commentaire. 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 Revelations: a Fitting Finale Analysis Share 17 Apr 2025 Written By: Edited By: Hayden Bird Colum Blackett Back To Database When Assassin’s Creed Revelations released worldwide back in 2011, it made an impact on the series as a great conclusion to the “Ezio Trilogy”, which is a collection of three games released in a row featuring the fan-favorite protagonist, Ezio Auditore, who had his entire story told throughout three mainline entry games. Gamers follow Ezio from birth, literally, until his older age. His story began in 2009’s Assassin's Creed II and continued with Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood in 2010 and ended his journey with Revelations , which was then concluded in the short animation titled Assassin's Creed: Embers. While Assassin’s Creed Revelations is by no means perfect, it was a very satisfying end to such a renowned trilogy, and wrapped up Ezio Auditore’s story nicely and did his character justice with such a strong finale. Revelations tried to be different than its predecessors by adding in unique gameplay elements, such as a new tower defence feature minigame, the addition of crafted bombs to take on or lure enemies, and even an upgrade to the famous hidden blade, a weapon that defines an Assassin, which was called the “hook blade” that offered gamers a faster way to scale buildings or take down enemies with style. While some of these additions were welcomed by fans, others were not, specifically the tower defence minigame, but the game’s brilliant story and narrative direction made up for that, and then some. Revelations had a unique storyline where it not only continued and told the story of Ezio, but also told the story of the franchise’s first protagonist, Altair Ibn La’Ahad, and the direction his life took him after the events of the very first game until his old age. The combination of two fan-favorite protagonists was a beloved feature that fans easily appreciated. It was a unique and creative narrative element that really turned the game into the great memory it is today. Having two characters and their story coincide really impacted the story and the emotional turns it took. This new feature worked out perfectly and as it told two separate stories, they were both connected narratively. That was seriously impressive from a creative standpoint, as the ability to mix two storylines at once but have them both connected really made fans love Revelations , despite whatever flaws it may have had. Revelations also took us on an adventure to Constantinople for the first time, which brought with it connections to the famed Ottoman Empire. This was a welcome time period that fans enjoyed. It was also creatively genius to explore a location outside of Italy, as that is where the past two games took place. It worked out perfectly to explore a different part of the world while not jeopardizing the story and the journey Ezio took. It likely was a narrative gamble that Ubisoft took, as they had to make the location work even if the previous two games relied heavily on Italian culture and lifestyle. To branch out of this familiar setting and completely nail it was great work from Ubisoft, and showed that they were willing to take a gamble to please gamers around the globe. Revelations also focused on the Assassin recruitment ability, where you could use and train your own personal apprentices to help in combat or quietly take down nearby enemies to help you sneak around and complete the mission. This was a very unique and tactical option that expanded on the previous game’s similar feature, but made it better in every aspect. Sometimes it is useful having extra help against a large number of enemies and apprentices that could develop and achieve higher ranks in the brotherhood to make your apprentices more powerful and more durable against tougher enemies. This feature was certainly a welcome addition to the already great Revelations . Assassin’s Creed Revelations also added a fun multiplayer game mode option. It was an improvement on the previous game and was a complete upgrade in every aspect. The online feature was not used by everyone, but it offered variety for fans who loved and finished the main story and had something extra to do, or gamers in general who prefer online games and had the ability to experience online features in the unique format that the Assassin’s Creed games offered. It was a fun feature to the game that remained available even several years after the game’s lunch until it somewhat recently shut down for good. Some fans do not remember that Assassin’s Creed Revelations was originally planned to be created as a Nintendo 3DS game until Ubisoft realized the potential their idea had as a mainline game and the formerly planned 3DS game was quietly cancelled in favor of the game we know and love today. Ubisoft made a smart choice scrapping the original 3DS plans to focus on a mainline game as the story they had in mind was far too good to be limited to a handheld device, and instead fit perfectly in the mainline story of all the games in the series. While Revelations certainly has its flaws, its plot and perfect ending to Ezio’s story made it a beloved adventure that fans still enjoy to this day, and its legacy will undoubtedly live on. There were a lot of factors that went into the creation of this game, and smart choices that the developers made in order to let Revelations reach its full potential. As imperfect as it may be considered, there is no doubt it became an emotional and fitting end to such a great story from such a beloved character in Ezio Auditore. It truly became a fitting finale. