Should Assassin’s Creed Just Drop the Animus Subplot?

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As a gamer, I can’t help but be thrilled by Assassin’s Creed Shadows, with its captivating Japanese backdrop, diverse gameplay, and a touch of history that’s as intriguing as it is controversial. While there have been criticisms ranging from legitimate to questionable, the anticipation for this promising installment in the long-standing franchise remains high.

Could it be beneficial to discuss if Ubisoft might want to reconsider abandoning the overall story arc of the series, even though they continue to develop new installments?

In the first Assassin’s Creed game, players were introduced to the Animus, a device enabling individuals from the present to experience the thrilling lives of their ancestors in the past. As Desmond Miles, players embarked on a journey to unravel secrets hidden in the past that could impact their future. This intriguing side story offered an engaging reason for gamers to continue playing.

Nevertheless, Desmond met his end in the third main installment of the series, and the Animus narrative has struggled since then.

Since Desmond’s death in the third major release, the storyline centered around the Animus has been faltering.

Following Desmond’s passing, Ubisoft has struggled somewhat in managing the Animus storyline, frequently changing the focus character and attempting to align it with the selected historical era.

In simpler terms, although games similar to Valhalla have suggested significant developments involving the futuristic device and perhaps Desmond’s continued importance, many fans have grown tired of this narrative thread over time.

If Ubisoft doesn’t intend to establish an Assassin’s Creed game set in a future conflict between assassins and templars, it might be wise for them to abandon the Animus concept altogether. The best aspects of Assassin’s Creed are typically found outside the futuristic framework of the Animus device.

The fourth game in the series, known as Black Flag, could potentially be remade and is renowned for providing an exceptional pirate-themed adventure, spawning a spinoff called Skull and Bones. Games such as Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla received acclaim for their open-world RPG elements, although some critics contended that they included excessive nonessential content. Lastly, the original games are admired for their stealth gameplay, often being likened to successors of Prince of Persia.

Many supporters believe that the Assassin’s Creed series wouldn’t feel complete without the Animus. The concept of receiving knowledge about past adventures from a future perspective adds a unique charm, mirroring how a player might feel while controlling these characters. Moreover, the visual appeal of the Animus transition, where a regular future character transforms into a more captivating historical protagonist, creates an otherworldly sensation for gamers.

Despite its appeal initially, it seems that this author believes the Animus might become irrelevant over time for players, as they become engrossed in the action-packed roles like a towering samurai and nimble ninja within Assassin’s Creed: Shadows. Even if ancestral heritage access attempts by “normies” are of interest, it appears that such endeavors might be overshadowed (pun intended) by the captivating gameplay offered in Shadows. However, there remains a possibility that the Animus could regain its allure in Shadows, rendering this article moot; yet, the author seems skeptical of such an occurrence.

Given the consistent quality of this series so far, introducing an exciting twist using the Animus technology is highly likely, but unfortunately, such a sequence won’t be interactive. It’s time to devise a strategy to conclude this story arc, as watching it unfold in its current state feels agonizing.

Indeed, it seems that Ubisoft intends for future Assassin’s Creed games to feature an Animus-like central hub. As a result, this particular storyline might persist indefinitely.

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2025-03-12 15:13