With the release of Assassin’s Creed Shadows on March 20th, 2025, Ubisoft has fulfilled a longstanding desire of mine, for the series to visit Japan.
I’ve always been a fan of the Assassin’s Creed series, but unlike most, I’ve never played it for the rousing stealth gameplay or the meta plot that weaves the past and present together. Rather, it is the opportunity to explore the slice of history uniquely offered by each game, that has been so compelling to me. The chance to dive and climb across some of the most beautifully rendered locations in all of gaming, has always been like a siren’s call for me.
I can’t deny my love of history was in part formed by growing up with Assassin’s Creed II and the sequels, trapezing around the jaw-droppingly fantastic cities of Italy. Later I found similar joy exploring Rome in Brotherhood and examining every corner of Istanbul in Revelations. It is fair to say that the time I spent actually playing the game paled in comparison to that spent weaving through the busy streets of the former capital of the Byzantine Roman Empire.
Because of this, the location of a new Assassin’s Creed game is basically the most important thing for me, and what I primarily gauge my interest with. I judge Assassin’s Creed games by the quality of the world I get to inhabit. The sheer beauty of Paris was enough to overcome Unity’s countless flaws for me, and while I strongly disliked the addition of RPG mechanics to Origins and Odyssey, the opportunity to clamber across Alexandria, Cairo, and the many great cities of antiquity, vastly overshadowed my complaints.
Through this location-focused lens, it is obvious that a title exploring Japan was going to be an easy sell for me. However I can’t help but look forward to what is next for the series, and particularly, where it can go from here. At first blush it feels like the series has begun to run out of options, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. This world is abound with compelling history, and I hope Assassin’s Creed explores it all.
I would adore a title set in St. Petersburg in the 17th century, or perhaps the chance to explore the Mayan jungles and climb the mighty Aztecan pyramids. I would love a title in the high medieval era, or another Eastern title set in the age of antiquity, allowing me to explore the city of Persepolis at its height. The possibilities are endless.
I have many qualms with the gameplay, storytelling, and use of microtransactions in the Assassin’s Creed series. But the one thing that has never let me down, and I can reliably count on to please me, is the incredible locations they build for us to explore. I have enjoyed every location the series has provided for us, and there are countless more cities and countrysides I yearn to assassinate my way through.
I want to turn the question over to you, though. What setting or location would you like to see the Assassins Creed series explore? Let us know in the comments below!
Featured Image: Ubisoft
Boss Rush Podcast – A Podcast about Video Games
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