What Happened to Assassins Creed Chronicles?
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- Опубликовано: 21 авг 2024
- Like this video to chronicle deez nards, my guy.
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As far as Assassin’s Creed goes, the games despite their evolution over the years have had at least one throughline, that being their 3rd person action adventure elements. Even when the worlds became bigger, stories stretched thinner, and the ties to the series roots began rotting, the canvas was the same. 3rd person open world. So imagine what people thought when it was announced that there would be a spin off called Assassin’s Creed Chronicles that would feature the series in a new perspective, 2.5D side scrolling.
Interestingly, it seemed that each subsequent release in the chronicles trilogy was rated worse and worse by both fans and critics. As expected, there are some who flat out hated these, and I’ll admit that when I first played Chronicles China, I didn’t like it at all. I didn’t like that the combat wasn’t viable, I didn’t like that the art style was both visually interesting but masked in a bland colour palette. I thought the later levels were frustrating and felt that the game was too linear. As I have replayed the games and widened my experience with other stealth games I realised that my expectations were likely to be the culprit behind my less than ideal first impression. I went in expecting the same tropes and features of the mainline games, and when those features were abandoned due to not translating to 2.5D well, or were reworked to fit, I was disappointed. It’s clear from reading others' thoughts that others had a similar issue as me.
I bring up this issue with expectations because once I had tailored my expectations and desires to what the game offered I enjoyed it a lot more. I am not saying that you are wrong for not enjoying the game for these reasons, rather I am saying that you may enjoy these more if you adjust the lens through which you view the game. When discussing the appeal of Assassin’s Creed, many have shared the love of the power fantasy. One reinforced by chain killing, multiple pistols, and flashy movement. Stealth was always an option in these games, but one that was encouraged less and less as the games evolved. While early games had instant fail stealth segments, many scenarios saw you seamlessly transitioning from quiet to loud strategies within seconds of being spotted. This in many ways pleased both fans of stealth and combat as if you wanted pure stealth, you could reload a checkpoint to try again upon being caught, and if you liked combat then you could skip the quiet parts all together. Even people like myself who enjoy both were able to have their hands in both cookie jars.
Assassins Creed has evolved alot. over the years. But Assassins Creed Chronicles, Assassins Creed China, Assassins Creed India, Assassins Creed Russia, was the first radical step to a new direction. But nobody seems to remember them. So, what happened to Assassins's Creed Chronicles. This Assassins Creed Chronicles Review will mention Assassins Creed Embers but will strictly focus on being an Assassins Creed Chronicles China Review as an Assassins Creed Spinoff. I am excited for Assassins Creed Mirage though after this Assassins Creed Chronicles India Review and Assassin's Creed Chronicles Russia Review, I wouldn't mind playing another chronicles game. This Assassins Creed Chronicles Retrospective and Assassins Creed Chronicles Analysis is part of the That Boy Aqua Assassin's Creed Retrospective. 
Игры
Also thought I should mention this, Shao Jun has a lot of extra side content btw, she has a whole manga series dedicated to her titled "Blade of Shao Jun", and also one of the Novels is about her as well if I remember correctly, and if I'm not mistaken she makes some appearances in at least one or two of the American comic runs for AC as well
And there's also a 3 issue miniseries comic run published by DC that has some modern day stuff and adds some backstory and context to Nikolai's character too, it's titled "Assassin's Creed: the fall"
I was genuinly surprised to see her robes for Evie in Syndicate
Tbh they are really forgetting about my boy Nikolai. I still think the Russian game is the best of the 3.
damn ubisoft really likes shao jun
Shao Jun Deserves her own triple A game
For sure especially with all her lore originally ac 3 was supposed to be her game but Ubisoft doesn’t think females sell unfortunately
She probably gonna get a cameo in project red
@@Fallen-gryphon They are so wrong for so many reasons. Any sane person won't care if the main protagonist is a woman or not. What matters is how they are written
Definitely I’ve only played assassins creed chronicles china and it is great
Agreed but I also want to see a triple A Indian AC
I loved the first two chronicles, Russia was hit and miss for me but especially because it was my first real introduction to the Assassins creed franchise and after playing a few games It’s still one of the best (in my opinion). I love the sneaky approach to the AC games and the chronicles are the only games where I felt like an assassin
Interestingly, they tie up the romance from India in Syndicate, Henry from that game is the child of those 2 lovebirds. Also, Russia is a direct adaptation of a 2 part comic book, The Fall and The Chain.
