Since 2017, the Assassin’s Creed franchise has switched to a more open-ended, RPG-centric format, which has resulted in a handful of great games, but has also alienated existing fans. From the sun-soaked Egypt presented in Assassin’s Creed Origins to the dark ages England of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, the games now prioritize exploration and world building over storytelling. This wasn’t always the case, and it’s clear that the series’ beginnings were inspired by another Ubisoft property, one that it promises to return some time in the near future. Prince of Persia is a largely forgotten IP in 2022, but with a remake of its best offering on the way, it could provide the developer with a perfect opportunity to put Assassin’s Creed to one side.
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Assassin’s Creed in an Ever-Changing Market
When comparing 2007’s Assassin’s Creed with the newest game, it becomes apparent the franchise has evolved greatly, but not necessarily in the direction that many expected. Assassin’s Creed has always been an open-world affair, but the early games wielded a smaller space that felt far more deliberate in their design. The areas were carefully crafted, and the space was non-linear because it allowed some freedom of movement while never straying too far from the story. Up to Origins, Assassin’s Creed put the history-inspired narrative first, but as the industry has shifted and the AAA space has only got more ambitious, the franchise had to expand with it.
This expansion was divisive, with many believing the change to wipe away the identity that Assassin’s Creed had developed for all those years. Progression is now level-focused, and centers around acquiring new weapons and looting enemies for money to spend in one of the games’ many marketplaces. It’s a huge deviation from what came before, and while Assassin’s Creed multiplayer was ditched entirely, it wasn’t the most significant change that the series has gone through. Players are split with their opinions of where the franchise is now. There can’t be much more that Assassin’s Creed can give, and Ubisoft might do well to shelve it, preventing the need to stretch the franchise to become something unrecognizable from the first game.
Prince of Persia’s Renewed Potential
Though there was concerning news in May that the Prince of Persia: Sands of Time remake switched developers, anticipation is high for what could potentially be a renewed investment in the veteran Apple 2-originated franchise. Prince of Persia hit its stride with a fantastic trilogy on the PS2, and since The Forgotten Sands went largely unnoticed in 2010, fans have been itching for something new ever since. It’s clear that the IP has more to give, and recent news indicates that Ubisoft is finally willing to take advantage of it.
Prince of Persia works best when it’s focusing on the strength of its characters, as the heart of Sands of Time is in the relationship between the Prince and his love interest, Farah. The dialogue between them is charming and has effortlessly stood the test of time all these years later. Prince of Persia does everything that long time Assassin’s Creed fans love, and with the latter becoming something far more inspired by titles like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Horizon Zero Dawn, a new adventure with the Prince could get back to basics, filling the niche that Ezio and Altair have long since abandoned.
Assassin’s Creed is obviously a spiritual successor to Prince of Persia, as the parkour-esque gameplay, historical setting, and dedication to storytelling are each essential pillars of both franchises. Assassin’s Creed has no clear direction in 2022, and many fans don’t know what to expect with the follow-up to Valhalla. Prince of Persia is on the brink of a revival that could spark something different from the usual Ubisoft expectations, and seamlessly swapping one for the other could do well to give Assassin’s Creed the quiet break it most likely needs.
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