The Revolutionary Duo of Assassin's Creed Red: A Make or Break Moment!

Highlights

The inclusion of dual protagonists has previously been met with a blend of reactions from fans, as witnessed in games like Syndicate.

To ensure that both characters in Assassin's Creed Red are distinct and captivating within the open-world RPG format, careful handling is crucial. Throughout its existence, the Assassin's Creed franchise can be divided into two distinct phases. The first phase consisted of annual action-adventure games, while the second phase introduced a series of recent action-RPGs. While both phases are evident to long-time fans, they still possess significant similarities in terms of general settings, themes, narratives, and core gameplay mechanics. Despite Ubisoft's ongoing efforts to further diversify the Assassin's Creed brand, major titles like Assassin's Creed Red will inevitably retain many fundamental elements of the series.

Assassin's Creed Has Had a Mixed History of Dual Protagonists

Assassin's Creed Red, the highly anticipated entry catering to fans' desires for a Japanese setting, is poised to become the next installment in the franchise's renowned action-RPG series. Building on the successes of Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla, this upcoming title holds great promise. While details about the game remain scarce, leaked information unveils an intriguing feature: players will have the opportunity to assume control of not one, but two protagonists, a concept that has garnered a mixed response throughout the series' history.

In recent years, the Assassin's Creed franchise has been known for its iconic protagonists like Altair, Ezio, Edward, Arno, and Connor. Each of these characters has had their own dedicated game, placing them at the center of attention and making them beloved figures in the gaming community. However, everything shifted with the release of Assassin's Creed Syndicate in 2015.

For the first time in the series, players had the opportunity to control two Assassin protagonists in Assassin's Creed Syndicate, excluding characters like Desmond. Known as the Frye twins, Jacob and Evie had distinct personalities, but they weren't universally well-received by fans. Evie's calm and stealthy demeanor made her a solid central protagonist for Syndicate, while Jacob's recklessness in both the story and combat didn't appeal to many. However, Syndicate allowed players to choose between the two protagonists for open-world exploration and a significant portion of side missions, granting them the freedom to play with their preferred playstyle and character.

Assassin's Creed Origins returned to a single protagonist, but Assassin's Creed Odyssey revived the concept of dual protagonists, albeit in a different manner than Syndicate. In Odyssey, players were asked to select a protagonist from the beginning, solidifying their role as the main character and turning the non-selected character into an antagonist. Assassin's Creed Valhalla also presented players with a choice, although it only impacted the character's gender rather than introducing a completely different individual to control. Both Odyssey and Valhalla's protagonist choices were met with controversy upon release, as the decision seemed to have little impact on the actual narrative.

Assassin's Creed Red Needs to Handle its Dual Protagonists Carefully

According to rumors from earlier this year in February and March, there might be an upcoming Assassin's Creed game called Red. These rumors suggest that the game will feature two main characters, a Shinobi and a Samurai. The leaked information implies that Red would be more similar to Syndicate rather than Odyssey or Valhalla, given the contrasting backgrounds and abilities of the alleged protagonists.

Instead of simply offering a character choice at the beginning, it would be preferable for Assassin's Creed Red to allow these characters to coexist throughout the game, enabling players to switch between them during the story and exploration. However, it is crucial for both characters to have their own unique qualities and captivating traits. This can be a challenging task for an expansive open-world RPG, especially when dealing with two protagonists rather than just one.

Assassin's Creed Red is in development.