When theAssassin’s Creedfranchise first broke out, one of the biggest requests from fans was for a game centered on feudal Japan. For a franchise built on stealth and assassination, it seemed inevitable that Ubisoft would eventually give players the chance to embody a ninja and explore the Land of the Rising Sun. After over a decade, fans will finally have those dreams realized with the impendingAssassin’s Creed Red, but it’s possible that Ubisoft may have already been beaten at its own game. Thanks toGhost of Tsushima,Assassin’s Creed Redhas some lofty expectations to meet.
Sucker Punch’s 2020 adventure through the island of Tsushimadelivered a captivating experience that allowed players to harness the power of the samurai. In addition to its dueling action,Ghost of Tsushimaprovided stealth gameplay that echoed that of the ninja, and an open world that was equal parts breathtaking and immersive. It has become the hallmark samurai title for many, which meansAssassin’s Creed Redhas a high bar to clear, with something to be measured against for better or worse.
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Assassin’s Creed Red Has to Match Ghost of Tsushima’s Combat and Open World
One of the stand-out features ofGhost of Tsushimawas its combat. From the duel mechanic to the various stances protagonist Jin Sakai could take when facing unique enemies, Sucker Punch practically perfected the feeling of fighting as a trained samurai.Assassin’s Creed’s recent exploits have seen the franchise adopt a more dynamic combat system, butAC Redwould have to make great strides just to emulate the finesse ofGhost of Tsushima’s swordplay. There arerumors thatAssassin’s Creed Redwill include a samurai protagonist, so fluid and satisfying combat will determine whether that experience is memorable or not.
The island of Tsushima was a sight to behold for those adventuring with Jin Sakai, butRedwill have far more than visuals to go up against.Ghost of Tsushimatook a very hands-off approach to mission objectives, in that none were marked on the map. Instead,Ghost of Tsushimaguided players with gusts of windin the direction of the objective, giving players an unobtrusive nudge in the right direction while also encouraging exploration. TheAssassin’s Creedseries has been criticized in the past for its litany of objective markers, andAC Redmay lose favor if it doesn’t employ a similarly minimalist guidance system.
Assassin’s Creed Red Has to Match Ghost of Tsushima’s Story
The story ofGhost of Tsushimawas a captivating retelling of the Mongol invasion of Tsushima Island, centered around the inner turmoil of Jin Sakai as he contends with the ways of the samurai. It served as an excellent piece of historical fiction that informed and entertained, giving players a jumping off point to research the time period more if they wished. That sort ofhistorical inspiration is whatAssassin’s Creedhas been built uponfor 15 years, but now Sucker Punch beat Ubisoft to the punch.AC Redeither has to choose a time period far removed fromTsushima, or closely adhere to the history shown in the game.
By emerging as the most prominent open-world samurai game,Ghost of Tsushimahas givenAssassin’s Creed Redbig shoes to fill. While it shouldn’t be a copy of Sucker Punch’s efforts, there are likely to be many expectations and comparisons whenever more details aboutRedare revealed.Assassin’s Creed Redcould benefit from having two unique gameplay stylesin its possible ninja and samurai protagonists, but it will still have a lot of work to do to match the success ofGhost of Tsushima. Whatever Ubisoft does have in store, fans can only hope it’s theACgame set in feudal Japan they’ve been hoping for.
Assassin’s Creed Redis currently in development.
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