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Understanding the Isu Language: Nouns, Verbs and Adjectives Analysis Share 3 Oct 2024 Written By: Edited By: Edenoi ActualSpider-Man Back To Database The following is a dictionary of Isu words and their meanings and etymologies (the Proto-Indo-European words "descended" from them) when available. At the bottom of the article you'll also find a list of known sound changes from Isu to Proto-Indo-European. Dictionary Aærh Possibly related to PIE *h₁eg- "to lack" whence English indigent Verb Require, need Adhayz Possibly formed from ad + hayz Verb Believe Adhayznos Formed from adhayz + -nos Adjective Credulous Agwzí Developed into PIE *h₂egʷsih₂ "axe" Noun Axe Apovlôz Formed from apo + vlôz Verb Sacrifice Arhzmṛmṇ Formed from arhz + smṛ + -mṇ Noun Record (information storage) Azrhṇ Formed from az + rhṇ Verb Guarantee Blahæ Developed into PIE *pleh₁- "to fill" Verb Fill Blahænos Formed from blahæ + -nos Adjective Full Blàyz Verb Try, attempt Carb Developed into PIE *kerp- "to pluck, to harvest" Verb Harvest Chagru Developed into PIE *h₂éḱru "tear" Noun Tear (from the eye) Chalhæ Developed into PIE *kelh₁- "to call, to cry, to summon" whence English proclamation Verb Summon Chan Developed into PIE *ken- "to arise, to begin" Verb Start Charærh Developed into PIE *h₂erh₃- "to plow" whence English arable Verb Plow Charærhdrṃ Formed from charærh + -drṃ Noun Plow Charh Developed into PIE *keh₃- "to fight" Verb Fight Chayrh Developed into PIE *kéh₂ikos "one-eyed, blind" Adjective Blind Chayrhos Formed from chayrh + -os Noun Blind person Chàyz Developed into PIE *h₂eys- "to wish, to request, to search" Verb Seek Chnàk Developed into PIE *h₂neḱ- "to reach, to attain" whence English next Verb Reach Chṛd Verb Prepare Chu Developed into PIE *(s)kewh₁- "to perceive, to observe" whence English show Verb Perceive Chuæs Formed from chu + -æs Noun Sight Chṇtæcharh Formed from chṇtæ + charh Noun Rebellion Chṇrhú Formed from chṇ + -rhú Noun Family Dag Possibly developed into PIE *teḱ- "to sire, to beget" whence English architect or *dʰewgʰ- "to produce" Verb Produce Dagæs Formed from dag + -æs Noun Production, creation Dawrh Possibly developed into PIE *tewh₂- "to be numerous" whence English thousand Noun Child Doshæs Possibly developed into PIE *tews- "to be happy" Verb Soothe Gṇs Developed into PIE *ḱens- "to announce, to proclaim" whence English censorship Verb Announce Gwachæt Verb Assign Gwam Developed into PIE *gʷem- "to step" Verb Come Gwar Developed into PIE *kʷer- "to do, to make, to build" Verb Do Gwardrṃ Formed from gwar + -drṃ Noun Instrument, tool Gwaw Developed into PIE *gʷewH- "to defecate" Noun Excrement Gwich Verb Limit Hæwòch Developed into PIE *h₁weh₂- "to leave, to abandon, to give out" whence English evacuate Verb Abandon Hàgwṛmæch Possibly formed from hàgwṛ + mæch Adjective Cowardice Hahṃz Adjective Talented Hahṃzos Formed from hahṃz + -os Noun Talent Hàs Developed into PIE *h₁es- "to be" whence English essence Verb To belong Haz Possibly developed into PIE *bʰed- "to improve, to make better" Adjective Better Hṇrharz Formed from hṇ + rharz Verb Wrap Hṇrhṇ Formed from hṇ + rhṇ Verb Understand Hṇzahæs Formed from hṇ + zah + -æs Noun Behavior Hoærh Possibly developed into PIE *h₂eǵ- "to drive" whence English activate Verb Activate Hṛ Developed into PIE *h₃er- "to move, to stir" Verb Move Huch Noun Future Hűch Verb Cleanse Hűchæs Formed from hűch + -æs Noun Sanitation Hnom Developed into PIE *h₁nómn̥ "name" Verb Name Kahæs Developed into PIE *ḱeh₁s- "to teach, to indicate" Verb Command Kḷ Developed into PIE *ḱel- "to cover" whence English occult Verb Hide Kṇch Verb Doubt Komhaæzrhú Possibly formed from kom + haæz + rhú Noun Council Kűz Noun Mud Kway Developed into PIE *kʷey- "to avenge" whence English penalty Verb Avenge Kwayæs Formed from kway + -æs Noun Revenge Læs Developed into PIE *leys- "to shrink, to grow thin, to be gentle" whence English less Adjective Weak Làygw Developed into PIE *leykʷ- "to leave" whence English derelict Verb Leave Lṇz Developed into PIE *lendʰ- "land, heath" Noun Land Lochus Developed into PIE *lókus "pond, pool" Noun Lake Lolh Possibly developed into PIE *lewbʰ "to desire, to covet, to want" whence English love Verb Desire Lolhæs Formed from lolh + -æs Noun Desire Machtér Developed into PIE *méh₂tēr "mother" Noun Mother Marhachs Developed into PIE *méǵh₂s "big, great" whence English much Adjective Great Marhachsos Formed from marhachs + -os Noun Greatness Marhràch Likely formed from marh + ràch; marh developed into PIE *megʰ- "to be able" whence English mighty Adjective Able Mér Developed into PIE *meh₁- "to measure" Verb Quantify Mérmṇ Formed from mér + -mṇ Noun Quantity Mḷ Developed into PIE *mey- "to strengthen" whence English more Adjective Strong Mḷos Formed from mḷ + -os Noun Strength Mṇ Developed into PIE *men- "to think" whence English mind Verb Think Mṇmṇ Formed from mṇ + -mṇ Noun Thought Mṇrh Developed into PIE *mengʰ- "many, sufficient" Noun Plenty Mṇrhṇgwardach Formed from mṇrh + rhṇ + gwar + -dach Noun Polymath Mṇsṛ Possibly formed from mṇ + sṛ Noun Correlation Mṇzlom Possibly formed from mṇ + zlom Noun Sense, reason Mṛ Developed into PIE *mer- "sea" whence English mermaid Noun Sea Mṛvṃ Noun Image (possibly) Nàg Developed into PIE *neḱ- "to perish, to disappear" whence English necropolis Noun Death Ṇgwar Formed from ṇ + gwar Verb Undo Ṇṛch Formed from ṇ + ṛch Verb Unlock Ṇṛchdrṃ Formed from ṇ + ṛch + -drṃ Noun Key, unlocker Ṇsæs Developed into PIE *h₁ensi- "large knife" Noun Sword Ṇwahæ Formed from ṇ + wahæ Adjective Untrue Ôrhr Possibly developed into PIE *yóh₁r̥ "year" Noun Day Paus Adjective Free, unconstrained Pausos Formed from paus + -os Noun Freedom Ṛch Verb Lock Réyzd Developed into PIE *h₂rey-dʰ(h₁)- "to put in order" whence English arithmetic Verb Calculate Réyzdér Formed from réyzd + -ér Verb Calculator Rhàb Developed into PIE *h₃ep- "to work, to toil, to make" whence English opus Verb Work Rhàbér Formed from rhàb + -ér Noun Worker Rhàbmṇ Formed from rhàb + -mṇ Noun Labor Rhagw Developed into PIE *h₃ekʷ- "to see, eye" Verb See Rharz Developed into PIE *gʰerdʰ- "to enclose, to encircle" whence English gird Verb Enclose Rhawrh Adjective Cold Rhlab Possibly developed into PIE *klep- "to steal" whence English kleptomania Verb Steal Rhlabmṇ Formed from rhlab + -mṇ Noun Theft Rhḷb Verb Imagine Rhḷbæs Formed from rhḷb + -æs Noun Imagination Rhḷbmṛvṃ Formed from rhḷb + mṛvṃ Noun Design Rhṇ Possibly developed into PIE *ǵneh₃- "to recognize, to know" Verb Know Rhṇæs Formed from rhṇ + -æs Noun Fact (reality) Rhṇgwar Formed from rhṇ + gwar Verb Craft Rhṇhér Formed from rhṇh + ér; rhṇh eveloped into PIE *ǵenh₁- "to produce, to beget, to give birth" whence English progenitor Noun Father Rhob Developed into PIE *h₁ep- "to grab, to snatch, to get" whence English option Verb Choose Rhoz Developed into PIE *gʰedʰ- "to join, to unite" whence English gather Verb Compile Rhwegash Verb Coddle Sakw Possibly developed into PIE *sekʷ- "to follow" whence English sequence Verb Put into effect Sarh Developed into PIE *seǵʰ- "to overpower" Noun Control Sawrh Developed into PIE *sewh₁- "to give birth" whence English son Verb Birth Schar Developed into PIE *(s)ker- "to cut off, to sever" whence English carnage Verb Cut Seyl Developed into PIE *seyl- "still, quiet" Adjective Silent Seylos Formed from seyl + -os Noun Silence Shoàz Developed into PIE *wed- "water" Noun Water Shoṛrh Developed into PIE *swergʰ- "to be ill" whence English sorrow Verb Suffer Shoṛrhæs Formed from shoṛrh + -æs Noun Pain Shuæsholh Verb Despair Shuæsholhæs Formed from shuæsholh + -æs Noun Despair Shuàgw Developed into PIE *wekʷ- "to speak, to sound out" Noun Voice Verb Speak Shuàr Developed into PIE *wer- "to burn" Verb Burn Shuàrh Developed into PIE *weǵ- "to be lively, to be awake" Verb Wake Shul Noun Warmth Sízwṛ Noun Goal Smṛ Developed into PIE *(s)mer- "to remember" Verb Remember Smṛmṇ Formed from smṛ + -mṇ Noun Memory Sorhwḷ Developed into PIE *sóh₂wl̥ "sun" Noun Sun Spak Developed into PIE *speḱ- "to see, to look, to observe" whence English spectate Verb Watch Srṛ Verb Suffice Srṛæs Formed from srṛ + -æs Noun Sufficiency Srṛæsnos Formed from srṛ + -æs + -nos Adjective Enough Stḷ Developed into PIE *stel- "to put, to place, to locate" Verb Place Stḷmn Formed from stḷ + -mn Noun Site Tṛrhw Developed into PIE *terh₃w- (meaning unsure but ancestor to German drohen "to threaten") Verb Threaten Ubospak Formed from ubo + spak Verb Suspect Ubospaknos Formed from ubo + spak +-nos Adjective Suspicious Vlôz Possibly related to the English blood, bleed Verb Lose (uncertain) Vras Possibly developed into PIE *bʰel- "shiny, white" whence English blaze Noun Flare Vrérh Developed into PIE *bʰleyǵ- "to shine" whence English blink Verb Shine Vṛrh Developed into PIE *bʰergʰ- "to safeguard, to protect, to preserve" whence English harbor Verb Save Vrurhærh Developed into PIE *bʰruHg- "to make use of, to have enjoyment of" whence English frugal Verb Use Wahæ Developed into PIE *weh₁- "true" whence English verify Adjective True Wahædach Formed from wahæ + -dach Adjective Truth Wàrhd Developed into PIE *weh₂t- "excited, inspired, possessed, raging" Adjective Mad (not in control of mental faculties) Wḷrh Developed into PIE *welh₃- "to hit, to strike" Verb Hurt, injure Wḷrhmṇ Formed from wḷrh + -mṇ Noun Wound Wṇhæ Developed into PIE *wenh₁- "to love" whence English winsome Noun Love Wṛgwachæt Formed from wṛ + gwachæt Verb Reassign Wṛmṛvṃ Formed from wṛ + mṛvṃ Noun Pattern Zah Developed into PIE *dʰeh₁- "to do" Verb Act (do something) Zahæs Formed from zah + -æs Noun Action Zàrh Possibly developed into PIE *deh₃- "to give" whence English mandatory Verb Allow Zàw Developed into PIE *dʰew- "to run, to flow" Verb Run Zayg Developed into PIE *deyḱ- "to point out, to show" whence English indicate Verb Show Zblæs Probably derived from a verb zbḷ, possibly related to the word "double" and meaning "to copy" Noun Message Zdô Possibly developed into PIE *steh₂- "to stand" Verb Go (or possibly be) Zérhú Seems to have the -rhú group suffix, and thus may be referring to the Nornir Noun Fate Zḷv Developed into PIE *dʰelbʰ- "to dig, to excavate" whence English delve Verb Shovel Zḷvdrṃ Formed from zḷv + -drṃ Noun Shovel Zṃ Developed into PIE *dem- "to build" whence English domicile Verb Build Zmæs Formed from zṃ + -æs Noun Construction Zṃch Probably related in some way to zṃ Verb Create Zṃchmṇ Formed from zṃch + -mṇ Noun Creature, animal Zozayg Formed from zo + zayg Verb Present Zràw Developed into PIE *srew- "to flow, to stream" Verb Flow Zrerh Possibly developed into PIE *dreh₂- "to run" Verb Become Zrhogwus Possibly formed from zrho + gwus Noun War Zrhwachày Possibly formed from zrho + wachày Noun Destruction Zway Developed into PIE *dwey- "to fear" Noun Fear Zwúrh Noun Shroud Zyaw Developed into PIE *dyew- "sky, heaven" whence English divinity Noun Sky Sound Changes Z becomes d B becomes p Rh becomes a laryngeal (h sound) or sometimes g Sh becomes w Ch becomes a laryngeal or sometimes ḱ H becomes a laryngeal (usually the first laryngeal) Gw becomes kʷ Æ disappears Syllabic consonants often become regular consonants with vowels attached Proto-Indo-European roots aren't dependent on which vowel they have, just the consonants around the vowel, so all vowels just kind of become e 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 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