All three protagonists were based on expanded media.
@@jbcatz5 yeah, knew about Shao Jun and Nikolai, but forgot Arbaaz had his own graphic novel before the game came out and not after.
Not really Russia game take place in between both graphic novels
Funnily, I always enjoyed these games as sort of a reverse Prince of Persia. AC grew out from Prince of Persia and PoP was a cinematic platformer before it was a 3D action platformer
Chronicles feels to me like a throwback to PoP's earliest entries and I like that little bit of connection between AC and its sister series
24:00 To be honest, I never had a problem with that story thread. The box is able to give you personality and memories. Considering that this is Assassin's Creed, it's highly likely that the box just awakens the memories that are stored inside the DNA (which is the same thing the animus does) which would mean that Shao Jun would be an ancestor to Anastasia. This makes sense I would assume because it is why the Templars need it to create their precursor. They are making the body with the shroud and are then activating its memories and personality through the box. As to why the Assassins would kill an innocent person to learn more about it? We know that the Assassins aren't always good. I don't think it is too far fetched that some of them see the opportunity to revive the great masters of the past through this technology if they can control it. Imagine you have Altair, Ezio, Shao Jun all working together in the same timeline through this technology. They would be more likely to win the war against the Templars. And in this case they might think that this justifies sacrificing one girl over it.
The box just has her memories, anybody could have had her memories. Shao Jun only has two modern day descendants. Li in the Assassin Creed movie and a Japanese girl who is only in a manga.
But the thing is they went against the biggest part of the creed. Their blade shall not be stained with the blood of an innocent
@@ntfoperative9432
Yes, that's their creed, but a lot of the AC stories also involve how different assassins weren't truly following that creed. Either because they thought it held them back in their fight against the Templars or even due to their own ideals that changed over time.
@@ntfoperative9432 they rarely follow their creed in the games, really the only time they cared that much about it was in the first game, all the other assassin groups didn't have the same religious obedience to the creed, it was just a general thing to try to follow
This video was well worth becoming a patron just to see it early, phenomenal video 👌 keep up the great work aqua ❤️
Thank you I’m glad you enjoyed! 🙏
These games were hell when I was younger, especially Russia. I recently tried replaying them but I'm not a fan of the instant fail missions, which sucks because I really like these settings. Maybe one day we can actually get actual games in these settings
Nothing changed. Russia is still hell to this day
These games feels more Assassin's Creed than the last two games, because the game are primarily about the creed, just in a different perspective which is cool.
Assassins Creed fans: I want more stealth
Also Assassin's Creed fans: Can you make it optional please
Same people that said they wanted a change in gameplay/combat and they did and now people hate o the new ones SMH
@@initailo1536
Being a fan of a long running franchise is the biggest curse of being a gamer.
Honestly looking forward to the Ranking Video in the Future!
I have to say that i really enjoyed the chronicles series. I do agree that they dont really work as standalone games or for people who enjoy the mechanical aspects of the other ac games. I do think they are very much worthwhile for the people who like the lore of ac. There are so many little hints and aspects woven into gameplay, cutscenes and even the artstyle, that really makes the entire concept of "assassins" in different cultures come to life more than any other ac game. Usually you have these western people in their times behaving how they do through the lense of the assassin philosophy. But you rarely get to see an entirely different culture or how it would translate into something completely new. The closest we get to that is probably in ac4. I read chinas core motivation less as "avenge my people" and more "honor my people" which would make sense given how much honor means to those cultures. She seems to view it as her responsibility and less as an emotional act of "I JUST WANNA KILL ALL EVIL MEN THAT HURT ME". This is something that distinguishes her from Ezio in ac2 as well. In india we have the idea of freedom and how lax people are about things with the exception being the templars and the british soldiers. This feeling of freedom and living how you like strikes me as notable. In russia we have the biggest departure from the core ideals being presented. Here it seems to be "morality". It is more about what IS right instead of "what i think is right". This begrudging acceptance of the corruption of his own order makes Orelov stand out to me. It seems like he is upholding a moral standard that everyone else around him just gives up.
