The Assassin's Creed franchise is getting ready to celebrate its 15th anniversary on November 13th, and fans have been in a celebratory mood. Though there's no word on when the next iteration of the franchise will be released, discussion is increasing to honor the games that have already hit the shelves.
But as gamers review old releases like the Ezio Trilogy, Black Flag, and Origins, many are finding that there are some opinions they have about the series that may be a little surprising. While some of these Assassin's Creed hot takes are somewhat out there, they're all certainly interesting.
Every Assassin A Thief
There's a common trope in the games that involves the player character needing to get into a highly public area by shedding their robes and sneaking onto the scene. While it doesn't always make too much sense, fans love it. "Every Assassin's Creed should have a mission where you steal someone's clothes to get into a place," Redditor jimmydcriket says.
The maneuver helps showcase just how skilled the assassins are. They can disguise themselves as well as engage in stealth, making them excellent covert operatives. It may feel more like Hitman than Assassin's Creed, but sometimes it can be fun to delve into habits from other games.
Need To Intimidate
There's one thing that marks a member of the Brotherhood more than a hood and assassination skills: The hidden blade. While the blade changed as the Brotherhood did, it's still an essential part of the franchise. That's why some fans think that it needs to be more visible than it is hidden.
"Being able to hit a button and have the hidden blade slide out when you're walking around is vitally important to game design," says Reddit dragon_bacon. It's mostly just a fun trick that helps make maneuvering around the map more enjoyable, even if it meant a few NPCs would inevitably meet an accidental end. Still, it should make a comeback, just for the ease of assassination it offered.
Everyone Needs A Wardrobe
Each member of the Brotherhood had distinct designs that marked them as individuals and fighters alike. From hoods to capes to belts and boots, they each had slight differences that remind fans of their favorite games. While Assassin's Creed tends to offer options to wear the cowl of previous assassins, it doesn't provide that option for every assassin in the franchise.
"They should have a legacy outfit for every past assassin in every new entry. Not just the favorites," says Redditor one of the least powerful assassins doesn't mean he doesn't deserve to be ed.
Grappling Hooks Are Necessary
A major feature of Assassin's Creed: Syndicate, the grappling hook has become an item of contention within the fanbase. After all, the franchise was built to emphasize parkour, and adding a grappling hook that can help to traverse the city vertically and horizontally was deemed too damaging to the traversal element of the game.
But Reddit -Lelixandre- argues that "London was too big to NOT have the grappling hook." The map was gigantic and trying to travel across it on foot would have taken an eternity. Besides, fans who didn't want to use the grappling hook could have just ignored the mechanic entirely. For fans who wanted to have a more fun time, the hook was essential.
Haytham Over Rogue
In Assassin's Creed: Rogue, fans found themselves playing as Shay Cormac, an assassin-turned-Templar, in a major twist. But some fans found it tired. "I’d have preferred Haytham have his own game instead of Rogue being a thing. It makes more sense to have Haytham be your eyes into the Templar perspective as he has context and an actual backstory, rather than playing as some random dude who used to be an Assassin," says Reddit HuwminRace.
Given that Haytham was already established as having that exact backstory, it is somewhat disappointing that he wasn't given the game himself. After all, Rogue isn't usually considered game, and a more developed character could have fixed that. Besides, it isn't as if fans haven't played as Haytham before.
Assassins Don't Go One-By-One
While Valhalla gave players the ability to do a chain assassination, it isn't quite the same as the double assassination skill of older games, and fans have taken it hard. "The franchise died when they took away the double-assassinate skill. I have to kill them one by one? Laaaame," says globamabob on Reddit.
Instead of having two blades to kill with, Valhalla uses the hidden blade and a separate ax to make the kill. While it's functionally the same, the kill does lose some factor of cool. After all, who doesn't want to see a stealth kill by a skilled assassin with hidden blades? Axes just aren't as enthralling.
Too Many Collectibles
With hundreds of collectibles to hunt down in each Assassin's Creed game, there's a lot to look for. But not everyone thinks they're anything fans should spend the effort tracking down. "The collectibles you have to chase are not worth it and not fun," says allthecats on Reddit.
In order to complete the games, fans need to get those collectibles, but it is a way to artificially inflate the time fans spend playing the game. Still, it's an easy reason to journey across the map on foot, boat, or horse, and that can be enough fun that it isn't really worth arguing about.
Setting Doesn't Matter
A fervent subject of debate among the fanbase is often where the next game's narrative will be set. Yet not every fan really minds where the setting is. "I am AC all the way. I don't care what era or what the story line is or how large or small the map. I'm down," says Redditor thejanuaryfallen.
It's a fairly unpopular Assassin's Creed opinion, but it's a fair point. After all, whether a game takes place in Greece, Egypt, or Colonial America, fans pick it up regardless and enjoy it as long as the story is fun. So, regardless of if the next game is set in Japan, India, or Russia, fans will likely find their next assassin just as interesting as the rest.
Love The Pets
There's something incredible about seeing a fierce warrior kneeling down to pet a waiting dog, and it's part of what fans love about the series. "I think every single Assassin's Creed Game from here on out, should have the “pet” option for any tame/friendly animal you come across," says Senorvantes888 on Reddit.
The action helps to humanize the assassins, which is essential when they're running across a huge map taking out guards and politicians everywhere. Even after receiving their hidden blades, of the Brotherhood are still people who love animals like anyone else, and it grounds them as much as their families and friends do.
The Templars Fell Apart
The major antagonists of the entire series, the Templars are the force that the Brotherhood was built to contest, but some fans think they haven't been built up enough. "The Templars peaked in AC1," says Redditor BlueFootedTpeack. "It's the only one where each templar feeds towards the main goal and each one feels essential to the plot, whilst keeping the mystery building."
It's hard to agree, given that other games attempt to force fans to reconsider the Templar entirely. After all, Rogue and Assassin's Creed III both put fans into the shoes of the Templar, which certainly helps to establish it as both a threat and a solidified organization. Still, the Templar is due for some wins.