The Memory Corridor Episode #21 Retrospective Look at AC Syndicate w/ ActualSpiderMan Podcast Share 16 Jul 2022 Written By: Edited By: Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon) Back To Database comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Gustav / Gargudon is an active community member, who started out in podcast hosting in 2016, but today mostly specialises in video creation, interviews & composing. By joining The Ones Who Came Before in 2019, originally reviving 'The Memory Corridor' podcast, which had been offline for nearly a year, he has had the opportunity to expand his audience and further develop his skills. 

His unique skill set made him the perfect candidate for our team. Among other things, he is known in the community for the Sounds Of History project - an original Assassin’s Creed inspired instrumental music project, featuring five tracks inspired by as many different games - other original fan themes plus covers of iconic AC tracks, as well as video interviews with a number of high profile names in the world of AC, from Roger Craig Smith, Jesper Kyd and more. Fun fact, among his growing colourful tattoo collection, Gustav is the only member of our team to have the TOWCB logo inked. Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon)

5 Things in the Assassin's Creed Shadows Claws of Awaji Expansion We Want to See More of Breakdown Share 15 Oct 2025 Written By: Edited By: Eric Allen // Milz_VP Colum Blackett Back To Database Article features Spoilers for Assassin's Creed Shadows: Claws of Awaji. The first major DLC for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, titled Claws of Awaji, released in September of 2025, and many eager Assassins have uncovered its secrets since then. The DLC sees Yasuke and Naoe head to the island of Awaji, where Templar threats still remain. Like the main game, Claws of Awaji gives us targets to take down and several new additions to gameplay. Let’s unpack the five things Awaji did that we need to see more of in Assassin’s Creed going forward. Promotional image for Claws of Awaji 1) Lateral Playable Cut Scene One of the most unique elements of Claws of Awaji is how it introduces Naoe and Yasuke to the island. The pair attend a puppet show that seamlessly transitions into a fully playable lateral sequence. As the storyteller unveils the tale of a mysterious shinobi, you travel across the screen, delivering silence upon your enemies. This play style harkens back to the titles included in Assassin’s Creed Chronicles. In both artistic direction and execution, this scene serves as an excellent path between the events of the main story and the new journey about to unfold on Awaji. 2) Both Protagonists on the Battlefield at the Same Time In the main campaign, Naoe and Yasuke acted mostly independently during missions; you would decide who would take on each objective, and that was that. But Claws of Awaji changes this dynamic. Here, both protagonists take the field of battle simultaneously. You fight as Yasuke, protecting Naoe while she finds the way forward, and during key moments, you’re prompted to switch between the two for smoother execution of your goals. This approach feels more immersive and gratifying for both characters in a narrative sense; in the next DLC, we’d love to see even more teamwork like this built into the dual-protagonist system. Promotional image for Assassin's Creed Shadows 3) New Ambush Encounters Want to spice up your open world? Make it more dangerous. On Awaji, even the most innocent-looking villager may be hiding a blade poised to strike. Traps lie unseen beneath your feet, triggering surprise attacks that catch even seasoned assassins off guard. These moments form part of the new ambush mechanic introduced in Claws of Awaji. In a game with such a vast open world, players often develop a sense of safety outside of missions. Claws of Awaji deliberately strips that comfort away, making you vulnerable to sudden, unpredictable encounters. The result is a subtle but powerful tension; every step feels uncertain, every shadow suspicious. It’s a great addition that unfortunately fades too quickly if you rush through the main story; but signs point to this mechanic returning. Ubisoft has confirmed that the upcoming Valley of Memory DLC for Assassin’s Creed Mirage will contain ambush encounters. It will be free to all players who own the game when it launches on November 18. Danger lurks in the shadows on the island of Awaji 4) The Boss Fights The crown jewel of Claws of Awaji are the boss fights. The DLC provides 30 new targets for Yasuke and Naoe. There are four main adversaries and 26 minor targets all out to keep our heroes from achieving their goals. Hunting down the lesser targets remains similar to the main campaign, but facing down the primary antagonists is where Claws of Awaji shines brightest. Each of the encounters has narrative weight to it and is more unique than any of the enemies Yasuke and Naoe have faced before. The structure draws inspiration from the best elements of prior games: the open-ended “black box” assassinations of Valhalla and the “weaken your enemies first” progression found in Odyssey. Some lesser foes can be eliminated strategically to gain advantages in later encounters, while one key target even receives a cinematic assassination that nails the DLC’s tension perfectly. These showdowns deliver some of the most memorable combat in the series; if future titles continue to build on the depth and creativity of these boss encounters, they could set a new standard for Assassin’s Creed combat. Tomeji in Assassin's Creed Shadows: Claws of Awaji 5) Becoming More a Part of the Wider Assassin–Templar Conflict It’s been a long time since players truly stepped into the era of the Assassins and Templars. Since Origins, we’ve followed the Hidden Ones and their allies, watching the early philosophies that would one day define the Brotherhood. But with Shadows, the series finally returns to a period where both factions exist in full. This marks a return to form and, more importantly, stabilization of the overall narrative. Naoe and Yasuke indeed discover the existence of the Templar Order, but neither becomes a part of the Assassin Brotherhood. Claws of Awaji introduces us to Japan’s only Assassin of the Brotherhood; Naoe’s mother, Tsuyu. She was the first Japanese Assassin but failed a mission and became trapped on Awaji. Once she joins with Yasuke and Naoe, they too become part of the larger picture. Perhaps in the next DLC, we will see them meet more members of the Brotherhood and aid in a plot involving the Templars and Isu tech. They never mentioned Isu artifacts in the main campaign, so the door is wide open. Fujibayashi Tsuyu Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Claws of Awaji expands the base game in meaningful ways. Between its tense ambush encounters, unforgettable boss battles, and long-awaited return to the true Assassin–Templar conflict, this DLC feels like the bridge fans have been waiting for. If this is where Shadows begins to connect its world to the wider saga, the next chapter could be something truly special. Scenes from the Claws of Awaji Launch Trailer comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Eric is an experienced social media manager who joined TOWCB Social Media Team in February 2024 in an effort to help the team establish a clear identity for Isu_Network. Professionally, Eric has managed social media platforms in a number of fields such as fashion, trucking and more, working alongside 300+ brands. Taking on the role of social media coordinator, we will be working alongside Eric in 2024 and beyond to create consistent social media content that is both engaging and memorable. Eric Allen // Milz_VP

