I first got into the Assassins Creed series when I had finally saved up enough money to buy a PlayStation 4. After doing my research and considering that the PS4 had been out for around a year already, I decided that it would be more economical in the long run if I just skipped the PS3 altogether. This meant that I missed out on the first few games, only joining the series around the release of Black Flag in 2013. Despite this late entrance, I fell in love with the series almost immediately.
Video games have always been my way of bonding with my parents. The simpler platforming games, like Spyro The Dragon, are my mother’s indulgence. However, I didn’t really have a game series to play with my dad – after all, there are only so many races you can do in Mario Kart before it becomes a tad… predictable. After all, I am the queen of Mario Kart in my house. So, when I discovered my love for Assassins Creed, I wanted to share it with my dad. To this day, whenever I am home, we sit on our beanbags and proceed to hunt down those pesky Templars.
Obviously, every instalment in the franchise brings a new twist or mechanic to the well-known formulae. From pirate ships to completely revamping the combat system, every game has something that makes it unique. However, none of the games have really got into my head. Sure, Ezio’s story had me bawling like a small child who has lost their parents, but I haven’t gone back to any of the AC games as much as I have Syndicate.
I am not a Londoner and only really spend time there when I go to events or when my dad wants to go wandering around. I’ve never been comfortable with cities, as the crowds and noise can be overwhelming and overload my senses. When I was younger, I would have regular panic attacks on the Tube and refuse to go back for long periods of time. Due to this, I never really got to explore London as much as I wanted to. As much as I dislike cities and their business, I know that every place has some form of beauty, you just must find it.
For each of the other AC games, I had never been to where they were set. So, my idea of what the locations would be like was mostly based on geography and descriptions from various friends. With London however, I already had that drive to explore and to see as much of the city as possible. This was made possible through the great traversal options in Syndicate. Running, jumping, climbing, swimming (looking at you Altair), carriage riding and my favourite method, the grappling hook.
The grappling hook is probably one of the most satisfying mechanics in an AC game (at least for me). Being able to fly across the rooftops, zip to the top of Buckingham Palace and cheese it away from any intense combat situations is a brilliant feeling when done correctly. Jacob’s in-game reaction to getting the tool is far too relatable – I too would refuse to do anything until it was fixed, and I could play with it. Everyone has thought about what it would be like to fly and with the grappling hook, it’s probably as close as Evie and Jacob will get.
The Frye twins are my favourite assassins (though Kassandra does come close), as well as battling the Professor Layton cast for my top gaming characters of all time. The sibling dynamic between the twins felt genuine, even when they were against one another. Snide remarks, mockery and jokes made at one another’s expense – these are all trademarks of a brother-sister relationship. I routinely joke around with my older sister, so these two assassins spoke to me on a personal level.
As much as I love Jacob, Evie has always had a place in my heart. As the first female playable assassin, who is feisty, determined, logical and intelligent. Yet, she is brave and cunning, fierce and strong. As a late teen just finding herself in the world and looking to the future, Evie was an inspiration to me. I think part of it was the fact that I felt represented in games, an issue that still needs to be addressed for many minorities (a topic for another day). Her anguish in the Jack The Ripper DLC is brilliantly performed by the voice actress, as the genuine fear for her twin washes over you like a stormy night on the sea.
If you haven’t played AC Syndicate, I do highly recommend it. There are a few details in the game that I do not enjoy (and never will so go away Henry Green, Evie doesn’t need a husband to define her), but that true of all games. After playing some of Odyssey, I can see where Syndicate inspired it – such as the “conquest” system for each of the lands, instead of the gang fights in the boroughs of London. Obviously, the combat systems are completely different from one another, but Syndicate did make steps forward in improving the fluidity of combat – rather than the awkward attempts of past games.
Syndicate feels real if that makes any sense. Obviously, in a gaming series based around Assassins and Precursors and Templars, it’s a bit of an oxymoron to say that a game feels “real” but let me explain. The story and the world are inseparable. It wouldn’t work for any other location or for any other characters. It is truly the tale of the Frye twins and their bid to take London back from Starrick’s control. It has conflict, danger, loss, fear and reconciliation. It’s more than just “go here, stab this person”, which I find some AC games can veer towards, where the historical characters don’t feel as forced as they did for Connor.
Jacob and Evie complement one another perfectly. A mixture of wit, comedy, intelligence and bravado. They work together, instinctively putting themselves in the firing line to save one another – case in point, the final fight against Starrick. When they try to fight Starrick alone, they end up edging closer to death but together Starrick falls easily. In the end, Syndicate isn’t about saving London or meeting the Queen. It is about the importance of family. In this case, their family is each other. Yet, for the rest of us – family is not defined by biology.
I adore my parents and my sister. Yet, they are not my only family. I have friends who I consider siblings, who I would go to hell and back again for. They would do the same for me. We choose our own family; it is not defined for us – we can take control. Every member of my family, whether I share blood with them or not, has been with me in the darkest times. They are the best things in my life, and I am forever grateful for them staying by my side. They are the Jacob to my Evie.
Tell your family you love them, no matter where they are. Thanks,
CaitlinRC.