Journey Through History: TOWCB’s Timeline of the Assassin’s Creed Universe - 2023 Edition Breakdowns Share 29 Jun 2023 Written By: Edited By: Michael Smith Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Banner by Thea Marie Rivedal (Moonchildgecko) from TOWCB Art Team. It's time for an update to the timeline I released last year here on The Ones Who Came Before for the Genetic Memory Timeline for the entire Assassin’s Creed Universe (or at least what I find to still be relevant). To get started, please download a copy of the following Google Sheet that I am sharing in a View Only format to avoid unapproved changes to the timeline. You can download a copy of the timeline here . As you read through the timeline, you can check off what items you own and which ones you have completed on one or both timelines. Links are provided for discontinued services that will redirect you to another site that has documented the content of these entries to read over. Overall, these timelines are a great way to explore the Assassin’s Creed universe. Not every single item that Ubisoft has branded will be included such as the companion apps for games or the old mobile versions of titles that would have been played on non-smartphone devices. However, I scoured the internet from AC Wiki, Access the Animus, Wikipedia, and other sources to gather as much lore that I could and put it in on the timeline. In total there are over 250+ items within the Assassin’s Creed timeline so there will be plenty to choose from. The original Genetic Memory timeline is organized by Century (both BCE and CE) from ancient content to modern day, but the new addition for this year’s timeline is the Release Date Timeline; organized by the date of release based on the information that I was able to locate. This timeline is divided by Release Year from 2007 - 2023, with a TBA section at the end for content that has been announced but not yet provided a release date. Unlike the GM timeline, certain transmedia such as the Echoes of History podcast are not divided into individual episodes within the RD timeline, but grouped as one item to be enjoyed all at once. This is also something that you will notice with similar data points being merged together in each column to make it easier to read (at least it is to me). If you do not find this useful, once you download the spreadsheet, you will be able to edit it to your personal preferences. If a piece of content is available in a non-English language, it will be notated in parenthesis. Beginning with the Genetic Memory Order tab, I will walk through each Century and provide a small explanation of what you will find in each section. With the dates for each historical period, you will find the range of when the content took place and find that some items may start at a similar point in time or even during the same time period as another (such as the Assassin’s Creed movie and Assassin’s Creed II). The earlier start date will take precedence over the other, so you can image this as a “Elsewhere this was happening” when moving through the recorded history. Periods that had no major event taking place are labeled with the area that the content takes place. Additionally you will find the GM character (such as Kassandra, Eivor, or Ezio) and then the Modern Day time period and respective character if available. If you have interest in following the MD story in order, see the Release Date Order tab for that option. However as we progress to the 21st Century, the GM periods will fill more with N/As and be replaced with more detail in the MD period and character. The format that you will see for the majority of the main games in the series as it is meant to be an option of how you want to enjoy the story, is that the novelization and game are next to each other in order. I suggest going back to the one you didn’t start with (book or game) once you finish the first to get the full experience. You will also find that the supplemental content for the games in the form of strategy guides, art books, and soundtracks are grouped with their game to provide that full content line. If you would rather explore the timeline in Release Date order, you can select the tab and just read top to bottom as it is organized by dates and doesn’t need any additional explanation. 6th Century BCE From the Facebook application Project Legacy (courtesy of Access the Animus’ recording of the site data) we have a single entry for the period showing how Pythagoras received the Staff of Hermes Trismegistus via the story of his companion Kyros of Zarax. 5th Century BCE Assassin’s Creed Odyssey resides in this Century and all of the content for the story of Kassandra will be located here (minus the Valhalla end of the Crossover Story with Eivor in the 9th Century CE). Starting with the Behind the Legend episode from Echoes of History, fans can learn more about Kassandra’s grandfather, King Leonidas I of Sparta before moving into either the novelization or the videogame for AC Odyssey. Fans will continue with the game’s DLC with a few items mixed in and follow this with the Discovery Tour, and close with the various VR offerings that are available either commercially (at a VR business) or on the Meta Oculus Quest. 3rd Century BCE Assassin’s Creed: Codename Jade is the exclusive entry for this century. It is set in the Qin Dynasty and will be coming to mobile devices in the future. 1st Century BCE Assassin’s Creed Origins is the focus of the 1st Century BCE. Starting with the prequel novel and another Echoes of History episode to set fans up for the main game and its additional content. Much like Odyssey, this will be followed with the Egyptian Discovery Tour and end with the Origins comic that takes place after the story of the game. 3rd Century CE Moving into the Common Era, The Ankh of Isis Trilogy will be next on the checklist. Now while the Modern Day adaptation of Desmond Miles’ story is not considered canon to the universe, the Genetic Memories are as there are references to this transmedia piece in later content. 7th Century CE The first book in the Imperial Jade Seal series will take place in 660 CE following Chinese Assassin, Zhangsun Qi. This book, Assassin's Creed: Chang'an Wang (Prophecy of the Emperor) is available exclusively in Chinese and has no current information available for additional languages. 8th Century CE The Tang Dynasty continues with Assassin’s Creed: Dynasty in five volumes (6 volumes in France). 9th Century CE This century is the one that many fans will currently be in or waiting for as both Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Valhalla take place here. With Valhalla you will see multiple DLC and content updates listed individually as they have major plot points and was the first game to offer a 2-year content schedule. If you do not see a particular content update listed, it was not added as it was assumed that you will play with the main story (such as the festivals). 10th Century CE Another century with a single entry, The Last Descendants - Fate of the Gods. A good way to wrap up the Viking stories as we move to the original game. 12th Century CE Assassin’s Creed (2007), the original game is the focus of this century. Starting with the DS game Altaïr's Chronicles and The Secret Crusade (Spoilers: This will cover content that you won’t play until the 16th Century as it is about Altaïr's life). The main game and Bloodlines will follow and wrap up with the historical podcast about the overall Assassin’s v. Templars in Echoes of History. I added this podcast after the original game and not in the 11th Century as I felt that it was better fitting to listen to after playing the first game as story elements of the game are covered within. 13th Century CE Mongolia is a key location in the 13th Century as we start with the final content for Altaïr and his family, following with an Echoes of History episode on Niccolo and Maffeo Polo, and wrapping up with the second book of the Last Descendants trilogy, Tomb of the Great Khan. An additional YA novel takes place in Scotland with AC Fragments - The Highlands Children. 14th Century CE The sequel to the Ankh of Isis Trilogy (3rd Century CE) is next with The Hawk Trilogy of books. Either the individual books or the combined trilogy will be acceptable here as it will get read all together. Of all the AC content that I have interacted with so far, this trilogy is my least favorite. 15th Century CE Ezio Auditore takes over in the 15th Century after fans read AC: Heresy by the awesome Christie Golden. Assassin’s Creed II will be the majority focus this century, but will intertwine with the Assassin’s Creed movie as well. 16th Century CE This is the second largest century for content with 41 items to read & play. AC Brotherhood, AC Revelations, and AC Chronicles: China are the major players as Ezio’s story continues and he passes the torch to Shao Jun. 17th Century CE Do you know what the 17th Century has that the others don’t? Witches! Three of the four content entries in this century are about the witches in the US (Trial by Fire comic), France (The Witches of the Moors YA novel), and Germany (AC Hexe, not-confirmed). This century also includes the audiobook, AC Gold, that follows the blind Assassin Omar Khaled during The Great Recoinage in 1696. 18th Century CE The Kenway Saga is the anchor for the 18th Century. Edward Kenway leads with AC IV: Black Flag & the currently running Forgotten Temple manga on Webtoon. His Quartermaster Adéwalé continues our time in the Caribbean with the DLC add-on, Freedom Cry (also available as a standalone game).Edward’s son Haytam is the transition with AC Forsaken (novel) into the Templar led AC Rogue, and then into his son Ratonhnhaké:ton’s (Connor Kenway) game Assassin’s Creed III. AC Liberation adds Aveline de Grandpré to the cast of Assassins and wraps the America’s story before rewinding to a character fans met in Rogue, Arno Dorian. The French Assassin takes us to the French Revolution for the next 16 years of the series and the collection of media based around this release from 2014. 19th Century CE A century of revolution and civil war. Assassin’s Creed India and Syndicate provide plenty of gaming options while The Engine of History trilogy provides amazing stories in novel form from author Kate Heartfield and Aconyte Books. Lots of time will be spent in the UK and Europe this century and covers a vast amount of historical time periods. 20th Century CE The comic lines of the Assassin’s Creed universe take over from here as the games have not continued past the 19th Century, with the exception of Assassin’s Creed Russia. The Russian Civil War, World War II, and the Vietnam War all occur this century. This is also the century that Abstergo Industries was founded (the modern day Templar Order) so fans will get to explore the history of the organization via websites and multiplayer-files from previous games. 21st Century CE We come full circle with more information about Abstergo Industries, including the Employee Handbook and the final volume of the original Assassin’s Creed comic line from Titan Comics. Fans can also continue into the future with the non-canon story of Assassin Darcy Clarkson in the DLC update for Watch Dogs: Legion if they choose to do so. Additional Data (Multiple Time Periods) In this section, I positioned alphabetically the content that covered too many time periods or content that was made for the Assassin’s Creed audience and not the story itself. This includes “The Network Podcast” which I have singled out in this explanation as one of the hosts, Andrien (@EscoBlades) was reported in 2020 for abuses against women. While TOWCB do not support this man in any form, the podcast which was also hosted by Stephen O'Neill (@SickSteeny) & Gabe Graziani (@GabeGraziani) who I feel should not be shadowed by this person. Reference Books If you want to deep dive into the series or get a quick overview of the story, this is the section for you. The Encyclopedias, The Essential Guides, The Official Collection magazine series, and other similar materials are all included here. I could have divided the magazines into their respective time periods, but there are 80 issues and I don’t have them to do that. Maybe if I can ever get my hands on them I will divide them, but it's best to keep them together for now like the Encyclodpia’s various pages on each Assassin and time period. Announced Titles Any and all titles and projects that have been announced by Ubisoft and the Assassin’s Creed Brand that do not have enough information to be placed in the timeline are here. These will be added once more information is provided. But it's a nice way to see what is around the corner for us to explore when the time comes. I hope that this timeline helps all of you organize your plans to explore the Assassin’s Creed universe. If you happen to find an issue with the timeline (as I have found a few typos or copy/paste issues that I have corrected), or if you have additional content that you think fits in the timeline, please reach out to me on this site in the comments or on Twitter @thelordreylus and I will look into it further. I plan on updating this article at least once a year, but with the spreadsheet, I will attempt to keep it updated as I update my personal copy. So go forth and explore this historical playground that we all enjoy and I will see you online to discuss your favorites! 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

The Animus Archives An Assassin's Creed Fan Magazine by The Ones Who Came Before Welcome to The Animus Archives, the first-ever Assassin's Creed Community Magazine by The Ones Who Came Before. The series was a quarterly fan project launched in 2019, full of bonus content for the biggest fans of the Assassin's Creed franchise. Our readers have full access to exclusive articles, interviews, puzzles, and more! We thank you for taking the time to engage with our project and would really appreciate any feedback you can give us to improve. - 2020 update: The Animus Archives has been put on hold so that we can focus on new projects. We thank all our readers for their support! Issue #1 - March 2019 Issue #2 - June 2019 Issue #3 - September 2019

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 Day - The 21st of December Analysis Share 20 Dec 2019 Written By: Edited By: Thea M. Rivedal Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Why do we celebrate Assassin’s Creed (AC) Day, and why exactly the 21 st of December? Like every other person, firm, land, event etc. each have their day of celebration, why should our beloved franchise be any different? To have a specific day to celebrate something thousand of people have in common is a great way to reminisce the games, the characters and the stories they tell. Why then the 21st of December? Image by The Mentor's Guild The Winter Solstice – Early Human Tradition and Celebration The 21 st of December is commonly known as the Winter Solstice when the Earth’s North pole reach its furthest point away from the Sun, and for the people in the North the days grow longer again, and the darkest time of the year is finally coming to an end. The same thing happens in the South in June. The Winter Solstice have been celebrated by humans for thousands of years, both as a way of remarking the Sun’s lowest point on the horizon, as well as it’s rebirth and new rising. As far as 10,000 years ago, humans witnessed the Sun’s fall and rise on the sky, and celebrated it thereafter with religious and burial grounds being built to mark the turning Sun. Throughout the World, humans have made monuments according to the Sun and its movements. Both advanced civilisations, like Ancient Egypt and Greece, as well as more primitive ones like the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age civilisations in the North of Europe built their tombs based on the placement and the importance of the Sun. Some even studied the Sun and used it in their calculations. In 240 BCE. the scholar Eratosthenes used the Summer Solstice and the measurement of the angle of a shadow cast by a stick to calculate approximately just how big the Earth is. The Sun have also been used as one of the first symbols created by humans. The Spiral is considered one of the earliest symbols made by man, and although the meaning of it varies from place to place, the worship of the Sun has left its mark on many civilisations through time. As a symbol of growth, strength, rebirth and new life, we have discovered in modern times just how ferocious and dangerous the Sun really is. In Assassin’s Creed, solar flares followed by a massive coronal mass ejection was the doom of the First Civilisation in 75 000 BCE. It wouldhave been our doom again was it not for the Assassin Desmond Miles and his team in 2012. Desmond Miles – the Little-Known Ultimate Sacrifice As we know from the Assassin’s Creed franchise, the 21 st of December isn’t all about the fall and rise of the Sun. The first modern world protagonist we meet in the franchise, Desmond Miles, sacrificed his life on December 21st in 2012 to save the Earth from the disaster that would occur, saving billions of people. The Number 72 – Both a Password and a Puzzle 72 isn’t a number that is strikingly astonishing alone, and unless you’ve kept your eyes and ears open, it’s even illusive in the franchise. The number first appears in 45 BCE when the Vault in Rome was opened by Marcus Junius Brutus, then again later by Ezio Auditore in 1506 and his descendant Desmond Miles in 2012. The number’s importance becomes evident when it reveals to be the very password for the Vault. As explained by Shaun in AC: Brotherhood: The Tetragrammaton. The 72 names of God. You see? They're all contained within three verses: Exodus 19 through 21. And, get this, you'll like this. If you arrange the four Hebrew letters in God's name within an equilateral triangle, their numerical values add up to the same number: 72. Although Assassin’s Creed may be quite fond of the number 72, it can also be found outside the franchise. If you dig into the amount of occasions 72 have been mentioned through time, the list grows longer and longer the further you dig. From the 72 sicknesses, the 72 steps from Earth to Heaven in the Bible, the 72 old men of the Synagogue, the 72 Immortals in Taoism, the 72 evil disciples who enclosed the god Osiris in a coffin, the list, to say it short, goes on forever. If it’s God’s little joke, a human made coincidence or just Nature having fun with the number, it’s not a number to be throw under the carpet. It is an important number, both in history and in Assassin’s Creed. Before the release of AC: Origins and Odyssey, every main game from Ubisoft have been released within the time frame October 10th to December 21st. Whether it be intentional or not by the developers, it’s a funny coincidence nonetheless. From October to December, the franchise celebrates the growing amount of beloved games. Everyone has their own favourite, their first game or the one that touched a special place in our hearts. For the community, to have a day of celebration simply adds to the joy (and make an excuse for giving gifts). Image by Assassin's Creed Wiki The Community – a Day of Celebration, Charity and Reminiscing AC Day may have multiple meanings and significant facts behind the date, but first and foremost it’s a day for the fans, for the community and the hardworking people behind the games we all love. Sources: Britannica: Winter Solstice Images: AC Day Wallpaper Pack by The Mentor's Guild AC Wiki comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Thea Marie Rivedal is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan from rural Norway, who joined The Ones Who Came Before in 2019, jumping up to the Art Team later in 2022. Thea is a skilled digital, watercolour, and acrylic artist, also having a knack for graphic design, having designed many of the variants of the TOWCB logo/insignia. In the real world, Thea also holds a Masters degree in Archaeology from the University of Bergen, and is one of the few members of our team to have a big Assassin's Creed themed tattoo. Thea M. Rivedal

