From running through the streets of Damascus, to climbing the Sistine Chapel, to commandeering a pirate ship through the Caribbean, Assassin’s Creed has proven itself king at the portrayal of geographical and architectural heritage highlights and fictional narratives in historical settings. Jaromirr and Dr. Random talk Assassin’s Creed!
It’s action packed with acrobatic jumps that make parkour runners look like a baby that has just learned to crawl, sneaky killing sequences that put you on the edge of your seat with a heart rate of 200 and a storyline that reads like one of those books you put down because it’s time to go to bed, not because you’re done reading.
All of this means the game sometimes foregoes period-authenticity for the sake of fun. For historical purists some of the resulting inconsistencies simply cannot be stomached (just watch Dr. Random frothing at the mouth every time he sees AC:IV’s Maya temples on the map of Cuba’s Isla de Juventud). Still, with its relatively expansive historized databases this series has offered a pick-up-and-play history lesson for millions. What is more, it also provides the opportunity for a large audience to familiarize itself with some of our World Heritage, which many of us may never have a chance to visit (let alone climb) in real life.
If you have never played the series but have an interest in world history or Assassin’s vs. Templar tinfoil hat conspiracies, make sure you pick it up. The general consensus is that AC2 and its follow-up games are the highlight of the series, although we also hugely enjoyed the most recent entry in the series: Syndicate which is set in Victorian-era London.
We promise Assassin’s Creed will entertain you in ways you didn’t think historical games ever could and will make you want to book a trip to Venice. Disclaimer: VALUE is not responsible for injuries or public arrests resulting from climbing the Basilica Di San Marco.
Want to see us discuss issues of AuthentiCity in AC:IV and AC:Unity? Check out this video: