Assassin's Creed Doesn't Have Much of a Story, Does It?

[In Search of Username]

I get what you mean. I like the concept of the AC series (looking through the memories of your ancestors with futuristic technology) but I just wish something would HAPPEN in the series' 'present'. That section in AC3 where you climbed up the tower was fun but so limited. Why can't a modern-day character have his own sandbox setting to explore, Ubisoft? You're clearly running out of places to set it in the past. Well, I guess I have Watch Dogs for that, so I'll cope.

Also worth mentioning that though I do like the overall storyline, Ubisoft are AWFUL at writing individual characters. They always come off as unbearably bland or unbearably arrogant and smug.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

Well, I guess I have Watch Dogs for that, so I'll cope.

There are several hints that suggest Watch Dogs is set in Assassin's Creed universe. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Aidan Pierce crosses paths with Assassins and Templars in Watch Dogs or even become an Assassin at some point.

 

[The Almighty Aardvark]

This is also the reason why I don't watch most western tv series with an ongoing story anymore. There are almost no shows that have some sort of definite conclusion, they're all about trying to milk the series for as long as they can make money off of it. Then they leave you with a unsatisfying ending that should have came ages earlier.

While I don't like most anime either, at least series exist that are short, sweet and end when they clearly intended to. Western shows that do this? Sherlock, and that's all I can come up with.

 

[In Search of Username]

Well, I guess I have Watch Dogs for that, so I'll cope.

There are several hints that suggest Watch Dogs is set in Assassin's Creed universe. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Aidan Pierce crosses paths with Assassins and Templars in Watch Dogs or even become an Assassin at some point.

Hmm, I wasn't aware of this. I knew it was largely the same style of gameplay with a bit less free-running, and both made by Ubisoft, but didn't know there were rumours of an actual explicit connection between the two.

Either way, looking forward to it.

 

[M920CAIN]

The animus was a stupid idea from the start. They could've made one awesome pirate story, but noah, they love to ruin immersionz with big mindless fuuuuuu moments.

 

[Codeman90]

For me I have only ever really had interest in the past segments. The real heart of the game, at least those actually do have an ending. As long as Ubisoft can keep making interesting games set in historical periods then a history and gaming nerd like myself will be happy. The future parts are quite forgettable and it was clear that Ubisoft didnt really have any clue how to end it.

 

[Elyxard]

Ugh, I totally forgot about that whole "solar flare" thing. I remember playing AC3 and wondering where the hell that plot line came from despite playing every other game in the series; and of course they had to tie the Mayan calendar thing in with it. What a lazy way to ratchet up the tension.

The mystery of the Desmond storyline in AC1 was legitimately cool, but they clearly had no idea of where to take it beyond that.

 

[LittleBlackDragon]

I think the modern day plot was kind of mostly unnecessary from the beginning, and for once, Yahtzee and I are in agreement, at least about Desmond. But that's just my opinion. I still find it too be such, but at least now the character in question is a silent and faceless protagonist. At least then you can kind of imagine whatever you want the character to be, for the most part.

 

[Kargathia]

Assassins Creed is an enjoyable series, but they are much better by reducing the future story and making it some kind of meta-joke like in Black Flag, which is also the best game of the series.

This was pretty much my take on this. They could hardly cut all the templar vs. assassin shenanigans in a game called "Assassin's Creed", but they seem to have realised that the less said about it, the better. Which is good.

Also: I would like to voice my appreciation for a protagonist who left his soap box at home. Especially after the whiny self-righteous **** with daddy issues that was Connor.

The mystery of the Desmond storyline in AC1 was legitimately cool, but they clearly had no idea of where to take it beyond that.

I remember googling the weird symbols at the end of AC1, and loudly groaning when they turned out to be pseudo-scientific conspiracy bullshit. Wasn't all bad up to that point though.

 

[Frezzato]

The animus was a stupid idea from the start. They could've made one awesome pirate story, but noah, they love to ruin immersionz with big mindless fuuuuuu moments.

Yes. Thank you for that, as I've been saying that for a while now.

Also:

Yahtzee:
It seems like the series could just be about exploring various historical settings without having to bring us back to the future every now and again.

Again, thank you. I don't think any website has had the guts to say exactly that. Granted, my only issue was with the Animus in general, but I couldn't even bring myself to finish the first AC, so I'm glad that Yahtzee had the background knowledge to put it into perspective.

 

[Itchi_da_killa]

Back in the day, I was hoping that Assassin's Creed II was going to be set in the "game's" present day, and you would play Desmond. After playing part II, and being totally let down, I decided to toss out my wrist blade and go on with my life.

 

[srpilha]

So what you're saying is that Assassins Creed is basically a Shonen Jump anime? Like Bleach, for example?

Except instead of 700 chapters, one per week, it's 700 chapters, one per year.

Aww, you're both so optimistic, I love it.

No, what we have is Desmond slowly, but surely, becoming Mario.

 

[Saelune]

The way the games were building in the first few ACs was that by say....AC4 it would be Desmond entirely in the modern setting against Abstergo in a game that would likely be a cross between Splinter Cell and Mirror's Edge. Desmond gets eagle vision in 1, then 2 is his training...then they ruined it. They even said it wont happen....idiots.

