BY: @DemonofEmpireYT on Twitter
Assassin’s Creed CLASSIC set a precedent for open-world gaming with its Recognizable Combat System and Counter-Mechanics which other games would later replicate, from Batman: Arkham Asylum to Ghost of Tsushima. For those unfamiliar with the Franchise, it also blurred the line between Historical Fiction and Science Fiction in a way that is both well-written and thought-provoking.
“Inspired by Historical Events and Characters. This Work of Fiction was Designed, Developed and Produced by a Multicultural Team of Various Religious Faiths and Beliefs.”
When you load up Assassin’s Creed CLASSIC these are the first words you see appear on the screen in front of you, as is the case with most of the Assassin’s Creed Series. At the time of Assassin’s Creed’s Debut, this message was put out as a means to convey inclusivity with how the game was developed. It also explains the spectrum of beliefs from which many of the game’s Themes and Concepts were Inspired. Because much of the Inspiration for Assassin’s Creed Lore came from Religious Faiths and Beliefs, references to those beliefs can be found all throughout. Religion, however, isn’t the only theme to look out for in Assassin’s Creed.
One of the Ongoing Themes of Assassin’s Creed Franchise as a whole begins with Assassin’s Creed CLASSIC. It is the idea that “You shouldn’t trust everything you hear; everything you read.” This phrase, as quoted from one of the Main Characters in the first game, would Define the Series going forward, whilst also providing a well-written and thought-provoking explanation for many of the events that take place within the World of Assassin’s Creed which doesn’t necessarily match up with what we know today about world history, including what is laid out in religious texts such as the bible, etc.
This is where a device called the Animus comes into play. The Animus is a device that “Renders Genetic Memories in Three Dimensions,” as described by one of the main characters. In the First Assassin’s Creed Game it is explained that “The human body not only [houses] an individual’s memory, but the memories of his ancestors as well,” AKA Genetic Memory. Obviously, this is all Science Fiction, but it also provides a means for the main cast to go back in time through Genetics and Relive Historical events; Thus Blurring the Line between History and Sci-fi.
While there are other Franchises that involve going back in time, most of which leave open the possibility of altering the flow of time itself. Back to the Future is one Example. Phil of the Future is another. Assassin’s Creed CLASSIC, however, doesn’t do that. As explained within the franchise, the Animus isn’t designed to change or alter the course of history; but merely to show it as the Specific Ancestors Experienced it; bearing in mind that it wouldn’t match up perfectly with historical documentation or religious text.