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Condividi i tuoi pensieri Scrivi il primo commento. 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. Hayden Bird

Q&A with Aymar Azaïzia Interview Share 7 May 2016 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Col: Hey Aymar. Thanks for joining me today. I have a few Assassin’s Creed topics we would like to discuss today. Aymar: Thanks for having me, especially in a pub, with a beer. Is it a strategy to get me to talk? :) Col: We’ll see if we can get any secrets today ;) So let’s get started. Can you tell us anything about the Apple of Eden replica that was shown off a while back? We saw a prototype but we haven’t heard anything since. Aymar: Sure, right now, the project and the will to make it happen during the year is still very real. However we are trying to find the best execution, quality so expect more news soon! Col: Cool! Okay so I have a very big question! How did Ezio die, and was he assassinated? Aymar: My take on it, is watch the Godfather movie, and focus on the death of Don Corleone. Then watch Embers again, and I would say that Ezio get assassinated. There is a price to pay, and there is no rest once you walk the path of the Assassins. It is a bittersweet ending, Ezio got a nice and long life, yet there was no way for him to die from a heart attack (PS focus on the soundtrack!). Now you can hate me :) Col: Poor Ezio! So I was also wondering about the Nikolai Orelov statue that was shown. Is that still happening? Aymar: Got the only one :) It was a prototype that wasn’t supposed to be shown at that stage. It was a unique resin prototype, and we didn’t moved on with that, yet you can expect more cool figurines from us! Col: Nice! So why did the Davenport Homestead mysteriously disappear after AC3? Aymar: History kills a lot of thing… But there may be another explanation… :D Col: Who was the man at Lucy’s Grave in Initiates? Aymar: What is your call? We know who he is, but we are not there yet :) Col – Interesting. I personally think that it could be an Instrument of the first will, but we’ll have to see! Col: I was wondering if you can tell us anything about the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Movie Novel by Ryder Windham. Aymar: Talking about early announcement :) It is supposed to be a movie script adaptation as far as I know, but I don’t have more details at the moment, sorry! Col: Fair enough! Speaking of early announcements, an Assassin’s Creed Colouring book appeared on Amazon. So what kind of images can we expect to be colouring in? Aymar: We have the guys working on our artbook selecting the best images, so expect a mix between characters, landscape, iconic symbol and more! Col: Awesome! So Assassin’s Creed has released two sets of comic books recently, so I was wondering if any more can be expected in the future? Maybe comics focussing on Erudito or Juno’s Instruments. That could be cool. Aymar: YES! Both Titans and us are really pleased with what is happening at the moment, and I would be lying if I was saying we don’t have more plans for Assassin and Templars :) Col: That’s cool. Speaking of future plans, I was wondering if you guys would ever consider making more Chronicles game’s? Aymar: Right now, we are focusing our game effort on our next Assassin’s Creed game, but nothing is impossible with Chronicles :) Col: Fair enough! So Assassin’s Creed Last Descendants was announced recently, and a new Piece of Eden was mentioned in the description. “The Trident of Eden”. Can you tell us anything about that? Aymar: Yes, but I will have to kill you then :) What I could stay is that it is a very amazing story, I LOVE what Matt did with it, and the trident is a very interesting POE :p Col: Sounds interesting! So I was wondering if we could see the Lydia Frye story going anywhere in the future? Aymar: Haha, Lydia, Haytham, and so many others we want to bring back. So stay tuned! Col: So I left the difficult question until the end. Let’s talk about the precursor box. Does one exist or many. I personally believe that we saw 2 in AC Rogue, but several exist. Aymar: How many visuals versions have you seen so far? Same? :p Col: Interesting. I’ll stick to my theory though! Thanks for your time Aymar. It’s been an absolute pleasure to meet you. Aymar: It was a pleasure, let’s focus on beers now :) 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)

