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.
Inception
Inception is another one of those films who’s premise is genuinely perfect for a video game. Having people enter others dreams to extract info is a brilliant idea and it could work with any number of games because of how much breathing room that offers. Having Assassin’s entering the minds of Templars or others could offer unique gameplay experiences we have yet to see in this series, thanks to the sheer limitless creativity the levels could have. It could also make combat interesting since shifts in gravity and such would come into play when fighting enemies.
Groups like Abstergo could easily go from prodding at memories to searching through the dreams of others when trying to locate mystical artifacts. From a story perspective, this could make the future events far more personal than they ever have been, as the concept of entering someone’s current thoughts is probably about as close as you ever want to get. We could also be haunted by our own subconscious, which is a nice way of laying out exposition about a character’s past without it being so overbearing.
John Wick
One of the most surprising aspects about 2014’s hit action movie John Wick was the incredible amount of world building it did. Fitting more assassins into this setting would be a natural fit, as a secret underground for criminals could balance nicely with the aristocratic nature of the Templars. Even if we avoid the character John Wick entirely, it would still open up a plethora of interesting locations and themes that we sadly don’t get to explore in Assassin’s Creed.
From a gameplay perspective, this would be the most challenging as everyone uses firearms, though a case could be made that ours is one that just uses blades. It’d make the combat have to shift to a stealth focus since you don’t want to be gunned down, but combining your Hidden Blade with a few pistol rounds could make for some flashy executions. Just make sure to not kill any dogs, the last thing you want is to make John Wick mad.
The Good, The Bad, The Weird
This 2010 South Korean film is one many not be familiar with, but it’s the fantastic take on the spaghetti western genre is too interesting to ignore. The Good, The Bad, The Weird is a wonderful mix of classic western tropes and eastern culture that could make for not only a unique setting for Assassin’s Creed but offer it a small breath of levity. The AC games have always had an air of dark humor about them, so setting it in the world created by director Kim Jee-woon would allow them to embrace this concept. In terms of the story between the Assassin’s and Templars, one could easily place the former as outlaws trying to bring down a corrupt system like Ubisoft has in virtually every AC game.
Mechanically there would be a nice mix of melee and gunplay, with a heavier emphasis on the former. This was an era where guns were used but if someone was using a melee weapon it wouldn’t look out of place. Besides, who doesn’t want to free run along a train and then eventually rob so you can afford better gear. We’re sure the civilians will understand.
Star Wars
No, we don’t want the Assassin’s to be Jedi’s and the Templar’s to be aligned with the Sith, that’s too easy of a story route. Star Wars is a franchise with a rich lore and fantastic universe that can, and should, be explored through different eyes. For an Assassin’s Creed variant we’d want to focus on the underworld of Star Wars and what it’s like being a criminal in this game. Lightsabers shouldn’t replace swords (there are plenty of other melee weapons in this series) and we should generally avoid the idea of Force Powers. Not everyone in this universe can be the big hero, so we should focus on those who are working behind the scenes during the Empire’s reign.
A futuristic setting can easily offer a plethora of new gadgets and toys to play with that we haven’t had a chance to experience in other AC titles. Plus, moving to a more criminal element (much like the acclaimed Black Flag) would be a nice change of pace for once. Even this franchises supernatural leanings could be explained since Star Wars has never really been afraid to mix both science and magic.
However, the chances of any these actually happening is slim to none. There are a lot of ideas that will never see the light of day, which is a shame given how many different worlds this series could slip into. Eventually, the Assassin’s Creed franchise will need to offer something new, so hopefully they are bold enough to take the leap and experiment with other properties.