Partner Promotion: UbiCypher takes on the role of Isu_Network Lead Admin News Share 13 Feb 2024 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Back To Database We are pleased to announce that UbiCypher (@ Kenway_Joe ) has achieved a promotion within the Isu_Network , taking on the role of lead admin! He has spent countless hours researching the series and real history, providing consistent social media content in the form of Assassin's Creed lore trivia, puzzles and news coverage. Under his guidance, the Isu_Network Twitter account has now surpassed 2500 followers, and we are incredibly proud of the content that has been released, some of which has gone on to act as a basis for articles on the website. The Isu_Network is becoming a recognisable pillar of the community, and in 2024 we are taking our content to the next level, by recruiting experienced social media manager Eric Allen to the team. With this promotion, and the experience TOWCB social media team gains from Eric's recruitment, we are now working to establish a clear identity for Isu_Network , and will continue to create consistent social media content that is both engaging and memorable. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

Assassin's Creed Mirage Concepts by FrameHoldPhotography Art Share 9 Sept 2022 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Our very own FrameHoldPhotography from the AC Partnership Program's Video Content Creation Team has created x3 concept images for the next title in the series, Assassin's Creed Mirage! The game, which will seemingly transport players back to the Middle East before the events of Valhalla, is hoped to be a turning point for the series, reinventing pillars of the franchise in need of a reboot such as stealth and parkour. The concepts below created by FrameHoldPhotography imagine a game featuring beloved member of the Hidden Ones, Basim Ibn Ishaq in his younger years. The images merge together photomode captures from Valhalla and Origins, and are edited using Photoshop to create some ideas of what AC Mirage might look like! We can't wait to learn more about Assassin's Creed Mirage at Ubisoft Forward! 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 Odyssey Review Review Share 5 Feb 2019 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database "Fun but flawed in the eyes of the lore" The reveal of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey marked a new direction for the franchise, with a focus on giving players the chance to craft their own experience. For some, it was the beginning of an identity crisis for the series, with the removal of both the Assassins and the Creed, making the title almost invalid. For others, it was a fresh start for the series, entering a new chapter full of opportunity which would allow the player to control the sexual identity and decisions of the protagonist. It was clear that the franchise was no longer going to be constricted by the Animus, and would for the first time ever be letting players make their own decisions over character selection, dialogue and other aspects of the game. Odyssey takes the franchise even further in the journey towards becoming a fully-fledged RPG, and builds upon the blocks left behind by Origins. My time playing Assassin’s Creed Odyssey has been a bumpy ride, bringing about a mixture of emotions. The key question I asked myself when purchasing the game was: Can you have an Assassin’s Creed Game without the Assassins or the Creed? The short answer is yes, as Odyssey proves that it can be done from an ideological perspective, as tyrants and liberators exist in all historical societies. Should it have been done though? That’s a more difficult question to tackle. So before we examine that in more depth, let’s take a look at the game itself. From the outside, Odyssey looks like 300 crossed with Assassin’s Creed Origins, combining the brutality of Ancient Greek conflicts with aspects of the previous entry. Moments after beginning the game, it becomes clear that this is far more than a retexture of a previous game. For the first time ever, players can select a character, a decision that cannot be undone once made. The choice comes down to two Spartan mercenaries. Kassandra or Alexios. This is due to Layla’s modified Animus accepting pages from the lost book of Herodotus, and DNA from the Spear of Leonidas, which projects a potential version of what history could have looked like, rather than what it was really like. For this to happen, the established animus lore of the franchise has been bent all over the place, removing issues such as desyncronization and bleeding effect consequences. The half-siblings have exactly the same choices, lines and even sexual partners, making the whole selection process rather peculiar. According to previous entries, Layla should be desynchronizing immediately, but let’s roll with it for now. I wasted no time in selecting Kassandra, turning the difficulty up to Nightmare Mode, and enabling exploration mode for my first playthrough. The World Ancient Greece in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey mixes together a wide range of contrasting environments, creating a beautiful experience for the player. When you’re not being attacked by the many enemies of the world, you can use photo mode to take in the stunning views and capture the moment. Although Odyssey feels familiar due to the graphical similarities to Assassin’s Creed Origins, the sandy deserts of Egypt feel a great distance away from the green fields of Greece. Venture to the coast and watch the waves hit the shore, or listen to the teachings of Sokrates in a bustling crowd. Whatever you choose to do in the game, you’ll be met with dynamic, ever changing scenarios that make you wish you had a time machine to visit it all for real. The game does a fantastic job at providing memorable locations in such a large open world, with new surroundings still being discovered after 100 hours of play. The tone of the world can also change in a moment, quickly going from a sunny, clear day, to a stormy, misty night, full of dangers lurking in the dark. You don’t want to be lingering around the woods of Attica after the sun goes down. The player discovers the Greek world along-side Kassandra (Or Alexios), after they finally manage to leave the small island of Kephallonia. behind. You’ll meet a colourful cast of characters along the way too. Who could forget the legendary warrior Testikles, or the tales told by your right hand man Barnabas, an ever loyal companion when facing the gravest of dangers. Following the Misthios on their journey are Ikaros (Senu’s Great Great ikarosGrandfather…. Possibly) and Phobos (At times the slowest horse to ever exist), who provide constant assistance throughout the game. My first ten hours of gaming were spent synchronising viewpoints. Little did I know that this task would be never-ending, as the map for the game is absolutely enormous. After many hours free-roaming the wild lands of Ancient Greece (on nightmare mode), I began to notice that I had barely gained any XP at all, and that it had been a real graft to level up. In comparison to the enemies (and animals) of the land that all wanted me dead, I was an extremely weak opponent. By not doing missions (as the game clearly intended), I felt like I was being punished, and had to suffer the consequences. Without missions, it can take the player several hours to increase significantly in XP or levels when choosing to free-roam. This graft to progress can create a disparity between the gamer and the world, where you leave your gaming session wondering what you have actually accomplished. Unlike other RPG games such as Skyrim, the game has no intention of rewarding players for wandering the world, with XP awards being almost microscopic at times. Bigger actions on the other hand, such as completing missions or eliminating rival mercenaries are heavily awarded with XP, which can rapidly increase your level. Before approaching a mission, I find myself scouting out the surrounding areas in order to pick a suitable battleground in case of conflict. A nice cliff or wall can be the difference between life and death, thanks to the Sparta Kick ability which can be used to defeat even the strongest of enemies. The surroundings can be critical to a successful fight, and creates an element which players can exploit to their own advantage. For example, I recently led a group of Athenians to a Lion den, before finding a vantage point to weaken the enemies with carefully timed arrows. Natural resources within the world also play a key role in the progression of the misthios. Trees and Iron can be harvested to upgrade weapons, or upgrade the ship, improving the chances of winning in combat. The game introduces a refined crafting experience in comparison to the time consuming efforts that were required in Assassin’s Creed III. To craft arrows, players simply collect wood and pelt, and head to the inventory. You can now even select auto-craft for arrows, meaning the game does it all for you. One feature that I particularly liked in AC Odyssey was the ability to dismantle weapons at any time. This allows the player to gain more wood or pelt where necessary. Although the world can be used to your advantage, it can also provide surprises for those who wander in to unknown terrain. Enemy attacks can come unexpectedly, and you may find yourself facing skilled warriors with level counts way above your own. The best way to stay alive is by carefully selecting your gear, and by making sure you keep upgrading/engraving when you visit your local blacksmith. One thing that I did notice when delving in to the world of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is that actions have consequences. Thanks to the new dialogue selection system, the choices that you make in your playthrough can have repercussions. For example, by choosing to spare the infected residents of Kefalonia, the player learns later in the game that their homeland has become host to a foul plague. For the rest of the game, Kassandra or Alexios must live with the burden of knowing that they could have prevented the spread of the deadly disease. This is just one example of many of how the choices you make in game affect the world around you. Everything from the side you choose, to the targets you kill can be carefully contemplated by the player. The game does not force you to kill targets (other than cultists), and it is up to the player to decide which Nation Leaders/Mercenaries they wish to assassinate or spare. In doing so, they know that their decisions shape the land, and contribute towards the suffering or prosperity of the people. These huge decisions can feel like rewriting history at times, and should really be prevented by the Animus (which clearly isn’t doing its job properly these days). A good example of this is when Kassandra confronts The Wolf of Sparta (whom she thinks is her father). The player can choose to kill or spare Nikolaos, a decision which should be fundamentally impossible within the Animus. Abilities Odyssey introduces a wide range of abilities that the player can unlock, which can be selected depending on the gamer’s preferred play-style. Each of three skill trees focus on a different core aspect of your chosen character. The Hunter, Warrior and Assassin tress all contain abilities which can cause devastating damage to opponents. The only problem with the ability system is that you can only select four for combat and four for archery at a time. It’s a shame that the game restricts your access to all of the abilities at once, but it does make the player select the most appropriate for their game. I personally tried to blend a mix between stealth and combat, in order suit the way I found myself playing the game. Let’s be honest, there’s nothing a good old Sparta kick won’t solve, but it’s best to stay on the safe side and select useful ones like healing for example. You never know when a fight is going to break out, and it’s good to have a way to recover should you take some damage. The Spear of Leonidas has some extremely powerful abilities attached to it, which only seem to get stronger as you progress through the game. After killing members of the Cult of Kosmos, you can take the Spear to the Ancient Forge, where it can be upgraded. This allows you to increase your strength even further, and unlock even more devastating abilities. Although the game has a great range of abilities, I felt that some of them should not have been locked away. For example, special arrows such as fire, poison or explosive all fall under an ability tree, rather than a simple purchase from a blacksmith which I expected. You’ll find the same goes for smoke bombs, which also fall under an ability tree. It feels like the game really does wish for the player to level up and grind, rather than handing all the tools available straight away. Ikaros also does not have abilities, as was the case in Assassin’s Creed Origins. I think it would have been interesting to introduce abilities like the following: “Theft from above”. “Distraction noise”. “Stone drop”. You get the picture, there’s loads that could have been implemented. Maybe in the next game we’ll be able to send our eagle to steal ammo from enemy camps. That being said, I cannot imagine playing the game without abilities. Conquest battles without healing, shield stealing or overpowered archery attacks would be an absolute nightmare! They really do add an extra element to the game, and unleash a lethal force when enough adrenaline is built up. Dialogue options Dialogue options are a strange addition to the franchise, something which I never expected to occur as long as the animus is still operational. The choices available to the player are endless, especially in side missions, where Kassandra can change the tone of a conversation extremely quickly. One thing you will notice quickly however is her lust for sex at every opportunity. During serious conversations, the game finds a way to make the situation sexual, something which I found to be quite distracting. Other times, I found the choice I selected didn’t overly reflect what was actually being said, making it feel like the dialogue option was pretty pointless. One thing that I did like about the dialogue options however were how you could gain extra information from characters by selecting a question. This allows for the player to learn more about the upcoming quest, and think of a strategy in which to proceed. Odyssey is full of choices, and the dialogue system reflects that in full. Players have the option to turn down quests and come back to it later, something which is extremely useful when you’re way below the recommended level. After sinking several hours into the game every day, I found myself at times skipping through dialogue in cutscenes and choosing to read the subtitles instead. This is no disrespect to the voice actors in any way, who did a great job with the characters. It simply saves time. There are moments however where I wish I had not done this, as the game quizzed me and made sure I was paying attention. My first real noticeable quiz came when I first attempted “Lore of the Sphinx”. I skipped the cutscenes without paying attention, and was presented with a selection process for riddle answers. I guessed of course and was killed by the Sphinx for not paying attention. I liked the way in which the game made sure I was still listening, and gave me options in which to choose. Other than a few overly sexual options, and some which didn’t reflect the choice, I think the game did a good job at presenting alternative branches which could create interesting consequences. This is definitely a feature that Ubisoft should use again in games like Far Cry and Splinter Cell, but I’m still not sure about its place in the Assassin’s Creed Universe I might be open to it's return in the Modern Day aspects though. Stealth One of the core pillars of the Assassin’s Creed franchise is stealth, enabling the player to become one with the crowd and neutralise enemies without being spotted. As stealth is such as important element to the franchise, you would expect the game to make missions specifically for this, but this is not the case. When you begin the game, stealth is nearly impossible, with attacks from a hiding spot dealing limited damage. Over time, it improves if you select gear with Assassin damage, but there comes a time when playing where you have to accept that a stealth approach may not be the best for this game. For example: You see an Athenian guard on the edge of the cliff. You can either: 1) Attempt an assassination, risking exposure. 