This Week in Assassin's Creed Virtual Photography: 30th April - 6th May 2022 Community Share 14 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) Nomad Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins This week’s first capture comes from @_Virtualtourism over on Twitter. A clever shadow shot is first up this week. When I am looking through Assassin’s Creed VP each week, this is the sort of thing I am looking for. I like it when people take different captures you don’t often see. It must have taken some patience to line up both the camel and Senu in one shot. 2) Collection Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Photo number two comes from @UVioletra over on Twitter. Something completely different for picture number two. This virtual photographer’s captures have been on my radar for a few weeks now. I think this set is beautiful, there is an almost storyboard feel going on here. The greenery is incredible, and really captures the British landscape. I love how Eivor is just walking along, looking like she is the boss of these lands. 3) Nights Sky Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla This week’s third shot comes from @KayJay1718 over on Twitter. This is an incredible capture. I am guessing Eivor is in Norway here judging by the landscape. I just can’t believe how much detail has been captured here in the sky. You have the Sun rising, the stars shining brightly and then this gorgeous red tint. Not to mention the shooting star flying across the sky. 4) The Witcher Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP number four comes from @shinobi_space over on Twitter. My first thought when I saw this picture was The Witcher CGI trailer. This capture very much sums up the ‘Dark Ages’ in which this game is set. I love how dark and ominous the scenery is, and the fact that Eivor feels the need to travel by torch light. I would love to have this as a canvas on my wall. 5) Holy Armour Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla The final capture of the week comes from @Milz_VP over at ACFirstCiv Community. The final shot of the week showcases the Holy Armour. You could be forgiven for thinking this capture comes from Elden Ring. For me personally, I prefer more grounded Viking sets but thought this looked too good not to enter. The shield in particular matches so well with this gear set. In fact Eivor looks more like a villain here marching towards their target. 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

Understanding the Isu Language: Particles and Affixes Analysis Share 1 Oct 2024 Written By: Edited By: Edenoi ActualSpider-Man Back To Database For this article we'll be looking at particles and affixes in the Isu language. In English as well as many other languages, we have prepositions which help to describe how words or phrases relate to the rest of the sentence, such as "inside" or "above" or "for." Isu has essentially the same class of words, but because they come after the word they refer to instead of before, we call them postpositions. Postpositions in Isu can also be used as prefixes for verbs to modify the meaning of the verb. Think of the difference between the words "act" and "enact" or "communicate" and "excommunicate." The postpositions known to exist in the Isu language, along with their Proto-Indo-European "descendants," are as follows: Postpositions/Prefixes Apo, meaning "from," related to the PIE *apó Arhz, meaning "out," related to the PIE *éǵʰs Az, meaning "at," related to the PIE *ád Bṛ, meaning "before," related to the PIE *per- Chaz, meaning "toward," related to the PIE *ḱe- + *ád Chṇ, meaning "with," related to the PIE *ḱóm Chṇtæ, meaning "against," related to the PIE *ḱómteros (*ḱóm + *-teros) Hṇ, meaning "in," related to the PIE *h₁én Hṇdṛ, meaning "amidst," related to the PIE *h₁entér (*h₁én + *-tér) Ṇ, meaning "not," related to the PIE *n̥- Ṛ, perhaps meaning "for" and also used to form infinitives, related to the PIE *r̥ Ubo, meaning "below," related to the PIE *upó Wṛ, meaning "again," related to the PIE *wert- Zo, meaning "concerning," related to the PIE *do Notes The suffixe -tæ forms a contrast to a postposition (e.g. "with" becomes "against"). The prefix ch- alters the meaning of a postposition in a way that adds contextual information, known in linguistics as deixis (e.g. "in" becomes "with", "at" becomes "toward"). Presumably, the Isu word for "above" would be ubṛ, related to PIE *upér Isu also has a number of suffixes that can turn a word into a different but related word, like how "congregate" can become "congregation" or "wonder" can become "wonderment" in English. The known suffixes and their functions are as follows: Suffixes -æs forms an action noun from a verb (similar but not related to English "-tion") -dach forms an agent noun from a verb (supposedly a more archaic alternative to -ér below) -drṃ forms an agent noun from a verb (specifically