Over the years,Assassin’s Creedhas explored a lot of interesting and visually impressive historical settings. From the pyramids of Ancient Egypt to the foggy streets of Victorian London, it’s impressive to think of how many locations and periods the games have managed to cover. However, from the beginning of the series, gamers have been begging Ubisoft to bringAssassin’s Creedto Feudal Japan. Earlier this year, theannouncement ofAssassin’s Creed Redgave fans the news they’d all been hoping for, confirming that an upcoming entry in the franchise will be set in Japan.
While this is an exciting development on its own, andAssassin’s Creed Redis likely to do well in terms of sales based purely on the fact it finally gives fans theJapaneseAssassin’s Creedexperiencethey’ve been wanting for so long, there is more that the upcoming open-world RPG can do besides bring a new setting. Should Ubisoft take its time in perfectingAssassin’s Creed Red, it could be a title that stands out as one of the greats in the franchise.
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Assassin’s Creed Red Should Change the Formula
Assassin’s Creedhas become a household name in gaming not only due to the recognizable characters and settings that have come out of the series but also because a lot of players know what they’re getting into when they pick one of the games up. Once, a lot ofAssassin’s Creedgames were known for simple combat, escort missions, and smaller, more contained worlds with a few major areas to explore. However, that all changed with the release ofAssassin’s Creed Origins.
As Ubisoft took its first break from the franchise’s yearly releases, fans were left wondering how things would change, and whenAssassin’s Creed Originswas first shown off it was clear that the series was getting some major alterations.Assassin’s Creedwas given a complete RPG overhaul. The hidden blade and counters were no longer instant kills, and players would instead have to upgrade their gear and character in order to fight stronger opponents. For some, this proved a controversial change, but the RPGAssassin’s Creedgames have received a lot of praise from fans and critics alike.
IfAssassin’s Creed Redwants to be remembered for more than just the game that gave fans Feudal Japan, it should look to change things up similarly toAssassin’s Creed Origins. This doesn’t mean that the upcoming title has to reinvent the wheel and go to a new genre. Already, fans areexpectingAssassin’s CreedHexeto delve into horror, so there isn’t really a need forRedto take aim at a new genre, but there are still ways in which the formula of the RPG titles could be switched up to give fans a refreshing experience that doesn’t solely rely on the hype of a Japanese historical setting.
Assassin’s Creed Mirageis returning the franchise to its roots, giving players more of an action-adventure experience than the more recent games. AsAssassin’s Creed Mirageis the next game in the franchise, it would be interesting to see the open-world RPG thatAssassin’s Creed Redwill take some inspiration from it. Whether that be in the form of a greater focus on stealth inAssassin’s Creed Red, or more simplified combat that doesn’t revolve around health bars slowly ticking down as big numbers flash on the screen, some form of a combination between the new and older styles of gameplay could make the upcoming open-world RPG feel like an innovative entry in the franchise.
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Things Assassin’s Creed Red Could Change Besides Gameplay
While it would be interesting to see some change in the gameplay formula ofAssassin’s Creedto coincide with the release ofRed, there are other ways in which Ubisoft could make its Feudal Japanese game stand out. The first way in which it could do this is by giving fans a lot more lore information regarding Japan and where it comes into the story of Assassins and Templars. Already, there have been some nods to Japan in the franchise’spast, with thefirstAssassin’s Creedprotagonist Altairspreading rumors that the Apple of Eden was hidden there. Also, there are mentions of Assassins and Templars throughout the Sengoku and Edo periods of Japanese history, but it would be interesting to see these connections further explored.
It is highly likely as well considering Japan’s isolation for most of its history thatAssassin’s Creed Redcould explore how Japanese Assassins differ from those found in other parts of the world. Exploring thelore ofAssassin’s Creed, and perhaps even redefining certain elements of it, would makeAssassin’s Creed Redmore than just an open-world RPG set in Feudal Japan, and a stand-out title in a franchise that could do with one.
Moreover, there’s theissue of protagonists inAssassin’s Creed. InOdysseyandValhalla, the two most recent RPG titles in the series, players have been allowed to choose between a male and female protagonist. While this allows for some great player choice, Ubisoft confirming which character is the canonical representation of the protagonist takes away slightly from those who prefer Alexios over Kassandra, for example.Assassin’s Creed Redcould mark a return to one, non-customizable protagonist, which would again make it stand out, particularly if this character could match the love fans have for Ezio or other popular Assassins. This might not be the most popular option, as it would remove some player choice, but as it stands right now Ubisoft is only causing confusion with its canon and non-canon protagonists inAssassin’s Creed.
As stated, fans are likely to rememberAssassin’s Creed Redbecause it will finally bring the franchise to Feudal Japan. Alongside its setting, though,Assassin’s Creed Redhas the opportunity to stand out from the crowd through Ubisoft paying particular attention to its characters, gameplay, and lore. These factors, along with ensuringAssassin’s Creed Redtakes inspiration from a unique point in history, should allow the game to be remembered as a huge change from the series' previous entries, similar toAssassin’s Creed Origins. For a setting as demanded and as popular as Feudal Japan, it only makes sense for Ubisoft to put in as much effort this time around.
Assassin’s Creed Redis in development.
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