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TOWCB VP Team Members Aaron Young and Turið Torkilsdóttir Featured on Pixel Focus Podcast Episode 8 News Share 6 Mar 2024 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) TOWCB Team Back To Database Pixel Focus podcast is a show hosted by N7_spectres and Son_OG5 that provides insight into the world of Virtual Photography across a wide spectrum of gaming communities. In episode 8, the hosts are joined by two members of ACFirstCiv . Representing The Ones Who Came Before Assassin's Creed fan community via the AC Partnership Program ( Isu_Network ) were Aaron Young (FalconSwift87) and Turið Torkilsdóttir . Aaron and Turid make up 50% of TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, and in episode 8, they discuss their passion for Virtual Photography, time management when capturing VP shots as parents, and working alongside TOWCB to establish a VP branch. It's always fascinating to hear the inspirations that motivate players to take particular shots in gaming worlds, whether it be story driven, landscape photography or portraits. Are they planned or do moments just appear as you play is a question that is posed in the episode, and does gaming provide an outlet to escape outside of parenthood. This episode was particularly thought-provoking and reflected the dual balance of life and gaming that lots of gamers experience. You can listen now on Youtube or Spotify (below) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr1OY5C379A Turið Torkilsdóttir is a member of the Isu_Network Virtual Photography team, and a moderator of our VP community. Back in 2020, she began sharing her Virtual Photography captures on Twitter, and interacting with the gaming community. In 2023, she joined TOWCB VP Team, and has been working behind the scenes on a number of social media and website strategies that spotlight community captures. She has also been contributing towards our VP projects, such as our bimonthly articles and showcase videos. You can normally find Turid interacting with community members in our Twitter VP community, spreading positivity and words of encouragement. Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2022. 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. 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)

New Assassin's Creed Mirage Promo Images: Game Informer September 2023 News Share 31 Aug 2023 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Here is a collection of new promotional images for Assassin's Creed Mirage featured in the latest issue of Game Informer magazine! Alongside the new issue, writers from the company joined Ubisoft at the Bordeaux studio for a sneak peak at the upcoming title! Check out the behind the scenes video showing the creation process of Assassin's Creed Mirage below, also featuring new gameplay clips! We take a leap of faith into Assassin's Creed Mirage for the latest issue, giving you new details on the back-to-the-roots game before it launches in October. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/06e6c8_32d8740e23114d0687d230aa844cf8f4/480p/mp4/file.mp4 Game Informer: Issue 359 available now! Digital Edition IOS Android 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: 17th to 23rd April Community Share 25 Apr 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 Hidden One Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ 9b75 We start this week’s showcase with a captivating shot of Eivor appearing from the shadows. The lighting of this capture is truly breath-taking. The elegance of Eivor’s position allows the light to enhance the details on Ezio’s famous outfit. If you wanted a shot to epitomise the saying ‘we work in the dark to serve the light” then this is it. The Eyes Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ warriorqueenvp Eivor always wanted the Raven clan to be feared. Well with a stare as intense as this she can’t help but succeed. I admire the use of colour in this shot, with just three elements the capture stands out incredibly. The face tattoo works so well with the yellow eyes, it also creates conflict with it looking very Christian but on a Pagans face. An excellent portrait of our favourite Viking. The Dogs of War Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ lightfallimage Kassandra may be a fearsome warrior but facing a three headed dog is something else. This is one hell of shot, I love the depth of field, just enough to make the situation seem threatening. Kassandra’s stance is so good with the spear and sword at the ready. I have to say the capture and quote go hand in hand and make for a powerful package. Truly spectacular stuff from Jonnybubs. The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week: Judge: Colum Blackett (Col_96 from TOWCB Admin Team) This shot is incredible. It captures one of the most memorable moments from Assassin's Creed Odyssey and makes it cinematic. For me, this shot is worthy of recognition for numerous reasons. Kassandra's stance is incredibly powerful, with the three headed threat lurking in the background. She just looks so calm in the presence of an intimidating foe. I particularly like the depth of field in this shot, as although the background is out of focus, the colours shine through, creating a striking contrast to the calm, collected Misthios. Great shot. An epic capture. Winter Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ Cll3ar This week’s #Thorsday shot is pure brilliance. The details on show here are magnificent, showing the VP artist skills and also Ubisoft’s epic world building. I believe this is from the Northumbria arc of the game. It was such a great idea to split the season over the different Kingdoms of England, allowing us to take vastly differing shots. I don’t think you could wish for a more Norse feel for our unofficial Thorsday theme. Checkout the set below. Link to set Vigilante Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ JPGphotomode We end this week’s showcase with a spectacular shot of Kassandra with her hood up. You can’t help but admire the shadow work in this shot. Mixed with the awesome face paint, Kassandra looks like she belongs to the league of assassins from DC. I would have loved to see Kassandra in a traditional assassin role, but maybe one day through the Infinity hub. 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

The History of Baghdad during the 860's (Anarchy of Samarra) History Share 12 Sept 2022 Written By: Edited By: Michael Doyle Ashlea Blackett Back To Database In our new article, we explore the history of Baghdad during the 860's, and the conflicts which took place during that time. In Assassin's Creed Mirage, scheduled for launch in 2023, players 'follow the transformation of a defiant young man into a refined Master Assassin with a conflicted destiny.' Basim Ibn Ishaq will navigate the bustling streets of ninth–century Baghdad, exploring all four areas, from the industrial Karkh to the lush gardens of the Round City. Here are some of the key events which took place during a period of extreme internal instability within the Abbasid Caliphate. Old Baghdad image via WorldBulletin The Spiral Minaret of Great Mosque of Samarra Via Wiki Baghdad’s House of Wisdom via WembleyMatters 861AD: The anarchy began in 861 with the murder of the Caliph al-Mutawakkil by his Turkish guards, with the support of his own son, al-Muntasir. Upon his death, his son al-Muntasir claimed the title of Caliphate, but this was short-lived. No more than 6-months into his rule, al-Muntasir was dead, having been poisoned by the Turkish Military Chiefs. 862AD: Al-Muntasir was then succeeded by al-Musta’in, who was appointed Caliph by a council of Turkish military leaders. Al-Musta’in was the nephew of al-Mutawakkil and was appointed Caliph ahead of al-Muntasir’s brothers al-Mu’tazz and al-Mu’ayyad, the rightful inheritors of the Caliphate title. They were both quickly thrown in prison and forced to resign their titles to suppress their ability to rightly claim the title of Caliphate. With his competition silenced, Al-Musta’in was then able to persuade the city of Baghdad in 862 to submit to his succession, which was eventually acknowledged throughout the land. However, al-Mu’tazz and his brother continued to rally against Caliph al-Musta’in, and they were ultimately sentenced to death for their actions. Yet, this never came to pass. The Vizier (a senior minister of the Abbasid Caliphate) intervened, saving the brothers, and allowing them to flee. The Vizier was banished to the island of Crete for his actions. 863AD: In 863, al-Musta’in, who was still living in the then capital Samarra (80miles north of Baghdad), still had plenty of conflicts to navigate as the governor of Baghdad. Two Greek priests, St. Cyril and St. Methodius had become missionaries and were spreading the Greek Orthodox version of Christianity throughout the region. al-Musta’in’s was campaigning against Christianity, but this was going badly, even resulting in the death of 8,000 troops and numerous military leaders. These failures to protect the Muslim religion against the rise of Christianity saw riots across the city of Bagdad. Baghdadis cried for a Holy War, prisons were broken into, and bridges burnt, yet the Caliph didn’t listen or care. Saint Cyril 864AD: From 863 to 865 al-Musta’in continued to lose the trust of his people, with much of the region slipping into chaos and fighting men from surrounding provinces having flocked to Baghdad and Samarra to fight and plunder. 865AD: In 865, the rule of al-Musta’in was slowly falling apart. After disagreements with the Turkish leaders, al-Musta’in felt that his life was in danger. So, alongside the company of two other Turkish leaders, Bugha al-Sharabi and Wasif al-Turki, he left Samarra on a boat to East Baghdad. The Turkish leaders, upon hearing of al-Musta’in’s sent a party of captains to apprehend the Caliph and requested that he returned to the capital of Samarra. Al-Musta’in refused, and after a heated discussion with the Turkish speakers, one of them received a blow. This insulted the Turkish officers, and upon their return to Samarra, they brought al-Mu’tazz (the rightful Caliph) out from his confinement and appointed him as Caliph. Within a few weeks, the new Caliph al-Mu’tazz and his brother Abu Ahmad al-Muwaffaq, along with 50,000 Turks and 2,000 Berbers besieged Baghdad. The Abbasid civil war, which lasted for about a year, largely revolved around a prolonged siege of Baghdad and resulted in the continued scarcity of food and money in the city. As the conflict raged on, members of the Abbasid family with Baghdad, without the knowledge or permission of al-Musta’in, had opened negotiations with the new Caliph al-Mu’tazz regarding the surrender of al-Musta’in. The first round of negotiations deteriorated, and thesiege continued whilst the Baghdadi people protested in the streets at the news that leader al-Musta’in, whom they still saw as the Caliph, was to be disposed of. 866AD: Ultimately, in January of 866, al-Musta’in was convinced to abdicate by his fellow Turkish officers, Wasif and Bugha, and he stepped down as Caliph. Upon his abdication, an agreement was set that his life would be spared and that he would receive sufficient income and a home in Medina. On Friday 25th January 866, al-Mu’tazz was acknowledged as Caliph in the mosques throughout Baghdad. Despite the agreement set out upon his abdication, al-Musta’in was not granted a home in Medina and was instead kept within the city of Baghdad. Ultimately, he was executed on the 17th of October 866 by order of the Caliph Al-Mu’tazz, who was playing a game at the time, later awarding the assassin 500 pieces as a reward. AC Mirage Concept Art by FrameHoldPhotography , created using Valhalla/ Origins & Photoshop How will Basim fit into the history of Baghdad? With many high-profile assassinations during the 860s in Baghdad, will Basim and the guild be connected in some way to these assassinations? Will the Vizier play a role in Mirage, his intervention in the murder of the brothers could indicate a connection to the guild? Will the two Greek priests, who spread Christianity across the land be connected to the events of Mirage? We know their actions caused uprising and riots in Baghdad, but will they be portrayed in the game? Will Basim have some role to play in the success or failure of al-Musta’in and his fellow Turkish troops fleeing to Baghdad in 864? Will Basim fight in the siege of Baghdad during the Abbasid Civil War? Will Basim and the guild influence the negotiations between the members of the Abbasid family and al’Mu’tazz? Will any of the Caliph’s during this timeframe be part of the Order of Ancients? comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Michael is a close personal friend of the admin team who has worked alongside TOWCB for many years, lending a hand behind the scenes who is best known for his time leading the Rally the Creed video-podcast. In 2022, Michael stepped out of the shadows and joined TOWCB's Writing Team, where he explored game journalism by expanding TOWCB database, filling it with guides, tips and tricks and more. After a series of article launches, he joined TOWCB's Core Team, where he now works as a Strategist, overseeing major campaigns, establishing internal systems and managing charity efforts for the group. Michael Doyle

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

Let's Talk Assassin's Creed: Valhalla #2 ft Col_96 Podcast Share 1 May 2020 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Back To Database In today's special epsidoe we take a look at asassins Valhalla news, in also joined by a Community admin from the ones who came before comunity group. https://twitter.com/ACFirstCiv?s=09 Spotify Link comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