used for tools, e.g. zḷvdrṃ "shovel") -ér forms an agent noun from a verb (virtually identical but not necessarily related to English "-er") -mṇ forms a result noun from a verb (equivalent to English "-ment") -ṇd forms the gerundive (possibly also gerund) of a verb (similar but not related to English "-ing") -nos forms an adjective from a noun or verb (equivalent to English "-en" in wooden, golden) -os forms a noun from an adjective (similar but not necessarily related to English "-ness") -rhú forms a collective noun (so far only confirmed to describe groups of people, e.g. komhaæzrhú "council") -to forms the past participle of a verb (similar but not related to English "-en" in stolen, proven) An action noun refers to the process of doing an action, an agent noun refers to the person or thing doing the action and a result noun refers to the result of doing an action. The gerundive is a form of a verb that acts as an adjective describing someone or something doing the action, such as in the phrase "howling winds." There are a few known conjunctions in Isu, which are as follows: Conjunctions Hṇu, meaning "but" Ig, meaning “or" -kwat, meaning "and" when suffixed to the second of two words, related to the PIE *-kʷe Ḷ, meaning "and," used for joining clauses rather than individual words Other Particles De makes the preceding verb progressive (meaning that the action is ongoing) More Isu Studies You can find more articles on the Isu language linked here: Understanding the Isu Language: The Basics comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Eden is a codebreaker who joined The Ones Who Came Before during the Assassin's Creed Shadows (Red) promotional campaign, helping the team to decipher numerous codes and puzzles used for marketing. She is also a high school Maths tutor, and has previously published a few short TTRPG's with more projects in the works. She first started playing Assassin's Creed in 2010, and is especially interested in the glyphs and puzzles, and platforms such as Assassin's Creed Initiates that expand the lore in creative ways. Edenoi

This Week in Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 31st to 6th August Community Share 8 Aug 2023 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young 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 Let’s Dive In Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ISAchan_97 “To perform the leap of faith, you must give yourself over to something greater” To serve the light is a great questline in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and exists to teach Eivor the ways of the brotherhood. As a Viking all the skulking around in the shadows seems alien. I like that Hytham and Eivor have a connection through the bureau in Ravensthorpe. This epic shot encapsulates Eivor attempting a leap of faith after Hytham’s teachings. The timing here is excellent with Eivor’s arms spread wide like an eagle. Fantastic choice of outfit too, it’s a shame this set did not become Eivor’s classic ‘Assassin’ robes. Phobos Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @WallyDaGreat66 “You’ve chosen the great Phobos. He’s never let me down” Phobos is Kassandra’s horse of choice in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. He accompanies Kassandra all across Greece after being gifted to her by Markos early in the story. There were so many skins for Phobos depending on your chosen style he could look as grounded or extreme as you wanted. Fun fact is Phobos means fear in Greek. This capture of your trusty steed is so striking, I love the lighting and how it is amplifying the stunning details of the horse. The facial position is perfect and the depth of field adds to the beauty. Warrior of the North Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @artschoolglasses “I do not seek battles. Battle just seem to seek me” Scotland was always out of reach for Eivor, apart from the Isle of Skye DLC which was such a nice surprise. It is a shame we don’t get to venture beyond the wall but then again it is never a wise thing to do. Many a Viking failed in their attempts to take Scotland. For me this shot of Eivor Varinsdottir surveying the snowy landscapes of the north gracefully sums up Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. She came from snowy Norway to battle through England and arrive back in the north. I adore the position of this capture with the mountains spectacularly on view in the background. I also love the snowy tree tops and for me the best armour set in the game, what more could I ask for. Northman Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @theonlyjess_vp “Basim fills your head with twisted prophecies” Eivor and Sigurd are so close, but as time goes on Sigurd becomes brain washed by Basim and the brothers bond becomes frail. This is mostly down to Sigurd seeking higher glory and forgetting that he is a Viking at heart. Eivor in this capture embodies the role of both Northman and Odin outstandingly well. I love this portrait