Assassin's Creed Brotherhood: Roman Resistance Breakdown Share 25 May 2025 Written By: Edited By: Hayden Bird Colum Blackett Back To Database When Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood launched in November of 2010, it instantly captivated audiences who were anticipating a story follow up to the mysterious ending that the previous game, Assassin’s Creed II , offered. The game, quite literally, takes place mere moments after the conclusion of its predecessor. Fans were eager for clarity and to see where the story would head next. Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood was an excellent follow-up to a masterful game. It properly continued the story of fan-favorite main protagonist, Ezio Auditore, as it explored his journey following the major changes his life underwent in the previous game. Promo image for Assassin's Creed Brotherhood (2010) via Ubisoft Brotherhood dived deeper into the lore of the infamous Borgia family. The game took place during the middle of their regime in the Roman Papacy. The previous game featured Rodrigo Borgia as a main villain and mastermind of the famed Templar Order. Who were the main antagonists of the series. Brotherhood introduced further members of the Borgia family, including Rodrigo’s son, Cesare Borgia, as the psychotic and power-hungry villain who seeked to turn Italy at the time into his personal kingdom. Rodrigo’s daughter, Lucrezia, also played an important part of the story. However, Cesare also was portrayed as a vital member of the Templar Order, following the footsteps of his father. The Borgia family in the game were depicted as evil and villainous people and served a crucial part of the story. Cesare, voiced by Andreas Apergis, is still to this day considered to be the best and most dangerous antagonist in the entire series. Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood introduced an Assassin recruitment feature, where Ezio could call on his apprentices to help aid him in combat or sneakily take out enemies in his way. This feature was welcomed by fans and brought a unique aspect of the gameplay that previous games did not have. It was extremely helpful to have some support in combat against formidable enemies. A way of recruitment was helping out Italian citizens of Rome who are fighting against the Borgia guards, and after successfully saving the citizen, he is asked to join the Brotherhood and resist against the Borgia oppression in Rome. Cesare Borgia as he appears in Assassin's Creed Brotherhood (2010) Brotherhood also allowed players to explore and take in the full experience of late 14th century Rome. This location was very briefly shown in the past game towards the very end as Assassin’s Creed II mostly featured other cities in Italy such as Florence and Venice. It was great for players to dive into Rome at its fullest. Brotherhood was helped by not attempting to be vastly different from its predecessor, and instead chose the route of a familiar style that the past game was used to. This was wise from the developers at Ubisoft as they stuck with what players loved. There was little need for drastic changes especially in a continuation of the same story being told. Ubisoft nailed the approach. They knew fans were satisfied with the gameplay mechanics of the past game and proved players would be glad to continue Ezio’s story with familiarity and not something entirely different. Ubisoft knew in the following years the series would require significant changes to gameplay in order to be original and evolve as fast as modern technology does. Ubisoft took a smart route by understanding the time would come for major differences, but bided their time long enough to satisfy fans. Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood improved upon the flaws its predecessor had. It stuck to a familiar format, but took necessary action to fix the changes fans disapproved of from the past game. A good example of this is the minor changes the game underwent such as different combat skills, new types of weapons, and new user interface for things such as the health bar displayed on-screen and improved graphics. Brotherhood was well ahead of its time in its ability to not be afraid to make changes, but stick to what players all loved. To some fans, Brotherhood is up there with the best games in the entire series. The story properly explained the continuation of Ezio’s story and made fans love the direction the game chose to take. Promo image for Assassin's Creed Brotherhood (2010) Brotherhood also explored further the story of the modern day segments of the game. The side main character, Desmond Miles, leads his team and friends on a journey that took place simultaneously with the historical part of the game. Some fans had displeasure with the amount of content the modern day story followed, as most players preferred to stick with the historical setting, but the game did a good job showing Desmond follow in the footsteps of his ancestor, Ezio, and properly continued the dual-story aspect. It showed fans that even while deep into the historical time periods, the modern day setting played a huge part in the main story. Brotherhood also showed the importance and power of the fabled piece of Eden artifacts that were commonly mentioned and seen in the games. Ubisoft introduced a mission towards the end of the game where Ezio could fend off hoards of enemy Borgia guards with just one click for the Apple of Eden, a circular object that when interacted with could cause mental insanity or death in a heartbeat. Brotherhood explored three main aspects of the story. Not only did it tell the continued story of Ezio Auditore, but also explored modern day and even further showed the hidden secrets of these Pieces of Eden and their significant importance in the game's lore. Modern Day in Assassin's Creed Brotherhood (2010) In the end, Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood was a beyond worthy sequel that satisfyingly showed the events of the past games that fans were dying to see continued after a mystery of an ending we witnessed before. Fans to this day look back on Brotherhood as perhaps the best sequel in gaming at the time. It took all that was loved and adored from Assassin’s Creed II and made it all much better all while keeping the fan-favorite style the game held. Brotherhood was a great sequel and story continuation that showed the oppression that the Borgia family held over all of Italy, and the resistance that Ezio and his fellow Assassin’s took to liberate and free Rome from their tyrannical grasp on the entire society at the time. The Assassin’s Creed series took a serious step forward with Brotherhood and in the end captivated fans who were heavily anticipating the mysterious ending the past game endured. There is so doubt any Assassin’s Creed fan can see and understand the vastly important impact it left on gaming as a whole. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Hayden is a passionate Freelance Writer based in South Carolina who joined TOWCB's Writing Team in 2020 during the Covid-19 Pandemic, writing articles on all things Assassin's Creed Valhalla. He left the group to focus on studies, joining our Alumni program, but triumphantly returned with fresh ideas in 2024 to pick up where he left off, only this time covering Assassin's Creed Shadows. In 2025, Hayden took on the position of Team Leader for TOWCB's Writing Team, overseeing article releases, assisting with recruitment and providing assistance with internal operations. Hayden Bird

This Week in Assassin's Creed Virtual Photography: February 1st - 7th Community Share 11 Feb 2021 Written By: Edited By: Kevin (Going Viking) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Welcome back to another round of our virtual photography showcase, which will now be guest hosted by Kevin McAllister (Going Viking) from The AC Partnership Program. Each week, five Assassin's Creed shots will be hosted here on TOWCB website in order to promote virtual photography and community contributions. Keep an eye on our social media channels for updates, as we aim to bring you a great range of community captures. 1) Ancient Ruins by Sarah Gurrado This photo shouts Assassin's Creed. A stunning shot of Eivor jumping around the ruins reminds you of the Ezio days. The sun is perfectly aligned under the feet with Sýnin in the backdrop creating a shot that will instantly remind you of what makes Assassin's Creed so great. 2) Family is Home by @ Miss Misthios This silhouette shot of Kassandra and Ikaros defines Odyssey with its beauty and strength. The vibrant sky and perfect use of depth of field makes this photo resemble a painting. 3) Conquering a new world by @ NoviKaiba23 Assassin's Creed Valhalla is filled with limitless things to do and one of those things is raiding. This gorgeous photo captures Eivor blowing the horn in assassin type fashion as Sýnin soars across the sky toward the monastery. The blue sky, red leaves and fog provide this capture with the beautiful environment that Valhalla is known for. 4) Sailing Misthios by @SofaGamersRAW A unique perspective shot with a bird's eye view of a sailing Misthios in Odyssey with the crystal clear blue water. As your eye gravitates to the boat from the top of the sail you can see the ripples in the water trailing behind. Makes me want to jump right back in to Odyssey! 5) Winter Chase by @ StefanieMcMaken A peaceful moment in time. Great timing here to capture the deer running through the snow in Norway. Using the trees to frame the shot with the deer right in the middle provides a picture perfect shot. And that sums it up for this week’s Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list! Don’t forget to check out next week’s list when that rolls around, and be sure to send your best captures to us directly via Instagram or Twitter for a chance to be featured on it! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Going Viking started as a page focused on everything relating to Vikings including history, archaeology, Norse Mythology, video games, books, TV shows, etc. Kevin then transferred his focus to the video game Days Gone, where he began doing virtual photography, and running a blog. In early 2021, Kevin began his new position as an Online Community Specialist at Sony, working for Bend Studio. We are thrilled to see Kevin joining a company that makes the franchise he loves, but will miss him deeply on the program. We wish him the best of luck in his new position! Kevin (Going Viking)

AC Community Questions: Louise (TheNerdyArcher) Interview Share 8 Jul 2024 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Back To Database Col: Hi Louise, thank you for joining me for this introductory interview! In January 2024 you joined The Ones Who Came Before's Assassin's Creed Partnership Program, known as the Isu_Network. Are you looking forward to working with our content teams? Louise: I am! I’ve been a keen follower of TOWCB’s content for a long while, even getting some of my own friends into the franchise and following across various social media platforms. Thinking back to when I was new to the fanbase for Assassin’s Creed , TOWCB was one of those I kept coming back to - whether it was for news, reviews, or just the friendly interactions on socials. Pretty sure I still have the tweet where the team wished me Happy Birthday a few years back saved somewhere 😂 Everyone has been so lovely and the creativity shown is just amazing . Can’t wait to get started. I’ve already thought of so many ideas - so just wait and see :) Col: When did you first start writing, and what in your opinion would you say has been your most popular piece of writing? Louise: Creatively? It’s been something I’ve been doing since I was a kid - I was that person who would finish work early and then write for fun in lessons. So I guess nothing’s changed there! Reporting I got into a bit later on; when I started university I joined the university magazine and wrote articles on all sorts, joining the committee for a year or two. I even managed to win a few awards in the meantime. Now I’m heading back to university to study writing for a Master’s come September. :) Col: What are some of your most recent Assassin's Creed Community Projects, and what are you working on currently? Louise: I’ve eternally been trying to finish Evie’s coat since I finished the game for the first time in 2015 - as well as a few other outfits in the series I really love. These include Kass’ symposium gown, Claudia’s Brotherhood outfit, and an original design of something for Jenny 👀 But back in October with Mirage ’s release I tried my hand at trophy hunting and posted a video that was partially me speed-earning all of the trophies in the game as well as a partial (spoiler free!) review. Col: Have you visited any of the locations from the games? Louise: A fair few! It’s a privilege that by living in the UK I’ve been able to visit London a few times - and the town near where I grew up was featured in one of Valhalla ’s story arcs . I visited Paris and several places in Greece a few years before both Unity and Odyssey released. But there’s still dozens of places I’d love to go - Italy is on the top of my list, and I would love to visit parts of the US one day. Col: Which Assassin's Creed game is your favourite and why? Louise: What a question! I think everyone who knows me is well aware Syndicate is the one after my own heart. While Unity was the first title in the series I ever played, it was the Twins who got me invested with my entire being 😂 There’s a few others that hold a lot of sentimental value to me as well: Black Flag as it was the favourite of the person who got me into the series (Jenny is also one of my favourite characters in the franchise, and man do I love the sea shanties too). I still remember the awe when I booted up Origins for the first time and just sat at the menu listening to the theme for almost an hour. The key to my heart is to show me a video game with a great soundtrack. Col: Have you attended any events within the Assassin's Creed Community? Louise: A few! Sadly I was just just joining in with community events when the Pandemic happened, so I’ve only been to a couple - most recently the AC Symphonic Experience in London. But I did attend the event in 2019 too. Then towards the end of 2022 I was invited by Ubisoft to the opening of their 878AD exhibition in Winchester - which I would highly recommend visiting! Col: What would be your dream setting for the upcoming AC Netflix TV show or future game? Louise: When I’ve thought about my dream AC show, I’ve always wanted to see something more anthology based - so instead of being focused around a time period, why not have it follow a Piece of Eden. Like the original idea for Unity , we see it change hands between Assassins and Templars over the centuries. Building the world around what we already have would be the big thing I’d love to see, though. Instead of focusing on the main protagonists, what is everyone else doing - especially if an episode/plotline is set in a time period or location already seen once before. (Kind of like how The Resurrection Plot had a small Evie Frye cameo but the story wasn’t about the Twins and Henry). Col: Do you have any personal AC goals you would like to achieve? Louise: Trying new things! While I enjoy writing, there are a few other things I would love to try my hands at - cosplay is a big one of those! Video stuff is also something I am getting myself back into creating, on a few different topics. From reviews of titles, full historical deepdives, and even a little series of learning how to speedrun a game - they’re all in the works :) I just want to have fun with it all, first and foremost. Col: What would you say is your most significant community achievement to date? Louise: The sword designing workshop I was part of with the Mentor’s Guild was pretty fun! Always a fun icebreaker fun fact at parties too :) Being able to review a copy of Kate Heartfield’s The Magus Conspiracy and then seeing that review highlighted in the media section on various sites was also a lovely surprise for a book that is truly one of the best in AC transmedia. Col: What is is your favourite part of being a community member? Louise : The curiosity and the creativity just blows me away every time; from the cosplayers to the writers, the musicians - and just how positive people can be with the original creations. Col: Do you collect AC merchandise? If so, what is your favourite item? Louise: Only the ones which catch my eye, but I have a few pieces which are my pride and joy (and are we surprised to find that they’re all Syndicate themed?) My Rook’s flag is my favourite - and the one I spent the most time looking for. Col: What advice do you have for people looking to get into games journalism and creative writing? Louise : Find what’s unique about you and what you’re interested in. There’s a unique twist to anything that you can bring about! For me, that was combining my archaeology degree and LGBTQ reception of video games! Col: Where can our community members find you online? Louise: I’m on Twitter and Discord @ TheNerdyArcher , as well as Instagram and Twitch @ nerdyarcheruk ✌️ 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)