Assassin's Creed Valhalla Review - A Return to Form for the Series Reviews Share 1 Feb 2021 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Review contains MAJOR Spoilers Assassin’s Creed Valhalla takes players on an adventure like no other, offering stunning landscapes and captivating story arcs that make it both refreshing and memorable. At times, it feels like the missing link for the franchise, striking a good balance between the classic Assassin's Creed games and the new RPG formula, masterfully bridging the gap. The game carefully finds a way of improving upon many of the core Assassin's Creed pillars, by adding more options than ever before. Although marketed as a Viking adventure game, Valhalla takes a successful leap of faith towards taking the series back to its roots, easily making it one of the most exciting and ambitious Assassin’s Creed projects in recent years. It’s a return to form for the series, offering countless opportunities for the player to master their own playstyle, and immerse themselves in another historical adventure. Valhalla is a game that looks to the past to drive the series forward, and operates in the space between old and new, making it feel both familiar and original. The narrative arc story structure overseen by the guiding hand of Assassin's Creed legend Darby McDevitt and his team of scribes are proof that the series should never be afraid to move away from annual releases, and take the time it needs to improve. It’s immediately clear that a great deal of thought and care went into building the game, that goes way beyond simple fan service. It's an injection of pure creativity, and a game that should not be missed. The World There's never a dull moment whilst exploring the world of Assassin's Creed Valhalla, as it continues to find ways to surprise the player at every turn. It's the first game in the series to properly fill the open world, making it feel dynamic and life-like. As you navigate the Kingdom's of England, you'll discover endless activities such as flyting challenges, cursed areas, world events and more. Exploration is encouraged, and the game rewards you for your efforts, generously offering XP points (skill levels) and loot upon completion. The open world experience is unlocked early on in the game, and as you tie up loose ends in Norway, you can sale across the sea to England to begin the adventure. On your travels you'll begin to uncover the mysteries of England, as you encounter numerous puzzles that keep the player guessing. Puzzles are a nice feature that really add to the experience, taking different forms throughout the game. Valhalla always finds a new way to challenge the player, and encourages the use of all the tools at your disposal to overcome them. Sometimes you need to destroy a weak wooden wall to loot a chest, or shoot at a door's barricade through a slightly open window to enter. There are a ton of scenarios like this that test your skills as a player, and require a bit of thought before gaining a reward. There's also a great range of environments to explore, from the snow-covered mountains of Norway, to the swamps of East Anglia, so don't be surprised if you start to clock up hours using the photo mode tool as you capture each perfect moment. It's easily one of the most visually impressive games ever created, and it's immediately noticeable. England is vast in Assassins' Creed Valhalla, and each kingdom feels different to the last. There's always something new to discover, so look out for the coloured dots on your mini map to uncover loot that will improve your progress. You can hit bandit camps to gain supplies such as leather and iron ore, which can be used to upgrade weaponry and armour, or complete a raid on a monastery to steal riches that can be used to expand the Ravensthorpe settlement. Crafting is an essential part of the game, and you use the spoils of your adventures to do this. One thing that sets Valhalla apart from recent entries is the unpredictability of the world. In some ways, it feels like a Far Cry game, where many animals will attack on sight. It's not just animals though, as Eivor will be pursued from all angles whilst navigating the world. Bandits hide in bushes, waiting for your arrival. Zealots track you across the map. Snakes crawl out from under barrels. Wolves strike as you stalk the perimeter of an enemy camp. You never know when you may need to defend yourself, the world you explore is as deadly as it is beautiful. This level of unpredictability adds to the experience and brings it to life. It's extremely easy to gain XP just by playing the game, and you are constantly rewarded just for taking part. The cities of England bare a resemblance to that of Assassin's Creed I, taking the series all the way back to its origins. London has featured in the franchise several times, but the version you see in Valhalla is very different, a city built in the shadow of Roman ruins. All across England you'll see the ruins, and get a sense of the widespread influence the Romans had over the land. Even the Ravensthorpe settlement holds a memory of the past, as the pillars of an ancient structure can be seen near the longhouse. Later in the game you can even help local resident Octavian establish a museum, to house all of the Roman artefacts you discover. As the game progresses, you will also travel to surprise locations, such as Vinland and Jotunheim, expanding your reach even further. There's so much to see and do in Valhalla, and all your adventures start from Ravensthorpe. The settlement itself is right in the heart of England, and acts as a base for Eivor and the Raven clan. It's in a good central location, close to the city of Leicester. All narrative arcs begin and end here, as the wind calls you back to Randvi to report your progress. By upgrading and improving the settlement, you open up new opportunities such as ship customisation, romance options and legendary animal hunting rewards. You also give the members of Ravensthorpe a purpose within the clan, and make it feel more like a bustling hub. It's worth taking the time to familarise yourself with the settlement, as the traders and locals are essential to Eivor's progression. For example, Gunnar the blacksmith will upgrade weaponary and armour, whilst Reda will supply new contracts and rare items. The cultural differences are represented well in Valhalla, as Saxon cities feel completely different to those inhabited by Vikings. Architecturally, the structures are also different, and even the layout of the cities differ. Religious beliefs are also depicted well in Valhalla, as Viking sites such as Jorvik have statues for the Gods, and locals will even reference them in conversation. You will hear talk of Thor, Freja and Tyr as you walk the streets of Jorvik, whilst you will hear about Jesus Christ and God when wandering a Saxon city. Even the camps held by bandits or cultists all contrast each other. Accents also appear in the game depending on location, making a southern territory easily distinguishable from a Northern one. The team did a great job at adding variety in all areas, and that's just one of the reasons players will get lost in the expansive world, and fall in love with the game. Story The main story of Assassin's Creed Valhalla is both interesting and memorable by using creative storytelling methods to slot nicely into Assassin's Creed lore. Players will embark on a twisting adventure with many story arcs, all different from one another and each with their own characters, plot twists and outcomes. There's no doubt that it's a great story set in the Assassin's Creed universe, and one of the longest games in the series. Completing Valhalla's main storyline will easily take you over 100 hours, but that's not a bad thing. It's a gripping tale with many twists and turns, and you'll notice that each quest has a purpose, as Eivor looks to build alliances across the map. Both Cecilie Stenspil and Magnus Bruun deliver a solid performance, full of charisma and making Eivor an instantly likeable character. Valhalla immediately gives you the key to your own destiny, as for the first time ever, you play as one character with a male and female counterpart. You can let the Animus decide, or change Eivor's appearance at any time. The reasoning behind this is explained later in the game, and it's a clever take on previously established Assassin's Creed lore. The game is, in some ways, the spiritual successor to Black Flag, as Eivor works alongside the Assassins (Hidden Ones), without joining them, as their motives align. Both sides benefit from this union, and even manage to cooperate without any disagreements. Basim sees potential in Eivor straight away, even when Hytham questions it. You have the opportunity to play like a true Assassin, without even joining the Brotherhood. The Order of Ancients returns, once again acting as a shadow group influencing the land. Information on the group is scarce, so Eivor has to investigate to find out names and motives. Once you commence your hunt, taking down one member will lead to information on another, making it possible to track them all down. All information gained on the order will be stored in the inventory, giving you hints on where to begin your search. In this sense, it's more like the original Assassin's Creed game, where Altair had to learn information before beginning an assassination mission. It really adds to the game, as you focus your efforts on wiping out the Order. There's also an incredible new animation when you assassinate a target, rewarding players with some of the best white room conversations in the entire franchise. By eliminating members of the Order, you also gain new abilities and skills from Hytham, such as the Leap of Faith, making it worthwhile, and maintaining the 'Assassin's Creed' elements of the game. As we have already mentioned, all narrative arcs begin and end at the Ravensthorpe homestead. This is thanks to a new feature called the Alliance Map. Eivor pledges allegiance to a cause taking part in one of England's territorys, and travels there to form an alliance for the Raven Clan. The new quest system introduces self contained story arcs that act more like chapters of a book than scattered missions. Each quest has a purpose, and brings Eivor closer to a resolution in the area. Some are definitely stronger and more memorable than others, with some feeling like filler content at times, but they all come together eventually to form a solid conclusion. Although the game moves away from side quests, and replaces them with narrative moments and activities such as World Events and Cursed Areas, it does a really good job at filling the open world, and even provides some great moments for Eivor. World Events are some of the best side activities since AC III's homestead missions, and really help to develop Eivor's character further. You don't have to take part in them, as they are not tracked on the quest radar, but should you choose to ignore them, you are missing out on some great content. They all vary in tone, but it's worth taking some time away from the main storyline to focus on the other activities available in the world, even just to increase your XP or improve your charisma through flyting battles. You won't regret it. In regards to Isu lore and First Civilisation history, Ubisoft really cranks it up a notch. By completing the Animus Anomalies, the secrets of the past begin to unravel, and with the help of the settlement seer, Eivor begins to understand. For new players, the twist regarding Havi and Eivor is no doubt confusing, but for old fans, it makes a lot of sense. Assassin's Creed Black Flag introduced the concept of Sages, reincarnations of Juno's husband Aita. Valhalla takes this notion even further, as the Scandinavian Isu look to return after the impending disaster known as the Great Catastrophe using a supercomputer that can insert DNA and memories into the human gene pool. Essentially, the Isu technology leads to reincarnation, explaining the gender choice option in Valhalla. Later on in the story, players will begin to understand the true motives of Loki, another member of the Scandanavian Isu known for his trickery and mischief. The story also replicates the end game of the series protagonist Juno, who returned using cloning before being destroyed by Charlotte de la Cruz in the comics. It's a really interesting twist for the series that takes Isu lore to another level, and adds a fresh layer. The end sequence in the vault also ties up a number of loose ends, regarding Layla and the fate of Desmond Miles. The ending of AC III finally has consequences, and the modern day storyline in Valhalla finds a way to resolve another potential disaster. The Heir of Memories arc also concludes, and a new chapter begins with Isu antagonists, which could ultimately lead to Loki becoming a bigger threat than Juno ever was. It's an interesting conclusion and drives the series forward by adapting established plot points. Hopefully we see this storyline progress further in the DLC content One big difference to its predecessor Assassin's Creed Odyssey is that a romance option doesn't lurk around every corner, but when they do, they generally occur through the main storyline. Romances in Valhalla feel more developed than the previous entry, as it requires Eivor to spend time with them on quests before anything blossoms, rather than rushing into a forced connection. It's also possible to be rejected for the first time, something which occurs if an NPC already has a partner or simply isn't interested, adding increased depth to the romance options. Another change is the replacement of the usual eagle companion in favour of a raven, something which roots itself in Norse mythology, as Odin had two ravens called Huginn and Muninn. Although Valhalla has brutality in combat, the tone of the game never really drops to a dark place like in previous games, and even when faced with loss, Eivor remains determined and composed. The character is clearly very different to what the marketing campaign tried to portray. One thing I did notice however is that the game sometimes shies away from the dark history of Viking culture, with themes such as slavery and pillaging barely even getting a mention. Assassin's Creed should never be afraid to tackle difficult topics, especially those which are a part of history, and it's interesting that these themes didn't really surface. Characters in the main storyline are all very different from each other, and each narrative arc introduces a conflict which Eivor can resolve. The game does a really good job at hiding character motives, making betrayal even more surprising. Basim for example arouses suspicion early on, but it takes a full playthrough to discover his true intentions. Each arc has you question those around you, as you secure the future of the kingdom. The wrong decision can have catastrophic consequences, as seen in Linconshire when selecting a new ealdorman. Choices never stray too far from a fixed narrative, and although the game has multiple endings, they all follow a similar pattern. The dialogue options have also been improved, and do a good job at reflecting Eivor's personality, rather than giving options that don't line up with their personality. Eivor isn't a blank slate, and no matter which version you play, you're going to see the same character traits. Voice acting in particular is solid across the board, with a number of stand-out performances making the game even more immersive. Players feel compelled to resolve each narrative arc, and return back to the settlement to progress. The balance of tone is well executed, and although the game is long, it's worth the time spent. The big issue with the main storyline is that the Hidden Ones are completely sidelined, barely featuring in comparison to the alliance objectives. New fans to the series can't learn much about the Brotherhood, as Eivor doesn't join them in the main storyline. At times it feels like the Hidden Ones don't matter to the story, as you can go several narrative arcs without speaking to Hytham or Basim. You always have the chance to wipe out members of the Order, but the majority of members are just ordinary civilians, and unless you read all the documents, you don't even know why you're eliminating them. You do get a satisfactory white room conversation, but there are only a few members of the Order you will actually remember upon completion. It's such a shame to see the Assassin / Templar conflict becoming an afterthought. Even though the game has a great story set in the Assassin's Creed world in terms of lore, the pre-cursor Assassins are barely involved in that. It's clear that this has to be the last 'warrior' game, and future instalments need to circle back to playing as an established Assassin before the franchise loses it's identity entirely. That being said, Valhalla finds a different narrative to explore, and finds a way to bring history to life. Perhaps Viking Assassins are not to be, but there is still time for DLC content to explore a different path for Eivor. Parkour Parkour is a fundamental pillar of the Assassin's Creed series, and is probably the only franchise pillar that Valhalla hasn't progressed forward with in some way. At times it can be frustrating, as Eivor takes a long time to navigate rooftops, making a direct approach more and more tempting. Although parkour feels slow and uninspired, the game offers a huge variety of environments that increase opportunities. There are more chances than ever before to use parkour to your advantage, with many climbable buildings. Scaffolding is also something that features in the game, making it easy to navigate from above. Some buildings such as churches and longhouses also have open windows which