One Forgotten Assassin’s Creed Game Could Expand the Franchise’s Lore

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Over a span of approximately 18 years, the popular video game franchise “Assassin’s Creed” by Ubisoft has delved into and explored various historical periods and civilizations, while also developing its own intricate fictional backstory. Starting with the inception of the thousand-year-old conflict between the Assassin Brotherhood and the Templar Order in the original “Assassin’s Creed,” the franchise has evolved into a rich, self-contained universe. Lately, however, the series has veered away from stories centering on Assassins and Templars to focus on characters based on historical and mythological figures. To keep fans engaged with the beloved lore of Assassins and Templars throughout this shift, Ubisoft could create games similar to the 10-year-old “Assassin’s Creed Chronicles” series.

Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China, India, and Russia Explained

Before the release of “Assassin’s Creed Unity” for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in 2014, Ubisoft revealed that a standalone side game would be available to players who bought Unity’s season pass. This game was called “Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China,” developed by Climax Studios. In it, players got to play as the 16th century Chinese Assassin Shao Jun for the first time since her appearance in the 2011 animated short film “Assassin’s Creed: Embers.” In March 2015, Ubisoft announced that “Chronicles: China” would be followed by two more games in the “Chronicles” series: “Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India,” set in the 19th century, and “Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Russia,” set in the 20th century.

The Chronicles trilogy games are set in 2.5D environments resembling classic Castlevania and Metroid titles, boasting more artistic graphics that echo the art styles of each game’s respective era. For instance, the graphics for Chronicles: China resemble Ming Dynasty ink and wash paintings. Unlike the primary third-person gameplay in mainline Assassin’s Creed games, each Chronicles game is a side-scrolling platformer that maintains the series’ renowned stealth and combat elements, but within more confined parameters. The first game, Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China, was released on April 21, 2015, while Chronicles: India and Russia were both launched in early 2016. All three games were later compiled into a single collection for PC, PS4, PlayStation Vita, and Xbox One in late 2016.

The Assassin Narratives of Assassin’s Creed Chronicles

In the game Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China, Shao Jun continues her journey after being trained by Ezio Auditore in Embers. This Chinese Assassin returns to her homeland to eliminate the Templar group known as the Eight Tigers, who have manipulated the Chinese Emperor. In Chronicles: India, we follow Arbaaz Mir, the father of Henry Green from Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, as he battles the East India Company, a Templar-led organization, to recover the Koh-i-Noor artifact of power. Lastly, in Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Russia, we join Nikolai Orelov, a Russian Assassin, as he strives to rescue Anastasia Nikolaevna and a Precursor Box from Templars associated with the Red Army. These Templars had previously lost the box in earlier games.

Initially, Arbaaz Mir and Nikolai Orelov made their entrance within the expanded universe of ‘Assassin’s Creed’. Specifically, Mir was introduced for the first time in the 2013 graphic novel titled ‘Assassin’s Creed: Brahman’, while Orelov had his debut in the 2010 comic book entitled ‘Assassin’s Creed: The Fall’.

The Potential Lore Expansion in Future Assassin’s Creed Chronicles Games

The side-scrolling format and brief playtime (around six hours per game) of the Assassin’s Creed Chronicles trilogy resulted in a mixed response from critics. Although some diehard fans found the gameplay unappealing, many others were thrilled to see beloved Assassin characters from the main series featured in a video game for the first time. With recent Assassin’s Creed titles like Odyssey, Valhalla, and Shadows moving away from the traditional Assassin vs Templar conflict, Ubisoft could consider developing a sequel or spin-off to the Chronicles that focuses on lesser-known characters within the Assassins and Templars. This potential new game could help flesh out the history of these groups while the main series continues to emphasize RPG elements.

In the vein of Assassin’s Creed Chronicles, future installments might delve into brief tales involving Assassins and Templars across history. One potential new game could revolve around Arno Dorian pursuing his father’s murderer, Master Templar Shay Cormac, with the circumstances surrounding their deaths yet to be revealed. Another game could explore some of Claudia Auditore’s tenure as an Assassin, potentially during Ezio Auditore’s journey to Constantinople, given that Claudia was in charge of the Italian Brotherhood at that time. To tie in with recent games, a new Chronicles game could center on the Hidden Ones, Hytham and Niamh of Argyll, as they confront the newly emerged Templar Order following the events of Valhalla, or it could follow Spanish Assassin Alvaro Catarribera’s excommunication prior to Shadows.

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2025-04-21 22:30