Partnership with A Nutrition Transformation Announcement Community Share 10 Jun 2025 Written By: Edited By: TOWCB Team Colum Blackett Back To Database We are excited to announce that we have agreed terms with Andrew Brown from A Nutrition Transformation for a promotional partnership! Andrew is a qualified GPNi Sports Nutrition Specialist who is looking to work with members of the Assassin's Creed Community seeking to achieve their health, fitness and wellbeing goals. Through our collaboration, Andrew will be offering his services at reduced rates, providing expert advice and education at an affordable price. We can't wait to get started! Keep an eye on our socials for updates. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author A collection of articles from The Ones Who Came Before team. TOWCB Team

Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 3rd to 14th February Community Share 8 Mar 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 by the TOWCB VP team. We have been monitoring the hashtag and the community hub to see all your wonderful shots. Keep an eye on the site as more shots are added, we are looking for captures across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to #ACFirstCivVP for a chance to be featured. Theme: Assassin’s Creed The Great Sand Sea Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ summers458.bsky.social The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week Judge: @ turidtorkil.bsky.social Such a breathtaking image would hardly be possible to capture in real life, but equally as difficult to achieve in virtual photography. The sun perfectly in the centre, the silhouette of our protagonist and his mount clearly visible but seamlessly integrated into the overall picture. A great composition that deserves a place on the wall. Aaron The beauty of Assassin’s Creed Origins will never cease to amaze me. As we sit on the cusp of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, reflecting back at the RPG games that came before, it is easy to forget how fantastic they all look. Origins will be eight this year and looking every bit as good as it did at launch. I must say this capture is right up there with my favourites from Origins. The composition and range are breathtaking, and the dunes look ultra realistic. There is certainly a fine art feel to this photo thanks to the soft tones. That sun is so powerful that I am feeling warm just looking at it. Bayek on his horse in the distance makes the shot for me. The bright sun next to the shadowy figure. The epitome of a Hidden One, working in the dark to serve the light. Artic Fox Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ m_nt_13 Assassin’s Creed Valhalla has such a great selection of wildlife throughout the game. However, the outstanding environments of Norway, along with the critters that live there, really stand out. The artic fox was definitely one of my favourites. Which makes it no surprise that we have featured this fantastic shot of a snowy fox wandering the mountains. This, for me, is a perfect example of animal photography. The composition and portrait style really showcases the vastness of the Norwegian fjords. I really like the fox’s stance, especially the paw held up and the head tilted to the side. You can tell it has just sensed a lumbering Viking trudging through the snow not too far away. The Day of the Jackal Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ xephon-70.bsky.social One thing I always thought Assassin's Creed Origins nailed was the use of the Gods. The Egyptians were renowned for their worship to the deities so it would have been strange not to explore these avenues. Having the Anubis outfit for Bayek was pretty cool and it fits so well with the story given the path of vengeance Bayek undertook. I think this is a sensational portrait of our hero dressed as the protector of graves and guide to the afterlife. The bright white background contrasts excellently with the black of the armour, acting as a metaphor for the Assassins. I particularly like the level of detail too, further enhancing the quality of this capture. I Never Sleep Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ charapof.bsky.social Assassin’s Creed Origins became the tenth new entry into this wonderful franchise and along with it a photo mode. You could say it was the perfect game for us virtual photographers as many went wild snapping amazing Egyptian vistas, and its captivating hero. Here we have a truly remarkable image of Bayek and Senu looking out across the desert. I adore the warm tones of this capture alongside the beautiful sand dunes, which add layers to the shot. Silhouettes always look good but this one in particular caught my attention. The black outline of our heroes really contrasts brilliantly with the colour palette of the background. A father and his companion seeking solace in the wilderness. Colourful Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ SGVphoto It’s sad to say but we are a few weeks away from the curtain falling on Assassin’s Creed Mirage. A game that has largely gone under the radar but quietly reinvigorated the series with its blend of old and new. Shadows will soon take the mantle as the newest game, so a capture like this feels fitting to close out our article. This a beautiful photo that uses colour so elegantly. It’s quite amazing how there is a mix of blue, purple and orange in the sky. I love how the light is reflecting off the water. The sun setting in the background and Basim walking to it really has a feeling of closure. Although I am doubtful this is the last time we will see this complexed hero. 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

New Assassin's Creed Shadows Fall Roadmap Full Breakdown Breakdown Share 25 Oct 2025 Written By: Edited By: Zephryss Colum Blackett Back To Database Ubisoft has finally revealed the new Fall Roadmap for Assassin's Creed Shadows. Here’s everything you need to know about what’s coming to Assassin's Creed Shadows in the next few months. Parkour Update 2 The new Parkour will be released on October 28. This update will feature a new toggle option named "Advanced Parkour". It will remove all parkour barriers, allowing players to do side ejects and back ejects from any height. There will be some tweaks with side eject on parkour down, giving players more freedom of expression. The vertical ledge grab in regular parkour will now work in more situations, including non-standing objects, whether or not the advanced parkour toggle is on. From those non-standing objects, developers are also introducing a new beam manual jump option and reintroducing a much-requested feature called the directional catch ledge mechanic. Corrupted Castles A new Animus themed activity called Corrupted Castles will also be released on October 28. Any previously completed castle may get corrupted and filled with Animus anomalies, including Samurai Daisho and their corresponding reward chests. Up to five Corrupted Castles will appear on the map each season, allowing players plenty of opportunities to reengage those castles and higher levels of play for even greater rewards. Free Story Drops The 3rd story drop called "A Puzzlement” will be released on November 25th. This quest has a much more humorous, silly tone, much more akin to something like AC Odyssey, in which players are digging up old foes from Naoe's past who are looking for a bit of redemption. As the name suggests, "A Puzzlement", also introduces a brand new and intricate environmental puzzle which will include some Isu content. Yes, Ubisoft has heard the AC community, and they are finally adding Isu content to Assassin's Creed Shadows. The two protagonists will also learn new skills from each other: Naoe will learn how to perform her own spectacular version of Yasuke's war kick ability. Yasuke will learn how to stealthily dispatch enemies in a non-lethal way. The next special collaboration will also be released on November 25th and It will be something big. Ubisoft has also announced that there will be more surprises including new finishers, special missions, animus-themed rewards, and store content until the end of this year. AC Shadows on Nintendo Switch 2 Assassin's Creed Shadows is coming on the Nintendo Switch 2 on December 2nd. It will have all the recent updates and free content drops, except for the Claws of Awaji Expansion that will come later in the new year. It will also work with cross-progression to Ubisoft Connect, so players will be able to pick up where you left off. Switch 2 also offers a new way to play with touch screen features in all menus including world map, store and hideout. What do you think about the new Fall Roadmap for Assassin's Creed Shadows? Share your thoughts in the comments below. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Zephryss is a passionate social media manager based in India who joined TOWCB's Social Media Team in Summer 2024 to help the team prepare for coverage of Assassin's Creed Shadows news and updates. Recently, he completed his Masters degree in Electrical Engineering and is now preparing to take on a PhD. He loves video games very much, and since childhood has enjoyed playing various types of games in different genres He also has 3 gaming channels (Zephryss, Assassin Zephryss & Spider Zephryss) where he uploads gameplay videos regularly. Zephryss