can act as an entry point, or you can destroy a stained glass window to gain entry, all of which are accessible thanks to parkour. Beams and ropes also string houses together to increase parkour opportunities, and cities such as York also have Roman ruins scattered around which can also be navigated. Tree parkour makes a return, and is a useful feature that should never have been removed. Some of the trees you scale are incredibly impressive, especially in Jötunheimr, and it's great to see this feature restored. Don't expect style though, as Eivor's parkour technique is basic at best. With Basim away and Hytham injured it's clear that not much (if any) training was given. It can be argued that Vikings didn't know parkour, but it's something players expect in an Assassin's Creed game. Parkour in Valhalla isn't great, but the opportunities to do so are. It's clear that the team spent a great deal of time creating parkour environments, and even when it feels sluggish, it can be to the players benefit to use it. Animus Anomalies are probably biggest parkour failure in the game, as players control Layla Hassan through tedious platform challenges to gain information. Although the feature itself is a cool idea, parkour makes it difficult to enjoy, as it lacks any sense of urgency. Looking back to Arno Dorian, or even Desmond Miles, it's clear that parkour has drastically lost any sense of speed or style, which is a shame. Valhalla brings back floating pages to collect, which takes Eivor on numerous parkour routes. It's nice to see them return, but they can take a few attempts to collect. Parkour clearly needs to be revamped, but the many opportunities that Valhalla introduces to do so are a welcome addition to the franchise, opening many new doors and avenues of exploration. Some of the best parkour opportunities in the game are at the Hidden Ones bureaus, which are scattered across the map. Not only do they provide a glimpse at the history of an Assassin precursor group that once worked in the shadows, but they also store unique gear and codex pages. Each bureau is different, but they all require puzzle solving and parkour to unlock their secrets. To find them, you have to think like an Assassin in the cities of England. That may mean performing a leap of faith, or climbing down into the sewers to remain undetected. Parkour is the theme that links them all, as players will navigate platforms and beams resembling the Assassin tombs from the earlier games. Some of the bureaus even require swimming from room to room to gain the rewards. Once inside, you'll notice that the main areas resemble the bureaus visited by Altair in Assassin's Creed 1, and show that the order worked in similar ways hundreds of years before the days of Masyaf. Valhalla provides countless parkour opportunities, but the bureaus are a great example of how the game at times encourages players to use it to gain rewards, something that should definitely make a comeback in the next game. Stealth There's a lot to be said about the stealth in Assassin's Creed Valhalla. Essentially, some of the features are the peak of the series, and others are below the standard we expect. Stealth in general is excellent, but social stealth needs to be improved. At times. Valhalla feels like the stealthiest Assassin's Creed game, thanks to fresh kill animations, new environments such as corn fields, and the return of bushes, haybales and tree parkour. As was the case with parkour, the game also provides many opportunities to be stealthy, with the majority of quests accommodating to both a direct or sneaky approach. Enemy camps can be cleared out without arousing suspicions. Air assassinations, sleep/poison arrows, haybale kills and distraction techniques can all be used to replicate an Assassin approach. The whistle also returns, drawing enemies towards their swift end, and bodies can be hidden to prevent the alarm being raised. Alarms, which first appeared in AC4, can also be destroyed to prevent the arrival of reinforcements. In cult camps, bone charms will rattle if you proceed too quickly, alerting enemies. The best stealth feature that makes a return is the instant kill hidden blade assassination, which now has a timing mechanism to dispatch your enemies. Odyssey had enemies that would survive a hidden blade assassination, no matter how much you upgraded your weapons, and in turn encouraged players to ignore stealth and use combat instead. Valhalla takes the best elements of stealth from previous entries and adds even more to make it better than ever. At the start of the game, players choose a level of social stealth. Selecting the hardest difficulty makes it nearly impossible, no matter how hard you try. Blending with crowds returns, as guards protect entry points. Distrust areas are introduced, meaning Eivor wears a hooded cloak to avoid detection. Numerous social stealth mechanics return, and new ones are added so that hiding in plain sight is no longer a thing of the past. Monks walk the streets in groups, imitating the original game, and the very first trailer ever released for the franchise. It's great to see so many old features such as bench stealth find their way back to the series. Eivor can also pretend to cook food, or weave fabric in social spaces, but with guards on high alert in distrust areas, it can be very difficult. The point of social stealth is to be inconspicuous in public spaces, and mask within surroundings. Valhalla has many great stealth features, but social stealth is something that definitely needs more work to be useful. The main problem is that guards see everything, and immediately attack. After 150 hours of game time, I'm still not sure if I have managed to perfect social stealth. You can also lure drunks to distract guards, or throw your torch to make them move. This is extremely useful if you're looking to enter a restricted area. Shooting from a haybale, or destroying hanging objects to make a kill look like an accident can also be used. It's clear that stealth has been expanded upon, and is much better than the options available in Odyssey. Odin's sight is a watered down version of eagle vision, acting as a short burst, but seems to be much more useful than 'Animus pulse'. Improvements have definitely been made in this field, as it highlights everything from loot chests to story hints. Order of Ancient members are taken out using the Hidden Blade, which has a new kill animation. Sýnin can distract guards, and locate points of entry. There are so many ways to be stealthy in Assassin's Creed Valhalla, and although it can be challenging, mastering it and all the tools you posses is no doubt one of the best stealth experiences created by Ubisoft. Take the time you need to become the stealthy Viking the marketing campaign tried to hide. There's much more to Valhalla than raids and brutality. The only tools that are missing really are throwing knives and varied smoke bombs (Revelations). Combat In combat, timing is everything. Every enemy has a weakness, and Eivor can exploit that. The game highlights them so it's obvious where to aim. Valhalla has a huge variety of attacks that can be used, including abilities that you unlock throughout the game. Successful blocks or attacks build up adrenaline which make abilities available to use, and severely damage or finish off opponents in a brutal fashion. New animations have been created especially for the game, which is immediately clear, as Eivor will decapitate or even impale enemies with their own weapons. Even after 60+ hours, you will encounter new enemies in the world, waiting to finish you off with their unique attacks. Some kick dirt to distract, and others spill oil and light it to set you ablaze. The great variety of enemies makes the game more interesting, as combat requires a balance between timing and thought to determine how to proceed. Dodging is another good way to beat enemies, but stamina does deplete, leaving you open to attacks. It's also worth noting that not all attacks can be blocked, making dodging or even a well timed shot a better solution. The Rope Dart from Assassin's Creed III makes a return in the form of a harpoon, which is an ability you earn through skill points, and it's more lethal than ever. Rather than hanging enemies from trees as Connor did, Eivor lasso's them closer before striking. At any moment in the main storyline, a boss battle can occur. You can literally be thrown into a fight at any moment, sometimes after a tough battle mission, leaving you unprepared. Another problem the boss battles present are the locations in which they take place. The worst offenders in the game for this are the Faravid, where you unexpectedly fight in a tiny room, and Ivar the Boneless, where you fight on the edge of a cliff. The environments in which you fight make all the difference, and small spaces make it even more difficult. In general, most fights will take place in the open world, which can be used to your advantage. The new health system means that you restore depleting health through the rations bag, which you fill with berries and other food sources on your travels. You can also leave a fight at any point to find food, as raspberry bushes are scattered across the land. Mushrooms are another food source, but some will make Eivor sick, so choose carefully. Crafting returns in a basic form, giving you the option to upgrade quivers and ration bags, increasing their effectiveness. Gear and Weapons also also upgradable through collected resources, improving your stats. You can visit the settlement blacksmith to improve the quality of gear and weaponry, but this does change it's appearance, and not always for the better. Arrows can't be crafted like they could be in Origins and Odyssey, but there's a good chance you'll find them in the world, especially close to a boss fight or random tree stumps in forests. The three hardest enemies to defeat in the game are: The Daughters of Lerion, Zealots and Legendary Beasts. Defeating all of them will take time, as each of them need to be slowly weakened in different ways. There are so many different abilities in the game that can be used in combat, so you have to find the ones that work for your own personal playstyle. Valhalla brings back the three bow options, resembling Bayek's weaponry choices. Each of them are useful in different situations, and mixed with abilities are a deadly combination. If an enemy camp is near water, Eivor can blow a horn to signal a raid. This can be especially useful in a higher level area. Combat is diverse and interesting in Valhalla, and is the most improved upon feature from Odyssey other than having a more dynamic open world. It's a standout feature, and really improves upon everything that has come before. Customisation Customisation certainly is mixed in Valhalla, as you can edit Eivor's gender, hair or tattoos at any point. There are so many combinations that can make the character look like a different person entirely, if you choose to. Ubisoft even added the AC Sisterhood logo as a tattoo, a nice touch and something which means a lot to fans. Unfortunately there are a lack of in-game clothing options, with limited rewards for players. You can randomly stumble across cloaks, pants and other gear items in the world, or pay a random wanderer for their location. They come in the form of sets, but there are only nine to be discovered. Rather than unique loot everywhere. the game focusses on the player unearthing set pieces through completing puzzles and raiding tombs. You can also unlock a few gear pieces through the Ubisoft Store rewards, such as Bayek's Robes, or as always, visit the Helix Store to pay for a better set. It's a shame that there are such limited options in the game, as most RPG's usually reward the player in this way. For example, it would have been nice if every Zealot defeated unlocked new and unique armour pieces or weaponry, rather than gaining a medallion for Hytham and another name ticked off a list. In comparison to Origins and Odyssey, Valhalla really does limit the player's look, with only a few customisation options. Items do change upon upgrading with the Blacksmith at the settlement, but until the Transmogrification feature is introduced, players are left with the gear quality they have upgraded to, which isn't always the best visually. You can of course, visit Reda, the local trader, but it's highly unlikely he will have anything of value in terms of gear. Although gear and weapons are limited in Valhalla, what the game does have can sometimes be enough. You can unlock First Civilisation weapons such as Excalibur and Mjolnir, a must-have for fans of the Isu. These weapons take a great deal of time and effort to unlock, but they are amongst the best in the game. You are also, on occasion, be randomly rewarded for your choices in the game. For example, Petra will gift Eivor a bow, and Ubba will send a weapon if your relationship with him is intact. If Assassin's Creed continues to go down the RPG road, it should consider rewarding players more frequently. Another feature that should return in future games is the robe dye from Assassin's Creed Brotherhood era. There's no reason why we shouldn't be able to determine clothing colours. Simple features like this, and the increased gear options would have dramatically improved the overall player customisation experience. It would have been nice if Basim had gifted Eivor a version of his own gear, which features a unique blade and similar robes to Altair. When travelling to Vinland, Eivor unlocks a special Native American inspired outfit, but unfortunately it can't be brought back to England. The same goes for the Gloucestshire narrative arc, where Eivor wears a skull mask. There's no real reason to take these items out of players inventory, but the game does, and you can only wear them during the short time you spend in each area. The Drakkar owned by Eivor can also be customized upon upgrading the settlement, but again, the options are limited, with most unique and interesting appearance choices purchasable on the Helix Store. Figureheads are the best in-game Drakkar options, really changing the look and making it more interesting. The settlement itself has a few cosmetic features that you can edit as you play, to make make it feel more like home. Add a little figure of Odin to Immerse yourself in Norse culture before you raid, or head to the stables to change the appearance of your horse. There are a few options in-game, my favourite of which turns the horse into a giant wolf. You can also change the appearance of the bird companion, something which is new to Valhalla. Sýnin can change colour, or even into a different bird entirely such as a pigeon. The most useful customisation features added in the game are the horse upgrades, where you can train your mount to swim or improve its speed and stamina. This makes a real difference when exploring the open world. The options that are available in-game are pretty good, but it's clear that players are limited when you look at the crazy items available for purchase in the Helix store. Hopefully future updates will make more items available. Conclusion There's no doubt that Assassin's Creed Valhalla is a great game, and feels like a real adventure for the player. Although it's probably the longest game in the series, it's well worth diving into and exploring in detail. The gender options and exceptional voice acting performances make the game worth playing twice, so you might get 400+ hours out of Valhalla and really get your money's worth. It's a dynamic experience with a real variety of opportunities that'll still bring surprises even after 150+ hours of gaming. The open world is expansive and interesting, full of activities scattered around beautiful landscapes. Dig beneath the surface and discover new Desmond Miles audio clips and the return of the Database, once again written by Shaun Hastings. The story has meaning, in terms of the overarching narrative. Assassin's Creed often has a problem of carrying forward plot points and acting as stand-alone entries. Valhalla is a conclusion in some ways, wrapping up multiple plot points dating back years, and in other ways, it's the start of something new. The rebirth of the Hidden Ones in England and even the evolution of the Order of Ancients into the Templar Orders slowly begins to take place. There's no doubt that future Assassin's Creed games will be exciting, and the series is certainly heading in the right direction. Valhalla has a great story set in the Assassin's Creed universe, and is the first game in years to provide an actual cliffhanger ending with consequences for the modern day. Eivor is a great character, who only gets better as the game goes on. One thing that stands out for me is the amount of care that went into producing the game. There are so many features from the older games such as social stealth, and even sounds from previous entries that find their way back to the series. The game provides a unique perspective on the series, and develops lore plot points further that were established years ago. It's clear that the series should never rush to meet annual releases, and should take whatever time required to produce games of this quality. In my opinion, Valhalla is the last pre-cursor Assassin game needed, and stories of this kind have now wrapped up, establishing how and why the two orders were created. Future games should once again explore an established brotherhood, with players being a member of the Assassin order. That being said, this is an extremely strong entry that has a great story and characters, and is a game that will be remembered. Valhalla is the final piece of the puzzle, and a return to form for the series. 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)

