The Purge
The Purge is one of those action/horror movies that always felt like it was the perfect setting for a video game. Giving all of America the freedom to commit any crime for 12 hours is a recipe for chaos and violence. This would work well with the Assassin’s Creed franchise because it would help them break from their typical black and white characters who are either extremely evil or quite righteous. This would be a country of people who are forced into extraordinary scenarios, which could make for interesting battlegrounds and fights. Plus, having to work within the time frame of 12 hours would be far different than our massive month spanning endeavors from the other titles.
Even the themes of The Purge would work nicely, as AC has never been shy of putting the ruling elite against the comman, everyday man. Many of the games in AC are based around the poor fighting the wealthy (Templars) for power, so it’s fully possible to just assume that the New Founding Fathers (The Purge’s creators) were simply Templars all along. While we would have to give a deeper reason beyond “kill the homeless,” it could work easily from a story perspective.
Mechanically this would allow AC to keep both their stealth and open combat aspects, as sticking to the rooftops of a modern city would be ideal. However, it would bring something new to the table as well, forcing players to avoid not just guards but all citizens. This could help create tension in a series that usually lacks it, thanks to everyone being armed and out looking for blood. We also have to consider that the AC franchise is eventually going to have to move to a modern setting, so an event like this could explain how things have spiraled out of control that the Assassins need to step in.