15 Years of Assassin's Creed II: A Developer Retrospective & In-Depth Analysis Breakdown Share 22 Dec 2024 Written By: Edited By: Zephryss Colum Blackett Back To Database Fifteen years ago, Assassin's Creed II revolutionized the gaming world, laying the groundwork for one of the most celebrated franchises in history. As the sequel to the already successful Assassin's Creed, this instalment refined gameplay mechanics, introduced an engaging narrative, and set the standard for historical action-adventure games. Let’s explore the fascinating journey behind its creation, based on insights shared by Jean Guédon, a former game designer on AC II. Building on the Foundations of the First Game The development of Assassin's Creed II commenced with a careful evaluation of its predecessor. While the original game received acclaim for its groundbreaking visuals, innovative parkour system, and immersive narrative, the development team identified key areas for enhancement. These included refining crowd AI and behavior, diversifying gameplay through a wider range of mission objectives, and streamlining the overall game structure for a more engaging player experience. With the foundation of a robust and stable game engine in place, the development team sought to build upon the strengths of the first game and deliver an elevated and enriched Assassin's Creed experience. Image: Early development footage via Ubisoft Core Gameplay Pillars The team identified three pillars that defined the essence of the franchise: free running, combat, and social stealth. These gameplay elements became the foundation for the sequel. Innovations included faster climbing mechanics for taller structures in Florence and Venice, the addition of corner swings for smoother navigation, and expanded combat options, such as disarming enemies and using their weapons. Image: Three pillars that defined the essence of the franchise - social stealth, free running and combat The Rise of a New Assassin Image: Early concept art of Ezio via Ubisoft Image: Early concept art of Italian Renaissance via Ubisoft The choice to move beyond Altaïr and the Crusades-era setting was not without debate. However, the Italian Renaissance offered a rich tapestry of conspiracies, historical intrigue, and cultural advancements. Enter Ezio Auditore da Firenze, a relatable and dynamic protagonist. Unlike Altaïr, Ezio’s journey begins as a carefree young noble and evolves into a deeply personal quest for revenge after the betrayal and execution of his family. Image: Ezio before becoming an Assassin via Ubisoft Ezio’s character development, from a mischievous teenager to a master assassin, made him a fan favorite. Players followed his life stages, starting with his birth—a tutorial sequence introducing the game’s unique puppeteer control scheme. Integrating History and Fiction The Italian Renaissance setting was a treasure trove of inspiration. Historical figures like Leonardo da Vinci played pivotal roles, providing players with iconic tools such as the hidden blade and a flying machine. The developers seamlessly wove history into the narrative, blending fact and fiction to create a universe where players could explore and interact with the past. Image: Leonardo da Vinci in Assassin's Creed II via Ubisoft Strengthening the Narrative To create a truly immersive experience, the team prioritized a narrative that both guided and empowered players. Ezio's journey of revenge was expertly woven into the gameplay, with each mission highlighting the game's core mechanics. Social stealth played a crucial role in missions Image: Ezio in Assassin's Creed II via Ubisoft Innovations and Additions To create a truly immersive experience, the team prioritized a narrative that both guided and empowered players. Ezio's journey of revenge was expertly woven into the gameplay, with each mission highlighting the game's core mechanics. Social stealth played a crucial role in missions involving courtesans, while Leonardo's inventions provided thrilling opportunities to master the game's unique movement and combat systems. Image: Secret tomb, subject 16 glyphs, caravan chase and flying machine via Ubisoft Several new features debuted in Assassin's Creed II. Monteriggioni served as Ezio’s hideout, where players could invest in renovations, manage their wealth, and display their collections. Secret tombs, puzzles like the Subject 16 glyphs, and iconic sequences, such as the flying machine mission, added layers of variety and intrigue. The Legacy of Assassin's Creed II Assassin's Creed II not only solidified Ezio’s place as one of gaming’s most beloved characters but also set the tone for the franchise’s future. By introducing deeper gameplay mechanics, interconnected systems, and a global narrative structure (nicknamed "The Onion"), the game created a universe teeming with possibilities. Its influence can be seen in later titles like Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood and beyond. Image: The Sanctuary was a secret chamber located beneath the Villa Auditore in Monteriggioni via Ubisoft Conclusion Fifteen years later, Assassin's Creed II remains a masterpiece celebrated for its compelling storytelling, innovative gameplay, and vibrant historical setting. Jean Guédon and the development team’s dedication brought this world to life, crafting an experience that continues to inspire players and developers alike. As Ezio would say, Insieme per la vittoria—Together for victory. Image: Happy 15th anniversary to Assassin’s Creed 2 via Ubisoft comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Zephryss is a passionate social media manager based in India who joined TOWCB's Social Media Team in Summer 2024 to help the team prepare for coverage of Assassin's Creed Shadows news and updates. Recently, he completed his Masters degree in Electrical Engineering and is now preparing to take on a PhD. He loves video games very much, and since childhood has enjoyed playing various types of games in different genres He also has 3 gaming channels (Zephryss, Assassin Zephryss & Spider Zephryss) where he uploads gameplay videos regularly. Zephryss

Art Reveal: The Way To AlULa by Serajeddine Community Share 27 Oct 2025 Written By: Edited By: Serajeddine Hayden Bird Back To Database Check out this great new piece of artwork by our very own Serajaddine from TOWCB Art Team! The art is based upon the upcoming Assassin's Creed Mirage Valley of Memory DLC. It depicts the main protagonist, Basim Ibn Ishaq looking over the desert valley with large mountains around and under a beautifully drawn blue sky with a small layer of clouds peering in from the east. We especially love the part down deep in the canyon where Basim is looking over and to the dark green foliage that accurately represents the dry desert with hints of color in what we would see in the ancient Valley of AlUla. What are your thoughts? Let us know what you think in the comments below! Stay tuned for more exclusive and breathtaking art reveals here at The Ones Who Came Before! Valley of Memory launches November 18th 2025. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author In March 2025, Serajeddine joined TOWCB's Art Team just before the launch of Assassin's Creed Shadows, in a bid to re-energise the team with new ideas and projects. He is a digital and traditional artist with a special ink style, often resembling comic books, something which we have been searching for to bring something different to our content. Throughout 2025, Serajeddine worked be working alongside TOWCB's Art Team on a variety of projects which range from creating art for fundraising to live art creation watch-alongs! By joining the AC Partnership Program, we aimed to boost his profile within the community and create a meaningful relationship with Ubisoft. Seraj left the team in October 2025 due to a change in personal circumstances. Serajeddine

New Assassin's Creed Shadows 1.1.1 Update: Full Breakdown Breakdown Share 12 Sept 2025 Written By: Edited By: Zephryss Colum Blackett Back To Database Ubisoft has finally launched the new Assassin's Creed Shadows 1.1.1 update on September 11th. This update includes lots of features and was also released before the Claws of Awaji DLC. Here is everything you need to know. Claws of Awaji Expansion In this expansion to Assassin’s Creed Shadows, you will discover a new island region dominated by the Sanzoku Ippa, a nefarious faction intent on uncovering the final Regalia. You will need to avoid traps and ambushes as you track the legendary Fujibayashi Tsuyu. Naoe will get a new weapon Bo staff to eliminate enemies with tactical efficiency. There will be New legendary gear, skills and abilities also await across more than 10 hours of additional content. New Free Story Quest: Go With The Bo In this quest you will join Junjiro to meet a legendary Bo Master and learn more about the Bo staff, a dynamic new weapon type perfectly suited to Naoe’s acrobatic fighting style. Upon finishing the quest, you will receive a Bo to use across your adventures. Ubisoft confirmed that the Bo weapon will now be free for everyone, whether you own the DLC or not. It was originally developed exclusively for the Claws of Awaji expansion. Level Cap Increase Ubisoft has also increased the level cap to 100 for the Claws of Awaji DLC, giving players more room to grow and additional options to customize their builds. New Hideout Upgrades In the new Hideout update, each unique building now includes 2 additional upgrade levels, bringing the total to 20 new enhancements, alongside 3 new Hideout levels. These upgrades introduce: Valuable bonuses that accelerate Hideout growth Improved crafting capability by making Gold more accessible Direct enhancements to Naoe, Yasuke, and their allies, making them more effective in both combat and exploration Advance Time of Day You will gain the ability to meditate and skip time forward to the next 6 o’clock (AM or PM) by upgrading the Nando to level 2. To activate meditation, find a safe location and hold the Up button (L on keyboard). Enhanced Gear Quality By upgrading the Forge to level 6, Naoe and Yasuke gain the ability to enhance their gear to new quality tiers: Mythic and Artifact. Once an item reaches one of these tiers, it can be further upgraded through eight additional levels to unlock its full potential. Epic items can be transformed into Mythic items, which improve their stats with each level, add a Boosted Stat if one wasn’t present, and boost non-legendary perks, including the one in the engraving slot, by 50% at level 5 and 100% at level 9. (For perks related to damage reduction, refill ration, ammo, or tools, this bonus is halved, capped at a 50% increase at level 9) Legendary items can be transformed into Artifact items, which not only increase their stats with each level but also gain additional Boosted Stats at levels 3, 7, and twice at level 9. Engraved non-legendary perks are also boosted, just like with Mythic items. These powerful enhancements are designed as long-term goals, supporting players through the increasing difficulty of subsequent New Game+ cycles and other upcoming challenges. New Project: Sanctuary Ubisoft has added a new project called Sanctuary to the Animus Hub. It includes: Ezio Renaissance Robe & Hood Eagle Head Kusarigama Rooftop Cat Pet Charm of Firenze Trinket Improved Scouts Upgrading the Study to level 4 now allows Scouts to reveal both Viewpoints and Safehouses. Discovering Safehouses is especially valuable, as it lets Naoe and Yasuke join the action more quickly by reducing their travel time. With the Kakurega upgraded to level 4, uncovering all Viewpoints within a province will also reveal the entire province automatically, giving players full visibility of its terrain and strategic locations. There will be no more fog on the map. New Anomaly Missions in Awaji With the release of the Claws of Awaji expansion, new Anomaly Missions will be available in that region, with one appearing in every schedule. These Anomalies will only be accessible to players who have the DLC installed. Additionally the cutscenes are no longer limited to 30 FPS on PC. More Information on Claws of Awajii DLC Here’s the new official poster for the Claws of Awaji DLC in Assassin's Creed Shadows. The Claws of Awaji releases on September 16 at 05:00 AM PT / 08:00 AM ET / 12:00 PM UTC / 09:00 PM JST. If you did not pre-order the game, the DLC will be available for purchase on all platforms for $25/€25 on September 16. Here are some new official screenshots from the Claws of Awaji DLC in Assassin's Creed Shadows. Official global release timings for the Claws of Awaji DLC in Assassin's Creed Shadows. What do you think about this new update, and how excited are you for the upcoming Claws of Awaji DLC? Share your thoughts below! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Zephryss is a passionate social media manager based in India who joined TOWCB's Social Media Team in Summer 2024 to help the team prepare for coverage of Assassin's Creed Shadows news and updates. Recently, he completed his Masters degree in Electrical Engineering and is now preparing to take on a PhD. He loves video games very much, and since childhood has enjoyed playing various types of games in different genres He also has 3 gaming channels (Zephryss, Assassin Zephryss & Spider Zephryss) where he uploads gameplay videos regularly. Zephryss