The Ones Who Came Before Spider-Man Logos Art Share 15 Dec 2022 Written By: Edited By: ActualSpider-Man Ashlea Blackett Back To Database The Ones Who Came Before has always aimed to make an impact on the web, but these new Spiderman inspired logos take it to a new level! Our new partner ActualSpider-Man has been getting creative with TOWCB logo, putting a unique spin on our classic silhouette hood insignia design. Let us know down below in the comments which one is your favourite! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Author of the all-encompassing timeline, Codex Temporis, and the Isu-to-English dictionary, Codex Transferendum, Your Friendly Neighborhood Mentor is here to help unweave the confusing web of AC! ActualSpider-Man

Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 3rd to 14th June Community Share 25 Jun 2024 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Colum Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the biweekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from the AC Partnership Program. Every two weeks we will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. This theme has been run by the TOWCB VP team. We have been monitoring the hashtag and the community hub to see all your wonderful shots. Keep an eye on the site as more shots are added, we are looking for captures across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to #ACFirstCivVP for a chance to be featured. Theme: Assassin’s Creed Traveller Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ Tigas_VP The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week Judge: @ CapturesByRenzo Renzo Since the very moment I saw this capture by Tigas, I knew it had to be featured in our article. Taking vertical shots can be quite tricky in Assassin’s Creed Origins. However, the artist did an amazing job with this picture. The composition is great, with Bayek’s gaze focused on the horizon and his camel looking back, right into the “camera”. The use of depth of field is very well executed, and the colour palette is so soft and beautiful. This is a fantastic capture, and without a doubt, it deserves to be our shot of the week. Congratulations, Tigas! Aaron “It is not peace that I seek. It is not for my soul that I walk this path”. 2017 seems a long time ago now but viewing virtual photography from Assassin’s Creed Origins is still an absolute delight. The colour palette and the character designs are so good. @ Tigas_VP is one of my favourite Origins photographers. This capture is part of an impressive set that harks back to the wonders of ancient Egypt. The depth of field is impressive as it splits the shot into two, combining the sandy mountain with the calming blue sky. You can’t ignore how good the camel looks with its head almost posing for the camera. I am loving how Bayek’s outfit blends with the colour tones of this striking capture. Viewpoint Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ JChoukroun “How could I regret the only life I’ve ever known”. Viewpoints are something very special to the Assassin’s Creed series. These structures or high points in the landscape allow us to survey the surrounding environment. We now know that they will be of great importance when Assassin’s Creed Shadows releases with the absence of a bird companion. This capture by jchouk is reminiscence of the title screen from Assassin’s Creed Mirage. Basim's pose is very elegant and having Enkidu’s shadow cast across the building is so cool. Once again, the colour palette is on point with those sandy tones complementing the blues. This style shot has almost become iconic from Mirage and jchouk has expertly taken full advantage of the viewpoint. Wolf-Kissed Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ SuzuhaBlack “I am trying to make you see you’re on the wrong path”. Eivor has and will always have a special place in my heart. The Wolf-Kissed one from Norway is a fierce fighter and honourable warrior. Her escapades in England showed that the line between good and evil is a fine one. Here Nick has managed to produce one of my favourite portraits of Eivor. She looks so graceful, yet powerful. Her Celtic hair combined with the face tattoo elevate the shot to new levels. I love how the wolf scar is so prominent on her neck, harking back to her troubled past. I think the standout for me though is the tilt on the portrait, it adds a new and often unseen style to this capture that exudes elegance. Kingdoms Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ cop_filip “A country is its history, the sum of all its stories” Eivor’s time in England is fraught with conflict. The Kingdoms are struggling to survive, and the mix of cultures has become a power struggle. This all plays out in one final battle with the King of Wessex. The real history here fascinates me, and it was so enjoyable for it to feature in an Assassin’s Creed game. Despite the chaos I just described, Filip once again has managed to find peace and beauty with his Valhalla photography. This shot is simply gorgeous, I just love the composition and the way all the colours are in harmony. The Roman walls are meant to keep out the Vikings, but Eivor knows a trick or two on how to blend in. Alexios Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ Lucascosta797 “I really need to charge more for slaying mythical creatures”. The siblings of Sparta are separated during childhood due to the traumatic events at Mount Taygetos. Both children are descendants of Leonidas who himself was linked to the Isu or First Civilization. Here Lucas has almost bridged that gap between realism and science fiction with his intense portrait of Alexios. The mood in this capture is tremendous, I can’t get enough of the reflective light, especially on the ground where it is mega impressive. I adore how the armour set and the Isu markings combine to fulfil that connection of two worlds. I don’t think he could look anymore badass if he tried. Fantastic capture Lucas. 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