2) Sparta kick him off the cliff. In any other Assassin’s Creed game, I would pick 1 of course, knowing that my hidden blade would kill the enemy every time, but Odyssey carries on the problem that Origins introduced. Not every character can be stealthily assassinated from behind, or above, no matter what you do. You’d think a knife to the throat would slay even the mightiest of foes, but the game seems to have other ideas about this. Even with full Assassin damage on your weapons, a stealth attack may only deal half the damage you would expect to a captain or brute. You can find yourself above an alerted enemy, but unable to perform an air assassination, something which I found to be a particular problem. The stealth in Odyssey is flawed, and that makes me worry about future entries. When walking with a crowd in Athens for example, a paid mercenary will spot you from a mile away and attack on sight. Long gone are the days of ‘blending’, where a crowd could mask your position. The game is slightly limited when it comes to ranged attacks. All you can do from distance is shoot an arrow, which probably won’t do much damage to an enemy of the same, or higher level (even with a headshot), or you can try get up close and personal. Neither guarantees an instant kill, and exposes your position immediately. I found that the best stealth attack in the game is actually the spear throw ability, which can be used to quietly kill your opponents. As one of the fundamental strengths of the franchise, I really want to see this aspect improved in future entries. The simple introduction of tools such as throwing knives or bombs would make a difference to the stealth element. Alongside the whistle, rock throwing like was the case in Far Cry 3 would be a fantastic tool to distract guards. The closest right now to this is fire an arrow, or throw a lit torch, both of which alert enemies. Stealth is certainly an optional approach in the game, and many missions don’t even try to accommodate it. For example, the conquest battles cannot be fought from the shadows, and force the player to use the combat system time and time again. One thing that I did like about stealth in Odyssey however was the range of cover from the environment. Tall grass and bushes are frequent across the land, so you can attempt to be stealthy whenever you feel like it. As stealth is such a vital part of the Assassin’s Creed series, I really hope that the team behind the next game go back to the drawing board and work out the kinks, because for some reason it is extremely difficult in Odyssey, and almost prevents the player from carrying out a quiet assassination. It’s clear to me that more tools need to be given to the player in order to become a stealthier character. For example, Poison darts, smoke bombs, throwing knives and rock throwing would be a massive step forward in comparison to what we have to work with right now. Assassin’s Creed elements Odyssey is the first game in the franchise to take place before the establishment of the Assassin Brotherhood, which began in Ancient Egypt (The Hidden Ones). For this reason, the game was always going to struggle with incorporating ‘AC elements’, as many of the key founding pillars had yet to be introduced. Although the game does attempt to remind players than it is an Assassin’s Creed game, it acts almost like a fanservice rather than dedication to previous entries. Origins had some of the best White Room death conversations in the franchise, but Odyssey removes these pivotal moments, and replaces assassination targets with a ‘Shadow of Mordor’ style system. This means that players don’t really know anything about the people they are hunting in the Cult of Kosmos, even after investigations have been conducted. Although the Cult control Ancient Greece and different aspects of society, the player doesn’t have motivation to hunt down targets other than gaining better loot and crossing a name off a list. Previously, games would invest players in their targets, and make an emotional connection to their kill. A great example of this is when Connor finally assassinated his father, Haytham Kenway. When I think back on my Odyssey, I could maybe name two or three targets that I actually know anything about or remember. It seems that the members of the cult only exist to give the player something to do in the game, which is a shame when you think about the great experiences we have had hunting notable targets down in past entries. The Hidden Blade is replaced by The Spear of Leonidas, which is a pretty cool weapon for the player to upgrade and customise. Unfortunately though, you only get one, meaning that double air assassinations cannot be performed in the game. This is extremely annoying when you find yourself above two targets. Odyssey is also the first Assassin’s Creed game not to feature Animus Loading screens, where you can run around and see your character. Instead, we see the Cult of Kosmos hideout, which adds masks to the floor after you track them down. Although this is a cool new feature, it’s just one of the many ways in which the game distances itself from the past. The game does a decent job at explaining that a precursor group to the Order of Ancients existed, and that a philosophical battle against free will and control took place. At its core, that’s what the Assassin’s Creed franchise is all about. It does however, present a story where one individual and a few friends chose to battle the controlling forces, rather two opposing groups. It’s pretty disappointing to see that Darius, a major figure in the Assassin’s Creed lore has been sidelined to DLC content. Although the DLC looks 100x more like an Assassin’s Creed entry than Odyssey, I can’t help but feel unimpressed that players are having to pay extra to get the full AC experience. The outfits provide a constant reminder than this is an AC Game, allowing players to equip hoods when tackling the adventures set by Ubisoft. I was overall impressed with the outfit customisation options, especially when the visual customisation system was introduced. One thing however that was noticeably missing was the Legacy Outfits, which have been present in the franchise since the early games. It would have been pretty cool to see the Altair outfit getting some photo mode attention, but unfortunately they didn’t make an appearance. The best Assassin’s Creed lore elements in the game can be found in the Modern Day sections, where you play as Layla reading her emails. Here you will find a whole array of callbacks to previous instalments, and even transmedia products such as Last Descendants and Heresy. The death of Charlotte de la Cruz is featured in an email, alongside mentions of key Assassins, such as William Miles, Harlan T Cunningham and Galina Voronina. My favourite reference was the presence of Kiyoshi Takakuraa, a member of the Japanese Brotherhood who was first introduced in Assassin’s Creed Initiates. The Modern Day story is always progressing, with Layla being promoted to Cell Leader, but the games tend to focus on pretty boring aspects of the story. When you compare the comic book modern day story aspects to the games, we have one clear winner. This has led to it losing its importance for many fans, with some calling for its removal. I hope that for the next game, we can restore the Modern Day conflict, and see a full scale battle between the Assassins, Templars and Instruments of the First Will. Conclusion Odyssey is at its best when it is presenting the player with meaningful side missions that connect to each other. You can play a full arc that all links to each other, creating a chain of stories which you can follow. Here we get to see the protagonist in different situations, and presents the player with a great blend of sarcasm, humour and seriousness. Kassandra is a breath of fresh air as a female protagonist, when compared to the cold, serious tone we experienced as Aya. She was great all the way through, and I am so glad I didn’t choose Alexios. Sexual decisions feel unnecessary and out of place, becoming incredibly distracting when playing the game. It’s a novelty which has well and truly worn off for me. It doesn’t add anything to the game. Great range of enemies and kill moves. The combat and brutality of the game provide hours of satisfactory fighting experiences. At times the world feels too big. Imagine it without fast travel… One thing that fans can take away from Odyssey is that Ubisoft intends to provide a ton of additional content for future games. The post-launch content is going to keep players busy for a long time, meaning great value for money. Overall: The game is fun, but flawed in the eyes of the Lore. It bends the Assassin’s Creed lore in ways that cannot be justified. I hope that for the next game, Ubisoft listen to the Community, and try to make the game more ‘AC’ than this one. Rating: 7.5/10 comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 17th to 28th February Community Share 8 Dec 2024 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Back To Database Welcome to the biweekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from the AC Partnership Program. Every two weeks we will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. This theme has been run alongside @WonDerNooB_VP an avid Assassin’s Creed fan and virtual photographer. RS has been actively posting and participating in Assassin’s Creed VP for quite a while now. Their support to #ACFirstCivVP has been much appreciated, and we could not wait to team up with RS for this theme. Keep an eye on the site as more shots are added, we are looking for captures across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to #ACFirstCivVP for a chance to be featured. Theme: Symmetry Three in a Row Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @wingsforsmiles The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week Judge: @WonDerNooB_VP RS I especially love Wingsforsmiles fourth picture with the merchant boats, it’s an easily overlooked subject for composition, just very pleasing to the eye overall. I like the different colours against a neutral backdrop, and a great use of the rule of threes. Aaron When RS mentioned about running a symmetry theme, I was slightly nervous as this style a can be particularly tricky. The great thing though is our community clearly do not, and we have seen some really stunning shots. This week’s winner fits the theme alongside a dash of minimalism. I see moments like this one all the time but can never find the right composition. Here we can see a master class in how to produce symmetry in Assassin’s Creed Mirage. Often details like this are overlooked as we sneak around the map, but if you take the time to explore there is much beauty to the environment. Wingsforsmiles has definitely produced a work of art here. Fly By Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ mnt13.bsky.social Of all the Assassin’s Creed entries of late, I would probably say Mirage has the most opportunities for symmetry. The care and attention to detail from Ubisoft is clear to see. The cultural buildings and their ornate design are so pleasing on the eye. This shot from m is a beauty, thanks to some really epic timing. The composition is perfect, framing the arch and that gorgeous design on it. The shadow of Enkidu is wonderful and adds a real majesty to the capture, it must have been really tricky on the timings. What I love most though is the warm colour palette and how it elevates the details of the photo. The Lay of the Land Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ sparbuck47.bsky.social Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is a rich entry to the series providing us with a lot of places to explore. I personally found it overwhelming and never got round to playing the DLC’s. When I see captures like this though I know I have probably missed out. What a jaw dropping piece of virtual photography this is. It is helped massively by the height which I assume was possible thanks to Ikaros. Once again, the composition is great with all the sections lining up to meet the symmetry brief. The green and blue tones are really giving me that Greek vibe. What steals the show though is the use of the frame, it makes me feel like I am looking at some hidden map from an Indian Jones movie. Summer Vibes Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ dpruttz-vp.bsky.social I think wandering the deserts of Assassin’s Creed Origins was probably one of the most visually stunning and peaceful moments I have experienced in gaming. Ubisoft nailed the Egyptian world and that’s one of the reason why this game was so successful. Dave has really captured the essence of Origins with this exquisitely minimal shot that also hits the symmetry theme nicely. I just love the colours in this photo. The blue and the yellow working together to give you that summer vibe. Not your classic Assassin’s Creed capture but these games have so many ways to take a photo and that’s why you see so much virtual photography from them. Sneaky Basim Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ charapof.bsky.social I still find it wild that Assassin’s Creed Mirage was originally a DLC for Valhalla. I am so glad that Ubisoft Bordeaux were allowed to make this a standalone entry. Mirage does share a lot of similarities to Valhalla, but it always feels so different to capture. This photo is both fun and well taken. The metal pattern in front of our hero, looks intricate and casts some great shadows on Basim's face. I like how his outfit pops with colour, especially the green, given its relevance to the character. Basim is clearly sneaking up on an enemy here and I love how you can just see one eye peering through. And that sums it up for this Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list! Thank you for checking out the photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next time keep those shots coming in! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2021 after the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. After building momentum and interest on TOWCB website for Virtual Photography, Aaron established TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, of which he is now Team Leader. Throughout 2024, TOWCB VP Team will be sharing community captures in dedicated articles, and providing a positive environment on Twitter for gamers to share their shots. Aaron Young