and everything about it, the depth of field and colour tones are on point. The hair and beard combo works so well and the Raven tattoo heeds the connection to Odin. Got to love that raven skin with the bone armour, such a nice touch to put the wayfinder symbol on the headpieces. Footprints in the Sand Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @KaiVirtualPhoto “We must sacrifice our personal lives for the greater good” One thing that really impressed most people when playing Origins is the minimalistic beauty of the desert. The way Ubisoft built the Origins world is nothing short of excellence. Bayek often finds himself wandering the desert in search of his next target. This capture has the wow factor, partly because shots with the minimalist vibe are hard to pull off. I applaud the saturation of the sand and the footprints left behind by Bayek, excellent little details that bring this shot alive. It just leaves you wondering where Bayek is going? The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week Judge: @TuridTorkil This shot is a great combination of timing, lighting and angle. It's minimalistic yet vivid at the same time. I know how tricky it can be to get a proper picture of running characters. I am highly impressed by this capture. And that sums it up for this week’s Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list! Thank you for checking out this week’s photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next week keep those shots coming in! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2021 after the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. After building momentum and interest on TOWCB website for Virtual Photography, Aaron established TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, of which he is now Team Leader. Throughout 2024, TOWCB VP Team will be sharing community captures in dedicated articles, and providing a positive environment on Twitter for gamers to share their shots. Aaron Young

Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 7th to 18th October Community Share 8 Dec 2023 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Renzo 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: Halloween Spirit Slayer Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @Its__Gurly The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week Judge: @TuridTorkil Turid I was immediately captivated by the composition of this shot. The combination of tattoos, clothing and weapons make a dark warrior out of Eivor, and you can sense that he is not afraid of the monster that lurks in the dark. Smoke and fog create an eerie mood, perfect for our theme this week. Aaron One of my favourite games to play in October is Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, especially the Wrath of the Druids DLC. The mood and tone of that expansion perfectly lends itself to the spooky vibes. The hallucinations Eivor experiences such as in this creepy capture from Mel really added a new element to the game. The shadowy figure looks so ominous, while Eivor stands there with axe and flail in hand. I think his dark hair and tattoos add to that eerie feel. Everything kind of aligns in this shot to make it a worthy winner for our Halloween theme. The Mask Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @Cll3ar Selected by @Falconswift87 Spooky theme weeks always offer up some inventive photography. I think Raven’s VP style fits effortlessly with this. Once again, the variety of outfits in Valhalla help to cater for all types of shots. Here I am getting some real Order of the Ancient vibes with the white mask on Eivor’s face. The hood is so large that it is resembling the grim reaper. I am such a fan of the foggy white background as it marries beautifully with the blacks. The feather like features that are entering the shot from the right make me think of Odin. Maybe Eivor is Odin’s messenger of death. Draugr Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @m_nt_13 Selected by @_VirtualTourism Once again, we find ourselves in Valhalla but this time it is the Draugr who have been sent to haunt us. These creatures of Norse mythology don’t have a huge part to play in the story but the outfit for Eivor is a real fright. This disturbing shot of the Draugr appearing in the darkness brings the scares for sure. I love the lighting here, the bones on the arm and the teeth coupled with those freaky yellow eyes work so well together. You can really see that this creature is not of this world, I would have very much liked to see Eivor face off against this beast. Ghost Ship Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @Yumejin2416 Selected by @TuridTorkil Assassin’s Creed Odyssey isn’t really known for its spooky nature, although you do come up against some mythical creatures. That’s why I was pleasantly surprised when I noticed the ship in this shot wasn’t from Valhalla. I adore the composition of this photo, especially the placement of the ship in relation to the moon, and