Discovery Tour by Ubisoft: The Educational Software and Books for Exploring History Breakdown Share 14 Sept 2021 Written By: Edited By: Michael Smith Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Assassin’s Creed was first introduced to the gaming world in 2007 with the release of its titled release “Assassin’s Creed”. The game told a fictional story of two warring factions seeking an artifact of unknown power during the real historical setting of the Third Crusade in the Holy Land (modern day Jerusalem). Throughout the game, players were provided information via game dialogue and recaps from the perspective of the protagonist to provide historical insight of the world around them. This idea of historical education embedded in an action stealth video game would progress further as the series continued, adding codex libraries of reference data for historical locations, people, and various additional subjects. Ubisoft, the publisher of the Assassin’s Creed games, decided in 2017 alongside the launch of Assassin’s Creed Origins, to release a new game mode titled Discovery Tour: Ancient Egypt where players and those interested in history would be able to control a character within the digital representation of Egypt and participate in walking tours that educated them on the history that influenced the flagship series. This was successful enough that a second entry of the new mode was released the following year with Discovery Tour: Ancient Greece. In 2020, Larousse (a French publishing house) released a physical print of the Discovery Tours via the Discovery Book by Assassin’s Creed Series, titled Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece. Within these reference books, 1001 facts about the eras were collected with their pages. At the time of this review, these books have only been released in French, but are advertised on the Great Britain and French Assassin’s Creed Stories publishing sites. For this article, the Ancient Greece version of the Discovery Tour and Book will be examined after completing the full game mode, and reading the book with Google Translate. In both the book and the game, the history of Ancient Greece is broken down into “Themes” and within those themes are the “Tours” that educate on one of 30 different subjects. Within the game mode, the player can select a character from a list of fictional and historical persons, such as the main protagonist Kassandra/ Alexios or a simple farmer from that era, some of the characters must be unlocked by completing a set number of tours or themes, as well as a horse to travel from location to location without having to worry about combat and stroll through the vibrant environment designed by the Assassin’s Creed team while listening to a narration of the history of Greece. The player is greeted at the start of the tour by one of a small handful of tour guides, such as Herodotus and Aspasia. The player can ask the guide questions about themselves to learn of these historical figures/characters from the game. From here, the game's narrator will highlight numerous stops that players will traverse the environment by following a lighted pathway to get to a stop and interact with it to play the audio information about the subject of that stop. Once completing the tour, players will return to the tour guide at the end of the guided pathway and take a short multiple choice quiz to see if the player remembers what they just learned. There is no failure to the tour quiz as the guide will correct you and reeducate about the correct answer if necessary. Players can discover new tours by Fast Traveling to the starting location or exploring the map at their own pace and tracking their progress via in-game menus and checkpoints on the Map. Each tour informs of the number of checkpoints, known as Stations, and the estimated time it should take to complete that tour. Tours can take anywhere from 5 minutes to half an hour, but are filled with visuals, camerawork, real pictures and sketches of the subject to compare to the ingame models. Players of the Assassin’s Creed Odyssey title will notice that locations in the Discovery Tour are different than they were in game as the developers adjusted the locations to be more historically accurate and less focused on integration with game mechanics. Players that would like to experience the history of Ancient Greece also have the option of taking the tours in order of the timeline available in the menu. This option is partially how the Discovery Book is organized. The book is sectioned into 9 sections of interest and within those are 42 subjects over 95 pages. The information provided in the book is the same information provided in the game mode, arranged alongside images of items from the real world or screenshots of the game. As you can see in the images below, the information provided is similar, appearing differently due to translation and where said information is provided on the page. The book, while providing the same information as the game mode, provides a better sense of educational value as it reads like a traditional encyclopedia, with the downside of being currently available in French only. However the gamification of unlocking additional characters and mounts as well as traversing the beautiful landscapes of Greece make the adventure of finding and going through the tours more entertaining. With children these days generally more intrigued by computer screens than books, this software provides a great way of educating children and classrooms in a new way. The potential of coming into class and playing a Discovery Tour game versus watching a film would be beneficial to students absorbing information and talking more about what they learned and found while exploring the Greek World. This could also be a great format for museums to expand exhibits and offer new experiences from home via live service updates similar to that of the main Assassin’s Creed games. Both the Ancient Greece and Egypt Tours and Books are a great way to learn about the history that inspired the Assassin’s Creed series and a great addition to any collection. For those that are not interested in purchasing the full games that include the Discovery Tour, the tours are offered as a stand alone product for PC users and videos of the tours are available on the Discovery Tour by Ubisoft website. Previous fans of the game mode will be happy to know that the next entry Discovery Tour: Viking Age for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla will be releasing in the fall of 2021 (October 19th) . In this new era, locations from around the Valhalla game will be explorable, such as Englad, Ireland, France, and even the home of the Norse Gods, Asgard. Players will be able to play as favorite characters and NPCs from the game and explore the real world influences in depth. Information provided by the Ubisoft team working on this mode confirms that it will be more immersive than the previous iterations. This could mean new mechanics such as puzzles to learn secrets of the past, or possibly the introduction of a more interactive tour that is more than a stop and admire version that players are used to with museums and games like this. 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 Shadows: First Impressions and Gameplay Analysis Share 23 Jan 2025 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) TOWCB Team Back To Database We are now just two months away from the launch of Assassin's Creed Shadows, and we are thrilled to reveal that two of our team members, Col and Taylor were selected by Ubisoft to participate in a remote early-access play session event along with other content creators and media outlets around the world. Below you will find the initial thoughts and feelings written by Assassin's Creed Community Ambassador @ Col_96 after a four hour play session, brand new screenshots, and exclusive gameplay captured during the session. Keep an eye on the page as we will continue adding content throughout the week! Enjoy! Possible spoilers for Assassin's Creed Shadows First Impressions Hello Assassins. I'm Col, Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, and I was lucky enough to participate in an early access event for Assassin's Creed Shadows thanks to the AC Community Development team at Ubisoft. I'll start off by saying that I had a really positive experience, as the world of Assassin's Creed Shadows is incredibly beautiful, intertwining two stories in a way that creates an experience that is both shared and standalone, as Naoe and Yasuke, two outsiders in the world, find comfort in each other's pain, and try to make a difference to heal Japan. I think what the development team at Ubisoft has done is incredibly clever, weaving history into the main characters for the first time, selecting Yasuke, a historical character, and Naoe, the fictional daughter of real life ninja Fujibayashi Nagato. For me, both characters make perfect sense, and show a different perspective on the brutal history of the time period. AC Shadows takes a stab at bringing back a sense of mystery that long-time fans of the series will love. The game encourages you to uncover the next secret in a land of danger, something which is incredibly rewarding for players. The passage of time is interesting too with a fixed day/night cycle that provides atmosphere as every storm is different. You can feel the effects of the wind as your riding through an open field. Lightning can flash across the sky and light up the whole scene. Naoe ''The life of an assassin is pain , You suffer it, you inflict it, you watch it happen in the hope that you can make it disappear in time.'' Ezio Auditore I feel that this quote perfectly describes Naoe. Although not strictly an Assassin during my playthrough, or at least, that word was never said, her quest for revenge after the attack on her village is fuelled by a hunger for vengeance. Rather than blind rage, she is incredibly focussed, seeking those who are harming Japan and its citizens. You can feel her pain, and she takes no joy in inflicting it upon others. It is a necessary evil. Throwing knives are lethal when timed correctly, but can also be used to extinguish candles from a distance, creating darkness and the perfect environment for a stealth attack. I particularly liked the dialogue options, as they can make a difference to the outcome of a mission. This is why the team added a canon mode, so that the Animus makes the decision for the player. I like how Naoe is the sum of her history, learning from the past, but also taking onboard the teachings around her. She is thoughtful, reflective, and resourceful. She will no doubt be a fan favourite. Yasuke An outsider in a foreign land, Yasuke has to learn the true meaning of honor and respect when he is stripped of his name, all authority and ownership of his own decisions. He shows a willingness to survive in a hostile environment, learning the language, customs and more, and is rewarded with his life. Often shown as a 'one man army' Yasuke is all that and more. There is a kind side to Yasuke that makes him relatable and more human in side quests. He is not the brute he has been portrayed to be. I was really surprised by this as I suspected it would be the case that he was the brawn and Naoe the brain, but that's not the case. He shows intelligence and understanding, opting for a more physical approach to quests due his size, but I also found stealth with Yasuke to be incredibly satisfying considering his limited capabilities. Combat is great, as Yasuke can take a lot of damage, giving you the chance to recover, reset, change strategy and break down enemy armour before delivering a brutal finishing move. I can see players being very happy with the weapon choices, enemy types, finishing moves and overall effort that is gone into crafting a brutal combat system that is all about breaking the opponent down and destroying their armour. Things I liked The Scout System: You can recruit scouts and send them to attack enemies. It's extremely satisfying, and you can customise everything from their weapons to outfits. Building the network of spies has its benefits as they can also be sent out to collect information across the map! Eagle Vision can be used indefinitely: I didn't notice Eagle Vision timing out, which means it can be used without the worry of it disappearing. You can use it to highlight points of interest or observe and tag enemies. Voice Acting : I was really impressed with the voice acting, from all age ranges. Music: Absolutely incredible score! This will be a soundtrack that players will adore for sure, as it captures a mix of emotions. Sadness, anger, and hype! I was really motivated by an incredible fast paced track at a key moment early on in the game. Facial Expressions: Game looked absolutely incredible on my PC (Nvidia RTX 3070 TI), and the facial expressions, especially in cutscenes were so lifelike! Parkour: Feels quick, rebuilt from the ground up. Naoe is easily the fastest character in an AC game. It feels like a mix of balance and precise manoeuvres. She is lightweight and nimble, moving silently Grappling Hook: Like the rope launcher but more useful. You can swing from trees to perform air assassinations. Extremely satisfying. Tall grass, low grass and prone: The introduction of prone is perfect for an Assassins' Creed game, and I particularly like that AC Shadows has heights of grass. Brutality during combat: Decapitations, impaling, you name it, AC Shadows will shock and surprise with it's brutal combat system. The World has so many opportunities: Uncovering secrets, side quests and moments of tranquillity create a game of many tones, dark and light, and I feel like it encourages the player to get lost in the world. You have to unfog the map yourself, as viewpoints only uncover so much. This is great news for completionists. Enemy Types: Guardians are my current favourites. You'll see why when the game launches! Very similar to the mercenaries in AC Odyssey that hunt the player! Visuals: I didn't get to use photo mode but I know that players are going to have a great time with this game. It's incredibly beautiful. Stealth: It will take some practice, but with more time, I can definitely see players perfecting stealth and using all the tools at their disposal to their advantage. Things I Didn't Like The night is incredibly dark: I had to turn the light off in my office to see the screen as when the game takes place at night, it is incredibly dark. Hills and thick trees: Without the pathfinder, my horse would still be stuck up a mountain somewhere trying to find a way past the incredibly thick trees. Hunting isn't in the game, or at least, I didn't find any way to kill a deer. I thought it would be similar to AC III where pelts could be used for crafting, but I didn't see this in my playthrough. Health potions don't fully heal , or at least, with my current skill level and abilities during the playthrough, I needed to use two to fully reset the health bar. Yasuke doesn't have Eagle Vision: I understand that this could be for a lore reason, but it would have been a useful addition. I didn't see any Modern Day Gameplay. Animus Hub has huge potential though. Enemies can literally walk away from smoke bombs and be unaffected. I died so many times when playing as Naoe in combat situations. Some of the enemies have huge health bars compared to Naoe, and thick armour so it's a real challenge to defeat them in combat. I will say that it is incredibly satisfying when you do though, but similar to Basim in AC Mirage, the game encourages a stealth approach. Not a bad thing, just worth mentioning for those looking for a fight. I genuinely think that fans will be surprised when they pick up Assassin's Creed Shadows in March. There's a lot to love about the game, as you'll see in our exclusive gameplay below! Enjoy! Dev Comments We reached out to the development team at Ubisoft Quebec regarding our experience and received a response from Game Director Charles Benoit! ''I think once settled, you could play with contrast setting for the night. We wanted to have a black night, not a blue one. About Hunting, we saw the hunting wasn't a big thing compare to the respect of nature, so we wanted to turn hunting in something more positive, it's why we introduce the Sumi-e activity instead. For healing potions, it's with some Hideout upgrade that you can boost it. You can boost efficiency and quantity. And about the smoke bombs, it's Only Samurai that deny it by running away, we wanted to avoid cookie cutter strategy and have some enemy "smarter" than other. And yes, Naoe and fight can be challenging, Preview is not the ideal learning curve. But Naoe can be very lethal if you build your gear in some was, using the fight system in the best way too.'' We would like to say a big thank you to Charles for reading our first impressions article and for providing insight into the creative decisions! Animus Hub https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knzOQ2LQYWU Welcome to the Assassin's Creed Animus Hub: An Explanatory video by Ubisoft showcasing the Animus Hub, a new platform and gateway to Assassin's Creed content which launches alongside Assassin's Creed Shadows. Analysis by UbiCypher Exclusive Gameplay https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BWnZBIpDcI Stealth and Combat Youtube TikTok Sumi-E Painting Boars Youtube TikTok Naoe Combat Youtube TikTok Desyncronization Youtube TikTok Cherry Blossom Trees Youtube TikTok Deploying scout, combat Youtube TikTok Syncronization Youtube TikTok Shrines Youtube TikTok Failed Assassination Attempt Youtube TikTok Naoe Projectiles Youtube TikTok Assassination Compilation Youtube TikTok Leap of Faith Youtube TikTok Brutal Naoe Finisher Youtube TikTok Naoe Customisation Options Youtube TikTok Yasuke Customisation Options Youtube TikTok Switching Character Youtube TikTok Synchronization Youtube TikTok Horseback Riding Youtube TikTok Yasuke Sumi-E Activity Youtube TikTok Bamboo Destruction Youtube TikTok Brutal Finishing Move Youtube TikTok Sumi-E Activity Youtube TikTok Killing a Guardian Youtube TikTok comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

