There has been a long and ongoing argument between gamers and non-gamers over the implications of violence in titles with teenagers and young people as well as even further discussions on the benefits in playing video games in general. Many parents lament the time spent in front of the screen, levelling up characters and getting lost in a virtual world as opposed to spending time in reality.
So for a game with a pretext for violence in its very title, unaware consumers may be somewhat forgiven for thinking that this is all there is to Assassin’s Creed. However as anyone who has played any of the instalments of this global franchise knows; violence is simply a means to an end within the game and the immersion within historical periods with true to life locations and inbuilt facts are just as much a cornerstone to the series as simply killing a Templar or two (or thousand).
As you explore the huge worlds from past games you get a sense of the effort that has gone into faithfully re-creating famous landmarks and areas from renaissance Venice to revolutionary Paris. You are given the unique ability to interact with well-rounded and researched representations of key figures in history such as Leonardo Da Vinci and Blackbeard. Each building of note also has snippets of information upon your approach and the characters inhabiting the world all have detailed biographies outlining their real achievements during their lifetimes giving real insight to the world you inhabit.
Developed in collaboration with experts and historians Assassin’s Creed has always been so much more than just a game where you kill a lot of enemies with hidden blades; it is a portal into history itself albeit modified to include fantastical side elements fitting with the plot of the game.
So with this latest instalment taking place in Ancient Egypt, a favourite topic for many youngsters, they have taken this notion of education to a whole new level and created a mode just for those who simply want to soak up the knowledge of the time by removing all combat so you can explore in peace.
You can walk through the world as a virtual museum visiting sites such as Giza and Abu Simbel and most importantly get an idea of what they looked like in Ancient times, bringing history to life through a new, thoroughly modern medium.
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