Breaking News: Assassin's Creed Shadows Trailer Coming May 2024 News Share 13 May 2024 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) TOWCB Team Back To Database After 20 months since the original reveal of Assassin's Creed Codename Red, Ubisoft has finally announced that the game is officially titled 'Assassin's Creed: Shadows'. A reveal trailer is due to launch on May 15th at 5pm BST according to a short countdown teaser video that has been posted on social media platforms and also sent out on multiple accounts via Ubisoft's mailing system. According to former Assassin's Creed Community Developer Sebasteann , the hourglass is located in Shinsekai, Osaka. '' Assassin's Creed Codename Red becomes Assassin's Creed Shadows. Tune-in for the Official Cinematic World Premiere Trailer on May 15, 9 AM PT. #AssassinsCreedShadows '' Ubisoft also revealed the new logo and branding for Assassin's Creed Shadows. The official Assassin's creed Twitter accounts changed their banners to this image, containing a secret message which can only be decoded using a cypher, available on the Ubisoft website . Good luck Codebreakers! Another code sent out by the Assassin's Creed mailing list. Teaser for an upcoming Cinematic Trailer. Ubisoft also announced a new season of the Echoes of History podcast. ''Introducing a new chapter of Echoes of History, the podcast that explores the incredible real-life stories and events that inspire the locations, characters, and storylines of the legendary Assassin’s Creed. Join your host, historian Matt Lewis, and regular contributor Holly Nielsen, as they guide you into the worlds of Assassin’s Creed, talking to historical experts to uncover the secrets of the past before stepping ‘into the Animus’ to delve into how these moments are recreated. New weekly episodes every Monday. Echoes of History - a Ubisoft podcast brought to you by History Hit. Music by The Flight.'' The floodgates are about to open on all things Assassin's Creed: Shadows, so stay vigilant Assassins! 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: 19th -25th March 2022 Community Share 4 Apr 2022 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the new weekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from The AC Partnership Program. Every week, we will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. Aaron is a keen virtual photographer and loves to post his journeys through Assassin’s Creed on Twitter. Keep an eye on the site as more weekly shots are added, we are looking for capture across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to the #TOWCBWeeklyCapture for a chance to be featured. 1) Dawn of Ragnarok Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla This week’s first capture comes from @coalabr14 over on Twitter. Our first Dawn of Ragnarok shot to be featured. I am yet to play the DLC myself, however this picture inspires me to give it a go. I love the statue of what looks like Thor in the centre, with the steaming cauldrons either side. I am definitely getting God of War vibes from this. 2) Havi Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Photo number two comes from @Toringtino over on Twitter. Again I think this capture comes from Ragnarok, especially with how Eivor looks. This is a great portrait of the main man himself. He is fully armoured up and ready for battle, with a stare like that I would not want to get in his way. I really like how this shot showcases that epic beard. 3) The Revolution Game: Assassin’s Creed Unity This week’s third shot comes from @Zorik323 over on Twitter. A stunning black and white portrait of Arno. I particularly like how he is stood in an archway with the blurry background. The detail on the building in front of him is excellent. I am loving the pose more than anything though, classic Assassin. 4) Twilight Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP number four comes from @dpruttz_vp over on Twitter. This shot is too good. I love it when a portrait of the lead character comes off like this. It feels like a painting more than a game capture. The Twilight armour really is on show here, and the sparks behind Eivor just amplify it. Really enjoying the turned head look, showing off the eye patch, nice little touch. 5) Stones Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla The final capture of the week comes from @PodToGo over on Twitter. An amazing bird’s eye view of Aveberie Megaliths Standing Stones. There are so many of these picturesque locations in the game. What I adore about this shot is the camera angle, it really plays tricks on your mind. The white 8 with the stones all around looks very mysterious. And that sums it up for this week’s Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list! Thank you for checking out this week’s photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next week keep those shots coming in! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2021 after the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. After building momentum and interest on TOWCB website for Virtual Photography, Aaron established TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, of which he is now Team Leader. Throughout 2024, TOWCB VP Team will be sharing community captures in dedicated articles, and providing a positive environment on Twitter for gamers to share their shots. Aaron Young

Assassin's Creed Movie and its Importance Analysis Share 2 Jul 2025 Written By: Edited By: Hayden Bird Colum Blackett Back To Database Leading up to the announcement and release of the Assassin’s Creed Movie (2016), fans were eager to see a film adaptation of the franchise, and hoped to follow an original storyline in a unique historical setting. The movie, created by 20th Century Fox and New Regency, did exactly that. It excited fans of gaming who enjoyed seeing popular games adapted to the big screen. This strategy used widely by film companies who tried to expand the universe of several major video game franchises, worked at times, and at other times, did not quite as well live up to fan and critical expectations. The Assassin’s Creed Movie was an exciting project for the franchise as the year of its release, 2016, was set to be a quiet one for the series in terms of mainline games. Ubisoft committed to taking the year off of making a new game in the series for the first time in many years. Ubisoft instead put their focus on the movie along with the Ezio Collection , which was a remaster of the three beloved games in the series featuring fan-favorite protagonist Ezio Auditore. Overall, it was considered a quiet year, but there was still much to look forward to for any Assassin’s Creed fan. Promotional image for Assassin's Creed (2016) The movie boasted a serious star studded cast, with big names such as Michael Fassbender in the leading role, popular actress Marion Cotillard, Academy Award winner Jeremy Irons, and other big names that signed on the project. The cast certainly did not disappoint, and the film also hired Justin Kurzel to direct who was best known for directing the Shakespearian play remake Macbeth, ironically also starring Fassbender and Cotillard (2015). The cast and crew was well crafted by the producers and creative team. It made the movie so much more convincing with a cast full of stars. The story follows the journey of Spanish Assassin, Aguilar de Nerha, played by Michael Fassbender, and his life during the Spanish Inquisition and the Granada War. The plot of the film mirrored the modern day part of the story of Callum Lynch, also played by Fassbender. It told the story of the everlasting war between Assassins and Templars and their fight for freedom. This time fans got to experience a project in the series based on historical Spain, an era never touched upon by the games. The story of the film showed Callum, or Cal for short, synchronizing with his ancestor, Aguilar, and the journey he follows to transform himself from criminal misfit to a member of the Assassin Brotherhood. The movie released on December 21, 2016 and went on to gross $22 million in its first six days at the box office. The film ended up not living up to financial expectations, but there’s no doubt the film itself was quite selective and had a more complex following. It went on to gross a total of $240.9 million in its full theatrical run. The film also experienced mostly negative critical feedback, but on some sites such as Rotten Tomatoes, it has a significantly higher fan score than critical, suggesting most fans who watched were satisfied in the end. Since the film’s release, it has gone through several streaming services and most notably recently became the number one most watched movie on HBO Max for over a week and beyond. Sometimes films get overlooked during its initial release and eventually find their footing years later in the streaming category. Promo image for Assassin's Creed (2016) showing Aguilar de Nerha The idea of a movie based on Assassin’s Creed actually began in October of 2011. The film flipped through studios and development phases several times before Ubisoft Motion Pictures announced a year later that Michael Fassbender would be starring in the film. The film also flipped through directors and scriptwriters many times until they settled on Justin Kurzel taking over. After the film got its foundation started, it was initially planned to be the first film in a new series. After finalizing the cast and crew, filming began on August 31st, 2015. Pre-production was in full effect. There were several teases and hints as the film grew closer and the movie trailer was even revealed on TV during an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live. The trailer was very popular during the show and later after being posted shortly after on YouTube where it gathered over 2 million views on just one channel, not counting the dozens of other official and fan pages who released the trailer too. One thing that is a debate is the potential confusion of the story to casual fans who could be unaware of the games and what they are about. The movie was perceived as a bit tricky to understand mostly over the use of the Animus, which is a device used in the games that allows the modern day protagonist the ability to access their ancestors' genetic memories. The portrayal of the Animus in the movie was difficult to understand to more casual viewers. In the end, the movie was and is a big part of the Assassin’s Creed community. Many fans alike went on opening night to movie theaters to see it. It definitely holds a soft spot for fans of the series and gamers in general, and really defined how much bigger Assassin’s Creed is than just a video game series. It's a worldwide media giant. The expansion Ubisoft took to the big screens was a bold move as it showed that the franchise was so much bigger than some fans may realize. It extends deeply into entertainment in general. The movie originally had a sequel announced by 20th Century Fox, but after the Disney acquisition that took over all of 20th Century’s properties, Disney went ahead and canceled the sequel shortly after purchasing Fox, leaving some fans disappointed as the ending to the movie left the door open for potential sequels. This was news to fans thinking the Assassin’s Creed franchise was all but dead in anything aside from gaming, until Ubisoft announced a partnership with Netflix in 2020 to develop a variety of projects based in the Assassin’s Creed universe. Including a live-action TV series and an animated show. This announcement proved Ubisoft was able to bounce back after missteps before and after the Assassin’s Creed Movie . The Netflix show is still in active development, and fans are looking forward to seeing what Ubisoft can bring to the small screen. Early promotional images for Assassin's Creed (2016) The mixed reception of the Assassin’s Creed Movie was a continued chain in the overall bad luck of video games adapted into films. This became so prevalent in the movie industry that most expected every new adaptation to fail, that was until an idea shifted to instead of adapting games to a film each time, instead try adapting into a television series, and this worked perfectly. Many major games have since been adapted to television formats such as The Witcher on Netflix, The Last of Us on HBO, Twisted Metal on Peacock, and others that strayed from the cinema path to instead try the small screen, and the continued success of this idea has only ballooned. Many other video games are set to get the TV treatment aside from Assassin’s Creed partnership with Netflix. The infamous failures of video game movies changed the way the industry thinks and has so far hit the jackpot with TV shows. The Assassin’s Creed Movie is beloved by many fans of the series, and memories shared outside of just the movie releasing itself are important as well. There were countless memories made in anticipation of the film that brought the community closer and of course its surprise success all these years later on streaming platforms. Whether the film was a critical or financial success or not, it created golden memories for the community and all those involved. The impact of the movie is more important than the box office. The time leading up to the movie was one of the best times to be an Assassin’s Creed fan, and regardless of its impression, it was a great experience for the community and the fans. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Hayden is a passionate Freelance Writer based in South Carolina who joined TOWCB's Writing Team in 2020 during the Covid-19 Pandemic, writing articles on all things Assassin's Creed Valhalla. He left the group to focus on studies, joining our Alumni program, but triumphantly returned with fresh ideas in 2024 to pick up where he left off, only this time covering Assassin's Creed Shadows. In 2025, Hayden took on the position of Team Leader for TOWCB's Writing Team, overseeing article releases, assisting with recruitment and providing assistance with internal operations. Hayden Bird