how the light is reflecting on the water adding to the mood. The eeriness brought on by the ship's silhouette and the bluey/purple fog make for a very atmospheric photo. It reminds me a little of the pirate movies where the ship just appears out of nowhere. Frozen Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @WonDerNooB_VP Selected by @CapturesByRenzo There is nothing like a bit of Greek mythology to bring the spooky. This shot gives me massive Jason and the Argonauts vibes. At the same time, it is going to expose my age, sorry everyone. Once again, the use of fog is so critical creating that creepy atmosphere. I think the orange and black tones, along with the architecture make this feel like a graveyard. Furthermore, the people frozen as statues elevate the sinister sensations. It is when you wander through this section of the game that you realise how impressive the level design is. RS has showcased that so well here. Mists Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ cyriellevp.bsky.social Selected by @CapturesByRenz o I have spoken before about how great the fog function is in the Assassin’s Creed photo mode. By adding it you can immediately change a photo's style and feel. This capture by Cyrielle is so hauntingly beautiful. It reminds me of the concept art you see, mostly due to the composition and the placement of Alexios. The path disappearing into the water and the marsh land that surrounds it gives off immense ghostly vibes. The trees covered in fog help to bring a sense of impending doom. I am not sure what Alexios is walking into, but it gives me the creeps. Skull Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @saskiaemmischVP Selected by @Falconswift87 Everyone knows I am a massive fan of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and especially the portraits that you can produce. Added to that the game lends itself perfectly for the Halloween theme. Here Saskia has knocked it out of the park with this super ominous shot of Eivor in the Druid mask. I just love how the white of the mask pops, and with the dark hood it looks so cool. Eivor has the appearance of one of Odin's undead horseman sent to collect souls of the unworthy. It even appears like the fog is exiting the eye hole, giving a real menacing aura to the portrait. I would not immediately think this is from Valhalla and that is a testament to how good the shot is. 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

Fan Fiction Pitch: Christmas Armistice by Finn Fletcher Other Share 11 Apr 2023 Written By: Edited By: Finn Fletcher Colum Blackett Back To Database Cover art by Lisa Zaman from TOWCB Art Team. In our next fan fiction Assassin's Creed story pitch, we begin to imagine a temporary alliance between Assassins and Templars in the year 1878. It is our hope that by pitching stories set in the Assassin's Creed universe, we can generate enough interest and excitement for it to be developed further by TOWCB team. We would love to create recognisable OC Assassins, so if any of our pitches spark interest, let us know in the comments below! Synopsis The story is the diary of a Victorian Assassin around a decade after the events of Syndicate. The Assassin, Charles (name will probably be changed) is sent by Evie Frye on a working holiday over Christmas to Ravensthorpe. Evie says that it’s to meet up with a local archaeologist who calls himself Ragnar and research the town's history to learn more about the early British brotherhood; she also believes this task to be something that will personally help Charles deal with his stress and growing frustrations about the Brotherhood. Arriving in Ravensthorpe, Charles despises the quaint town (imagine Hot Fuzz). He’s stuck in rain, lacking the amenities he’s used to and finds the residents frustrating. He meets up with Ragnar and is instantly put off by the odd fellow. Ragnar lives as and seemingly believes himself to be a viking, despite the fact he is a scrawny man who holds his drinks with both hands. Still, his knowledge is useful and the two begin researching and exploring some of the oldest remaining parts of the town. The trip, while not what Charles wants, is going well after a few days. They learn more of Hytham and find some long abandoned weapons and armour of the Raven Clan. Charles returns to his hotel to find a new resident in the room across from him, an abrasive American oil baron named Teddy who’s come to England for a vacation. He quickly makes it known that he is aware of who Charles is and the Assassins, dropping in tidbits of personal information about Charles when they meet. Their discussions become heated, and Teddy reveals that he is a Templar. In fact, he almost seems to gloat about it. This only increases tensions, as the two are bound by an agreement referred to as The Christmas Armistice . The history of this can be changed, but it was an agreement made between Assassins and Templars shortly after the death of Cesare Borgia, mostly negotiated by Machiavelli. In short, it