 

[Shamanic Rhythm]

I personally have always thought that Ubisoft were taking the piss with the future story. The Animus seems to be little more than an in-joke about contemporary video game design (reloading previous memory = autosave, death = 'unsyncing' etc). My brother and I almost fell over laughing when Dr Obvious Bad Guy from the first game (can't remember his name) said "We're going to have to give you a bit of a tutorial!"

In general though I've never really rated even the in-period Assassin's Creed stories as terribly impressive. The first one began well with plenty of historical intrigue and power struggles, but then it went bananas and tried to explain away religion by introducing aliens or some shit. It was like sitting down to read an Alastair McLean novel only to discover that McLean died halfway through the writing and Dan Brown took over.

 

[Pebkio]

I was alright with the story until... and I might be missing a non-console game here... but Future Desmond stabs up Fish Lips and passes out and then wakes up in the animus and people outside his brain are talking like they figured out she was an Abstergo spy. Or something. That just screams retcon.

Also there was bomb crafting. Blegh.

I tried to get into AC3 but it seems they thought that making the past protaganist as bland as the future one was a good idea. I remember, in AC2.33333333333, the warning that the sun was going to explodey bits was a plot point because I remember being proud that I saw it coming. I totally guessed that the sun was a big enemy starting in AC2 when I happened to look at the sun with eagle vision turned on. But they apparently swept that mess under the rug. It was interesting that some petty squabble between two groups of humans was being over-shadowed by a threat that wiped out an entire race and now that it's gone I couldn't care less.

I had moved on after AC3 came out and just adding idealized versions of pirates to the mix isn't enough to make me care.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

I actually enjoyed the modern day plot up until the end of three, although I do admit that the solar flare thing came out of left field. I'm one of those people who devour little bits of information that hint at something bigger, and the solar flare was not mentioned. Originally at the end of AC II (I believe) Juno warns only that "He" is coming, and that he must be stopped. The sun was referenced, but it was never stated as a solar flare. I simply took that to mean that the sun god of these beings--you know, since they all borrow their names from ancient gods--was going to be coming back to earth and he would destroy it.
Apparently they dropped the "He" bit and just changed it straight up to a solar flare.

I won't be picking up Assassin's Creed IV. I'll borrow it, but every AC game I've played has let me down. They keep building to this epic conclusion, and they always trip at the finish line for their story in the game. And now, to hear that they do nothing with Juno escaping, I just can't be bothered to be interested in it. This series has suffered the same fate as Killzone to me.

 

[Jezzy54]

The problem isn't so much that the overarching story doesn't have an end in sight, it's that it's not very interesting and distracts from the more engaging historical settings.

 

[Fox12]

This is exactly while I will never truly become a comic book fan, no matter how much I try. At least with these games you get a sense of completion by beating them. Try reading a DC issue picked out of the blue, see how much sense it makes or how satisfying it is when it ends in a cliffhanger of a cliffhanger of a cliffhanger.

My feelings exactly, I will never understand people who can sit through a plot that obviously isn't going anywhere. There are good graphic novels, as I'm finding, but I won't bother with something that isn't already completed. Most comics and television shows are more concerned with keeping themselves alive then actually telling a good story. This is the reason I couldn't stomach Game of Thrones anymore. I could skip ENTIRE CHAPTERS, even entire CHARACTER ARCS, and miss literally nothing. Brianne does literally nothing of consequence in the entire fourth book. I'll never understand the people who make Assassins Creed. I could maybe forgive them for their terrible writing, but the creators are so bloody arrogant, its nauseating.

 

[Flunk]

I didn't even make it through the first Assassin's Creed before I got bored of it. I bet if you didn't get paid to play then you would never be bothered to finish them. They're just so generic and dull.

 

[bug_of_war]

Not gonna lie, I fucking love this franchise and pretty much every game (Revelations was quite average though) so this is gonna be an opinion that may be completely wrong for some, but I think those whom got sick of the games got sick of them for:

a)Each game (for lack of a better term) de-powering the player and forcing them to build back up their armour/weapons/skills.

b)Frequent re-learning of the Creed.

c)The addition of bonus objectives.

I know personally the bonus objectives started to become extremely unlikable when it came to forcing me to assassinate people a certain way, and I think everyone can agree that Revelations really was grasping at ideas that had been discarded for AC2 and Brotherhood. I liked 3, I thought Connor was a great protagonist, I understood why he was moody and I let it go when his teenage/young adult bravado crossed into arrogance. However the game was just TOO scripted and had too many ideas playing around. I'll agree that AC3 felt overly convoluted.

While AC4 is guilty of a and b, it actually keeps the whole teachings of the creed to Edward fairly limited. He's told maybe once or twice how the Assassin's work, but no one ever sits him down for a long talk. Also, instead of buying armour and upgrades you craft them, thus encouraging exploration. The bonus objectives now actually seem like a bonus instead of instructions on how to play the missions. You can completely ignore them and instead of getting a huge red x the game simply passes it by.

Future story has always been weird, stories set in the past however have been very interesting (Revelations and 3 probably being the weakest, sure), but in the end what should count most is gameplay, and for most of the series the gameplay has been quite fun.