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Is the modern story and gameplay of Assassin's Creed the most "Nobody asked for this or wants this anymore" aspect in gaming?
- Thread starter hwarang
- Start date
I don't think it should be completely gone, it should be good, which currently is not.
It's clear that the modern day stuff is one of the last things they think about when making an AC, calling it an afterthought is understating it. And I think the big problem comes from the idea of Ubisoft of making AC their lead horse in transmedia stories, which has diluted the story SO MUCH that the story in the games is barely comprehensible. Killing the main villain of the story on a fucking comic book is baffling.
There's something really wrong if having a comic first character in your game is the main surprise/easter egg, instead of the opposite.
It's clear that the modern day stuff is one of the last things they think about when making an AC, calling it an afterthought is understating it. And I think the big problem comes from the idea of Ubisoft of making AC their lead horse in transmedia stories, which has diluted the story SO MUCH that the story in the games is barely comprehensible. Killing the main villain of the story on a fucking comic book is baffling.
There's something really wrong if having a comic first character in your game is the main surprise/easter egg, instead of the opposite.
I don't like it and it is jarring, not played all of them, but it tends to be exposition or walking round a building, if it was a modern version of the regular gameplay I would give it a go. I wish they would put a toggle in the options for those that don't want it.
I can't bear the modern day elements, I found them a complete waste of time from the very first game.
The draw for me are these massive, stunningly recreated ancient open worlds, to keep dragging me out of this glorious fiction for some modern day bullshit is a real irritation. Black Flag was one of the worst, I was enjoying pirating on the high seas, but no, here's an office block you have to run around in looking at fucking post it notes, oh and by the way let's really drive home that the historical stuff you're enjoying isn't real and you're just playing a memory/game.
The draw for me are these massive, stunningly recreated ancient open worlds, to keep dragging me out of this glorious fiction for some modern day bullshit is a real irritation. Black Flag was one of the worst, I was enjoying pirating on the high seas, but no, here's an office block you have to run around in looking at fucking post it notes, oh and by the way let's really drive home that the historical stuff you're enjoying isn't real and you're just playing a memory/game.
I'm kinda surprised they don't have anything like that by now. Odyssey (I don't know the DLC) already has those sections in such a separated way from the past storyline that is absurd. At least Origins had you discovering something as Bayek and then finding it with Layla, but Odyssey just pulls you out for a while and then you get back again, except for the ending.
I was interested in the modern day stuff right up until AC3, where they whiffed on the "epic conclusion" to Desmond's story arc so badly by turning him into a clumsy Jesus analogue, that I was basically forever done with caring about it. Now it's just the occasional junk you have to do to get back to the actual game.
They need to make a clean break from it, and just make the series about a bunch of period characters. I'm beyond tired of hearing about the "Apples of Eden".
They need to make a clean break from it, and just make the series about a bunch of period characters. I'm beyond tired of hearing about the "Apples of Eden".
I only ever played the first AC game, I thought someone had told me they eventually moved away from the modern stuff. I guess that wasn't true?
I cared in AC1, it was a nice gimmick and an interesting idea, though the gameplay sections themselves were boring.
I cared in AC2, major upgrade, you actually did some Assassin stuff.
I cared in AC:B, much like AC2, but less of it IIRC.
I shrugged in AC:R, the change and the story were interesting but the content not so much. Too easy, and FPP? Why?
I cared in AC3, until the ending.
I have not cared about the modern day story since then, it was absolute trash in every installment. It's clear that Ubisoft has no idea what to do with it since Patrice Désilets and Corey May are gone.
I cared in AC2, major upgrade, you actually did some Assassin stuff.
I cared in AC:B, much like AC2, but less of it IIRC.
I shrugged in AC:R, the change and the story were interesting but the content not so much. Too easy, and FPP? Why?
I cared in AC3, until the ending.
I have not cared about the modern day story since then, it was absolute trash in every installment. It's clear that Ubisoft has no idea what to do with it since Patrice Désilets and Corey May are gone.
Oh, fans do. Mostly about how shit it is.
But really, Origins had like what, 30 mins of modern day overall in a 50 hour game? And Odyssey had 40 mins in 100 hours. It's kind of barely a thing anymore.
I loved the modern day aspect of the series right until they wrecked it by killing Desmond off. It all felt like it was leading to something really cool, like a modern day game where I'd be running around as Desmond or something but it just went nowhere.
I appreciate that they keep trying to kick start it back up, but it doesn't ever feel like it's going anywhere either, every game the modern section always feels like it's saying "oh this is leading to something big in the next game!" and then that just... happens again.
I appreciate that they keep trying to kick start it back up, but it doesn't ever feel like it's going anywhere either, every game the modern section always feels like it's saying "oh this is leading to something big in the next game!" and then that just... happens again.
Why they haven't made a game where you can freely switch between the modern and the past version of let's say a single city is beyond me.
I didn't actually mind it in Odyssey because it drops some great moments on the audience.
Maybe you should create these sort of polls after you play it? The excellent dlc would also not narratively work quite the same without modern day.
I think AC games in general could do without it and nothing would be lost but out of Origins, Unity, Syndicate and a lot of the other ones, I find it weird that anyone would draw the line here.
Maybe you should create these sort of polls after you play it? The excellent dlc would also not narratively work quite the same without modern day.
I think AC games in general could do without it and nothing would be lost but out of Origins, Unity, Syndicate and a lot of the other ones, I find it weird that anyone would draw the line here.
It's a completely unnecessary, unpleasant distraction. Poorly done, corny, forced framing for what could have been a series of loosely connected glimpses at assassins throughout history with each game. Terrible idea.