Assassin’s Creed Wishlist: How Ubisoft Can Improve Photo Mode for Mirage Wishlists Share 8 Feb 2023 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Ashlea Blackett Back To Database As the host of TOWCB weekly virtual photography showcase, I thought I would use this platform to talk about the photo mo de tool i n Assassin's Creed Valhalla. I would like to discuss the strengths but also highlight areas for improvement. Virtual Photography has really taken off in the last few years due to the implementation of in-game photo tools that can replicate a real camera. Gamers can now express themselves through this medium, by showcasing their in-game captures on various social media channels. I believe it has become so popular due to its accessibility. Like myself you don't need to have photography experience to take part, just a love for the game. There are many websites that will now provide support to gamers, to get them started on their virtual photography journey. Additionally, many twitter accounts promote people's virtual photography in the form of retweets, showcases and competitions. My skills have improved greatly thanks to the brilliant virtual photography community. Just by being exposed to others photography you get a sense of how to take a great shot. When I look back and compare against my first captures from Assassin’s Creed Valhalla in 2020, the difference in quality is night and day. Virtual Photography isn't just a great tool for players, it is also a fantastic way for developers to achieve free advertisements of their game. How many times have you seen an incredible shot from someone online and thought, wow that game looks cool, maybe I will purchase it? The better the photo tools, the more striking images people can produce, increasing the online presence of a game. Assassin's Creed Valhalla's photo mode is the best in the series so far. From Origins onwards Ubisoft has added small changes to improve the way we take shots in game. The English and Norwegian landscapes have lended themselves well to VP, especially with the 4K HDR next gen consoles. The sliders can now be reset easily without having to start from scratch and the ability to create portrait shots is a real winner. This has resulted in Valhalla being praised within the community for the quality of shots that can be produced. One often overlooked feature from Assassin's Creed games i s the ability to share the location of the shot straight onto the map for others to see in their games. This is not only great for inspiration, but also for helping others find items in-game. Below I have asked five members of TOWCB VP Community what they would like to see added to future Assassin's Creed games. Assassin Poses - @ Falconswift87 For me personally Eivor will often cause frustration due to his hunched pose and awkward standing position. After playing Horizon Forbidden West, I could not understand why you would not add poses to photo mode. It creates so many different capture opportunities throughout the game. Given the many outfits that are available in AC games the possibilities could be endle ss. You just have to look on social media to see how iconic some of Aloy's poses have become. Time of Day - @ CreedScholars Scholars of the Creed said they would most like to see a time-of-day function added. There are many games that take advantage of this, but I would say Ghost of Tsushima was one of the best. The ability to fast forward time allows the player to amend lighting in so many ways. A shot taken in the middle of day can look vastly different once the stars come out. Valhalla already has multiple different environments, and they all react so differently depending on the time of day. Range of Free Camera - @ Virtualtourism I wasn't shocked at the answer I received from Jack, with range of the free camera being top of his list. As a VP artist who captures the most breath-taking scenery shots it must be frustrating to only be able to move within a defined box. It is great that Valhalla has the zoom in and out function, but it isn't great for wide angled shots. Most games that I have played do not utilise this, however someone found a way round it for Ghost of Tsushima and the scope of shots is now incredible. Character Models - @ dpruttz VP Dpruttz suggested that locking the character models would be a great addition to Assassin's Creed photo mode. This is something I struggle with at times as well, especially if you're a fan of close-up photography. It's not isolated to Assassin's Creed either, many games have this issue. There is nothing more frustrating than thinking you have found the perfect shot only to move the camera slightly and the character model disappears. I think Marvel's Spider-Man solved this issue as you can get incredibly close to the character. Light Source - @ PodToGo I would say light source would be in my top three requested features. Although if you're lucky with the sun Valhalla can produce some extremely satisfying shots. Marvel's Spider-Man & Gotham Knights takes this to another level. You can edit your shots normally but there is also a separate section that allows you to add custom lighting to your captures. You can add ambient light, rotate where the light comes from and even add a spotlight to the shot with varying intensity and colours. When it comes to photo modes Marvel's Spider-Man must be one of the best out there. Character Changes - @ FrameHoldPhotos Frame Hold agreed with a lot of what has been said above but there was one point I picked up on and that is the option to flip between Eivor and Havi in photo-mode. Although I don't think I have seen this in a game to date, there is the ability to change outfits in Marvel's Spider-man or face paints in Horizon Forbidden West. With the vast amount of armour and weapons in Valhalla the chance to flip between them in photo mode would be excellent. Even if it was just to you Armoury loadouts. 2022 Photo-Modes Two games particularly stood out to me in terms of photo modes in 2022. A Plague Tale Requiem blew me away with its ability to pause a cutscene and then have full movement and editing ability. This lent itself to some unbelievably great shots posted by players. I haven't seen this in any other game I have played. Unfortunately, the rest of the tools in the photo mode are generic, but I must give credit to the developers for pushing boundaries. The buzz for this game on social media has been fantastic and even four months after launch there are plenty of photos posted daily. The second game is God of War Ragnarök. Despite this being my game of the year, its photo mode feels very outdated. Originally the game was launched without it, which isn't uncommon as photo modes can cause spoilers. However, it did mean I and others I know waited a month to start the game. Even once the mode was added it felt very limited compared to the original and not even close to the photo modes of Assassin's Creed or its PlayStation peers. The buzz for God of War in terms of captures just doesn't feel the same as A Plague Tale. Both Gotham Knights and more recently The Last of Us have been running regular photo mode contest. Once again this shows how virtual photography can add so much to the overall experience of a game. In addition to this individuals and communities online create their own hashtags for weekly themes continuing the love of a game. #BeyondTheHorizon - Weekly from @Guerrilla with shot of the week being featured on their social media. #GKPhotoMode – Weekly usually with a more personal theme, once again the favourites are retweeted by the official page. #TLOUPhotoMode – Running alongside the TV series Naughty Dog are challenging gamers to recreate moments from the show. #PhotoModeMonday – Run by @ StefanieMcMaken this tag has a real buzz each week. #ACVPThursday #WolfKissedWednesday #TOWCBWeeklyCapture – All dedicated Assassin’s Creed tags that even without a supported title are thriving with entries each week. #MisthiosMonday still has a ton of shots each week despite it being focused on Odyssey. #HeroTuesday – Run by @VPRetweet team has endless possibilities, and is surely going to explode once Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 releases. There is even an e-magazine created by @ ThePhotoMode that releases bimonthly. Here you will find a fantastic selection of shots from a host of games and VP artist. I feel like Virtual Photography is a side to gaming that has steadily been growing and now is the perfect time to makes sure you have a decent photo mode attached to any new release. If the Mirage developers do happen to read this I hope they are able to add at least one of the suggestions above to their photo mode. I would implore them not to be too drastic with the changes though as what they have from Valhalla is one of the better modes out there. If I was to suggest one of the above it would likely be poses. As a long time photographer in Valhalla multiple poses/expressions would have brought many more exciting opportunities. After the announcement of Assassin's Creed Mirage, we are yet to officially find out if this game will have a photo mode. It would be very bizarre if it didn't as the marketing opportunities alone surely justify the inclusion. Still if it does indeed feature then I know our small Assassin's Creed Community will be buzzing with epic shots of Basim on the rooftops of Baghdad. 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 Valhalla: Odin's Rune Mystery Theory Share 23 Mar 2021 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Buckley Back To Database Numerous unexplained runes have been found around England in Assassin's Creed Valhalla, a mystery that has yet to be solved. Here we will be logging all of the locations (in no particular order), and taking a deeper look at the mysterious runes, and the theories surrounding their purpose. Before we start, I'd like to thank the efforts of DarkStrider19, Jayvee and the Ubisoft Forum/ Reddit communities for all of the progress made on the mystery so far. The logo represents Odin's rune of camouflage and deception. Could that be a clue? We are encouraging our community members to continue the search, with the ultimate aim of solving the mystery. It seems that the runes are somehow connected, but the correct way to activate them has not yet been discovered. Are they leading to somewhere, like coordinates on a map, or is an action needed to begin a quest? UPDATE 24/3/21 Our article on the Odin's Rune Mystery prompted a response from Narrative Director Darby McDevitt, who confirmed that the mysterious symbols are part of a mystery that cannot be fully solved yet. After months of theorising and searching, community members can finally stop their investigations. It seems that the mystery will probably be continued in the upcoming DLC's or Seasonal Updates, but we look forward to joining the community once again one day to conclude this puzzling enigma. Rune 1 Located only a short distance away from the Ravensthorpe Settlement, the first rune can be found carved into rocks near the River Nene. Source: Jayvee Rune 2 Discovered by Reddit user Valentin0813, the second mysterious symbol can be found in Suthsexe, west of Brimclif Monastery along the coast line. You can also discover a hidden cave beneath the rune! Source Rune 3 Another rune was discovered by the Reddit community, this time in East Anglia, west of Elmenham. The marking is located next to a small pond on nearby rocks. Apparently, walking over or standing near this rune can activate a noise! You can listen to it below. Source https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8l0v5WZhXo Rune 4 Community member Andrew discovered this well hidden rune in Northern Hamtunshire, just south of Uffentune. After discovering the mysterious marking, he sent the location over to Youtuber Jayvee who covered it a video. As this rune is so hard to find, requiring Eivor to jump down several levels of mountain cliff, I highly recommend checking out the video if you're looking to find it yourself. Source Rune 5 The fifth rune was discovered members of the U bisoft Forums. In a thread dedica ted to the mystery, multiple theories are being crafted, many of which dive deep into Norse/ Isu lore. This rune can be found in Sciropshire, west of the Trent river on the base of a cliff. Once again, we see the same L shaped lettering, except this one is elevated in comparison to the first four. Rune 6 A sixth rune was found by community member Shane Reneaux, and covered by Youtuber Dark Strider in this video. To find this rune, head to Anlaf's lookout in Eurvicscire, and move a short distance away from the tower towards the steps, away from the scaffolding. Map Six Runes, or more? It seems that the runes may follow a pattern in terms of location and distance. Could another one be located in this area? It might even be that the mystery is somehow connected to the UK's leylines, areas often associated with mysterious earth energies or supernatural powers. As nine is such an important number in Norse mythology, it seems logical that there would be nine runes in the game. Are we missing three? Perhaps a sacrifice is needed near the runes to activate them? Fan Theories Twitter user BigDaddy1150 believes that the runes are of Icelandic origin, hinting at a possible meeting between The Raven Clan and Icelandic Vikings during Eivor's time in Ireland, which will be explored in the Wrath of the Druids DLC! He also adds that Odin's Illusionary Rune was used to make the bearer invisible or shape shift, such as the Viking berzerkers who took on the form, strength, and courage of bears in battle. Viking Repose By Seb McKinnon Pattinsondom from the Ubisoft Forums suggests that the mystery may be connected to a series of notes that can be found within the game. For example, a strange note that someone tried to hide from Odin can be found beneath the Well of Urdr in Asgard. Could it be connected? Stonesie87 from the Ubisoft Forums believes that the current rune locations may match the nine markers that can se seen on Eivor's skeleton! Jayvee revealed in a video that his followers have also found different strange markings. This symbol can be found on a tree in Gloucester, and also inside a tower that can only be found via an illusion Jotunheim. He suggests that perhaps Valhalla's main game may also have illusions for Eivor, rather than purely inside the dream state. Is an undiscovered item needed to trigger the illusions? Some fans claim to have discovered secret caves near the runes, so maybe one day a secret item will be found. Reddit user Acedyn22 suggests that the five Odin runes may be linked to the five senses: Touch, Sight, Taste, Smell, Sound, and maybe even Eagle Vision. Suthsexe: Illusionary Birds (Sight) East Anglia: Chime Sounds (Sound) Could there be more connections? We've hit a dead end with this mystery until future updates are made to the game, so hopefully together as a community we can find the answers! Huge thanks you to all the community members who have put so much time and energy into resolving this puzzle so far! Updates will be made to this article if more of Odin's Runes are discovered. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Orlog Dice Game Review Reviews Share 7 Mar 2022 Written By: Edited By: Michael Smith Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Assassin’s Creed has been a staple for the modern gaming community with its mixture of stealth, combat, and story driven gameplay. Players are immersed into history via interactions with important figures and landscapes, giving a large world to explore and learn about alongside the Assassin vs Templar storyline. Within these worlds players are exposed to the art, language, and culture of each location from Ancient Greece to Victorian London. To better influence the player’s experience of being in the Golden Age of Pirates or Revolutionary America, the design team included playable iterations of historical games such as Liar’s Dice and Dead Man’s Morris. The latest example of this is in the 2019 release of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla where players were introduced to a new and original competitive dice game known as Orlog. Promotional image by PureArts Players are introduced to this game via protagonist Eivor and meet various characters across Viking-era England that challenge her to this game consisting of alternating dice rolls, resource management, and the power of the Norse Gods. A game that can turn its favor in an instant of luck and strategy. Orlog became an instant success with the player base as fans began replicating the game in the real world. This showed Ubisoft that they had an opportunity to create an actual version of the game and via the help of the gaming statue company PureArts this became a reality. In the Spring of 2021, an exclusive limited Deluxe Edition of Orlog was created. A combination of wood, metal, and linen were used to design a tangible game, of which a limited 500 units were sold within Northern and Southern America. This did not take long to sell through and those that were lucky enough to claim one (myself included) would receive one of the most unique real world replicas of a video game asset. However, fans from around the world who missed out on this purchase were upset that they were unable to buy this themselves and voiced their opinions across social media. With this spike of global interest, the PureArts team opened a Kickstarter to fund a retail version of the game for all fans regardless of geographical region. On July 13, 2021, the Kickstarter for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Orlog Dice Game was launched and within 35 minutes met its goal of CA $75,000. By the end of the campaign, a total 12,409 backers had funded the campaign for a total of 1.1 million Canadian, unlocking multiple stretch goals and enhancing the base game (for the Kickstarter) to be nearly identical to the Deluxe Edition that had been sold earlier that year. After a lengthy production process due to issues with materials, transportation, and the COVID-19 virus, PureArts began shipping Orlog to players around the world. I myself received mine within a few weeks of each other as they were shipped separately, the Deluxe Edition first and later the Kickstarter “Tavern Edition”, which included an exclusive resin replica of Eivor’s horn, used to call her raiding party as they invaded England. The game is played in three phases after a coin-flip to determine the first player. In the first phase, much like the dice game Yahtzee, players alternate rolling six dice and selecting dice to attack, defend, or steal God Favour Tokens (GFT's) from the opponent in the hopes of lowering their opponent’s fifteen stone health pool to zero. This is followed by the players being able to use their collected GFT's via gold bordered dice sides and stealing from the opponent to activate a God Favour Card (GFC's) that can deal damage, heal, or even duplicate the dice they rolled to give a better advantage in the round. Once this is selected and the priority of the GFC's is played, the players enter the final round, the Resolution phase where the outcome of their dice rolls are matched against each other in a battle of axes, armour, arrows, and shields. The player that has depleted their opponent’s health to zero is declared the victor. I played both iterations of the Orlog release with my family to compare the quality of the Kickstarter enhanced retail version and the Deluxe Edition. Gameplay was easy to explain with the included instructions and a variety of game modes to alter the difficulty of the game. Within a few rounds, my fiancée, who is not a heavy gamer, shared how much she enjoyed the game. I found myself surprised by my comparison and which aspects of each version I preferred over the other. So let's compare the Deluxe and the Kickstarter Editions as I determine which is the best Orlog release. Packaging To start, let's compare the boxes. The Kickstarter Edition was the standard Retail release of the game but with enhanced materials included (such as stones, tokens, and cards). The box itself has nice official game art and is themed to the Valhalla standard teal and black, detailing the contents of the game and a synopsis of how it is played; a traditional game packaging. The Deluxe Edition came in a carved, individually numbered (1-500), wooden case that shows the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla logo within an intricate etched border and secured by a metal clasp. There is no further information on the game displayed on the box as it is a designer piece. WINNER: Deluxe Edition - the beautiful wood box looks great on the shelf for collectors. Storage The Retail Edition has a traditional plastic tray that houses the materials of the game. Each area is designed to hold half of the pieces divided between the players with a shared coin in the centre, making distributing the game pieces quick and easy. The Deluxe Edition does the same but in a much more snug foam material. WINNER : Retail Edition - the plastic, while a lesser quality than the foam, is much easier to remove the components from, as it has space to grab the pieces, whereas it takes more time to remove the wood and metal pieces from the foam of the Deluxe Edition. Dice Bowls The dice bowls in the Retail and Kickstarter versions are made of plastic and detailed to look like wood. Due to the Kickstarter reaching a stretch goal of CA $575K, they were able to add a felt liner, as backers were concerned with the sound of dice hitting the plastic. While this is a nice addition, it is visible that the felt was not cut to size and looks poorly installed. The Deluxe Edition bowl is real wood and has a great quality but doesn’t appear as defined in the detail as it was carved by machine and not by hand. WINNER: Tied - While the wood of the Deluxe Edition is higher quality, the plastic bowl and felt liner have nice sound and feel when rolling the dice. I prefer the wood myself but wish it had the detail of the plastic. Coin The Retail Edition of Orlog will include a cardboard coin (not shown) to determine player order. Both the Kickstarter (after meeting the CA $200K stretch goal), and the Deluxe Edition have a metal replica coin designed after the Silver from the game. WINNER: Kickstarter/Deluxe Edition - The metal has a very nice weight and feel to it over the cardboard that I could compare from other pieces in the game. God Favour Cards In my opinion, this is the biggest comparison between the game pieces of different versions of Orlog. In the Retail Edition, the GFC's are printed on cardboard showing great detail of a carved wood design and a cheat sheet of what each god does on the back. For the Deluxe Edition, wooden GFC's are included to mirror those which are used in the video game version. Kickstarter backers were able to upgrade their GFC's to wood (CA $35) after feedback from the players influenced PureArts. WINNER: Retail Edition - While the wood is nicer than the cardboard, it is very hard to see the image of each god in the Deluxe Edition, and requires the use of the included detail card that shows each GFC and what it does. Being able to flip over the card and read right away what it does is a plus. God Favour Tokens Unlike the GFC', the tokens are instantly identifiable regardless of edition. The Kickstarter backers upgraded (CA $42) the Retail Edition’s cardboard tokens to the Deluxe Edition’s metal tokens. The only drawback to the metal tokens is that they have a finish to them that make them oily and hard to stack at times. WINNER : Deluxe Edition - While the finish can be annoying at times, the metal tokens are very nice and look great. I love clinking them like poker chips when I play. Dice Now this section isn’t as much of a comparison as both the Retail and Deluxe Editions of the Orlog dice are sold with the Bone Die option. With the Kickstarter, a stretch goal at CA $300k allowed backers to switch the base dice to a glow-in-the-dark option for free, or add them on at the end of the campaign for CA $15. However these dice though are difficult to read because of the golden borders. Alternatively, the green glittery dice or “Valhalla Dice” were sold as an add-on for CA $25. WINNER : Kickstarter - Due to the options available, the Kickstarter was the best way to get dice. My personal favourite were the Valhalla Dice. Health Stones & Rules The original plan for Orlog was to include cardboard counters to track the health of each player, however after the Kickstarter reached its first stretch goal of CA $100K, the counters were upgraded to the higher quality polished stones of the Deluxe Edition. This success also allowed the retail edition to be shipped with these stones. The linen bags with the Valhalla logo were included with the Deluxe Edition as well as the Kickstarter after its CA $250K stretch goal was reached. These are used to house the health stones in the packaging. All versions come with an Instruction Guide and God Favor Cards Reference List. Kickstarter Exclusive Items With the exception of the play mat that was included in the Deluxe Edition, the Kickstarter campaign for Orlog offered multiple items for purchase via stretch goals or included with the Tavern Edition. The playmat (55 cm x 86 cm) was expanded in size after the CA $850k stretch goal and sold (for those that just backed the base game or wanted multiple mats) for CA $30. This is a beautiful mat that feels fitting for the historical setting. The main draw for the Tavern Edition of the Kickstarter campaign, and the reason I decided to purchase the game after buying the Deluxe Edition, was an exclusive Horn Replica from the game. Valued and sold for CA $185, the horn made the purchase of The Tavern Edition at $200 great value for money. Its quality of resin, cloth, and wooden base not only look fantastic on my shelf but actually allow you to blow the horn and call your party to the table. At CA $400K a tournament bracket and Orlog Champion Coin (based on the in-game achievement art) were provided to all backers. Edition Winner The best value and version overall in my opinion would be the Kickstarter. Being able to upgrade the various game pieces on top of the Tavern Edition with the horn replica and playmat included, allowed users to have everything that the limited Deluxe Edition had except for the wooden box and bowls. This game as a whole is easy to play and easy to learn. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Orlog Dice Game can be purchased from PlayArts, Ubisoft, and various retailers. 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

