Assassin's Creed Can't Keep Ignoring Its Coolest Setting
Matthew Harrington Assassin's Creed has taken players across the globe, but there is one setting that fans are constantly asking for and never getting: feudal Japan.
Assassin's Creed is a franchise that has taken players to countless locations and time periods, but there is one setting that the series shouldn't keep ignoring: feudal Japan. Fans have been asking for the franchise to visit this time period since the days of Assassin's Creed 2, so there is certainly a demand for it, and it could offer a bevy of unique opportunities. A game set in feudal Japan could even revitalize Assassin's Creed's long-running story.
Assassin's Creed players have visited renaissance Italy, revolution-era France, ancient Egypt, and many more settings. While all of these locations and time periods have interesting qualities, the series could be doing more to differentiate its entries from one another. A large percentage of Assassin's Creed games have taken place in the western world or Middle East, and the franchise has only visited the the East proper in the spin-off side-scroller Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China. While that game was generally well-received, it is far from being considered a mainline Assassin's Creed game.
By taking players to feudal Japan, Assassin's Creed could offer a unique take on both gameplay and story while delivering something that fans have been wanting for years. 2020's Ghost of Tsushima proved an Assassin's Creed Japan would be rewarding and fun to explore. Part of what keeps Ubisoft's best-selling series relevant is its ability to bring players to unique destinations, and there are many reasons why feudal Japan is the natural next choice.
Assassin's Creed In Feudal Japan Could Offer Unique Environments
Assassin's Creed is still a popular series, but there is also a burgeoning opinion that it is becoming a bit stale. The franchise got a major remix when Assassin's Creed Origins released back in 2017, and the subsequent Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Assassin's Creed Valhalla followed this new formula, presenting the player with light action-RPG elements and favoring sprawling, open landscapes over the dense urban environments of previous settings. A smaller Assassin's Creed might mean a better story, but it seems that Ubisoft's design philosophy centers on creating a massive scope and scale, combining cities and settlements with natural vistas.
If Ubisoft intends to continue this trend, an Assassin's Creed set in feudal Japan would be a perfect fit while still giving players something new. Japan offers scenic landscapes that range from dense forests to tranquil beaches and snowy, dramatic mountains. Scattered throughout this map could be cities and towns featuring iconic and poetic architecture that would gel well with Assassin's Creed's parkour system, which has been downplayed in recent entries. By taking this approach, an Assassin's Creed in feudal Japan can continue to build upon the series' new approach to world design while keeping the experience fresh with varied nature to explore and cities to delve into.
Feudal Japan Could Make For A More Interesting Assassin's Creed Story
Modern Assassin's Creed has been doing some interesting things with its story, including carrying over characters like the Greek Kassandra into Assassin's Creed Valhalla, but this long-running narrative could certainly benefit from a new setting. By moving the series to Japan, new storytelling opportunities could present themselves. Valhalla's story centered on conflict between different factions during Viking conquests, and a feudal Japan story could take a similar approach, weaving a tale of political intrigue and struggles for power.
There are interesting directions this game could go in as it pertains to its protagonist as well. Older entries like Assassin's Creed 2 and Assassin's Creed Unity follow characters who begin their stories as hapless novices before ultimately becoming master assassins. Conversely, post-Origins releases focus on lifelong warriors who are already skilled in combat before the game's narrative begins. Given the rich history of Japanese warfare and combat, either framework would work in a feudal Japan Assassin's Creed.
Assassin's Creed is a franchise that leans into the world of mythology, with Assassin's Creed Valhalla featuring several Norse gods and Assassin's Creed Odyssey including a number of mythological elements as well. This is something that could be continued in this hypothetical Japanese Assassin's Creed, as Japan has plenty of legends, myths, and fables to pull from for inspiration. This would allow the game to deliver on the fantasy elements players expect from modern Assassin's Creed without being tired or derivative.
Assassin's Creed Gameplay Could Be Revamped In Japan
Assassin's Creed gameplay got massively overhauled when Origins rolled around, and it might be time to make more adjustments. Once again, feudal Japan could provide the perfect foundation for this change, as a traditional samurai or ninja character could mean new approaches to gameplay. Better yet, the game could allow players to choose between a ninja or samurai path, serving up a much-needed return to stealth in Assassin's Creed.
The samurai path could be centered more on direct, confrontational combat, perhaps taking a few notes from Ghost of Tsushima's excellent swordplay. Through this path, players could spec into strength or speed stats while collecting gear like katanas, bows, and heavy armor. On the opposite side of the coin, players who wanted to focus more on stealth could go down the ninja path, gathering collectibles like light armor, throwing knives, and daggers. Ideally, players would have the choice between going all-in with one of these extremes, or mixing and matching for a more tailored experience.
Assassin's Creed has been walking the line between action game and western RPG since Origins, but it could finally make the commitment to RPG-style gameplay with the Japan setting. Because the ninja and samurai distinction is already established within popular culture, allowing for build diversity would come more naturally than other Assassin's Creed games, which made the mistake of pigeonholing players into distinct categories like Norse Viking and Greek warrior, removing the freedom of choice offered by a fleshed-out stealth system.
Assassin's Creed set in feudal Japan isn't just something that fans want - it's something that the franchise could leverage to remain interesting and redefine itself. The last three entries in the series have sold well, but Assassin's Creed is now running the risk of becoming formulaic and stale, and a unique Japanese setting could be the shot in the arm that it needs. The future of the Assassin's Creed series is mostly unknown at this point, as very little official information has been revealed with regards to the rumored Assassin's Creed Basim spin-off or the planned live-service Assassin's Creed. Whatever direction the series takes, though, ignoring the much-requested feudal Japan setting would be a huge missed opportunity.