Assassin's Creed Shadows Merchandise Guide Merchandise Share 6 Feb 2025 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) TOWCB Team Back To Database Welcome to our Assassin's Creed Shadows Merchandise Guide! Here you will find all of the merchandise currently available for the game! Article contains PureArts and Amazon affiliate links which support TOWCB. Game Editions Assassin's Creed Shadows Collector's Edition An Ultimate Edition copy of the game with: 3 days of early access to the game* Pre-order bonus quest: Thrown to the Dogs Season Pass with a bonus quest at launch and 2 upcoming expansions Ultimate Pack with Sekiryu Character Pack, Hideout Pack, and 5 skill points as well as the Red Dragon filter in Photo Mode. High-quality physical Collector's items: Naoe and Yasuke dual character statue Unique Steelbook® case Collector’s art book (84 pages) Life-sized Naoe’s katana tsuba World map Creed wall scroll 2 sumi-e lithographs Available from: Ubisoft Store ( SOLD OUT ) Game GamesTheShop (India) Gamestop SmythsToys EB Games NZ Micromania Figurines Assassin’s Creed Shadows Animus Naoe & Yasuke 1/8 Scale Statues by PureArts Naoe Bust by Nemesis Now. Available for pre-order from: DeToyboys NL ShopForGeek SmartToys SDCC 2024 Exclusive 3D foam figure set by Monogram. Available on eBay Stationary Assassin's Creed Shadows Katana Sun Notebook Available via Amazon UK Replicas (Pre-order) Assassin's Creed Shadows Replica Yasuke Helmet by PureArts Harness the power of legendary Samurai Yasuke! Made with premium materials and artfully crafted, the highly detailed Yasuke Helmet 1/1 Scale Replica features a removable face plate and Kabuto-style cords. This game-accurate life-size replica is the perfect display piece for discovering feudal Japan in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RaikcngMew (Pre-order) Naoe Replica Hidden Blade by PureArts Become a lethal shinobi Assassin from Assassin’s Creed Shadows with the Naoe Hidden Blade 1/1 Scale Replica! Daughter of legendary Iga shinobi leader Fujibayashi Nagato, Naoe is fierce, lethal, and ready to defend her people. This wearable and functional Hidden Blade Replica can be worn in both Tanto and Hidden Blade mode, perfect for battle against Oda Nobunaga's forces. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3RoBNzUSxs Apparel Assassin's Creed Shadows" T-Shirt "Shadows Faces" Hooded zip mottled grey by Assassin's Creed Available from EMP Assassin's Creed Shadows Shinobi Hoodie (poor image quality currently) Assassin's Creed Shadows Kanji Clan T-shirt Assassin's Creed Shadows Balance T-shirt (poor image quality currently) Assassin's Creed Shadows Deadly Kanji T-shirt (poor image quality currently) Assassin's Creed Shadows T-shirt Available from: Assassin's Creed Shadows T-shirt Available from: Assassin's Creed Shadows Yasuke T-shirt Available from: GamesTheShop Mumbai Assassin's Creed Shadows Naoe T-shirt Available from: GamesTheShop Mumbai Assassin's Creed Shadows - Hide In The Shadow Men's Short Sleeved T-shirt by Difuzed Available from: Assassin's Creed Shadows - Two Tone Kanji Men's Zipper Hoodie by Difuzed. 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Tech and Gaming Accessories Assassin's Creed Shadows Lantern by Neamedia The Character Available on Amazon Assassin's Creed Shadows Torii artwork mousepad. Available from EMP Assassin's Creed Shadows XXL Mousemat by Subsonic Available from Subsonic Assassin's Creed Shadows Mousemat by Subsonic Available from Subsonic Assassin's Creed Shadows Keyboard by Lexip Available from Micromania Assassin's Creed Shadows Headset by Lexip Available from MicroMania Assassin's Creed Shadows Gaming Controller by Lexip Available from Micromania Assassin's Creed Shadows Mouse by Lexip Available from Micromania Fr Assassin's Creed Shadows Mousemat by Lexip Available from Micromania Fr Assassin's Creed Shadows Wired Controller Available from Ludistri Fr PS5 Controller Silicone cover and caps Available from: Ludistri Fr Assassin's Creed Shadows Mousemat Available from VendiloShop It Assassin's Creed Parkour Mousepad Available for pre-order from: PlanetFantasy (Belgium) Assassin's Creed Shadows: USB C Listed for pre-order by Micromania ( Link currently down ) Playstation Sleeve Listed for pre-order by Micromania ( Link currently down ) Posters and Wall Art Assassin's Creed Shadows Metal Plate Available on Amazon Assassin's Creed Shadows Poster Available from EMP Assassin's Creed Shadows Yasuke and Naoe Framed Image Available from EMP Assassin's Creed Shadows Maxi Poster by Abysse Corp Available from: Assassin's Creed Shadows Displate Metal Poster Available from BestBuy Assassin's Creed Shadows prints by Blend Cota Available from Blend Cota Cups, Mugs, Drinking Vessels Assassin's Creed Shadows Yasuke Naoe Mug Available from Al.to Assassin's Creed Shadows Mug by Abysse Corp Available for pre-order from: Assassin's Creed Shadows Mug by Abysse Corp Available for pre-order from: Assassin's Creed Shadows Mug Available for pre-order from: Xzone X-kom Assassin's Creed Shadows Chalice by Nemesis Now. Available for pre-order from: Amuzzi SmartToys Assassin's Creed Shadows Stein by Nemesis Now Available for pre-order from GamesAndComics IT ShopForGeek SmartToys Keychains Assassin's Creed Shadows keychain by Abysse Corp Assassin's Creed Naoe Katana Keychain Available from XKomPl Xzone CZ Assassin's Creed Shadows 3D Naoe Keychain Available from Xzone CZ Assassin's Creed Shadows - Creed Logo Metal Keychain by Difuzed. Available from: Assassin's Creed Shadows - Logo Round Metal Keychain by Difuzed. Available from: Assassin's Creed Shadows - Kusarigama Metal Keychain by Difuzed. Available from: Random Assassin's Creed Shadows Red Sun doormat Available from EMP and DPI Merchandising Assassin's Creed Shadows 1000 piece jigsaw Available from Xzone CZ Promotional Items Around 70 promotional lockboxes were sent to content creators during the marketing campaign for Assassin's Creed Shadows. The boxes, and their contents should be considered incredibly rare. 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)

Promit Majumder (@Zeus_Insane) is a social media manager based in India who joined the team in July 2026, specifically to help TOWCB grow on LinkedIn, and engage with community members on Facebook. By joining the program, he is looking to build up his social media management and graphic design experience, and will have the opportunity to work alongside TOWCB Team members, which includes his IRL friend Mr Tom. In 2026 and beyond, we look forward to seeing how Promit works behind the scenes to plan content, and interacts with our audience using a warm and knowledgeable 'brand voice'. Previous Next Social Media Team Promit Majumder (Zeus) Promit Majumder (@Zeus_Insane) is a social media manager based in India who joined the team in July 2026, specifically to help TOWCB grow on LinkedIn, and engage with community members on Facebook. By joining the program, he is looking to build up his social media management and graphic design experience, and will have the opportunity to work alongside TOWCB Team members, which includes his IRL friend Mr Tom. In 2026 and beyond, we look forward to seeing how Promit works behind the scenes to plan content, and interacts with our audience using a warm and knowledgeable 'brand voice'. Work

SisterlyThrower is a Twitch streamer who began streaming in 2019. While initially covering a variety of different topics and games, he eventually leaned into one of his first loves of modern gaming, Assassin’s Creed. While he was playing through the series much, much later than most everyone else, he quickly grew to love the lore, the gameplay, and yes, all those pesky achievements. This love for Assassin’s Creed has blossomed into his current suite of projects, lovingly entitled, “Assassin Academy”. Working to learn more about the Assassin’s Creed universe, Assassin Academy places SisterlyThrower into what will soon be a whole host of different themed videos and streams. Currently, SisterlyThrower is conducting a series of playthrough streams under different challenges (Assassin 1001 – Fundamentals of Assassin-ing). While not streaming or looking up achievement lists, SisterlyThrower spends most of his time with his wife, WifeyThrower and their two cats: Mary, who was supposed to be SisterlyThrower’s cat at first, but of course glommed onto WifeyThrower and won’t let go, and Jimothy, the quintessential essence of what happens when you give a cat only three brain cells and he loses two of them. SisterlyThrower also enjoys making videos under his other moniker, The Video Game Therapyst, where he utilizes his real-world expertise as a therapist to analyze the mental health messages found in today’s games. Previous Next Video Content SisterlyThrower SisterlyThrower is a Twitch streamer who began streaming in 2019. While initially covering a variety of different topics and games, he eventually leaned into one of his first loves of modern gaming, Assassin’s Creed. While he was playing through the series much, much later than most everyone else, he quickly grew to love the lore, the gameplay, and yes, all those pesky achievements. This love for Assassin’s Creed has blossomed into his current suite of projects, lovingly entitled, “Assassin Academy”. Working to learn more about the Assassin’s Creed universe, Assassin Academy places SisterlyThrower into what will soon be a whole host of different themed videos and streams. Currently, SisterlyThrower is conducting a series of playthrough streams under different challenges (Assassin 1001 – Fundamentals of Assassin-ing). While not streaming or looking up achievement lists, SisterlyThrower spends most of his time with his wife, WifeyThrower and their two cats: Mary, who was supposed to be SisterlyThrower’s cat at first, but of course glommed onto WifeyThrower and won’t let go, and Jimothy, the quintessential essence of what happens when you give a cat only three brain cells and he loses two of them. SisterlyThrower also enjoys making videos under his other moniker, The Video Game Therapyst, where he utilizes his real-world expertise as a therapist to analyze the mental health messages found in today’s games. Twitch | X (Twitter) | Instagram | TikTok | Tumblr Work

Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 19th to 13th June Share 25 Jun 2025 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Turið Torkilsdóttir Back To Database Welcome to the monthly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from the AC Partnership Program. Every four weeks we will be picking our top five favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. This theme has been run alongside @ itsphysicsjim a longstanding member of the virtual photography community. Sammie is a YouTuber and Twitcher but also likes to post VP, most recently from Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Sammie really enjoys Japanese culture and has produced great photography in Ghost of Tsushima. We are delighted she agreed to join us for this theme. Keep an eye on the site as more shots are added, we are looking for captures across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to #ACFirstCivVP for a chance to be featured. Theme: Weapons The Hidden Blade Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ cyriellevp.bsky.social The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Theme Judge: @ itsphysicsjim Sammie I love this particular shot by Cyrielle for several reasons. The black and white emphasises the sleek design of the hidden blade and the intricate details of the gauntlet. This gives it a timeless and artistic feel. The upward angle and minimalist background also draws all the attention to the subject. This makes the photo feel powerful, iconic and instantly recognisable. Aaron In the last few weeks, I have actually thought about Assassin’s Creed Mirage and how the game had much more of an impact on me than Shadows. The focused Assassin story probably played a huge part, and the fact you are largely based in a city. When looking at this beautiful capture from Cyrielle I was instantly transported back to the game. I adore the minimalist approach; it really pays off when attempting to highlight specific weapons in virtual photography. Capturing this moment in game is a stroke of genius and takes more effort than you might think. The white background and the position of the hand are so reminiscent of the original Assassin’s Creed. Fantastic photography Cyrielle, a worthy winner of the theme. Weapon of the Gods Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ wondernoob.bsky.social It’s got to be said that Assassin’s Creed Odyssey has some very cool looking weapons. None more so than the spear of Leonidas. The decision to use this as the ‘hidden blade’ of Kassandra’s story worked a treat. Here we can see the blade in all it glory, beautifully highlighted on Kassandra’s back. The ornate design makes it standout despite being attached to her quiver. Wondernoob has done an excellent job of showcasing this piece of weaponry through a smart use of the depth of field and some top-notch lighting. The black background really helps to elevate the image and further focus our attention on the subject. Ready to Duel Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @ G_Assassin90 I think most of the Assassin’s Creed fan base has waited a long time to finally explore the world of Japan. It’s probably beneficial that we finally get it during the RPG reign, where we can explore to our hearts content. One of the key features on the time period is beautifully designed weapons and armour. There is a stylish efficiency to the Japanese culture, and you can see that in this capture from G_Assassin. I thought it was very smart to capture this in the snowy season as the background helps to elevate the details. I think this photo wonderfully shows off the hard work the developers put into creating all the little details from the various markings on the katana to the flower designs on the armour. This shot really meets the theme and arguably shows why we love the Japanese setting so much. Perspective Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @ TakaSanGames Assassin’s Creed Shadows features quite a few new weapons to the franchise, and they all come with new takedown animations that can lend themselves to great captures. Couple that with the implementation of character poses and you have the receipt for some very intriguing captures. Taka is often known for creating stylish compositions and that once again become the case with this shot. It is such an eye catcher with the chain exquisitely framing Naoe’s head as she swings the kusarigama. As the viewer it really feels like the metal ball is about to hit me in the face. It’s the striking nature of this photo that really stands out to me and Taka has very kindly created a mini video showing us how to do it. Stay Your Blade Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @ framecapturevp.bsky.social The filters that were added to Assassin’s Creed Shadows really give the photographer additional opportunities to create unique and interesting captures. It has been refreshing to see Ubisoft add to the photo mode with quality-of-life upgrades. I think Mario has truly captured the essence of the Creed with this ink silhouette of Naoe’s hidden blade. The filter does the work of making this feel as if it has been drawn. The composition then adds to the photo by perfectly showcasing the released blade right after an assassination. I do love the splash of colour from the blood falling from the blade. The silhouette nicely highlights the intricate details of the hidden blade culminating in a classic piece of virtual photography. 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