Product Review: MADRINAS x Assassin’s Creed Shadows Boba Teas Review Share 6 Nov 2024 Written By: Edited By: Frame Hold Photography Colum Blackett Back To Database Experience a taste of Assassin's Creed Shadows with two new boba teas from MADRINAS! Thanks to MADRINAS for sending me this item to review! MADRINAS, an online specialty coffee and tea brand, recently released its collaboration with Assassin’s Creed Shadows on October 17th. This drop includes two boba tea flavors–cherry blossom fruit tea and strawberry matcha milk tea, and a limited-edition Collector’s Box. MADRINAS sent me a Collector’s Box to review, so let’s jump into everything that’s included! The Collector’s Box has one tub of cherry blossom and one tub of strawberry matcha tea mix. Each tub can make eight drinks (1 scoop of mix per drink). Each tea comes with its own boba pearls. For the fruit tea, you receive four packets of Honey Popping Boba Pearls, and for the milk tea, you receive four packets of Brown Sugar Tapioca Pearls. The Collector’s Box also includes a super awesome Assassin’s Creed Shadows shaker cup, which is exclusive to this box set. The shaker cup features the MADRINAS logo and the Assassin’s Creed logo alongside silhouettes of Naoe and Yasuke. The Japanese text featured on the cup are Naoe’s and Yasuke’s names. I absolutely love the artwork on this shaker, and I will happily use it as I count down the days to Assassin’s Creed Shadows' release on February 14th, 2025! Lastly, the Collector’s Box includes eight plastic boba straws and easy-to-follow instructions on how to make your teas. Instead of single-use straws, it would have been nice to have a reusable Assassin’s Creed Shadows-themed straw to go along with the shaker cup, but the provided straws work well to suck up the boba pearls. I have had boba tea before but have never tried a product from MADRINAS, so I was very excited to try their boba teas! First, I tried the cherry blossom fruit tea. To make the tea, pour one scoop of mix into 13 oz. of ice-cold water and shake. After about 20 seconds of shaking, the powered mix dissolves quickly into the water. I then added some ice and a whole packet of Honey Popping Boba. I have never had popping boba before, so trying them was a super fun experience! The tea has a pleasantly light cherry flavor, and the popping boba provides small, sweet bursts of honey. Since the drink is quite sugary for my taste, I found making it with half a scoop of mix and 13 oz. of water to be to my liking. I encourage anyone who purchases this set to play around with the ratios of mix to water to find what you enjoy most! Next, I tried the strawberry matcha tea. To make this tea, you follow the same steps as the fruit tea. However, to prepare the Brown Sugar Boba, you must open the packet and cook it in the microwave for 40 seconds. Despite the short time in the microwave, these boba pearls get very hot, so it is best to let them cool down for several minutes before handling them and adding them to your drink. Since this is a milk tea, it gets surprisingly frothy once you shake your drink! This tea has a strong matcha flavor, and the tapioca pearls are sweet and chewy. Like the cherry tea, I found adding half a scoop of mix to 13 oz. of water to be the better ratio for me. When diluted, the green tea notes become much lighter, allowing the strawberry flavor to come through more. If I had to pick a favorite between these two, it would be the cherry blossom fruit tea! I love its light fruity flavor, and the popping boba is so much fun. Overall, this is a lovely, high-quality Collector’s Box of boba teas, and the shaker cup is an awesome Assassin’s Creed collectible! Thanks again to MADRINAS for sending me the Assassin's Creed Shadows Collector's Box to review! To pick up your own limited edition Collector’s Box or one of the two boba tea mixes, visit MADRINAS’ website at: https://madrinas.com/products/assassins-creed-shadows-collectors-box And follow MADRINAS on socials: Facebook Instagram X (Twitter) YouTube TikTok Check out our video review of the MADRINAS x Assassin’s Creed Shadows boba teas here! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Frame Hold Photography is a passionate Virtual Photographer who joined our Video Content Creation Team in Summer 2022, as we began our efforts to break away from solely written content. During a period of uncertainty for TOWCB website, FHP stepped up and took on the role of Site Manager, overseeing our restoration efforts. Our website today now sits at the top of many Google searches📈 Outside of AC, she is also a full time editor and visual effects artist on TV commercials, and has been putting her skills to use in the community by creating epic Assassin's Creed tribute videos, miniature figure painting videos and editing episodes of our Rally the Creed podcast! Frame Hold Photography