This Week in Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 13th to 19th March Community Share 21 Mar 2023 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Colum Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the weekly virtual photography roundup, hosted by Aaron Young from The AC Partnership Program. Every week I will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. Aaron is a keen virtual photographer and loves to post his journeys through Assassin’s Creed on Twitter. Keep an eye on the site as more weekly shots are added, we are looking for captures across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to the #TOWCBWeeklyCapture for a chance to be featured. This week’s theme: Assassin’s Creed Mirage Vibe Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ _ItDoesMatter We start this week’s showcase with a ni ce Assassin's Creed Mirage style shot. The position of Kassandra looking down on the pile of flowers really resembles some of the key art we have seen for the new game. Likewise the colours are very on point. I am a fan of these type of shots, as they have such a classic Assassin’s Creed feel. Hopefully it won’t be too long now before we see some more from Mirage. Link: https://twitter.com/_itdoesmatter/status/1635313665183485953?s=46&t=rIujpeSq9644fgpRWA_xMA The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week: Judge - Mike Smith (TOWCB Core Team) When I first saw this photo, I thought I was looking at Aya and not her ancestor, Kassandra. The recognition of a signature assassin (pre-assassins brotherhood) is strong in this shot and the similarities to what we have seen from Assassin's Creed Mirage show the strength of this series' lasting style in gaming. Kudo's to @ _ItDoesMatter for this image. The Blacksmith Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ frips Next up we have an elegant black and white portrait of Gunnar the blacksmith. I love the thoughtful look on his face. I also like how this photo captures his awesome Viking beard and face tat too. He could n ot look anymore Viking if he tried. I wish we had seen more of Gunnar in Valhalla, he and Eivor shared a close bond and it would have been nice to see him get more screen time. Raids in Paris Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ ZombieVision A nice simple but elegant shot for photo number three this week. I really like the warm tones of this capture, as it reminds me of a pleasant summers day. If you look closely the details are just perfect. The water and the greenery are particularly beautiful. I am loving the washed up longship, and the rowing boat that I assume Eivor arrived in. I did love the after battle look of Frankia, as it really gave me Viking vibes. Constellations Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ soulsurrender I actually do not have any words for this capture. A few years ago I saw a piece of artwork similar to this and loved it. It represents Origins so beautifully. The stars were always a connection between Bayek and Khemu, which brought so much emotion to the game. I adore the silhouettes of Bayek and Senu but also have to applaud the colours. The sky and the sand, especially with that shadow are impeccable. Eivor Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ dede_wijayanto3 We end this week’s showcase with a superb portrait of Eivor. I admire the style of this shot . There is something so eye-catching about it. It is almost like a piece of art rather than a video game capture. I really like that you can only see Eivor’s head and hand. It adds so much mystery to the photo. For me though the facial expression coupled with the colours of the face tattoo are just faultless. And that sums it up for this week’s Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list! Thank you for checking out this week’s photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next week keep those shots coming in! comments debug Comments (1) Write a comment Write a comment Sort by: Newest Guest Mar 22, 2023 Soulsurrenders shot is insane! Wow, such a beautiful shot Like Reply About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2021 after the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. After building momentum and interest on TOWCB website for Virtual Photography, Aaron established TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, of which he is now Team Leader. Throughout 2024, TOWCB VP Team will be sharing community captures in dedicated articles, and providing a positive environment on Twitter for gamers to share their shots. Aaron Young

Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 5th to 15th February 2024 Community Share 21 Feb 2024 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Colum Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the biweekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from the AC Partnership Program. Every two weeks we will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. This theme is all about celebrating our 100th article. It has been an absolute honour to feature all your shots over the last 2 years. The collection below is a small selection of our favourites from the last few weeks, with write ups from the artists. We look forward to many more articles in the future. Keep an eye on the site as more shots are added, we are looking for captures across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to #ACFirstCivVP for a chance to be featured. This week’s theme: Assassin’s Creed 100th Article All Father Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ Cll3ar The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Theme ''When it comes to virtual photography, I aim to bring creativity and artistry to every shot. I enjoy capturing everything from dark, moody scenes to vibrant magical moments. Take for example this shot of Eivor (Havi) emerging from the red leaves left behind by a fallen enemy. I’ve been a fan of Assassin’s Creed for ages, and the photo mode features in the latest games have been a real game-changer for me. Allowing me to freeze moments and tell stories through my lens. The Assassin’s Creed community has been awesome, giving me the opportunity to showcase my work in articles and virtual photography magazines early on. This support has meant the world to me. Big thanks to everyone for letting me share my world with you.'' Judge: Admin Team Aaron ( FalconSwift87 ) “The realm is changed. But this is not Surtr’s doing. It is something more.” Assassin’s Creed Valhalla boasts a considerable section dedicated to Havi. When entering these mythical worlds, photography options become a lot more varied. On reflection I cannot wait to revisit them soon. This stunning landscape shot of Havi gives me real box art vibes, in fact it isn’t too dissimilar to what Ubisoft produced. I adore Havi stance as it shows him in pain, something he must endure a lot of during the Ragnarok DLC. The cold tones in the background fit beautifully with the Norse theme, reminding me of the Norway arc. I love the red leaves; they look so graceful fluttering up behind him. The remains of an enemy put to the sword by the High One. Turið Torkilsdóttir Raven has a distinctive way of utilizing the environment of a game. She combines pleasant colours and interesting scenery to create something unique every time. This photo is the best proof of it and well deserved first place. Kai ( KaiVirtualPhoto ) I’m a fan of Raven and her work with colours, and this shot makes no exception. I love the contrast between the red leaves in the foreground and the white/blue tones in the background. Eivor passing by with his eyes covered by shadows, as well as the cinematic aspect ratio, make for a magnificent picture and composition. Congratulations Raven. Jack ( _Virtualtourism ) Raven’s distinct style and perspective consistently yields stunning virtual photography across various games. In this image her talent shines through in her ability to convey motion within the image. The sense of Eivor traversing the scene is heightened not only by a great composition but also the vibrant red leaves, which are drifting through the scene, and helped by being excellently contrasted against the cold blue backdrop. Truly a breath-taking capture. Church Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ PodToGo ''Hi, I’m Payableondeath from Germany and I’ve been doing VP since 2015. I started just taking screenshots for me and my friends, but from 2017 with Horizon Zero Dawn, I discovered photo mode. I was impressed by everything I could do that couldn’t be done in real life photography, such as pausing the action and moving the camera or changing the time of day. I’ve loved challenging my creativity again and again. I got to know Assassin’s Creed back then with AC2. It picked me up during a difficult time and that’s not the only reason why it has a place in my heart. Assassin’s Creed also showed me to be open to foreign cultures and people. It is great to share my passion for both, with this wonderful community.'' Viewpoint Game: Assassin’s Creed Syndicate VP Artist: @ juanmawl ''I remember the exact moment I took this shot (along with others in that location). I was particularly fond of the WW1 sequence in Assassin’s Creed Syndicate. I was experimenting with a free roam injector for the PC version of the game. I loved the colours on the horizon, and I decided to place Lydia at the top of London Bridge. I tried some unusual angles, but I think the shot turned out beautifully overall. I love virtual photography in general and Assassin’s Creed in particular because it allows me to capture the details beneath the visuals, such as short angle shots, expressions, or the tranquillity of a landscape. There is so much difference between the gameplay shot and the final outcome. That is one of the things I love the most, comparing the two. I’ve been honing my photography skills since AC3, and shots like this one make me fee proud.'' Restricted Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: Siobhan from AC UK (@ mysticheero ) ''I’m a big Assassin’s Creed fan. I am part of the Assassin’s Creed United Kingdom group and former Mentor and Star Player for Ubisoft. I enjoy virtual photography and exploring the world of gaming through it, capturing scenes I find amazing and inspiring. I love discovering how changing colours, focal points and angles alters our perception of an image. Strong colours stand out and impact the emotion of a scene but, equally the lack of colour can have just as powerful effect. Assassin’s Creed has something for everyone, across all its transmedia sources. The community is a great place to express our love from different viewpoints. It’s always great seeing the community come together to share their passions, supporting and inspiring each other to be part of such an inclusive community.'' Under the Sea Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ RaffGN7 ''This shot was a little difficult to take. I had to centre Eivor with the ship, and Eivor needed to be closer to the camera because of the photo mode restrictions. I took some shots, and this was the one that turned out best. Obviously, it’s a little retouched in photoshop, so you can use it as a wallpaper or poster. My passion for this saga inspired me to take this shot. I call it Between two Worlds.'' Dracarys Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ Amaya_Nocturna ''This is truly an honour. This particular shot was all experimental. It was during my first time playing the Dawn of Ragnarok DLC. I was using Sýnin (with the dragon skin) to look for something, until I noticed the smoke from the chimneys. A lightbulb essentially went off in my head. It took a few tries to time it just right, but the result is something I am so extremely proud of. I would like to say that my virtual photography is still very much a work in progress. I am trying new things as often as possible, and I am trying to grow with it. Its like a traditional artist trying to have diverse styles. However, portraits like this are my forte. Virtual photography is fun and is another digital art form that we can explore. When it comes to Assassin’s Creed, I have to say that it is a great series. Personally, it has taught me that history is far more interesting than school makes it out to be. It taught me and continues to teach me history in a fun and engaging way. As far as the community is concerned, it is a place where I have met some amazing people and have formed lots of friendships. I continue to meet new people because of this fantastic series. I even met classmates who are also fans of Assassin’s Creed. I know the community isn’t always perfect, but I think we all need to remember that we are here for a mutual love of this game series. It’s a great community and we need to stick together.'' Tactician Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ 9b75 The good thing about Assassin’s Creed is that as an Assassin we can set the world straight. At the same time, we can get in touch with nature and the lives of the people who lived in that time-period. I don’t know of any other game where we can climb Big Ben, run freely around the Palace of Versailles, or stand at the top of the pyramids. It’s the best. I will continue to take photos of these great moments. I want to thank the community for featuring our work in this way. It is nothing short of a source of energy for us. Thank you so much. Surveying the Land Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ cop_filip ''Assassin’s Creed is the first gaming franchise I ever got into back with Assassin's Creed 2 and it's also where my virtual photography journey started all the way back in 2017. These are the games I've captured and posted most, and even after all this time and all the different games I've captured over the years I still love coming back to them and capturing their beautiful worlds. I really love this series and I'm happy I can be a part of and contribute to the community. '' Anubis Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ zurullotarra ''I love doing virtual photography because I can explore my favourite games looking for beautiful places to capture. That way I can get lost in their fantasy worlds and forget about real life.'' 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 II (2009) Share Written By: Edited By: TOWCB Team Back To Database The game introduced players to Ezio Auditore, a character who is often rated as the best of the whole series. range comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author A collection of articles from The Ones Who Came Before team. TOWCB Team