Community Questions - Promit Majumder Interview Share 28 Aug 2026 Written By: Edited By: Promit Majumder (Zeus) Hayden Bird Back To Database Welcome back to another article in our Assassin's Creed Community Questions series. Made up of interviews with Assassins based around the world. This week, we are joined by Promit Majumder (Zeus)! Who joined our Assassin's Creed Partnership Program in July 2026 as a Social Media Manager based in India. ________________________________________________________________________________________ Col : Hi Promit, thank you for joining me for this interview. Please could you tell us a little bit about yourself and your role within the Assassin's Creed Community. Promit : Hi! I'm Promit. I completed my Master's degree in Management at the University of Birmingham in 2024, and I'm currently exploring my next steps while also spending time with the things I enjoy, especially gaming and content creation. I'm quite new to the Assassin's Creed community, and that's actually what makes joining TOWCB such an interesting experience for me. I'm part of the Isu_Network and will be working alongside the Social Media Team, learning more about the franchise while contributing from my own perspective as a gamer. Promit ________________________________________________________________________________________ Col : I n July 2026, you joined The Ones Who Came Before's Assassin's Creed Partnership Program, known as the Isu_Network. Are you excited to work alongside the Social Media Team? Promit : Absolutely. I'm really looking forward to it. I'm still new to the community, so being able to work with people who already have so much experience with Assassin's Creed is a great opportunity for me.I'm also excited to see how the team works behind the scenes and hopefully contribute something of my own along the way. ________________________________________________________________________________________ Col: Do you have a favourite piece of content? Promit : Since I'm new to the community, I don't really have one specific piece of content that I would call my favourite yet. I'm still discovering what everyone creates and finding the type of content I enjoy most. I especially like content that focuses on the world-building and lore of Assassin's Creed, as that's something I find interesting even though I'm not a longtime fan of the series. ________________________________________________________________________________________ Col : How excited are you for the future of Assassin's Creed? Promit : I'm definitely curious about it. Assassin's Creed has such a huge history behind it, and there's still a lot of room for the series to explore different settings and ideas. I'm particularly interested in seeing how Ubisoft approaches future settings and how much they experiment with the world and technology surrounding the Animus and the Isu. ________________________________________________________________________________________ Col : Which Assassin's Creed game have you been playing recently, and which game are you playing next? Promit : I've been revisiting Assassin's Creed Origins recently, so I'm still exploring the game environment rather than playing the story missions extensively. I'm planning to continue revisiting the series and eventually get to some of the new games that the community is actively invested in. I'm looking forward to discovering which ones end up being my favourites. Assassin's Creed Origins (2017) ________________________________________________________________________________________ Col : Have you visited any of the locations from the games? Promit : No, I haven't visited any Assassin's Creed locations yet. Hopefully that's something I can change in the future. There are quite a few historical locations from the games that I'd love to see in person, especially Egypt. ________________________________________________________________________________________ Col : Which Assassin's Creed game is your favourite and why? Promit : I'd say Assassin's Creed Origins is currently my favourite setting-wise, mainly because of ancient Egypt. I'm particularly interested in historical sites, and Egypt is such a fascinating setting. The combination of its history, architecture and political atmosphere makes it one of the locations I enjoy exploring. ________________________________________________________________________________________ Col : Have you attended any events within the Assassin's Creed Community? Promit : No, I haven't attended any Assassin's Creed community events yet. I'm still very new to the community, so I haven't had that opportunity. Hopefully I'll be able to attend one in the future and meet some of the people I've only interacted with online. ________________________________________________________________________________________ Col : Do you have a favourite Assassin's Creed community moment/story you would like to share? Promit : I don't have one yet. Since I've only recently joined the community, I'm still creating those memories. Joining TOWCB itself has probably been the biggest moment for me so far, especially because I've gone from being completely new to the community to now being part of a team. ________________________________________________________________________________________ Col : What would be your dream setting for the upcoming AC Netflix TV show or future game? Promit : Egypt would definitely be high on my list. I'd love to see the series explore ancient Egypt in even greater depth, particularly during one of the more politically turbulent periods of its history. There's so much potential in the city's history, architecture, factions and conflicts. Outside of historical settings, though, I'd also be interested in seeing Assassin's Creed experiment more with futuristic themes. I'm a big fan of futuristic games, with Cyberpunk 2077 being one of my favourites, so I'd love to see what Assassin's Creed could do with a setting that pushes further into that direction. Assassin's Creed Netflix Insignia _______________________________________________________________________________________ Col : Do you have any personal AC goals you would like to achieve? Promit : Since I'm new to the community, my main goal is simply to learn more about the franchise and become more involved. I'd also like to contribute something meaningful to TOWCB rather than just being another person posting about the series. Hopefully I can bring my own interests and perspective into the community and improve my content creation skills along the way. ________________________________________________________________________________________ Col : What would you say is your most significant community achievement to date? Promit : Joining TOWCB would definitely be my biggest achievement so far. I'm completely new to the Assassin's Creed community, so becoming part of the Isu_Network and getting the opportunity to work with the Social Media Team is something I'm really happy about. ________________________________________________________________________________________ Col : What is your favourite part of being a community member? Promit : The people. I've only been here for a short time, but it's been great meeting people who are genuinely passionate about what they do. There's a lot of creativity within the community, and I'm looking forward to learning from everyone and hopefully building some good friendships along the way. ________________________________________________________________________________________ Col : Do you collect AC merchandise? If so, what is your favourite item? Promit : I don't currently collect Assassin's Creed merchandise. Since I'm new to the franchise and community, that's something I haven't really gotten into yet. Maybe that's something that will change over time! ________________________________________________________________________________________ Col : What advice do you have for people looking to get into content creation, in particular, video editing and recording? Promit : Start with what you have and don't worry about making everything perfect. When you're starting, it's easy to compare your work with people who have been doing it for years. Instead, focus on improving one thing at a time. Learn the software, experiment with different styles and don't be afraid to make mistakes. Most importantly, create things that you actually enjoy. If you're interested in gaming, start there. Your enthusiasm will always make the content feel more genuine. ________________________________________________________________________________________ Col : Where can our community members find you online? Promit : You can find me on my social media profiles and through TOWCB's community channels in their official Discord server. I'm looking forward to becoming more active and sharing more of what I'm working on as I get further into content creation. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Promit Majumder (@Zeus_Insane) is a social media manager based in India who joined the team in July 2026, specifically to help TOWCB grow on LinkedIn, and engage with community members on Facebook. By joining the program, he is looking to build up his social media management and graphic design experience, and will have the opportunity to work alongside TOWCB Team members, which includes his IRL friend Mr Tom. In 2026 and beyond, we look forward to seeing how Promit works behind the scenes to plan content, and interacts with our audience using a warm and knowledgeable 'brand voice'. Promit Majumder (Zeus)

The Ones Who Came Before is an Assassin's Creed fan community. We provide news, theories, interviews, giveaways and more to Assassin’s Creed fans around the world. Join our community today! Welcome to The Ones Who Came Before, The Home of Assassin's Creed Community Content. We are an Assassin's Creed Fan Community dedicated to providing news, theories, and updates. Created in 2014, TOWCB is an active Community made up of passionate fans around the world. The Ones Who Came Before Assassin's Creed Community can be found on a number of social media platforms, all of which are managed by a team of admins. The Ones Who Came Before aims to provide community members with unique and interesting content. Our focus is on covering everything related to the series, no matter how small, and we are working alongside a team of passionate content creators to provide regular releases. The Home of Assassin's Creed Community Content

Assassin's Creed Virtual Photography Hub (2026) Welcome to the Virtual Photography Hub! Here you can find all of our Assassin's Creed weekly VP community showcase articles, written by Aaron Young from our AC Partnership Program! January 2026 Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 15th to 30th January February 2026 Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 2nd to 27th February March 2026 Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 2nd to 27th March April 2026 Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 1st to 30th April June 2026 Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 1st to 30th June August 2026 Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 6th to 16th August September 2026 October 2026 November 2026 December 2026 ***RESETTING*** LOADING FIRMWARE... ANIMUS 2.02. SOURCE/AC PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM File: VIRTUAL PHOTOGRAPHY POPULATING

Assassin's Creed Symphonic Adventure London Photo Log Events Share 30 May 2024 Written By: Edited By: TOWCB Team Colum Blackett Back To Database On the 29th and 30th May 2024, the Assassin's Creed Symphonic Adventure UK Premiere took take place in London. Representing The Ones Who Came Before were Aaron Young (FalconSwift87: Isu_Network Virtual Photography Team), Lisa Zaman (Art Team) and Louise Chase (TheNerdyArcher: Isu_Network Writing Team) on the night of Wednesday 29th May! Here are our photos from the event! Photos by Aaron Young Photos by Louise Chase Coming Soon Photos by Lisa Zaman Coming Soon comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author A collection of articles from The Ones Who Came Before team. TOWCB Team