Its the slight deviations like this that make me love and appreciate these games. There are tedious parts and unlikable parts (i am looking at the escape from the tank), but overall i come away from these games feeling enriched. It is a wonderful window into imagining what assassins creed games of the future might be like, when they go away from ancient mythological topics and more into real life scenarios and conflicts. Even a modern day game might be fun, if for example there are guns, but the main character always complains when you use them too much about how he/she hates how much attention they draw and so on. It could be fun, although i wouldnt be money on it happening.
I really want to see a traditional AC game for Russia
I personally don't. It looks like a terrible setting for an AC game. Plus it wouldn't be wise in this political climate with Russia's invasion of Ukraine... The optics would just look bad for it.
lamest setting ever
@@unicorntomboy9736 st Petersburg wud be good but political climate is a problem
@@brotundo how so?
@@unicorntomboy9736nothing can be worse than early medieval England and Norway.
From the optics perspective alone, though, agreed. Better to make a game set in 16th or 17th century Poland.
Only halfway through but dang this video has captivated me more than anything else I've watched this week. Thank you so much for the content Aqua 🙏
It's funny that you say that all three feel like second acts because... They all kind of are in a way. All three characters were originally featured in external media for AC. Shao Jun obviously in Embers, Arbaaz in the comic Assassin's Creed Brahman, and Nikolai in the comics Assassin's Creed The Fall/The Chain. (Which also goes into the backstory of Daniel Cross for 3).
AC's universe outside the games is both simultaneously fascinating and extremely frustrating when they do stuff like resolve the Juno story in a comic series. I like it, but they literally throw every single nugget of interesting modern day story into anything but the games so it absolutely kills me too.
I actually liked the story of russia best, gameplay and setting for india best, but found china the most fun because it was the most accessible.
I never played India or Russia (not for lack of interest, I watched letsplays of both, just didn't want to spend the money), but I really enjoyed China. I remember thinking it felt the closest to the original Assassin's Creed of any game in the franchise, in spite of the very different style of gameplay; something about the combination of atmosphere and the level of challenge.
I think the Chronicles games are available on Ubisoft +, if you'd want to try them out. I recently played through them on PS4 as Ubisoft+ is included with PSN Plus Extra. Not sure if Ubisoft + is included with Xbox Game Pass, though
Sometimes you have to go with your gut. 😊
I wasn't even aware these games existed, but just this video sold me out on them, the art style looks amazing, and to me at least, the 2.5 d gameplay looks interesting, I'll give them a try
And how it was? Did you like it?
@@yerbadeldiablo6751it's a nice change from the main titles but its takes time getting used to the mechanics and trying to be stealthy
I want the Russian civil war one too become a full fledged game
Me too most definitely.
We see some of that in the Assassin's Creed The Fall and The Chain Comics, it's Orelov's story
I just played the india one and it really made it clear too me that we need a full fledged AC set in india
Next one is back to original style set in india
@@scott8448 No it's Bagdad in Iraq
It's a shame they wasted these awesome locations instead of giving them proper AC games. At least China is getting one, but I would love a India centric mainline AC game.
Yea but the china one is going to b on mobile since they’re tryin to appeal to the Chinese crowd who can’t use console and pc 😤😢
I'd love these games to be on the switch
I know this is pretty late but the point about Anastasia having the memories of shao jun is explained in the very first assassins creed actually vidic talks about how people with schizophrenia or similar hallucinations are experiancing a natural bleeding effect basically that causes them to relive things from past lives but they hadnt figured out what causes it naturally outside of using the animus
If you like this style, mark of the ninja does a somewhat similar style w/ 2d as the main focus.
honestly with the whole ac infinity thing, I hope to see all of the chronicles games realized by ubisoft.
I want a smaller map, larger story line.
Shao Jun is going to be in the new assassins creed: brotherhood of Venice board game expansion! It’s on kickstarter now and I’m so excited.
Wake up babe, new That Boy Aqua video dropped
"Xiao Jun is HUNTING WANG."
I'm half chinese but I can't stop laughing at that line.
Thanks! An excellent review for three mostly forgotten games.
I loved all 3 games.
Idk if it’s just me. But I LOVED the chronicle games. I think they’re so unique and fun and a break from the main assassins creed games. Idk that’s just me.