restricts either side to kill one another over the advent period, leaving Charles without any violent options. Teddy is happily aware of this restriction and flaunts his presence, desperately trying to get a rise out of Charles by picking at his every fault. Feeling his anger rise, Charles locks himself away for the night and writes to Evie. Waiting on a response from the Mentor, Charles commits himself to carrying on his work, with one eye constantly looking out for Teddy. Teddy and Charles end up repeatedly running across one another, having to put up with each other during the hotel's breakfast, or when grabbing a drink at the local pub. One morning at breakfast, Teddy brings his plate to Charles' table and strikes up a conversation. He insists it to be peaceful, asking to know more about the real Charles and his commitment to the Brotherhood. While difficult, the two genuinely begin to have an enjoyable conversation about their shared goals. Strangely, the two genuinely enjoy one's company, and while continuing his work Charles ensures he spends time with Teddy. The friendship is still guarded though and each spies on one another. They also express their own frustrations with each order they belong to, criticising the lack of action and inability to make any real change. One morning Charles decides to investigate Teddy’s room, finding letters between Teddy and his wife. It seems to detail a breakup of both their marriage and his mental state, as he’s begun suffering from serious depression. Christmas day is fast approaching and the two friendly rivals understand that soon they will have to turn on one another, despite the clear affection and empathy they’ve gained for each other's perspectives. The historical investigation bears fruit, as Ragnar and Charles break into an old vault left by Hytham. It’s a treasure trove of trinkets, weapons and detailed notes. These seem to be Hythams last writings before leaving the Hidden Ones, where he talks about how most of the Raven Clan chose not to join the Brotherhood but still fought for what is right nonetheless. He questions why he dedicated so much to a single creed rather than working out of kindness, though importantly doesn’t regret his decision. In his final musings he’s clearly happy, just unsure for the future and what these secret conflicts will amount to, especially after the rise of what he calls “a new Order of the Ancients”. He also explains that Eivor left Mjolnir to him before leaving for America, with a handful of other First Civilisation trinkets she’d collected on her adventure. Some of which are locked in this bunker, others were sent across the country. Mjolnir will be described as being much stronger than we saw in the games, with the power to destroy whole buildings with a single strike. Charles begins to remove a Raven Clan banner that covers some boxes, to reveal the bright golden glow of Mjolnir. At this point, Teddy drops out of the shadows, more agile than he’s ever seen before. The two face off, as Teddy explains that he’s been following Charles but now questions his own orders. He proposes a new alliance, to use the power of Mjolnir and forge a new order that isn’t trapped by the problems of The Assassins or Templars. Charles is intrigued, and plays along with Teddy’s ramblings, hoping to find something of interest in it. Ragnar explodes with rage, he’s confused and clearly being left out of the conversation. He’s unsure what Mjolnir even is, and for him this magical artefact is changing his core understanding of the world. Teddy goes to kill Ragnar, claiming that he is just a ‘civilian’ someone who shouldn’t know as much as he does and threatens exposing the secrets that have allowed both Assassins and Templars to exist for so long. Charles turns, he hates this suggestion and claims that the war won’t end by writing more secrets, that if anyone will create peace it is civilians, normal people working for good. The ideological debate grows, until the two end up fighting. Charles kills Teddy to defend Ragnar, breaking the armistice and killing off any chance for something new. He asks Teddy to seal this vault backup and everything in it, to keep it a secret. He says that sometimes the allure of power is too destructive, and a weapon as powerful as Mjolnir should exist in no one's hands. Charles returns to London, knowing that he has killed off this annual period of peace, hoping that the people will find a chance in future, a clear nod to the real Christmas armistice of WW1. Character Profiles Charles An Assassin in his 30s, Charles is at a point of reflection where he feels the battles he's fighting for are destined to fail. Day to day he runs a steel mill, where he does his best to support unions and provide resources to the Brotherhood. Yet he keeps seeing the same problems pop up everywhere; unethical companies excel, Templars and Assassins struggle endlessly for power over London, it all feels rather Sisyphiean. Through the story he learns that these