Assassin's Creed Shadows: TOWCB Spoiler-Free Review Review Share 18 Mar 2025 Written By: Edited By: TOWCB Team Colum Blackett Back To Database Banner by Frame Hold Photography. Thanks to Ubisoft for providing a code for the purposes of this review Contributions by: Colum Blackett Taylor McKay UbiCypher Aaron Young Frame Hold Photography Turið Torkilsdóttir ''Japan is a land of danger. Navigating it will take some thought and skill, as enemies lurk in the shadows. It’s a truly immersive experience.'' Described by one developer as ‘Ubisoft’s suicide note’, Assassin’s Creed Shadows could be the single most important game that Ubisoft has ever released, as the fate of the company may ride on its success. It’s a game that media outlets have pitched as a ‘make or break’ title for Ubisoft after a difficult financial year, so does Assassin’s Creed Shadows do enough to turn the tide? Early on in the marketing campaign, the development team dubbed it ‘the ultimate Assassin’s Creed game’, a bold statement considering the success of former releases. In this review, we will outline its strengths and weaknesses, dissecting it bit by bit to rate it not just as a video game but as an entry into the Assassin’s Creed universe, with the full weight of history and lore that came before stacked against it. After 2018’s Odyssey, Ubisoft Quebec moved on to 2020’s Immortals Fenyx Rising while envisioning their next AC in pre production. Full production began in 2021 leading Shadows to have the longest development cycle since the 2007 original, leading to a reinvention and re-evaluation of the core mechanics of AC. The game was also delayed twice, which massively increased expectations, but also gave the development more time to polish and finalise, something which is clear in the finished product. Shadows massively delivers on the majority of core Assassin's Creed pillars, and provides an engaging narrative which serves as a major cornerstone for the game's triumph. Promotional image for Assassin's Creed Shadows (2025) Narrative and Story 1579 Feudal Japan Our story begins in the Iga province of Japan in 1579 with a young woman named Naoe, training as Shinobi to protect Iga from Oda Nobunaga, who is conquering Japan into one united unit under the Shogun and Iga wants to remain independent. leading the game to open during Oda’s invasion in 1581. The game is set during a time where Portuguese influence was growing across Japan, and deals were being struck to increase the freedom of trading and movement for the Church. In return, Nobunaga gets a a new weapon in his arsenal, in the form of gunpowder called Toppo. This makes him and his forces a deadly adversary as they seek to conquer under one banner. Dual protagonists return in Assassin's Creed Shadows, connecting two personal stories into a shared arc which aligns at connected intervals, forming an engaging and interwoven narrative that drives the player forward. The game uses history to weave together a powerful story, in a way that has never been done before in the series. The attack on Iga event is seen from both perspectives, something which is new to the franchise, acting as a major lifechanging event for both Yasuke and Naoe. The connected story, which provides 9 main targets (the Shinbakufu), is incredibly satisfying. They can be completed in numerous ways, taking the original idea of a 'sandbox assassination' to another level. Both characters are incredibly driven in their pursuits and put themselves in danger to achieve their goals for the people of Japan. There are personal quests for each character, which demonstrate their personality in different ways. Many of the quests are calm and don't require combat, giving the players a glimpse at the humanity of each protagonist. They are both very likeable for various reasons: Naoe ‘’The life of an Assassin is pain’’ (Ezio Auditore) Naoe is the embodiment of this, and channels it, using her pain as motivation to strike against her enemies. She has to live with pain caused by her enemies, suffering a tragic backstory, as many Assassin's Creed characters do. It is used as motivation that fuels her. Anger turned into calculated risk. She is incredibly intelligent for her age considering her youth, and not rash when hitting back in response. She was trained as a Shinobi by her father for two years prior to the start of the game, giving her a great grasp of parkour and a sense of righteousness. As she is a native Japanese she has a clear understanding of the culture and world making her feel very part of the world. Although things are very different in her village compared to the rest of Japan, she is able to blend into society by keeping her true thoughts and motivations for only her most trusted allies. The flashbacks to Naoe’s past are excellent. They do interrupt the flow of the main campaign but they are used to further the audience's connection to her, making her history, a clear part of her future. She looks both backwards and forwards at the same time. Yasuke Yasuke is an outsider in a foreign land, possibly Mozambique in Southeastern Africa, who gains the interest of Oda Nobunaga, who sees his potential from the offset. Initially known as ‘Diogo’, a slave captured by the Portuguese, he takes back control of his situation by learning the language and customs of Japan. He is a stranger in a strange land. He is immediately an outsider, not only due to his skin colour but also his height as he is taller (6 foot) than the Japanese in general (average is 5 ft 4 inches) so they see him as giant. He has to fight for his place among the Samurai and Nobunaga’s presence as well as forging a name for himself. But once a samurai he has interactivity in the world as NPCs will bow to him when walking around the world and he will be acknowledged by other Samurai making him feel part of the world He is a tank, as when you control him he feels very heavy and slow to move: think of Eivor but with more physicality. The ‘One man army’ storms across Japan, making an impact, but there is also a more human and softer side to Yasuke that makes him likeable and caring about the plights of others. He begins his journey as a victim, but rises well above his expected station by becoming a respected warrior for Oda Nobunaga, winning battles and helping to unite Japan. He does not let power go to his head, but uses his new position to help people on a more personal level. Think of the homestead activities or world events in Assassin's Creed Valhalla, but with more opportunities to help and gain reward and status for doing so. Joint story The Joint story involves both Naoe and Yasuke hunting down the remaining members of the Shinbakafu as they each have a personal stake in seeing the order ended. They will each go through a personal journey and grow and develop and thus learn to work together with their skill sets. The story is engaging and aligns itself more with Origins than the previous few entries. Shadows is a slow burner, and requires a bit of patience. It is well worth it though once the game opens up and Ubisoft does what it knows best. With the possibility of 60+hours to complete the main storyline, players will haver plenty of time to get to know both Yasuke and Naoe. Both the main characters are very strong in their own right. We believe that Naoe is the most compelling and we wouldn't be surprised if she is able to match Kassandra as a fan favourite. That being said, Yaskue has his own playstyle and mystery so you constantly debate switching between the two, opening up more possibilities. Throughout the main storyline, multiple minor characters catch the attention of the audience early on in the game, with their stories slowly developing as you progress. It's nice to see the calmer moments which contrast against the violence, and bring depth to the world. We feel that players will be drawn to the main storyline and a higher number of players than usual will complete the game, as it is incredibly interesting and connects at numerous intersections that provides both satisfaction and at points, emotion. Naoe and Yasuke The World The world of Assassin’s Creed Shadows is incredibly beautiful and full of opportunities. The dynamic weather cycle adds depth to exploration, and also makes it possible to notice the passage of time. Shadows introduces the first fully next gen open world Assassin’s Creed game, built for the latest platforms, pushing technology to be the best it can be. Vibrant colours contrast against the dark night, adding a layer of beauty to a land of war and politics. The weather can massively impact decisions for players, as a windy day can turn into a storm, making it easier to attack, whilst a sunny afternoon makes the chances of being spotted more likely. You can also feel the wind in the game, as trees and nature respond to it. There is a distinct balance of violence and beauty, contrasting between conflict and slower moments such as art, eating, celebrating, ordinary everyday actions that make the world feel more authentic to the period. The new method of synchronization encourages players to unfog the map for themselves, highlighting points of interest rather than revealing everything at once. This leads to more exploration, and takes players deeper into the world of Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Japan is full of opportunities, and provides an atmospheric sense of uncovering the next secret, creating a rewarding journey for players. Throughout the world players will uncover: Shinto shrines, which provide some temporary bonus. Praying at temples, Kodas (Samuari training). Kofun, Shadows’ equivalent to tomb puzzles that reward a piece of gear. Kuji-Kiri (meditation areas that do trigger some flashbacks for Naoe). Sumi-E (Allows Naoe and Yasuke to exercise their drawing skill and draw paintings of animals that can be added to the hideout as pets and decorate buildings with. Horse archery practice Renga-shi (collaborative poetry). Outside of all these, players will also discover white orbs that appear in certain locations and these are the codex entries, similar to how they appeared in 2023’s Assassin’s Creed Mirage. If you wish to find all of them, as they do not appear on the map, you will have to find them. This action and design decision encourages exploration so you may find several each time you play. Although the scenery is visually appealing, Japan is also a land of danger. Navigating it will take some thought and skill, as enemies lurk in the shadows. It’s a truly immersive experience. Animals in the game are peaceful, and are to be admired, not hunted like in previous games or the Far Cry series. The danger comes from enemies scattered across the land, posing a threat in restricted areas. The best way to proceed is by building a network of spies and scouts who can provide intel when deployed correctly, or assist players when called upon. Just like in Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, the scouts patrol nearby and eliminate threats from stealth positions. The world of Assassin's Creed Shadows is incredibly detailed and beautiful, and we can't wait to see the photo mode captures at launch! Promotional image for Assassin's Creed Shadows Stealth This is by far the most ambitious, care taken, polished and refined stealth since the days of AC1. This is where the game really shines, from allowing you the ability to go prone and the inclusion of an expert mode for hardcore players. The introduction of prone l the team to completely rethink the standard Assassin’s Creed control mapping, which shows the dedication and commitment of the team to revamp this essential core pillar of the series. A s the title of the game implies, stealth is an element which is pivotal to the series. Valhalla did a good job at creating opportunities for stealth, but a lack of tools and an imperfect social stealth system made it difficult to master. Shadows introduces fresh ideas and tools, such as the ability to extinguish lights to operate in the shadows, perform double Hidden Blade assassinations and new tools such as the kukri (throwing knife), bells (to distract enemies), Shuriken, and of course, the return of the classic smoke bomb. Tall grass is new, and can be used to go prone in. It can also be destroyed if detected or hit with a weapon. The useful 'Last detected shadow' once again appears, allowing you to see where enemies lost sight of you allowing you to react. A simple feature is back with the whistle, which can be used to lure enemies away from their guarding positions. You can draw enemies towards a certain death if used correctly. Hiding spots return such as haystack, a coffin, a closet and a chandelier on the roof. Naoe is the master of stealth, but it can be challenging to use it effectively. Time and thought is needed for the player to also become the true stealth master. She is very fast and agile and you can feel the difference when playing as both characters. Something in particular which is incredibly satisfying in the game is the unlockable Shoji door assassination, which takes inspiration from old school Ninja movies. On the other hand, Stealth is challenging for Yasuke, with limited options available. Although he can go prone, it feels like his character is built purely for combat, although we have no doubt some players will master stealth for Yasuke, using the rifle to dispatch enemies from the bushes. You can infiltrate castles and hunt down samurai Dashos, who's death leads to a reward by gaining a mastery point. Clear all of them in a castle to unlock its gear chest. As restricted areas house many enemies, it is rewarding to use stealth to enter and dispatch enemies. Eagle vision is restricted to Naoe only but you can tag enemies with both characters; you can also play as Naoe to tag enemies, then switch to Yasuke and the tags remain. This is because Naoe observes her surroundings differently to Yasuke, due to her training and discipline. It is worth mentioning that social stealth has been removed. Blending, distracting enemies by sending large groups and bench sitting have all gone, but we feel that it is acceptable as Naoe operates in the shadows rather than in plain sight. For her to expose herself too often could lead to increased danger, and she has enough new tools, abilities and kill moves to make stealth both fun, challenging and rewarding. Stealth promo image for Assassin's Creed Shadows Parkour Naoe is lightweight and nimble, moving effortlessly across the rooftops. The revamped parkour system has been fully redeveloped. Gone are the days of every surface being climbable since the days of Origins. This has been replaced with a similar system seen in the Ezio and Kenway games with a definite parkour start and finish alongside path markers like bridges and robes, as well as the “yellow” paint with player guidance. Naoe’s rope can allow her to reach high places but it can’t be used as a rope between buildings. The tree swing assassination encourages parkour, so players will find themselves looking down on opponents frequently throughout the game to get the satisfaction of death from above. Naoe bring the delicate balance of precise manoeuvres, mastered during her time in Iga. She can quickly gain a vantage point and tag enemies or observe surroundings from above. Parkour feels useful again. Enemies no longer frequent high places, as was the case in Mirage and previous games, as parkour is limited to a select number throughout Japan, such as Shinobi. The game does a really good job at taking Naoe from street level to a high place in the blink of an eye, either by using the rope or by climbing structures. Some buildings are still in development, and Naoe can climb up the wooden beams before a roof has been added, also allowing her to enter and loot chests. Parkour has a host of new animations and flips which make it both fun and energetic. It's clear that Ubisoft put a lot of thought and effort into this, as Naoe moves effortlessly. The Parkour up and down functions serve the game well, providing opportunities to move with speed and purpose. Yasuke’s heavy build means that parkour is limited. He can climb on to roofs but not tall buildings making him ineffective in stealthy castle infiltrations. We feel that players will switch to Naoe if they wish to get a parkour experience, as Yasuke's physique makes it difficult to do more than jump from ledge to ledge or climb basic platforms. Overall, we're really impressed with the new parkour system. It doesn't feel sticky, and the player feels like they have full control over movement when freerunning. The animation team did a really great job at updating a system that hasn't really changed in recent Assassin's Creed games. It's great to see that the series still shows such a willingness to adapt and evolve. Naoe throws a smokebomb above her target, using height to her advantage. Combat Combat is a very different experience for Naoe and Yasuke. Combat for Naoe is a mixture of light and heavy attacks, carefully waiting for the opportunity to strike. She is better at waiting for the right opportunity to strike, rather than lashing out in haste. Due to her small size, a heavy attack can do major damage to Naoe. Yasuke has increased health due to his stature and heavy armour. He is lethal in combat due to his huge arsenal of weapons and abilities. In combat, players have the objective of destroying armour before delivering the killing blow, breaking down opponents and catching them off guard. Yasuke tends to block or parry rather than dodge, the favoured approach by Naoe due to her size. Each character has their own arsenal. Naoe has her aforementioned tools alongside a Katana, Tanto, and a Kusarigama, a long range weapon. Yasuke has a more varied arsenal with a Long Katana, a Kanabo, a Naginata, alongside ranged weaponry consisting of a bow and a Teppo (early firearm), exclusive to him is the ability to parry unblockable attacks as well as more health and two more health rations. He can also charge doors, which in missions can allow allies to join the fight. One thing that Naoe can do to even the odds is use silent arrows, which can pierce armour and break down an opponent before she even has to consider close quarters combat. The brutality of combat is immediate, with decapitations common and increased blood. A new series of kill animations will shock players, as Naoe can flip behind a player and slit their throat. Both players can cut an enemies head clean off its shoulders, making it easily the most fierce combat system in an Assassin's Creed game, beating the brutality of Valhalla. Yasuke has many unlockable abilities for combat, all of which make him more deadly when facing enemies. His kick in particular is strong, knocking enemies of all sizes to the ground. Think, Sparta Kick in AC Odyssey without the need for a Piece of Eden powering it. His size is pure muscle and strength, which he channels in combat. Even though Yasuke is a huge man, the enemies he faces are varied in size, so he doesn't always feel overpowered. Smaller foe like Shinobi are much quicker and can surprise with quick reflexes and multiple attacks at once. Learning the best course of action will keep players occupied when choosing the more direct approach. We thoroughly enjoyed combat in Assassin's Creed Shadows, but the majority of our team prefer the stealth approach in AC Title. That being said, both playstyles have their own benefits in AC Shadows that will keep players swapping depending on the situation or quest requirements. Yasuke in combat Modern Day Assassin’s Creed Shadows introduces a new present day story which is connected to the Animus Hub platform, the new overarching platform which acts as the home of Assassin’s Creed content. Immediately players are introduced to the ‘Animus Ego’, an incredibly powerful piece of Abstergo marketing which is hacked by an unknown digital entity known as ‘The Guide’, a hologram which provides cryptic digital support. It’s without a doubt the most visual and immersive Animus experience yet, but it would be a mistake to overly praise a modern day Animus experience that strips away gameplay entirely. ‘Welcome to the