Assassin's Creed Mirage 'A Return to the Roots' Dev Diary Breakdown Breakdowns Share 25 Jun 2023 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database As part of the marketing campaign leading up to Ubisoft Forward, the first video in a new series dedicated to the development of Assassin's Creed Mirage was released. Episode one, titled 'A Return to the Roots' focusses on the creative decisions behind the game's production. Mirage promises to be a love-letter to longtime fans of the franchise, placing an emphasis on core pillars and narrative. This will no doubt be refreshing news for many fans, who are longing for a return to stealth which lies at the very heart of the franchise. After numerous entries without playable Assassins, the video makes it clear that the developers wanted the series to return to its roots, in a way that feels authentic. By listening to fans, and asking themselves what are the key points that people love about the series, Mirage pays homage to all that has come before and pushes the boundaries even further, ultimately creating the stealthiest game to date. We can't wait to to learn more about Assassin's Creed Mirage! Here is our breakdown of the first Dev Diary! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YR1L56mYLF4 20 seconds into the first dev diary we get our first glimpse at new Assassin's Creed Mirage gameplay footage! In the top right hand side we can see that skill points make a return, something which were introduced in Assassin's Creed Origins. This time however, the points are not connected to a sprawling skill tree of abilities. They are simply to enhance skills that Basim learns from The Hidden Ones during his training. Secondly, from the short gameplay clip you can see that Basim has been spotted by civilians in the area, meaning guards are also aware of his presence. Notice how their behaviour changes as he approaches them. You can see them hesitate to approach, and even back away from him, no doubt viewing him as a threat. On the right you can see a staircase, which may be one of the ways in which the player can achieve a non-confrontational playthrough, stealthily bringing them to a new area without being detected. Looking at the right hand side of the screen, you can notice a tiny white dot appear above a seat as Basim approaches. This indicates an interaction opportunity, meaning that Basim will be able to bide his time whilst sitting down, and even strike from a bench / seated area. Next up we have two new pieces of Assassin's Creed Mirage concept art, as the video expresses the desire from the team to take Assassin's Creed back to the beginning. Mirage tells the story of Basim, and his journey towards becoming a Master Assassin. We can see several locations marked on a whiteboard being discussed by a developer during a presentation, which appear to be part of a diagram showing the outer walls of Baghdad. From the notes we can read: Round City (Baghdad) Garden Four Marrels? Mosque Gate of the Greeks Nestorian Monastery Canal Prince Palace Shari District (also known as quarter) Review Ground Fief (of Zubaydia) From my research I believe that the diagram on the whiteboard shows the Northern region of Baghdad, as depicted on this map. You can even see the flow of the river Tigris. That means that the word 'gate' on the diagram is referring to the Khurasan gate. Map via Wikipedia Moving on, we have another piece of new concept art, this time showing parkour. Notice the multiple guards also on the rooftops! The video dives into parkour, and makes it clear that it is a key pillar to the Assassin's Creed experience. Baghdad is your playground, and it has been built to enhance parkour opportunities. During the two second clip showing parkour, we see Basim jumping from post to post through what the video describes as an 'urban environment'. The surroundings appear to take inspiration from Assassin's Creed I, reintroducing stalls and buildings featuring ledge windows. Parkour in Valhalla was described as sluggish by many, but the quick snippet here makes it look like the player has more control and freedom over aerial movement. This is confirmed when Marco Maresca (Senior Game Designer) says that the team looked at past games for inspiration, emphasising fluidity and comfort in movement. Parkour is easy to learn, and the approach is closer to the Ezio games, where it's ''all about keeping the flow and momentum going''. The gameplay demonstrates the return of the corner swing, improved vaulting, rope lifts (evelators) and the introduction of a new mechanic, pole vault, which can be used to help Basim cross larger gaps when navigating rooftops. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/06e6c8_2258716187a14f3ba86df251dbaf726d/720p/mp4/file.mp4 Basim is faster and more agile than Eivor, and animations were produced to give players a sense of speed when running, jumping, vaulting and free roaming. You can see a short video of Basim jumping through a test arena, showing his speed and agility. Next we see two pieces of concept art for Assassin's Creed Mirage demonstrating how the streets of Baghdad have been created with parkour in mind. In both images, we see items positioned to give Basim a lift from which he can begin to climb. ''Streets are narrower, denser, and packed with obstacles to navigate.'' ''By choosing the right path through the environment, you can move from street level to the rooftops in the blink of an eye.'' In the background you can see Assassin's Creed Mirage gameplay, showing a few of the ways Basim can navigate the city above ground. The first shows a rope which can be used to cross between buildings, something which has appeared in numerous AC games before. The second shows more obstacles, this time piled up so that Basim can quickly climb to reach a higher platform. The third shows him climbing a syncronisation point, which looks to be connected to a Mosque. As Basim climbs higher towards the platform, a tiny eagle appears, showing that it is indeed a sync point that can be used to unlock more of the map. The focus of the video shifts to stealth, arguably the core pillar of the franchise in need of the biggest revamp. ''We want players to work in the shadows, plan their next move, strike, and then vanish.'' The video then shows off the numerous ways players can assassinate. The first method is by hiding in a booth, similar to Arno killing his target in the confessional box in Assassin's Creed Unity. Second, we see a particularly brutal hidden blade to the neck kill, quickly dispatching an unsuspecting guard. The next method is the ledge grab, something which dates back to the Ezio games. It seems that Basim will be able to climb up to the very top of a platform and surprise unsuspecting enemies. For players looking for a more confrontational approach, takedowns return, with more variation than ever before. In the first gameplay snippets we see, Basim performs a move that sees him flip over an enemies back in what looks to be a finishing move calling back to Assassin's Creed Revelations. The move looks similar to the 'Hook and Run' maneuver performed by Ezio Auditore, taught to him by Yusuf Tazim. Next we see a different angle showing Basim plunging his curved sword into the left shoulder of a guard, no doubt an extremely painful way to die. The final move we see here is an air assault, knocking the guard to the ground and using the hidden blade to eliminate. Bench assassinations make a return, calling back to Assassin's Creed II which released back in 2009. It's a wonder that such a useful feature would disappear in the first place, but it faded away after Black Flag, where Edward Kenway used the move to assassinate Woodes Rogers in the garden. For me, this maneuver is the epitome of the tenet 'Hide in plain sight'. In another throwback to previous games, killing enemies from the rooftop gardens make a return. This was always a great way for players to eliminate guards circling a perimeter, which was particularly effective when paired with the whistle to lure enemies towards their fate. Narrative Director Sarah Beaulieu narrates the next part of the stealth section, making it clear that the team fully encourages players to be sneaky, as combat for Basim is a last resort. His main approach is to hunt and strike whilst remaining unnoticed. The team reworked the enemy AI to improve the detection and vanishing loops, making behaviours more responsive and readable. This is something which heavily needed improvement after the stealth issues which appeared in Valhalla. Enemies would notice Eivor immediately, making social stealth a challenge for most players, encouraging a combat approach. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/06e6c8_719f061122e842a5ad707a95be7dff15/1080p/mp4/file.mp4 New enemy archetypes will increase the stakes, with the introduction of: The Marksman: Capable of shooting down your eagle companion, Enkidu, preventing you from using the bird-control mechanic. The Spearman: A guard bearing a long spear who pokes through haystacks in search of enemies hiding. The Hornbearer: Equiped with a horn which can be used to call for reinforcements. Narrative Director Sarah Beaulieu confirms that Basim does indeed train with The Hidden Ones in Alamut, the historic Persian (Iranian) castle and later the real-life home to the Nizari Ismailis, also known as the Assassins (1090AD), a splinter sect of Shiite Muslims. The group was led by Hassan-i Sabbāh, who apparently uttered the phrase '' Nothing is true , everything is permitted ” on his deathbed. The novel 'Alamut' by Vladimir Bartol is said to be one of the key inspirations for Assassin's Creed I, which the series adopted into its own lore by making it a stronghold for the Levantine Brotherhood of Assassins. The castle is of huge significance to the series, as it was also built on top of a First Civilisation Vault which housed the Memory Seals which Altair used as keys to access his vault at Masyaf. It'll be interesting to see if the construction of Masyaf is completed during the course of the game, as in the CGI trailer and screenshots, it is still being erected. During his time at the castle, Basim is introduced to the tenets of the creed, by his Mentor Roshan and the other Hidden Ones. Next we get a look at the new and improved social stealth, which brings back systemic blending to mask Basim's movements in a large crowd, allowing him to move undetected. Hide in plain sight. In the gameplay demonstrating social stealth, we can see a rope lift on the left, showing a quick and convenient way for Basim to access the rooftops from ground level. We also get our first look at the navigation bar which has an icon showing a bag, which could represent a vendor of some kind such as a tradesman. We also see the return of the skills icon in the top right hand corner, indicating that the player can level up some abilities. Basim can bribe factions with specific tokens in order to control AI groups, allowing him to move undected through guarded areas. This is very similar to how Ezio would pay a group of courtesans to mask his movements in a crowd. The navigation bar at the top of the screen turns yellow as the group approaches, showing that the guards are becoming suspicious in a guarded area, but Basim himself is hidden by the blend mechanic. The final section of the video focusses on assassinations, and the ways in which players can take down The Order of the Ancients to free Baghdad from their influence. The enemy we see here in the concept art image is also the one who appeared in the Cinematic World Premiere Trailer (CGI). In Assassin's Creed Mirage, The Hidden Ones have established a network of bureaus across the city of Baghdad to monitor The Order of the Ancients. They act as gameplay hubs from which the player can take on side contracts and various objectives, from rescue missions to assassinations, to help The Hidden Ones in their fight for freedom. Here is a 3D model of the mask featured in the Cinematic World Premiere Trailer, once again belonging to the target who tries to run from Basim. One of the most impressive gameplay shots of the whole video features next. I can sense the building anticipation amongst the Virtual Photography community, who are itching to know if the game contains a Photo Mode feature at launch. Everything about this piece of concept art screams Assassin's Creed I. Several of Altair's targets would take part in public speaking, manipulating the masses. In this piece of art, we see Basim watching his target from the rooftops, looking for an opportunity to strike. Narration from Sarah Beaulieu makes it clear that the dev team wants players to immerse themselves in the life of a Hidden One, investigating target's identities, tracking their movements, and sharing information. This is also a callback to direct Assassin's Creed I, when Altair was stripped of his rank and demoted to a novice, needing to collect information before reporting back to the bureau leader, who would eventually give him permission to strike. I wonder if Basim will also report back in a similar fashion before eliminating his target. No word on this as of yet. In Assassin's Creed Mirage, a new Investigation Board replacing the Quest Log, possibly a move which shows the intent to move away from RPG elements in the new game. Stephane Boudon returns to the narration and informs the audience that Black Box missions (first introduced in Assassin's Creed Unity) give players the freedom on how to approach an assassination mission. The piece of concept art above shows Roshan and Basim, wearing a green and brown outfit, possibly a disguise planning their approach. This piece of art heavily reminds me of the player's introduction to Black Box missions in Assassin's Creed Unity, where Bellec and Arno stand on a rooftop overlooking Notre-Dame looking at the ways in which to proceed. The winner in this piece is Roshan's hair. So striking! Finally, the dev team reveal that in a surprise addition to the game for long-time players, a nostalgic visual filter setting has been added which can be applied at any point to give the game a desaturated blue-color palette, similar to the very first Assassin's Creed game (2007). This is a nice piece of fan service, as it adds a level of nostalgia reminding many of us of the fondness we all have for the original game and also how the washed out colours made Altair's robes stand out. That's all for the first Dev Diary, and things are looking promising. Although Mirage isn't doing anything too innovative, the team behind it seem to be rediscovering what mechanics worked well in previous titles and are determined in their efforts to restore them to the franchise. Look out for our coverage of Assassin's Creed Mirage here on The Ones Who Came Before, as we can't wait to explore the new title even further as we get closer to launch. Stay tuned for all things Assassin's Creed with our social media channels, listed below. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

Assassin's Creed Community Meet-up at Wales Comic Con 2018 - Part 2 Event Share 1 Dec 2018 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Our admins Col and Ash joined AC UK at Wales Comic Con for a community meet-up! 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)

TOWCB Team Members invited to join 'The Mentor's Order' News Share 14 Jan 2023 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database We are thrilled to announce that our team members @col_96 (Colum Blackett), @lisazamanart (Lisa Zaman) & @Ashlea_97 (Ashlea Blackett) have been invited to join a new #AssassinsCreed community program called 'The Mentor's Order', a Ubisoft Star Player initiative! Back in July 2022, Ubisoft sadly closed down 'The Mentors Guild', an established community program made up of active content creators around the world. With the introduction of 'The Mentor's Order', we once again hope to maintain a positive relationship with Ubisoft. We are also optimistic that the new program will provide equal opportunities for all Assassin's Creed Star Players, new and old. We are also excited to hear that the new program is being led by the same team behind TMG, and the new restructuring will bring community members together under one roof within the Ubisoft Star Player program! We are eager to see how the new program develops, but we are thrilled to be a part of it. Keep an eye on our social media channels for behind the scenes updates detailing our experience of the new program! 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)

2025 Assassin's Creed Community Fundraiser Art by Jebs Community Share 13 Jun 2025 Written By: Edited By: Jebs Colum Blackett Back To Database Check out this promotional piece of artwork created by Jebs from TOWCB's Art Team for the 2025 Assassin's Creed Community Fundraiser, which is raising money and encouraging blood donation to aid in the battle against blood cancer! Raise the hood to those who give blood. We are Assassins. GoFundMe comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author In June 2025, Jebs joined TOWCB's Art Team in an effort to widen the variety of art styles on the team. She is known online for her unusual art style, which can be described as a mix between doodling, sketching and anime, pieces which are often animated, bringing a ton of personality and fun to her work. Throughout 2025 and beyond, Jebs will 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 aim to boost her profile within the community and create a meaningful relationship with Ubisoft. Jebs

Madrinas Reveals Assassin's Creed Shadows Inspired Boba Tea Collection Merchandise Share 17 Oct 2024 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Frame Hold Photography Back To Database Madrinas, an online specialty coffee and tea brand, has officially revealed its new line of Assassin’s Creed Shadows-inspired products. This drop includes Cherry Blossom Fruit Tea, Strawberry Matcha Milk Tea, and an AC Shadows-themed shaker cup! These three items are available in their limited edition Collector’s Box. Madrinas has teamed up with many other video game franchises in the past, including Rainbow Six Siege, Halo, Sea of Thieves, and Cyberpunk 2077. We are also excited to announce that we are furthering our collaboration with Madrinas over the next few weeks, as TOWCB team member Frame Hold Photography will soon be receiving an Assassin’s Creed Shadows Collector’s Box to try these two new boba tea flavors. Her review will be posted to the site and our socials very soon, so stay tuned! To pick up your own Assassin’s Creed Shadows boba teas, check out Madrinas’ website at: www.madrinas.com Madrinas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Txz12PSFNA 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)