Multimodal Visual Analysis

Codex of the Assassin

Assassin’s Creed and A Multimodal Analysis

Luke Stephens highlights in his review of Assassin’s Creed II that “Assassin's Creed II is a game that is widely regarded as one of, if not the, best games within the entire AC [Assassin’s Creed] franchise” (The Most Important Game). Stephens says this, because the narrative in the game gives a plot structure that the later games will follow. Assassin’s Creed (AC), a game series where the overarching story spans multiple games. In which each game adds more lore to the overall game. In the first three main titles of the game, the player portrays a modern-day assassin named Desmond, who must go into the memories of his ancestors to find artifacts that can determine the fate of the world. In this analysis I will show through a breakdown of the gameplay of AC that videogames require a climatic narrative with character heavy plot; side quests that allow the player exploration opportunities in a historical setting; and challenges that require heavy mental strength and determination to persevere. To demonstrate the complexities of the gameplay, I will use three other digital modes: online communities that discuss historical accuracy, youtube reviews of the plot and game controls, and text-based walkthrough guides.

All complicated videogames depend on a character driven narration to portray the story to the user. Frank Bosman states in his analysis of the portrayal of Arabs in AC, “Videogames are not just ‘texts’, but are playable texts” (8). In other words, the player controls the time frame in which the plot is given to them. The time it takes for the player to get through the storyline depends on a few simple things: the focus on additional content, world exploration, and the player’s ability at video games. For example, when I am the player, I am not particularly good at timed quests, so a timed quest that gives important plot elements would take much longer for me than a player who has more video game experience. Some players get distracted by the vast immersive environments of the game’s world and would rather take their time exploring every detail than rushing their way through the story content.

To expand, Connie Veugen explains that “the consequences in the game world following actions either instigated by the player or emanating from the game world” (3). Throughout the game the player will be solving issues large and small that will help the protagonist complete his goal. For example, in the second game Ezio Auditore, the main protagonist, has a mission to escort Leonardo DaVinci to Venice, which opens Venice as an explorable area. Supporting characters, such as the thieves guild, assist the assassin on his mission, but the player character’s actions are what spurs the plot into action. As Andrzej Zarzycki says in their article on narratives in videogames, “games such as […] Assassin’s Creed […] free themselves from traditional games purely seen as problem-solving exercises” (202). Every puzzle in AC is there for a reason, whether it be for a plot point or a mini game.

The multimodal reviews and walkthrough guides for assassin’s creed are important, because they each showcase AC’s impact on gaming culture. This means people are heavily impacted by the overarching narrative told through the games. Even the articles that commented on AC’s controversial content, such as Veugen’s “Stay Your Blade” and Bosman’s “Nothing is True, But Everything is Permitted”, agree that AC has a moving and highly impactful narrative with the first game telling a story of redemption and from the second game onwards telling coming of age stories, as the characters have to mature throughout the narrative. This tells us as the players that we enjoy a story full of complex characters and possibly enjoy the genre of historical fiction.

To conclude many of the modes that analyze AC observe the narrative and lore elements, guides on how to complete quests, and historical landmark comparisons. The modes that were observed were content created on youtube, which showcases tutorials, reviews, and comparisons. Another mode used was online forums. One of which was reddit. One reddit user posted an article on the historical inaccuracies of AC2. The last mode that was used was textual guides, more specifically analyzing the ones that focused solely on glyphs. In conclusion, AC is very influential on a multimodal level through its plots and characters, the optional side quests, and the realistic explorable worlds.