Summary
TheAssassin’s Creedfranchise has taken players to historical settings all over the globe since the franchise debuted back in 2007. The series has explored pivotal historical moments in beautiful locales all over Europe, the Middle East, and The Americas. But for the first time in franchise history, a fully open-world game will be set in Ancient China, with China only seen before in a side-scrollingAssassin’s Creed Chroniclesgame.Assassin’s Creed Jadeis innovative in many ways, but still places itself in the long-establishedAssassin’s Creedtimeline.
Continuing the trend of recent releases in the franchise,Assassin’s Creed Jadeis set in ancient times, highlighting an early civilization that established what would eventually grow to become the modern world.Jadefalls betweenOdysseyandOrigins, taking place around the year 215 BCE. This was the time of one of the first unified empires in China, what would become known as the Qin dynasty. This unique setting, along with several other major innovations inJade, makes its place in the timeline and theAssassin’s Creedloreall the more interesting.
431 BCE
215 BCE
49 BCE
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872
Why Assassin’s Creed Jade’s Setting Is So Important
Jade Connects To The Order Of The Ancients
The Qin dynasty in ancient China saw the unification of the Chinese kingdoms under the reign of King of Qin. This unification ended an era known as the Warring States period, which marked the first reuniting of China in 600 years, even beforethe events ofAC Odyssey. The King of Qin came to be known as Qin Shi Huang, the leader of the first empirical dynasty in China. His dynasty would rule from 221 BCE to 206 BCE, making it one of the shortest major Chinese dynasties in history.
Although much ofJade’s plot is still uncertain at this time, according to Ubisoft’sAssassin’s CreedEncyclopedia, the Order of the Ancients worked closely with Qin Shi Huang during his time as emperor. Even going as far as to support the development of the Great Wall of China. The Order of the Ancients were seen in bothOdysseyandOriginsin one form or another, eventually evolving into organizations like the Templars in later games. The far-reaching organization may not be exactly the same as the one seen in other games, but it undoubtedly will serve as a means to connect the antagonists ofJadeto the greaterACuniverse.
It Offers New Gameplay Opportunities
Assassin’s Creed Jadeis both the firstACgame to release exclusively on mobile devices and feature a customizable protagonist.The main character ofAassassin’s Creed Jade, currently known as Wei Yu’s disciple, is on a quest for revenge for a close friend who was betrayed. Due to the unique weapons, clothing, and environment offered by 215 BCE China, the journey that players will take is likely going to be very different from any otherACgame. The variety of swords, axes, and spears unique to ancient China should make for some interesting combat opportunities.
The terrain and architecture of Qin dynasty China are also unique. This time in history saw the formation of the Great Wall of China, and as stated in the official gameplay trailer, the protagonist is determined to defend it from the chaos that threatens the innocent. It will be interesting to see what anACgame built fully for touch controls will play like, and the unique world and combat opportunities make this game especially exciting. Fans have a lot to look forward to when this next entry intheAssassin’s Creedseriescomes to mobile in the near future.