dark’. From the offset, it’s an engaging Modern Day storyline that calls back to the darker tones layed out in previous titles, channelling the easy vibes that were present during the Clay Kaczmarek glyphs and the Erudito Animus hacking cutscenes in Assassin’s Creed Liberation. The Modern Day air of mystery returns, something which will be a relief for old-school fans of the Assassin’s Creed Initiates platform, as completing activities in-game unlocks information and data that is stored in the Animus Hub database. Plus, the references to Carl Gustav Jung from which the Animus Ego is named after referencing his archetypes from which “The Shadow” is conveniently one of them, and the fact that it is a new type of Animus managed by an AI “Ego” that is able to harness the power of the Bleeding Effect by overloading the user's senses in order to subdue them and render then totally controllable. A new story arc revolving around Tatyana Dane and Joel Eastman in what seems like an “almost apocalyptic world” hunted down by operatives in Marrakech. The name Geoff Eastman also appears and is implied to be somewhat of an “Assassin” archetype as he is apparently the main reason why Joel (his son) is doing what he's doing in Morocco; “To change the world and make a difference”. Through the Animus Hub, you have memories, projects, exchange and vault Memories: Here players will be welcomed to a timeline and are greeted with images of the protagonist from recent Assassin’s Creed titles such as Basim, Kassandra and Eivor, booting up their memories, as the Hub acts as an all-in-one game launcher. Right now only Origins, Odyssey, Valhalla, Mirage, and Shadows are available. Projects : Data streams are corrupted. These quests are tied to the projects tab within the Animus Hub, these act as mini battle passes, and completing these tasks reward helix keys, you can also find them randomly strewn across the world. You can use these Keys at the exchange which replaces Reda’s shops with daily rewards. Exchange: This is Shadow’s version of Reda’s shop from Origins and Valhalla where you can see the deal of the day or gear to spend those hard earned helix keys earned through projects. The Vault: Here you can find text, voice or video files related to the modern day overarching narrative that are unlock through progression of shadow’s story and through levels completed through projects. There's a lot to look forward to in the Modern Day storyline, but it's disappointing to see a lack of playable missions. Shadows is another attempt at making the present day story optional, and running in the background via the Animus Hub. After Valhalla and Mirage helped to establish Basim as a new threat in the Modern Day, it would have been very interesting to learn more about his activities, rather than completing missions to gain intel. After years of stripping away Modern Day Assassination missions, should we even be surprised at this point? Things you missed We have exclusive information from Akim Milne, Director of Cinematography from Ubisoft Quebec who gave a fascinating presentation at the UK Assassin's Creed Shadows Community Launch event, showing the incredible depth of research and thought that went into the game's development. Camera Angles and references The game uses a wide range of camera angles which take inspiration from a number of sources, such as Japanese cinema, anime, Western cartoons and mainstream Western depictions of the East. These reference points can be seen throughout the game and have also appeared in the marketing campaign for Shadows. For example, Crash zooms, which appears in a number of films by Director Quentin Tarantino, famously appearing in the Kill Bill series. In Assassin's Creed Shadows, when an enemy of rank is revealed, the camera zooms in, revealing the true title of enemy. The team really pushed to get Japanese film references into the game, for example callbacks to Seven Samurai (1954), which were even present in early mood boards. When presenting Iga, the team wanted to show that all members of the community were constantly practicing martial arts, as is customary throughout Japanese cinema. More recently, in the film 47 Ronin (2023), an infiltration with grappling hooks takes place in the daytime, and this is something which the development team wished to replicate as players can't change the day and night cycle due to the dynamic weather feature. Another film reference is Naoe's rope dart which draws inspiration from Mortal Kombat when used in combat. Cultural references from a wide range of historical sources have been included in the game. The Hideout represents this, and shows the normality of everyday life, with NPC’s performing everyday tasks such as washing clothes. Due to the notable size differences between Naoe and Yasuke, during cutscenes, low angle lenses were often used to make Naoe feel small in a gigantic world, grounding the camera work and giving perspective against the ever present landscape. Many times throughout cutscenes, over the shoulder camera angles were used to highlight distance, creating a sense of awkwardness. For example, when Naoe meets leaders, the camera angles purposely build tension by showing her as a small figure who is meeting someone of power, raised on a platform. There is an ever growing sense of danger should she say the wrong thing. At times, there is a focus on forefront details as things go on in the background to draw viewers to facial expressions, an intentional artistic decision to highlight emotions, often fear, and show the power dynamic between the one kneeling, and the one standing. For example, a sacrificial beheading scene. It's worth noting that Akim believes that Naoe at times is faking the submissive role, not making direct eye contact, looking away, something which causes tension. Iga is independent and remote, so didn't adhere to social hierarchy. As an Igan shinobi, she has been trained as an equal, but must succumb to the hierarchy and customs of respect that were prevalent in the period, or at least pretend to do so. Eye contact changes throughout the game depending on the relationship Yasuke or Naoe have with the character. This changes depending on the level of formality, as they wish to present themselves correctly. The game presents the historical mandatory distance for addressing a person of power. The intentional awkwardness of being on the floor, giving a full bow, feeling a sense of fear, and no eye contact really comes across in the final product. Some cutscenes aim to be fully immersive, with no talking whatsoever. Lots of cinematic shots in the game also look like paintings. The team really wanted to demonstrate the relationship between ink and blood, often using tones of red when calligraphy is represented to give the sense that war is always looming, and the spill of blood can be caused by the beautiful and peaceful act of ink painting, such as giving an order. The colour grade in the game is intentionally noticeable. The colours in Spring pop, and contrast the darkness of night, which are incredibly dark compared to previous AC titles, making Naoe practically invisible. The hyper saturated colours also mean that the cherry blossom trees stand out in a vivid shade of pink. Completely different light rigs were used for the two protagonists. Naoe has young skin lighter, creating shadows on her face. Yasuke beard, and darker skin complexion natural uses contrast to show colouring, with natural tones of orange and purple to add warmth and naturalise complexion in different lighting. Performance and Animation Focus on cultural gestures, bowing, early animation tests, authentic, came about from research. Minimalist approach was taken. Often in games, gestures exaggerated in approach. The team went back to drawing board and carefully select ones that felt legit to time, before creating their own. Traditional poses, Samurai would sit in Agura pose, proper way of sitting. Correct posture and stances were to feel minimal, and authentic. Mocap is used to capture moves etc, and are then sent to the animation team, who use them to embody scenes they shoot, rather than static storyboards. They are a reference to animation team rather than doing full body mocap like in the past. Performance capture is dots on faces, and records exact performance, but is very expensive, due to it requiring the full film crew, actors and stunt doubles. Combat moments are done this way. The voice actors include Japanese tonality phrasing of sentences. The actor who plays Yasuke would embody character, mentally transform, becoming larger in his posture. When Naoe talks to an ally, she can be herself. This is seen in her eye movement and facial expressions. Naoe weaponises her decision to use eye contact, faking it at times to infiltrate and gain information, pretending to be subservient. Yasuke will full bow at the start of the game, and do less as he gains rank. Bows are a major part of Japanese culture, so a wide variety of bow animations, depending on hierarchy and situation were created. They vary in length, show respect, and have different levels of eye contact too depending on circumstances. Villagers will bow to Yasuke, as Samurai have power and respect. There are situations where player needs to remember which bow is appropriate 700+ cutscenes feature in the game. As there are weather differences, height and body differences, the team had to create every cutscene independently as camera angles can't be shared. Also choices may branch differently, so a lot of time went into creating cutscenes. They had to Test animations in each and every scenario to make sense, ground the scenes and make them immersive regardless of time or day. The Transmog system can vary in depth, ranging from changing the look of a certain weapon to stripping it part by part, creating ultimate version of a weapon Conclusion After an insensitive marketing campaign struggled to drum up hype for the game until late in production, due to questionable marketing practices and lack of research, the game itself is overall a wonderful balance of old and new, bringing together the most complete relationship between the old games and the newer RPG titles, all within a well crafted immersive world. Strengths Voice acting performances and dialogue. Facial expressions and animations are much improved. Music is excellent throughout Atmosphere balances light and dark. Connected narrative, seen from both perspectives. Stealth options. Revamped parkour system. Naoe and Yasuke are both interesting protagonists. Negatives Lack of playable Modern Day The main Templar group feels undeveloped as characters The character not in use doesn't really do anything No hunting and crafting Removal of social stealth OUR Initial SCORE 9/10 OUR Final SCORE 7/10 6 Months Later We realise now that Assassin's Creed Shadows is a game that dips in quality narratively, failing to provide satisfying motives or even an ending to the main game. It actively avoids interacting with established lore, and instead creates an offshoot of the Brotherhood which fails to reclaim it's identity. Shadows has little substance, and we were initially impressed with the demo copy provided by Ubisoft, the full version has very little lore, memorable characters or moments of interest to discuss. Closing Remarks Aaron Comments The opening sections of the game suffer with some flat lighting which makes the game feel a little outdated. However this becomes less frequent once the prologue has been completed. In fact I think the lighting can be quite impressive, especially in darker areas later in the game. I do feel like the skin textures of some characters feel a little off. Naoe especially has less facial details than Eivor or Basim. The Score is fantastic, really complimenting the story. You can feel the Japanese influence. At times there is a Taratino vibe when aspects of the game collide with this quirky soundtrack. The combat is a huge step up from the previous games. There is now a real sense of satisfaction from timing and a smoothness that enables encounters to flow seamlessly. The Animus Hub is a fantastic idea and presents itself very well to the player. I love the fact you can launch the previous RPG AC games from there. The animations of the characters are great and I love that for Shadows both protagonists wear what you currently have on in the game. The menus in the game are very clean and impressive. I like the dark backgrounds as it makes everything seem really professional and easy to read. Codex entries function like they did in Mirage. I actually enjoy this way of learning about the world. It does make me sad that we might not get a Discovery Tour though. I think it would be wise to mention the chromatic aberration. This was a contentious issue with Mirage. Once again it is turned on as default. If you are a virtual photographer it might be worth switching it off from the start. I found it negatively impacted the photo mode. Photo Mode Congratulations to Ubisoft for braving a new Photo Mode. It would have been easy to just copy paste from Mirage. The old PM is so user friendly, albeit a little outdated. You now have a completely different layout for the PM. There are tabs to switch between, similar to what we saw in Star Wars Outlaws. All the parameters in the Photo Mode are slow to adjust. This makes editing a shot a lengthy process, especially when compared to the previous games. The filters are such a cool edition, allowing players to diversify their captures. The red dragon is a particular favorite. I still believe that adding expressions for the characters would have further enhanced this photo mode. Unless you are in combat both Naoe and Yasuke have the same look on their face. With Star Wars Outlaws getting a time of day function, it is pretty disappointing that Shadows misses out. Especially as we can be locked in a season for quite some time. I am really sad that the fog option has been removed. This was such a unique feature to AC photo modes. The only saving grace is that the natural weather in the game produces some very nice fog. The depth of field is now aligned to a real camera. It functions well enough but can be hindered by the slow movement. It is tricker to use than the previous games and may become a barrier for new virtual photographers. With the lack of a bird companion in this game the range is now an issue. I think you can move the camera further than in the previous games but without the height of an eagle those long distance shots will be tricky. The Photo Mode does allow for nicer shots, with less post editing than we are used to. Once again you can post your shots straight to Ubi Connect or upload them to your console. Seeing everyones capture on the world map is always a joy. The frames are more aligned to Odyssey’s PM which I know will delight a few people. Frame Hold Photography’s Comments: Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a visually stunning and immersive game, and I have had so much fun with it during my early access preview. This latest entry into the Assassin’s Creed series truly takes advantage of all the newest tech to provide a gorgeous rendition of Feudal Japan for players to explore. The new dynamic weather and season systems are fantastic. It is incredible how much the world changes as you progress through the seasons and how the environment affects your play. Tall grass that was in one location in the summer is dead by winter, and water that you could once swim through freezes over. Snowstorms and thunderstorms can aid in your stealthy approaches toward camps, castles, and forts, while sunny summer days make it easier for guards to spot you. These elements are playstyles that never had to be considered in previous Assassin’s Creed games, making Shadows all the more unique and impressive. Shadows does not include a bird companion for Naoe or Yasuke. I was a bit upset when I first heard this news since the recon Senu, Ikaros, Synin, and Enkidu provided was extremely useful for tagging enemies, loot, and mission markers. Once I started playing Shadows, I soon understood why a bird companion wouldn’t fit into this game's pace, style, and philosophy. Everything in Shadows encourages players to slow down, calculate their movements, plan attacks, and admire the natural world and its beauties. The new Observe Mechanic better fits into this philosophy since it has players look around their environments, climb to higher places to have better vantage points, and pay attention to more minor details. While the bird companion was a much quicker and instantly gratifying tool, the Observe Mechanic is a new way to immerse players into the world. The combat and stealth systems in Shadows feel great. Combat feels weighty, parrys feel powerful, and abilities change the tides of fights. I’ve been enjoying the three weapon types both Naoe and Yasuke have access to. My favorite for Naoe is the Tanto blade since it’s fast and incorporates hidden-blade combat again! For Yasuke, I have been enjoying the heavy weight of the Kanabo. While slow, this weapon can absolutely decimate enemies. When it comes to stealth, Naoe’s grappling hook makes it easy to scamper up buildings quietly, and the ability for both characters to go prone opens up a host of new stealth opportunities. I have only experienced a fraction of the whole game, but the writing and character development within the first 20 hours have been rich, exciting, and outright shocking at times. Much like the Odyssey, the beginning of Shadows is starting to form a core ensemble of characters, and I am excited to see how they all develop throughout the main story. Lastly, I’d like to comment on the game’s music. The Flight, who composed the soundtrack for Odyssey, also composed the soundtrack for Shadows. The soundtrack weaves traditional Japanese instruments with modern Japanese Rock, creating a diverse range of sonic tones for the game–from peaceful and meditative to action-packed and adrenaline-filled. I love that this mix of styles pays homage to the musical history of Japan. Gentle tracks accompany the player as you explore the vast world, and heart-pumping rock songs set the tone for boss fights and intense game moments. Overall, I am incredibly impressed with what I have experienced so far in Assassin’s Creed Shadows and am excited to continue my playthrough! Taylor's comments The story is an interesting part of shadows. It is very dark and serious in tone, not comedic in any way. The pacing does suffer a little bit as unfortunately the prologue feels a little rushed and chopped up making the beginning feel off. In addition Act 2 also suffers pacing issues due to its non linear structure, think of a procedural case of the week TV show. While Naoe and Yasuke's personal quests let them shine. Some of the antagonists/targets feel underdeveloped as villians. The soundtrack is fantastic but i felt in some scenes it ruined the atmosphere or the music choice didn't fit. The world design impressed me with the variety of biomes as well the Codex entries have to be found by exploring, this encourages the player it really impressed further. This was further illustrated by the ?s really highlighting the culture of Japan with praying at Shinto shrines and meditating, it really makes the world feel that more real. I also appreciate the effort taken to provide Japanese and Portuguese audio as it adds to the historical accuracy. However I found some flaws that gave me concern. Side quests aren't marked for what character leading to tedious character switching. Season timer is not explained and needs more tutorialzation. When a character isn't in use they don't really do anything just sit in the hideout and it makes me upset as they feel more Avatarish than an inhabitant in the world. I feel that the English VO is kind of flat either due to a lack of direction or interpretation. Another thing I noticed is when it snows or rains in the game, their clothes get wet or snow on them but their hair is clear of any such blemish. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author A collection of articles from The Ones Who Came Before team. TOWCB Team