It's bad even for the plot of an Ubisoft game, on par with a gacha game in the degree to which it's half-assed as a framework for the gameplay and HUD.
It's bad even for the plot of an Ubisoft game, on par with a gacha game in the degree to which it's half-assed as a framework for the gameplay and HUD.
They did after Black Flag, the modern day stuff was reduced to a couple of cutscenes and some glitches in the Animus.
Origins tried to make a comeback to the modern day stuff, but it's as flat as hell.
The Desmond arc had the right idea of it, a meta overarching arc to tie the different chapters together. I dug it. Since then the modern segment has been a bit of incoherent mess and Layla's story is sort of a half-step back to what it was but dropping a lot of plot points at the same time. What they need is a soft reboot to refocus on those dropped plot points (Juno being the big one) and string them together. There's no little direction on what the modern day storyline is suppose to move towards, unlike during the Desmond arc.
I'd rather the series was a pure historical adventure. I personally don't enjoy the modern segments, at least in the way they have been done. I do like the alien stuff, and its angle on ancient mythology, and I think that could still be in the game without jumping to the present.
I liked the Modern day stuff, quite a bit in the first three, and the most when it was Abstergo/Ubisoft Employee simulator.
Sad is that i feel it dropped in quality since Origins/Odyssey, which is strange since i prefer every other aspect of Post Origins AC over what came before.
Sad is that i feel it dropped in quality since Origins/Odyssey, which is strange since i prefer every other aspect of Post Origins AC over what came before.
Yeah, it's like an annoying ad break. I get really into Origins and Odyssey only to be pulled out and just want to get back in. Maybe should be left to a couple of cut scenes, one at the start just showing you going back in time through an animus, let the game unfold and do a thing at the end. It's become a bit of a baggage subplot. I don't mind the premise of the animus, it still has some importance underlying the reason but let me play the game throughout now, I don't want to be whipped out into a very awful 21st century American vocal fry setting.
Syndicate seemed to work quite well with the modern stuff though and mixed it up with WWII.
Syndicate seemed to work quite well with the modern stuff though and mixed it up with WWII.
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I absolutely loved the modern day stuff up to AC 3. Built up something amazing for me and before one of my friends passed away we'd get hyped every year and speculate crazy theories to each other. Still remember collecting the pieces of the "The Truth" video and all these over arching plotlines and building up Desmond as an Assassin. It legit kept me hooked and really wanted to see how a bunch of things would play out before it got absolutely butchered.
I cared until AC3... I mean the twist at the end if AC2 was brilliant.
Feels like after that shark jump of an ending in 3, they've been trying to recover the modern story segment ever since.
Feels like after that shark jump of an ending in 3, they've been trying to recover the modern story segment ever since.
The modern stuff was interesting when the obvious endgame was a full modern title as Desmond. Then lol
It started of good when they originally communicated as a trilogy. It became an absolute mess quickly after that and was just forgettable in my opinion. I never played any AC after the second one for it's present/future stuff. They could have done way better instead just putting the centuries long Assassins vs Templar conflict to the future. It simply doesn't really add much to the overall story you drag on for thousands of years.
I always found the story within the framed time period way more exciting.
I always found the story within the framed time period way more exciting.
I played ~3 games of AC and never cared about the modern plot nonsense, and it actually made the pacing worse.
They should ditch the conspiracy crap altogether and focus purely on the historical aspects of the games, but I guess they won't for reasons
They should ditch the conspiracy crap altogether and focus purely on the historical aspects of the games, but I guess they won't for reasons
I relate so hard to the modern day character, just put me back in the Animus plz no need for rest.
I almost forget that the modern day storyline exists until they pull me out.
Yep. Probably like a fish and being yanked out of the water by a hook and line while you're just happy as larry eating and swimming around the world you inhabit.
I really quite like the modern segments and find they break up the pacing nicely. I certainly think they're a little hokey, but the franchise as a whole is, and i'm fond of the new cast of characters. I never cared for Desmond and his crew, and find Layla to be considerably more interesting, though still a little flat.
Huge AC fan here.
I absolutely adore the modern story and gameplay. Absolutely love they've tied it into the film too.
I absolutely adore the modern story and gameplay. Absolutely love they've tied it into the film too.
Interesting framing device until botched badly in Assassin's Creed 3.
There's an industry article or Ubisoft presentation out there that talks about the dev group's marketing team holding the current rein's over the modern story's direction, and it fucking shows.
There's an industry article or Ubisoft presentation out there that talks about the dev group's marketing team holding the current rein's over the modern story's direction, and it fucking shows.
No I find it interesting, I anticipate that it will lead up to Creed games taking place in current day or even in future scenarios and that aspect would will be kinda mindblowing. Think Assassins Creed in a Cyberpunk environment that would be really awesome.
I was convinced they dropped it...
Didn't bother me in the first one. Then I skipped every other games and goes to III (yeah, I know, not a good decision). I find both the game and and modern story terrible. The thing is, III has in own story while modern story is a part of it. So it really felt like someone was changing the channel to see their own stuff (that I have to watch) while I wait to changing it again and contiune the story I follow.
Didn't bother me in the first one. Then I skipped every other games and goes to III (yeah, I know, not a good decision). I find both the game and and modern story terrible. The thing is, III has in own story while modern story is a part of it. So it really felt like someone was changing the channel to see their own stuff (that I have to watch) while I wait to changing it again and contiune the story I follow.
I think this has been surveyed to death by Ubisoft and clearly there must be signs people do like it. Even the poll here is far closer than what you would think reading some of the posts here and on the internet - people that dislike the modern day parts tend to describe it as if it's a crime against humanity or the like.
