Over four years after the release of its last mainline entry,Assassin’s Creedis making a return this year withAssassin’s Creed Shadows. This new installment takes the series to feudal Japan, where dual protagonists Naoe and Yasuke must work together to free Japan from the influence of an oppressive and secretive faction.Assassin’s Creed Shadowsreturns to the series' modern, RPG-style gameplay after the back-to-basicsAssassin’s Creed Miragespin-off, but it will offer more varied gameplay thanks to the different playstyles of its protagonists.
A successful launch forAssassin’s Creed Shadowswas thought to be unlikely due to the recent downward trend inquality from Ubisoft and controversiesconcocted by members of the fanbase. However, a wave of positive, hands-on previews from news outlets and content creators alike have indicated that the game is worth keeping an eye on. IfAssassin’s Creed Shadowsproves to be a success, then Ubisoft should take the opportunity to embrace a past strategy.
Why Assassin’s Creed Would Benefit From a Shadows Sequel
Though recentAssassin’s Creedentries have done well in regard to sales, they have yet to top the iconic status of the series' older games.Assassin’s Creedintroduced players to beloved main characters like Ezio Auditore and Edward Kenway, but the series has been sorely lacking in protagonist power sinceBlack Flag. Sure, characters like Bayek, Kassandra, and Eivor had their moments, but their storylines and character arcs were lacking when compared to past protagonists. The popularity of these newer characters has also been hindered by Ubisoft’s one-and-done approach to its settings. If Naoe and Yasuke are as intriguing aspreviews forAssassin’s Creed Shadowshave suggested, then Ubisoft should take a page from Ezio’s playbook for the series' path forward.
Ezio Auditore: Assassin’s Creed’s Prodigal Son
AskAssassin’s Creedfans who their favorite protagonist is, and many will point toAssassin’s Creed 2’s Ezio. Ezio has a natural cool factor thanks to his magnetic personality and his impeccable fashion, but that isn’t the only reason why he has become so popular. Unlike any otherAssassin’s Creedprotagonist, Ezio was the playable main character in three different games:Assassin’s Creed 2,Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, andAssassin’s Creed: Revelations. Following Ezio’s journey across his trilogy of games gave players the ability to become more invested in his story as they watched him grow as a character. Ezio quickly became theAssassin’s Creedseries' most iconic character, and Ubisoft has yet to replicate his star power.
Giving Naoe and Yasuke the Ezio Treatment
A major issue with therecentAssassin’s Creedgamesis that players have struggled to find an anchor point in the series' lore-dense narrative. Even when players manage to become attached to a game’s main character, that character and their story are tossed to the wayside the moment the next game drops — besides the occasional name-drop and Easter egg. Following the studio’s strategy with Ezio could be just what the series needs to make players more invested.
IfAssassin’s Creed Shadowsturns out to be a hit, then Ubisoft shouldn’t just move on to yet another protagonist and historical setting for the next game. A direct,Brotherhood-esque sequel toShadowshas so much potential. Considering how long players have been begging for anAssassin’s Creedset in feudal Japan, many of them likely wouldn’t mind sticking around in the setting for an additional game. More importantly, expanding uponShadows' storywould help to make Naoe and Yasuke stand apart from protagonists like Eivor and Kassandra.
The characters' stories would have time to breathe, since they wouldn’t need to be completely wrapped up in a single game. This means that the characters would be able to grow and develop in more nuanced ways, both in terms of character development and gameplay. A sequel’s story would also be granted more flexibility and freedom when compared to otherAssassin’s Creedgames, since the writers would havetwo differentAssassin’s Creedcharactersto play around with. If Ubisoft wants to recapture the intrigue of the Ezio era, then this could be the way forward.