Anthony Del Col Interview - Assassin's Creed Transmedia: Past and Present Interview Share 15 Feb 2020 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Our community admin Colum Blackett had the opportunity to interview Anthony Del Col, a writer and producer who has worked on Assassin's Creed (Titan Comics), Origins (Mini series) and the upcoming Assassin's Creed: Gold audio drama. He has brought to life characters in the worlds of comics, television, film, audio and stage, and is the co-creator and co-writer of the acclaimed IDW Publishing comic series KILL SHAKESPEARE. We would like to thank Audible for making this interview possible. Col: Hi Anthony, thank you for joining us today! Please could you tell us a little bit about yourself, and your work on the Assassin's Creed franchise. Anthony I’m a best-selling writer of comics, podcasts, theater and television and have worked on both original stories (like Audible’s Unheard: The Story of Anna Winslow and the graphic novel Son of Hitler) as well as licensed properties (like the upcoming comic series The Death of Nancy Drew and the graphic novel Luke Cage: Everyman). In the AC Universe, I was the co-writer of the Assassin’s Creed series (published by Titan Comics) that ran from 2015 – 2017 and introduced the character of Charlotte de la Cruz. It was a LOT of fun and I’m proud of the stories we created (diving back in the worlds of the Salem Witch Trials, the final days of the Inca Empire and Renaissance Italy). I then followed that up with a solo writing arc of the Assassin’s Creed: Origins comic series, illustrating what happened to Aya after the game. And this month finds the release of my latest AC adventure, Assassin’s Creed: Gold, an original eight-episode audio drama to be released by Audible, starring Emmy-winner Riz Ahmed. Col: How does an Assassin's Creed transmedia project generally take shape? Is there one core team or several working on different aspects of the project? Anthony: The team that I’ve worked with have been the people at Ubisoft Montreal, headed the smart and innovative Aymar Azaiza. They started out working with just the AC brand, overseeing publishing and other ventures, and now they oversee other video game franchises (Far Cry, etc.). They’re a great group of people there doing an incredible job shaping those universes. Col: One project that you worked on which really stood out was the Assassin's Creed comic book series by Titan Comics. How did you first hear about the project, and what was your reaction? Anthony: Myself and co-writer Conor McCreery were approached by Titan Comics. The editor at the time, Lizzie Kaye, was a fan of what we had done with our IDW comic series Kill Shakespeare and invited us to pitch for “video game franchise we’ve just secured the rights to”. We had to sign an NDA before they would tell us what the brand was, and as I was signing with one hand, with the other I was crossing my fingers hoping it would be Assassin’s Creed, one of my favorite video games of all-time. So, naturally, when they told us what the brand was, I was excited. Col: Do you have a favourite character from the comic book series? Well, the natural response would be Charlotte de la Cruz, the first-ever modern-day female lead in the franchise history. We had a blast creating the character. But I’d also like to give a shout-out to Tom Stoddard, the gruff, Wolverine-style Charlotte de la Cruz and Tom Stoddard from the Assassin's Creed comic book series by Titan Comics Col: Charlotte De la Cruz was a hugely popular character from the series. Did you ever see any of the fan art / cosplay projects created by the community? If so, do you have a favourite? Anthony: One of the greatest things I’ve experienced is when people create fan art or dress up in cosplay of characters I’ve created or co-created. I’ve been lucky that it’s happened with various characters, from Kill Shakespeare and now to Assassin’s Creed. I can’t say I have a favorite piece of fan art of Charlotte but I will say I was so incredibly excited when Ubisoft produced her hoodie and I was able to snag one for my wife. It looked so cool on her! Col: Each issue of Assassin's Creed had a variety of covers by different artists, all with their own interpretation of the characters. What was it like to work with talented artists such as Neil Edwards on the project? Anthony: Titan Comics did a great job putting together an incredible stable of artists to work on the series in all respects, from covers to interior art and more. In terms of Neil, he’s a prop and did some great work on the original series. His layouts are always tight and he really brought the Salem and Ancient Peru time periods to life. And on covers, we were able to some of my favorite artists to be involved, people to Sanya Anwar, Stephanie Hans and Stephen Mooney. I’m still pinching myself that we got them to create looks for the characters! Col: Looking back on the series, is there anything you would change, and what are you most proud of? Anthony: In terms of what I’m proudest of, I think it’s that we (myself, Conor, Neil, etc.) created a character in Charlotte that we were then able to pass on to the next team of creators. I’ve been able to tell four very distinct stories (the three with Charlotte and the one with Aya) that have interesting beginning, middle and ends, and yet play a role in the larger picture of things. In terms of things I’d change… I really wanted to tell a story of Charlotte and her grandmother in Argentina in the 1970s Dirty War there. It’s an era of history that not enough people know about, and I had come up with a way to tell a completely new and original Assassin’s Creed story. It’s too bad our run ended after three volumes and the fourth would have explored it! Col: Is it difficult for transmedia products set in an established video game universe to expand upon the story without breaking the canon lore of a series? How do you keep track of all that has come before? Anthony: We were very fortunate in that the team at Ubisoft (at that time Aymar as well as Anouk Bachman and Susan Patrick) would always let me know what fit and what wouldn’t fit into the larger AC universe. Many people think that it’s harder when you need to fit within an established continuity but I actually find it freeing. I like to approach all stories from a weird, mathematical perspective and if I know the constraints I can figure out how to work within them. Like a puzzle. Col: Another transmedia project that you worked on was the Assassin's Creed Origins comic-book mini-series. Had you completed the game before working on the spin-off series, and how do you think Aya/ Amunet differs from the game? Anthony: I was about halfway through the game when Ubisoft and Titan came calling to work on the comic series. They were obviously fans of the earlier series but had also read some of the solo stuff I created and needed someone to come in and write quickly. I jumped at the opportunity to do so and it was a blast working on it! Col: The series acts as a mini sequel for Aya after she leaves Egypt, and uses flashbacks to expand upon the events of Origins. How did you go about weaving Aya into historical events? Anthony: Well, the game already shows her involvement in the assassination of Julius Caesar, but they wanted to me to dive deeper into it and show how she became involved. And like many of these stories, what you think you see is only partially it. As a fan of Shakespeare I was pretty knowledgeable about Caesar’s death but this allowed me to play with a few “What if” questions and look at the story from all angles. Assassin's Creed: Gold (Spoiler-free) Assassin’s Creed: Gold is a stand-alone tale from the Assassin's Creed universe in which we meet Aliyah Kahn, a card shark and hustler who’s been dealt a rough hand in life. Surviving through her smarts and street scams, Aliyah struggles to get by until she loses big time to a mysterious older man, Gavin Banks. Her only option to repay Banks is to become an Assassin. During her training, Banks tells Aliyah of the centuries-old battle between the Assassins and Templars, imploring her to help him decode a secret message inscribed on an illegal form of currency during the Great Recoinage of 1696. Col: This month sees the release of Assassin's Creed: Gold, a stand-alone audio drama set in the Assassin's Creed Universe. How excited are you for the release? Anthony: On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d say I’m about a 9 (which means very excited). The only reason I’m not putting it at 10 is that I’m always my own worst critic and every time I listen to something I’ve written I cringe and think of all the ways I could have improved the dialogue, story points, etc. Having said that, Audible was able to wrangle together an amazing cast, and they did a great job bringing this story to life. I mean, Riz Ahmed is one of my favorite actors today, and to have him play one of the lead roles (the blind Assassin Omar Khaled)? I couldn’t have asked for a better team! Col: Riz Ahmed (Star Wars Rogue One/ Four Lions) and Anthony Head (Buffy, Doctor Who), who are new to the Assassin's Creed series. Were they at a familiar with Assassin's Creed prior to this project? Anthony: I know that Riz was a fan of the series, especially it’s historical fiction elements. And Anthony, who plays Isaac Newton, is a huge fan of historical tales and relished the opportunity to bring this historical figure to life. Col: Also listed on the cast list is Danny Wallace, a veteran of the series who has played Shaun Hastings in numerous games. What was it like to bring back such a popular character, and has he changed at all since Syndicate? Anthony: This was the other character suggested not only by Ubisoft but also Audible (the heads of the UK team there, Rebecca Fenton and Steve Carsey had worked with him on another project). Rebecca and I were in Montreal working with Ubisoft and when Shaun’s name came up, I immediately realized how I could fit him into this story. I got excited about the opportunity to bring back one of the fan favorites. Col: Gavin Banks (former leader of the Assassin Brotherhood) was first introduced on the Assassin's Creed Initiates platform, and has been mentioned in several of the games and books since. This is his first spoken role, so how did the team go about bringing such an important character to life? Anthony: It was actually the team at Ubisoft that had recommended inserting him into the story. I think in my original concept I had created a new “mentor” character for this tale and the team there suggested Gavin. I was obviously familiar with him and his place in the AC universe and I immediately said “yes!” to the idea. Because we’ve never heard him before, it was a lot of fun creating his character. He obviously is very charming but also very strategic. It’s always a fine balance to write for a character that’s leading the team but also intentionally not telling them everything (to protect them). Col: Did the team do a lot of historical research to create an authentic experience? Anthony: I’m not sure about the team but I know I did! I read a LOT of books on Isaac Newton, what London was like at the time, the Great Recoinage of 1696 and more. I also read up on the modern-day rise of cryptocurrency, as it plays a small role in the modern-day storyline. What I found most interesting was this period of time in which Isaac Newton, who is traditionally thought of as a scientist and thinker became a bad-ass Dirty Harry-type character, trying to rid England of counterfeiters. It’s a period of history that most people don’t know of and I’m sure listeners will find it all fascinating Col: The cover for the audio drama was released in November of 2019, and contains binary code behind the image. Are there any secrets to be discovered? Anthony: Secrets? I don’t know what you’re talking about… Col: Where did the name Assassin's Creed Gold come from, and what is the significance? Anthony: This series is about the importance of currency and the banking system. That sounds dry, I know, but both 1696 and today there are people trying to re-define what currency is (counterfeiting of silver coins back in 1696, and crypto-currencies today). Both eras have found their financial systems in strife and whenever that happens, criminals come out to play. In 1696, that’s a major counterfeiter by the name of William Chaloner (the Moriarty to Newton’s Sherlock) and today with criminals on the dark net. So when it came to titling this series, I figured that I’d lean in to what most people view as an ideal and valuable resource: gold. Col: Where and when can we listen to Assassin's Creed: Gold? Anthony: Assassin’s Creed: Gold will be available February 27th on Audible worldwide. If you’re a fan of AC, you’ll love this new take on the universe. And if you’ve never played a game or don’t know much about the AC world, you’ll enjoy this time-jumping story about Isaac Newton and his blind assistant tracking down a maniacal counterfeiter and a modern-day story about a woman trying to stop a large criminal organization from doing some shady stuff on the dark net. 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 Future of Assassin’s Creed at UbiForward 2023 Part 2 - Assassin's Creed Codename Jade Breakdown Share 16 Jun 2023 Written By: Edited By: Michael Smith Colum Blackett Back To Database Banner by Thea Marie Rivedal (Moonchildgecko) from TOWCB Art Team. Welcome to the second part in a new series breaking down all of the Assassin's Creed content presented at Ubisoft Forward 2023. In part two, we take a look at Assassin's Creed Jade reveal! Related articles The Future of Assassin’s Creed at UbiForward 2023 Part 1 - Pre-Show & Assassin's Creed Nexus The Future of Assassin’s Creed at UbiForward 2023 Part 3 - Assassin's Creed Mirage Story Trailer The Future of Assassin’s Creed at UbiForward 2023 Part 4 - Assassin's Creed Mirage Gameplay Trailer This title from Ubisoft & Level Infinite will be the first open-world RPG on mobile, taking players to Ancient China in the year 215 of the 3rd Century BCE; the Qin Dynasty. This places the game between AC Odyssey and AC Origins. The trailer opens in a dark room containing the historical Terracotta Army as the narrator defines “Legacy” as learning from the triumphs and mistakes of those that came before us. An Assassin who represents the player walks through the army to the door, closing the cinematic with the image at the top of this section, and how players will make their own Legacy. We can see from this shot that the character wields a Chinese officer’s sword, a dagger, and a Qiang (spear) while looking out at the Great Wall of China, the set piece for this game (though it wasn’t opened until 220 BC, 400+ years later) A series of landscapes are shown from mountain ranges, nomadic camps, farmlands, and cities. This provides a vast array of areas that players will be able to explore and the various peoples that reside in each. Based on the size of the city shown, it appears to be a capital city, most likely the imperial city of Xianyang (from AC Jade’s website) due to the size of the fortress in the top right of the 4th image. These cities will most likely be where the Assassin’s Bureaus are housed and where players can purchase needed weapons and gear. This is followed by a shot of the character performing a Leap of Faith. You can notice the blue colored sash around the player waist which indicates that this is an Initiate or Apprentice (like Basim in AC Mirage). Could this be upgraded to the red color “Assassin” sash as players level up and progress in the story? The character is shown firing multiple arrows at once. This could be an ability that is unlocked, or a reference to different bow types such as the multi-shot Light Bows that we have seen in past RPG titles. The Assassin climbs the Great Wall of China, showing vertical leaps to traverse the larger gaps between hand holds. Combat is displayed in a one on one with a Heavy Guard wielding two maces while the character performs a series of attacks with their daggers. Another shot shows an air assassination in action as the player descends on an unaware enemy. The woolen hat and lack of armor makes me think this is either a local guard for a village, or a Xiongnu raider. The action continues with a series of combat abilities from an enhanced Qiang sweep that may or not be an Isu Artifact (most likely just a powered ability like AC Odyssey)... To a pole vault kick… And an air attack (similar to the Dive of the Valkyries from AC Valhalla) using a giant axe, which also informs us that there are more weapon types that can be unlocked or used than just the ones from the cinematic trailer. The gameplay trailer ends on the Codename Jade Logo and the website to register for the closed beta ( here ). On the website, the navigation banner has three sections that change to a Chinese character when the cursor hovers over each button. Home: Featured The character has a similar appearance to the Chinese character “Qi” which translates to “strange” which may be a way to show that this “stands out” or in short “is featured”. News most likely a combination of the characters for “Xìnxī” which translates to the characters “remove + interest” or “information”. The “Home” page is where the trailer and link to register for the closed beta are located and when you scroll down, you are moved to the “Featured” page with notes on the game. Journey through 2000 years of history in ancient China (possibly an indication of how long the content may cover) Explore the path of “Xia” in the first unified empire of China. (Xia stories are one of the major heroic traditions in Chinese literature*) *from @xuetingni (Twitter) personal website ( here ) Protect your home from Xiongnu* raiders behind the Great Wall. *The website spells this as "Xionanu" which maybe a misspelling. Experience the blooming trade and cultural exchanges between East and West in the imperial city of Xianyang. Codename Jade is marketed as an “Iconic Assassin’s Creed Experience” with gameplay and features on mobile, for free. Lastly, the “News” section links to an article that provides more information on the game. Built on Unreal Engine Free-to-play on iOS and Android Players will follow the path of “Xia” as an adopted child of Master Assassin, Wei Yu (who is enshrined beneath Monteriggioni in AC II and Brotherhood. Master Wei Yu (Image from Assassin’s Creed Wiki) Codename Jade will allow players to fully customize an avatar for the first time. Weapons include Qiangs, double swords, and bows. Further information is to come from the newly established social media sites such as the @AC_CodenameJade on Twitter. I am personally excited to try the Closed Beta and hope I am able to get in. 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

Gallery: Assassin's Creed Mirage Trailer Concept Art Other Share 4 Apr 2023 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database The first wave of concept art created for Assassin's Creed Mirage have been shared online by Roman Popov and Salvo Lo Iacono, two senior concept artists at Digic Pictures. The concepts were created as inspiration for the team, and were used as references when producing the Cinematic World Premiere Trailer, which released back in September of 2022. It's clear that these particular artworks acted as a storyboard, laying out the events which take place in the trailer. Check them out below, and be sure to follow Roman on Instagram should he happen to release more incredible pieces of Assassin's Creed artwork in the future. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x55lAlFtXmw Street thief chase. Bird's-eye view. No entry. Basim Training with Roshan Alamut, the Mountain Fortress Hide in plain sight No escape. Initiation Nothing is True Sacrifice Sacred Ritual Guarded Street Thief Assassination Merchants Freerunning That's it for now. We hope that this little taster of Assassin's Creed Mirage has you excited for the game. Keep an eye on The Ones Who Came Before social media channels (listed below) for updates on the game and everything else Assassin's Creed. Safety and Peace Assassins. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)