Chronicles were my first ac games, they were on sale and the only ones I was allowed to purchase at the time, although I had watched videos on the games before, this was my first game, I had no prior knowledge of the games other than the short gameplay videos, which is why I enjoyed the games so much
Play them all brother it's worth the ride
So, What Happened to Assassins Creed Chronicles?
I haven’t played these yet, but I definitely plan on it! That said, I know I love the original games and really hope for to see more stories being told! I myself need an Irish storytelling! My culture is not represented as it should be! I loved AC3 with the Mohawk language. Why can’t we have ourselves a Gaeilge themed title and also let the assassins obtain special skills by passing tests by local lore gods and goddesses! I’m short, I just wish for to have AC go on forever! I’m such a fan!
Best thing you get for Ireland is to play the AC Valhalla Wrath of the Druids DLC lol.
It's an L I know, since that game sucks ass but it is what it is.
I find it funny that these games are more focused on stealth then the mainline games, but Mirage is being hyped up as a “return to stealth gameplay” by the community. Especially with you mentioning an allure of the franchise is the power fantasy of combat😂
I hope it returns to stealth nd assassin's Creed if there's combat you better have to be good or your basim better be a glass cannon or I'll be pissed
A full Soviet Russian assassin's creed game would be just so amazing!
Chronicles just makes me want full games in these locals.
Russia was when You see they were giving up, since Nikolai never got a sepárate artwork to show his outfit alone, and neither a trailer, instead his Game was used to Make trailers for the complete trilogy
my biggest problem is the difficulty. i tried the Russia one and i hate that you have to do everything exactly perfect or you lose. So i quit even on level 1
they deserve to be remade into proper ac games
Lukily Shao Jun finally got learned some new training from the legendary Master Assassin, Ezio Auditore de la Firenze.
Great video! I personally have a big heart for the chronicles series. What mainline game did you mean when you said that some would argue they have an imitated oilpainting artstyle?
AC2 definitely tried an oil painting artstyle
@@MineplexVLOfficial Yeah, that's what I was thinking as well. Also Assassin's Creed (2007) had all those filters on it, though it is still mostly trying to be realistic.
Honestly, this is my favourite in the entire AC series. They are a lot more focused in what they want to do. While the main line games try to appeal to everyone but never really nail one specific element.
Like the combat. It's terrible, but by design. It emphasises stealth way more. They are far from perfect, but I do find them more enjoyable
Honey, a new That Boy Aqua vid dropped
A video every 2 weeks? Yes please
I also have Gotham Knights pre-ordered, i am quite excieted. And as always great video!
Honestly, I want Arbaaz to have a AAA game. Dude was so charismatic
Also, the backstory of Orelov as a game would be nice as well. So is the Shao Jun game as well. All of them were very interesting as characters and they deserved a standalone AAA game
Very happy to see you mentioned Mark of the ninja, just finished it recently and remembered these games were a thing.
Commenting to help the algorithm
🫡
I loved these games and the challenge they provided and I loved the linearity and level design and oh god the style was my mojo, some aspects in the gameplay weren’t necessary but I enjoyed myself in these games far more than I thought I would’ve
I really liked these games i just found they got harder each game
Will u do rogue?. Love to hear want you think about the game
They could make a future punk assassin's creed game. Take some ideas from back to the future part 2.
I thought these were super fun and a great change of pace. I understand that they changed too mcu and I’d love if they’d revisit these characters. maybe give them 3d games, even if they are dlc length similar to freedom cry. that way they can touch on all of them
I think Ubisoft would benefit on making a sequel series based off the old mobile games, like AC Altair Chronicles, AC Discovery, and AC Arno Chronicles. Definitely could change minor details of the old games to fit the current AC canon.
They should've hit us with Shao after the embers video and link in the death of ezio into the story of Shao getting on PS4
18:12 It does not out right halt them. It does not outright halt them. It does not out right halt them. It does not outright halt them.
I just finished these games. Omg AC Chronicles: Russia was nuts!
I'm still frustrated that we never good a main line AC that played in ancient China.
You should start a Ninja Gaiden retrospective series after Gotham knights
The thing is og gamers used to play Assassin's creed in their old nokia phones as java games. So Assassin's creed chronicles was a nostalgic experience for them
I liked Russia and China more, India had the problem of over half the game be a race against time
I wish they made a China third person free travel game
I wanted them to scratch my ac 2 discovery itch.