thoughts have been presented before, and has to figure out whether the Assassins or Templars are truly the best solution to the world's problems. Teddy The last remnant of the American robber gang of businessmen, Teddy runs his oil company ruthlessly. Unions are strictly banned, and workers have to "earn their place". He's endlessly proud of his role within the Templar Order, and stands by the might is right approach of leadership, though has grown tired of the timid nature of their actions. Reaching middle age, he's now suffering with bouts of depression and feels like the 'weaker' people he's used to chastising. Needing a rest, Teddy arrives in Ravensthorpe with the goal of following Charles and finding what the Assassins are searching for, though ends up building a friendship he truly wasn't expecting. Ragnar Some Assassins claim Ragnar is secretly a sage, someone with a kind of natural animus that makes him believe he is one of his ancestors. Charles however, believes the man to simply be a weirdo. His oddities are matched by his knowledge of local history, and without him the secrets left by the Raven Clan may have been lost forever. His journey allows him to appreciate more of his own time period, and the things he must fight for in the 'modern' world. Additional notes While not mentioned in the synopsis because I'm currently unsure of how to tie it in, I imagine Charles meeting a young thief while in Ravensthorpe. Rather than chastising the thief or demanding her to return his coin, Charles seeks to train the thief and help them improve their skills. He fully intends to take her back to London to join the Brotherhood, though by the end of the story leaves her in ravensthorpe with the last of his coin, leaving her to build her own life Thematically the story is inspired by The Inspector Calls . Dramatic irony should be at the forefront, as these characters discuss their own past and plans for the future, constantly making predictions we know as a modern audience to never come to fruition. It's only Charles' final reflection that the fate of humanity lies in every individual that holds any truth to our own futures While the synopsis mostly mentions the history of Eivor and the Raven Clan, other periods will be explored by Charles and Ragnar. Particularly of note is a 15th century Spanish Assassin who moved to England and was assigned to defend Ravensthorpe. She left many notes arguing that while Ravensthorpe is culturally important to the Assassins, it holds little strategic value. She suggests spending more time attacking templars and less defending their own history. Charles likes her opinion and this is the implication for why the history of Ravensthorpe was lost Let us know 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 Finn is a creative writer from Rotherham, UK who has previously supported TOWCB's Fundraising events, and raised awareness surrounding Men's Mental Health. Finn's writing covers a wide scope, with releases so far including reviews, interviews and stories. He is known in the AC Community for his 'Pitching an Assassin's Creed Game' series, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website! Finn Fletcher

Assassin's Creed Odyssey: Eve of Launch Message News Share 1 Oct 2018 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database We are now extremely close to the early access release of Assassin's Creed Odyssey! We would like to take this opportunity to thank our loyal fanbase, who have followed our coverage of the game since its reveal at E3. We would also like to take this opportunity to welcome our new members, who we hope are enjoying their time in the Assassin's Creed Community! Although Assassin's Creed Odyssey was a very unusual direction for the brand to take, we believe that fans will fall in love with the wonders of the ancient world, and consider the game to be a worthy sequel to AC Origins, and an excellent addition to the franchise. During the promotional campaign for Assassin's Creed Odyssey, we strived to provide regular giveaways for the community, and will continue to do so after its launch. We are currently giving away a variety of Assassin's Creed items, kindly donated by Ubisoft Montreal! As many of you will soon be receiving your ACO merchandise and editions of the game in the mail, we decided that a community project was the best way in order to select winners. Simply record a short unboxing video, and send it to Theoneswhocamebefore@googlemail.com . We look forward to seeing your reactions! Whoever you choose to play as, we want to hear about your AC Odyssey experience! Feel free to contact us with your screenshots, stories & questions! We hope that you have a fantastic experience playing the game, and thank you all for following the rules as we enter our annual 'lockdown mode', in order to prevent spoilers. We can't wait to explore Ancient Greece, and hope that you guys have a great time playing! - TOWCB Admin Team 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)