This article contains gentle spoilers for the Assassin’s Creed series, not so much The X-Files.
As The X-Files taught me one thing, it is that some people do not know when to stop. I’m not talking about Fox Mulder’s constant pursuit of ‘the truth’, but creator Chris Carter’s insistence on shoehorning his extraterrestrial conspiracy story into each of the 11 seasons. It was nice at first to get a glimpse of a shadowy alien plan; fans, including me, would pick up these goodies of information and endlessly speculate what the stranger’s endgame was.
But three or four seasons later, the appearance of the Cigarette Smoker or Brian “Shao Kahn” Thompson was nothing to celebrate. It was the unwelcome signal that viewers would be subjected to another part of the program’s winding conspiracy, instead of the mostly superior monsters of the week. Each season’s finale, I hoped the Little Green Men would realize how terrible humanity was and climb back into their UFOs. Instead, each season added layer upon terrible layer X-Files mythos, like some oyster that is out of control.
It’s the same plot fatigue that permeates Assassin’s Creed series, and it’s time for Ubisoft to stop it. Like the X-Filesa strange arc, the story of a centuries-old battle between the Assassins and Templars was initially fascinating. It made you aware of old secrets, not a lone protagonist, but one of the many fighting to liberate the world; to throw historical figures into the mix was the icing on the cake. And that was enough distraction to make you overlook that you experienced second- or even third-hand events through the Animus.
Like the Assassin’s Creed series, the games have become increasingly entangled in their own mythology, to the point where it seriously affects your enjoyment of these games. Ubisoft does not have its own Chris Carter, the last of Assassin’s Creed‘s creators then left Assassin’s Creed Syndicate. But someone at the company refuses to let the vast background story die.
As The X-Files, there were several opportunities for Assassin’s Creed to put the whole frame story in bed, the end of Assassin’s Creed III be one clear starting point. But the mythology continued to balloon, with additional ancient artifacts thrown into the mix, hitherto unnamed allies and enemies, with no end in sight.
The presence of the virtual reality Animus in Assassin’s Creed is always going to be a problem. At the most basic level, this means that your actions can have no consequences for the game world. You are not really taking revenge on an owner of sweating in the industrial era; you are playing a game within a game. The last three Assassin’s Creed games have bounced back a bit from the edge, but it will still take you out of the past to convey modern knowledge that you are really not interested in, a tremendously shocking experience.
But the Animus is not the only reason Assassin’s Creed‘s mythology must go; it holds back the series in other ways. While the idea that the Templars secretly rule the world is interesting, it is also a bit insulting, especially when you see that the concept is later interwoven. Assassin’s Creed games. People can be cruel enough without there being a secret organization behind them, without the excuse that they are looking for some fragment of an ancient civilization; in other words, it is easy to let humanity down.
Origin, Odyssey, en Valhalla everyone has wisely taken a step back from the “big picture” of the series, but the usual predecessor artifacts hide their ugly glowing heads behind. On top of that, there is a massive controversial scene where they, regardless of the character of your character, have a child with a partner of the opposite sex. Why? Just for the sake of service Assassin’s Creed‘s long match, even if the events you are experiencing are strictly virtual. Instead, it is Assassin’s Creed‘s personal stories that really resonate when Kassandra helps or fights some unfortunate islander to find her father.
The protection of the weak? Absolutely. Do you avenge those who have wronged you? Yes please. To locate an old staff for the sake of future generations? I will miss it. Except it’s a choice you’re not offered; even if you can pretend that your actions have real consequences, Odyssey tell exactly where Kassandra will end up.
Because of all his outer sins, The X-Files did acknowledge the existence of the supernatural. The series features a live-eating serial killer who could crawl through air vents, a trapeze artist who could throw up poisonous spiders, and a creature with tree bark for the skin, of which I made up only one. But by sticking to the premise that anything should magically use old technology, Assassin’s Creed has walled in some of the most interesting legends and monsters of history.
Odyssey beg for an encounter with a giant aquatic animal, but most you get are sharks. Contrast this with Sea of Thieves, who likes to unleash the Kraken, the Megalodon or both, leading to some glorious encounters. Odyssey only managed to push Medusa in, but as Valhalla, the series rarely does more than dip its toes into local mythology, because that would mean we would break the limiting long-term narrative.
Both The X-Files and Assassin’s Creed exclaims for closure. But their respective mythologies have become so terribly complicated that there is no easy way to bring things to an end and with the cancellation of The X-Files, the many, many threads will hang forever.
There is a lot to like Assassin’s Creed series, but there is no satisfaction in watching each title add another layer to the lascivious lasagna. Instead, joy comes from silencing much-needed justice, kicking another mercenary down a hill, exploring the world, or any other activities that have no bearing on Assassin’s Creed‘s overarching story. On top of that, it runs the risk of making the series impenetrable to newcomers.
So, just stop. Start the following Assassin’s Creed again, forget about Juno and Pieces of Eden, the Staff of Hermes, the Ax of Zantos, or whatever MacGuffin would compete in the next game. Forget the contemporary nonsense that snatches you from the fun of being an assassin and ultimately makes your actions meaningless.
I would hate to see Assassin’s Creed go the way of The X-Files, but unlike Fox Mulder or Chris Carter, you sometimes have to know when to let go.