These games would be well better received if they were just released for mobile. Graphics are definitely on that level.
Loved this game. I actually liked India most then Russia then china.
Does it matter which one you play first
I just got back into the series (Revelations being my last) and i had no idea these games existed. Just seeing them being played, they look fantastic. Looks like Mark of the Ninja, which everybody holds in high regard. Seems like the bashing stems from "not like every assassins creed!"
He wants it to be like dynasty warriors with the combat ?
Its AC Metroidvania game whats the issue what did people expect?
the games are addictive… if they pull out the name assassins creed … everybody will love
I know i didnt catch bro bot mentioning altairs chronicles for the ds tut tut tut
GOTHAM KNIGHT VIDEO PLEASE
This man has to play bloodlines and ac 2 discovery! (Altair chronicles kinda suck tho ngllll) might be a good idea to include them all in one
can we have a video for assassin's creed bloodlines
I remember loving the first one but for some reason I hated the latter two.
How dare you talk bad about the masterpiece known as assassins creed chronicles india
accr=rifle
And also the box shows up in ac Rouge fyi
Ubisoft should make 3D open world remake of assassin creed chronicles with ubisoft montreal make assassin creed chronicles china, ubisoft quebec make assassin creed chronicles india, and ubisoft toronto make their first asssassin creed game with assassin creed chronicles russia
For the longest time I thought they had intended three, but only released China. I wasn't terribly interested once I played China, so it wasn't really on my radar. Just days ago I was browsing Ubisoft's Matrix of Financial Slavery only to discover two more! lol
I am replaying China, and intend to buy the other two, but I kinda hate it. I like to look at it. I like to figure it out. Put me in a fire and I get very very angry; I hate those segments. HATE.
So what you’re saying is: it’s a good game just not an AC game?
I need Nikolai and Shao Jun to get their own mainline games. Right. Now.
Anastazia, rofl
It's more like
An-
-nest-, but replace the e with an a for the proper "nast" sound
-a-si-ya
Then add small pauses between syllables so it should be like An-nas-ta-siya, with heavy accent on the latter part.
The way you said it sounded like Anesthesia so yea
A-nae-stazz-ey-oa
The biggest issue is, they ruined a lot of great character's future potential to be a main line game like that period of russia and nikolai could've been a fully fledged ac game or the one in china with shao jun! she's not likely going to have same story repeated again in a 3rd world someday or anything like that
Thoughts these game where charming..
I liked China but the other ones I didn't care much for
Now that you’ve mentioned it, it would be cool to see you review the PS2 ghost rider game, perhaps this is blasphemous, but ngl it was better (combat wise) than the og dmc
Honestly I’d love to revisit some older gems from my childhood but one of the first on the list would be Hulk Ultimate Destruction for the PS2
Eh, I am not so sure about that. The overwhelming amount of upgrade points you get from the Hell Cycle levels ruins the game for me.
@@civilwarfare101 I haven’t played the game since I was like 6, but honestly even I remember playing the absolute fuck out of them to grind for the xp
@@ThatBoyAqua i haven’t played that myself, but as a child I always begged my parents to buy it for me, would love to see a review of it from you. Keep up the great work
@@takeshikovacks6708
You can do it on your first run
great video! they really should make shao jun the protagonist of a main game
Now the only one you didn't cover is Assassin's Creed Rogue.
And bloodlines
"Ac fans" when there's barely stealth : 😱
"AC fans" when there is stealth like they wanted : 😱
You guys really need to stay quiet and play other games, I just finished all the chronicles and it was amazing, it was the first AC game where I actually played stealth because idk what AC games you played, it was NEVER stealthy, not encouraging it no nothing, play the games multiple times and under the geniuses of those games
All 3 fir £20 is it worth it
So disappointing to know that such unique and interesting AC games were shafted because of narrow minded people
The only AC games I really couldn't get into.
its not really a downfall if each game is mediocre in its own right.
are you going to do gotham knights
Did you even watch the video? 😂
@@stateyournameplease he says this in the post video?
Some of your critiques are silly
if these games interested you then, check out mark of the ninja
nice
They should have ended with 3.
They're cute and really beautiful games but goddamn the Russia one gave me brain damage. They tried so hard to make the tsarists family look like the real victims.