While changed it, Assassin's Creed Syndicate follows the story of assassins Evie & Jacob Frye. While the game was interesting following a dual protagonist narrative, Evie Frye should have been the main playable protagonist as she was the more responsible of the twins. Jacob had some great moments in Syndicate, however, he was fairly one-dimensional and it did not seem like he truly cared about the Assassin Code. Evie, on the other hand, proved her dedication to the Assassin Brotherhood time and time again throughout Syndicate's story and Jack the Ripper DLC.
The Assassin's Creed series has seen a lot of change over the years, with it undergoing a drastic revamp following the negative response to Assassin's Creed Unity in 2014. This came in the form of Assassin's Creed Origins, which introduced more RPG elements to the series and moved away from its previous stealth-action approach. The last game to adopt the latter focus was Syndicate, which focused on the conflict between the Assassins and Templars in late Victorian London. It's a relatively overlooked entry in the series, and its protagonist, Evie Frye, is one of the main reasons it's worth playing.
Assassin's Creed Syndicate is the most recent story in the Assassin's Creed timeline, being set in London during the late Victorian era. Following the Frye Twins' quest to eradicate Templar presence in the British capital, Syndicate requires players to build their own crime syndicate and brawl in true Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes-esque fashion. The Victorian-era set stealth game also featured new gadgets like grappling hooks to make traversing the rooftops of London much easier. Being an Assassin's Creed game, there is both a modern-day story as well as a tale set in the past. The modern-day narrative features a player character working with the Assassin Order and using the Animus to view the Frye twins' memories to find the Shroud of Eden, an object of immense power created by an ancient civilization. The game continues the Assassin vs Templar storyline but has one of the weaker modern-day narratives of the series.
Evie's Playstyle Felt More Stealthy In Assassin's Creed Syndicate
Evie Frye, oddly featured in Assassin's Creed Odyssey as a shipmate, was a character whose playstyle felt stealthier and assassin-like compared to her brother Jacob. Utilizing her cane sword and hidden blades in combat made her a more useful character for stealthier-feeling plays. Her sharp, quick movements allowed her to become practically invisible to enemies. Playing as Evie was what made Syndicate feel more like an Assassin's Creed game rather than a gang simulator.
Jacob Frye's character reflects in his gameplay. His guns-blazing attitude and playstyle made him an obvious choice to take on the more action-oriented missions in Asassin's Creed Syndicate and not its stealthier ones. With her throwing knives and cat-like reflexes, Evie is the superior choice when it comes to stealth gameplay. Stealthier missions were the highlights of Assassin's Creed Syndicate, and while there was merit to Jacob's more in-the-open approach, Evie's more stealth-oriented tactics were superior.
Evie Frye Was More Responsible Than Jacob In AC Syndicate
In Assassin's Creed's complicated timeline, Evie Frye was a breath of fresh air for many players. Her good-natured character was one that fans of the series had not seen since Assassin's Creed Revelations's Ezio Auditore. She was more mature and well-mannered compared to Jacob, who was brash and reckless. This can be seen in the mission where Jacob kills Twopenny, which has drastic effects on the British economy. This leads to Evie having to clean up after her brother's mess. There are numerous times where Evie must scold Jacob before fixing a problem that he accidentally-or even purposefully caused. Evie clearly had to step up as the more responsible sibling of the two and it showed in the game's narrative.
While Jacob is one of the more reckless assassins in Assassin's Creed history, he is still a great character. Evie, however, has her goals set primarily with their father's wishes and the Assassin Order's interests in mind. Assassin's Creed Syndicate should have focused on Evie, building her character up with the story while also including Jacob as a side character. Jacob could have built the Rooks on the side, and Syndicate could have even included a couple of missions where the player plays as him while having the main story still focus on Evie. Evie's stealth gameplay and dedication to the Assassin Order truly show how much of a good assassin she is, which makes the fact that she did not get her own game even more tragic.
Assassin's Creed's Jack The Ripper DLC Shows An Evie-Led Story
Assassin's Creed Syndicate's Jack the Ripper DLC showed what a story led by Evie Frye could have been. Set exactly 20 years after the events of Assassin's Creed Syndicate's main story, the Jack the Ripper DLC focuses on Evie Frye uncovering the murder mystery of Jack the Ripper. Believing her brother, Jacob, to be dead, Evie investigates each killing as an assassin detective. The DLC's story does a great job of developing Evie's character even further.
Syndicate's Jack the Ripper DLC reveals that the infamous murderer, Jack the Ripper, was actually a mentally unwell assassin that Jacob had taken under his wing. Using her skills as both a detective and assassin, Evie finds the Ripper in Jacob's house, where she faces him off and eventually kills him. She finds her brother, still breathing, and tells the inspector that no one must ever know Jack the Ripper was an assassin, hence why his identity was never revealed.
Assassin's Creed's long-running story has had a few blunders, but not giving Evie Frye her own game is one of its biggest. The British assassin is an underrated character and deserved more of a spotlight in Assassin's Creed Syndicate rather than her brother Jacob. Her nurturing personality devoted to the Assassin Order and stealth-focused gameplay prove that she is a character worthy of getting her own game. With Assassin's Creed Infinity rumored to see the return of previous assassins, players will hopefully be able to see her in action once again.