Answers Lost in Time: A Review of Assassin’s Creed Escape Room Puzzle Book Review Share 17 Feb 2023 Written By: Edited By: Michael Smith Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Banner Art by TOWCB Artist Thea Marie Rivedal (@ Moonchildgecko ) This article contains amazon affliliate links which help to financially support TOWCB #AD Glyph Puzzle from Assassin's Creed II (image by ActualSpider-Man) Stealth, combat, parkour, and puzzles have all been staples of Assassin’s Creed since the first game, but more so since AC II. Clay Kaczmerek was the first puzzle master that we unknowingly followed as we solved his clues to find “The Truth” of the Isu and the core of the Assassin’s Creed story. Solving the various glyphs that were sprinkled around Italy brought a logical aspect to the games that players hadn’t experienced in the first instalment. With each release after AC II, puzzles of some sort have been included to reward the player with additional stories or physical rewards (in-game) that we could use with our character. Author James Hamer-Morton Influenced and crafted by the mind of Escape Room artist James Hamer-Morton, comes a new experience for puzzle enthusiasts and fans of Assassin’s Creed titl es ' Assassin’s Creed Escape Room Puzzle Book .' A new adventure that traverses previous locales of the games as the reader follows an original character Joey through the ages, solving puzzles to stop an impending vision of the future, where a mysterious new villain uses an Isu Artifact to control the masses. Through the use of various puzzle types, readers of this book will pull at the threads of the interwoven story and have an experience similar to that of an escape room themed within the AC Universe. The escape room company that James co-founded “James Hamer-Morton is one of the masterminds behind UK boutique escape room chain 'Deadlocked' - the pioneering powerhouse behind hit episodic online escape rooms 'The Insiders' and 'The Cyphstress'. He was created in a lab specifically for the world of immersive experiences - whilst cutting his teeth starring in art house films and moonlighting as games level designers, he soon turned their hand to the world of 'alternative reality games' -devoting his life to transporting their audiences into the centre of their own artisan adventures. From this he came up with the 'Escape Room Puzzles' series, of which there are now four books.” (Quote provided by the author) The third Escape Room book by James Hamer-Morton I learned during a chat with James that he was approached by Ubisoft as they wanted a similar book for the Assassin’s Creed series to that of his previous works; something he was very excited to do being a fan of the series himself. Having a chance to write an original story for Assassin’s Creed and injecting the pages with puzzles, guiding the reader from one era to the next via the use of the Animus, is a dream for any author and fan of the series. The print error from the end of Chapter 3 While I will be breaking down the contents of the book fro m the story to the dificulty of puzzles, I must start this review with a note for anyone that is planning on picking up this unique entry to the transmedia line; the book has a handful of editing errors that resulted in a broken progression half way through the book. At the end of the third chapter, the Assassin that Joey is controlling within the Animus is provided incorrect information by the target of the confession room. This incorrect information, which is a puzzle itself, provides a list of numbers that are clues to the letter placement of the various identifiers of the target “My name 4, my location - 3,...” This will lead readers to a collection of letters that do not solve the puzzle, in turn stopping them from progressing without looking at the answer section of the book, or turning the page and disregarding the error. The answer section is the correct answer to the puzzle but due to a change of Editors and the publishing of a draft that James had provided to show what he would do, before making the actual puzzle (which changed the order and numbers used in confession), the book in the English version was printed with this broken experience. The correct solution from Chapter 3 James shared his annoyance with this issue as, before I reached out to him about it, prior to our chat he was not aware that his latest work was released with such an error. He shared his process of how he will write the story of each chapter and decide the puzzles he wants to use before sending them to the puzzle checkers and editor to make sure that they will work in all translations. For example, if the phrase “Leaving something up to chance” is said for a puzzle that uses directions such as up, down, left , and right, you can’t use that clue as in another language the key word “up” would not translate in the context that he was using. This is why puzzles that use names or deliberate translations are used. So when he was sent the copy for the test read, it was the correct version, but unfortunately the printing did not follow that same copy and was released incorrectly. He also informed me that he did not write the Answer section of the book, but thankfully the answers are correct so the reader can progress with its assistance. So knowing this, please keep in mind that the current English publication has this error, but can be solved via the Answer section or by just continuing to read the story. The story is a great read and worth purchasing the book for this alone. It fits well within the confines of the series’ lore without damaging anything. Both the author and myself consider it canon, but there isn’t a hard yes to the question of if it actually is. When asked about it by another fan, Aymar Azaïzia (Transmedia and Business Development Director for Assassin’s Creed) stated in his response, "It’s a puzzle book! It’s full of riddles inspired by our lore and characters. It’s definitely not bi[n]ding and would not affect our games with crazy twist that would jeopardize the universe" ( Source ) Readers complete puzzles as they work through the story The story follows a new character Joey (an easter egg to fans of the game Tunneling Through Time , another Deadlocked creation), a museum security guard that notices an artifact having moved when watching the CCTV feed. What is really cool about Joey is that the author deliberately did not gender the character so that the reader could give their own choice to the protagonist much like how you can choose your gender in some of the most recent titles in Assassin’s Creed. This leads to the book’s first puzzle (a letter organization puzzle based on the sides of dice) and the introduction of the Isu Artifact (a double bladed dagger ) which the adventure is shaped around. In this prologue, and the following first chapter, Joey meets the Assassin’s Brotherhood and begins to learn about the opposing Templar Order and the use of the Animus. From here, each chapter takes place in both the modern (day for story progression) and a genetic memory for the bulk of the puzzles, as well as exploring the mystery of the artifact that Joey found. The Animus revisits Ancient Greece, Egypt, Viking London, Damascus, and Venice, with cameos of main characters such as Bayek and Altair, but also supporting characters like Leonardo Di Vinci and fan favorite Markos from Kefalonia. With this and the addition of a new Isu who influences Joey and acts as a sort of AC III Juno (another Isu) with each page turn. Each memory fits within the timeline of their respective game which provides the story the possibility of being canon. However in certain chapters such as Chapter 4 where the Animus Avatar and Masyaf Assassin, Faisal watches Al Mualim give his speech to the attacking Templar forces as his three Assassins take their Leap of Faith from the fortress above (the opening scenes of the original Assassin’s Creed), to then read that Faisal is assisted by a horse riding Altair is a bit confusing as the time frame of making said jump and getting to the gates seems possible but out of place. However the speech Al Mualim is giving is cut directly from the game; another point towards the book being canon in my opinion. The first puzzle of the book The puzzles progress in difficulty and as the story moves forward and each will provide solutions for other puzzles in the chapter. So while in the first chapter, the reader will find a solution to every puzzle when they complete it, later chapters won’t give clues for a puzzle right away, but the solution to a later one will provide what is needed to complete said challenge. This is clearly explained in the “How to Use This Book” section in the opening pages. The reader is directed to read the story up until a labeled stopping point and then review the content of the story up until that point to gather what is needed to solve the forthcoming pu zzles. However, the story does not have false answers, or dead ends like similar books of this type that would make the reader restart an area in the chapter. This is something that I shared with James, about being a cool idea to improve on replayability. We also discussed how some of his earlier books had suggested time frames for puzzles, but that was not something the publisher wanted going forward. Additionally, some of the puzzles can be answered just by knowing the history of the games and which genetic memory follows the current one depicted in the chapter the reader is on. Puzzle 1 Difficult Hint If the reader still has issues figuring out a solution, the answer section is broken up into 4 levels of hints and solutions. Difficult Hints for inspiration on how to approach the puzzle. Puzzle 1 Medium Hint M edium hints prov ide pointers for those that are stuck. Puzzle 1 Easy Hint Ea sy hints provid e help to those that are truly lost, and the final section contains the actual answer to the puzzle. I myself had to reference all of them at some point for individual puzzles either due to being stuck, just wanting to see what the hints would be for a puzzle, or due to the unfortunate misprints in the text. So every level of puzzle lover should get a fun experience from the book and the challenges it presents. One of the various cut-out sections of the book Discussing the physical book itself, I mentioned the fact that while only a $15 USD book, being informed that certain pages would require you to cut out sections to make things like a cipher disk or sliding items into place to get a phrase, is hard for myself and a lot of other collectors who do not like to damage their items. I had made suggestions on adding additional pages that are left blank on one side or even having sliding pieces like those used in a children’s book would be nice. Understandably though, this would add to the production cost of the book and raise the cover price. James shared that in his other titles, a QR code is provided for all of the pieces that need to be removed for puzzles on a printable document so the reader didn’t need to do this to the book itself. When reading, I used a combination of a document software on my phone, a notebook, and scraps of paper to make what I needed to solve the puzzles without making marks or cuts. It was also mentioned that Jame’s bio or “About the Author” page was not included in this book unlike his previous releases, which is sad as it would be a great insight into who this author is to the series, learning that he is a master at his craft in escape rooms and puzzles. Luckily, the publisher is aware of the various errors I brought to his attention and will hopefully print a revised edition in the future. An addition that I will easily repurchase to have a complete and working copy of this enjoyable experience. I hope we get a sequel to Assassin’s Creed Escape Room Puzzle Book as I loved this entry to the series and, now knowing the level of care the author puts into his work, makes me want more. In addition, compared to the VR Escape Rooms that Ubisoft has released in the past, this is something that requires no physical and expensive hardware which means anyone and everyone can pick up a copy and “play” this title at their own pace no matter where they are. For fans of the series and those that enjoy the escape room experience, this is worth picking up and spending an afternoon with. Currently the book has only been published in English (from what I can find) and is available from various bookstores at an MSRP of £14.99/$16.95. Amazon US: Amazon UK: comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Mike Smith is a collector of all things Assassin's Creed and a major supporter of transmedia who joined TOWCB as a writer from 2021 - 2024 With nearly a full library of Assassin's Creed media, his work explored the universe in order of Genetic Memory. Notably, his Assassin's Creed Timeline became an essential tool for fans of the franchise looking to complete their collection and consume AC media in a particular order. Michael Smith

Assassin's Creed Unity - A Great Game With A Bad Reputation Share 15 Feb 2025 Written By: Edited By: Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon) Gargudon Back To Database 2014’s Assassin’s Creed Unity, marked the beginning of a new era. It was the first game exclusive to a new generation of video game consoles, built solely with that powerful technology, meaning less restrictions and new possibilities. This made for an ambitious, graphically stunning and chaotic yet lively portrayal of 1790’s Revolutionary Paris, offering a wide array of activities making for dozens of hours of gameplay, one of the best storylines to date with remarkable characters, what might be the smoothest parkour to date, the widest selection of character customisation options yet, and of course, fun action packed Co-op missions to be played with friends and much more. Underneath all of this though, is a game infamous for being rushed in development, that was simply put out too soon, many players finding it unplayable at launch, having purchased an ultimately unfinished product. Numerous patches and a while later though, the game was finally able to be played as it was always meant to, with the years it having become a fan favourite among a number of fans, many even calling it their favourite instalment overall. However, none of this changes the rushed and disastrous launch, forever impacting and plaguing the reputation and legacy of an otherwise great and fun game, maybe even the franchise as a whole. Join us for a deep dive into all of this and more, in our new in-depth retrospective look at the game. Full video available now on our YouTube channel! Video written and narrated by SisterlyThrower, co-written and edited by Gargudon. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Gustav / Gargudon is an active community member, who started out in podcast hosting in 2016, but today mostly specialises in video creation, interviews & composing. By joining The Ones Who Came Before in 2019, originally reviving 'The Memory Corridor' podcast, which had been offline for nearly a year, he has had the opportunity to expand his audience and further develop his skills. 

His unique skill set made him the perfect candidate for our team. Among other things, he is known in the community for the Sounds Of History project - an original Assassin’s Creed inspired instrumental music project, featuring five tracks inspired by as many different games - other original fan themes plus covers of iconic AC tracks, as well as video interviews with a number of high profile names in the world of AC, from Roger Craig Smith, Jesper Kyd and more. Fun fact, among his growing colourful tattoo collection, Gustav is the only member of our team to have the TOWCB logo inked. Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon)