Assassin’s Creed Riftis one of many heavily rumored titles that is currently being talked about by fans of the franchise. Supposedly providing a narratively driven experience akin to the older titles, the game could possibly provide a breath of fresh air for long-term fans.
This upcoming title is rumored to be of a much smaller scale compared to the expansive mainline entries that theAssassin’s Creedfranchise has recently seen. That being said, its wholly unique protagonist situation can potentially foster some fascinating and varied gameplay that has not been seen in the series before.
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The Basics of Assassin’s Creed Rift
Assassin’s Creed Riftis currently rumored to release sometime toward the end of 2022. Interestingly, the title was originally set to beDLC forAssassin’s Creed Valhalla, butRifthas clearly proven to be so expansive that Ubisoft decided it warrants its own standalone release.
It is important to note thatAssassin’s Creed Riftis currently only a working title, and like much of the information surrounding the game, may be subject to change. However, many core elements ofRifthave remained consistent across different sources, such as its setting and main characters. The title is rumored to be set primarily within the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, with other major Middle Eastern cities also likely to make secondary appearances. The mainprotagonist forAssassin’s Creed Riftwill reportedly be Basim Ibn Ishaq, a central character within the story ofAssassin’s Creed Valhalla.
It is known that Basim was born and raised in Baghdad, becoming a very high ranking member of the Hidden Ones - an ancient organization that would go on to become the infamous Assassin Brotherhood. Rapidly rising to the rank of Master Assassin,players see Basim inValhallaas a widely respected and lethal figure who is wise well beyond his years.
Undoubtedly one of the most peculiar but dominant aspects of Basim’s life is that he is ahuman reincarnation of the Isu Loki, as revealed inAssassin’s Creed Valhalla. This dual-consciousness was slowly revealed to him via memories as he aged, and will surely play a key role in Basim’s conflict and development within the story ofRift. One of the most glaring implications of this split personality is the potential effects that Loki’s manipulative nature may have upon the Hidden Ones as a whole, as well as Basim’s actions.
Basim Gameplay in Assassin’s Creed Rift
Basim’s growing struggle for control and consciousness within his own mind and body is undoubtedly a central facet of his character, and is one that must be conveyed within the gameplay ofAssassin’s Creed Rift.One of the most obvious ways to effectively depict this juxtaposition of personal ambitions and motives would be through the implementation of wildly different gameplay segments featuring both characters.
While it is impossible to know for sure which elements of Basim’s character that fans saw inValhallawere actually that of Basim, or were in fact just elements of Loki’s facade, it is safe to assume that Loki would have based his “performance” of Basim largely on what he had observed of Basim’s personality over the course of many years. In this way it can be inferred that Basim fits closely to theclassicAssassin’s Creedprotagonist archetype, a lethally efficient killer with a rooted moral compass and layered personality.
Given his high-rankingrole in the Hidden Ones, Basim’s gameplay inRiftwould be perfect for simply showcasing the aforementioned return to the classicAssassin’s Creedformula. Basim’s gameplay would thrive in fostering a return to hidden blade combat, dynamic parkour routes, stealth segments, and more. To further compound a return to olderAssassin’s Creedtitles, a reappearance of the highly missed countering combat systems of titles such asAssassin’s Creed 2would be sure to sit well with long-term fans of the franchise.
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Loki Gameplay in Assassin’s Creed Rift
Conversely, the potential Loki gameplay segments ofAssassin’s Creed Riftcould provide a welcome contrast to Basim’s sections, broadening the scope of appeal beyond those who are nostalgic for the older gameplay. Given the godlike powers that Loki possesses due tohis status as an Isu, the gameplay elements that could be implemented within his segments are massive in range.
As many will know,Loki is a very prominent Godwithin Norse mythology, being known as the Trickster God. While not overtly efficient in combat in the same way other Gods may be perceived, Loki instead finds his utility through the use of chaos and deceit. One of Loki’s most frequently used powers is the ability to shape-shift into a staggering variety of different things and beings, which could very well feature within his gameplay segments.
Gameplay segments with Loki inRiftcould then provide some elements of themore recentAssassin’s Creedtitles, such as cooldown abilities that could be utilized both in combat and map traversal. Allowing players to tackle situations as Loki in a more tacit and strategic manner, with the aid of things such as invisibility and short bursts of rapid movement, could easily provide a fantastic contrast to the aforementioned gameplay of Basim. In addition to this, the use of shape-shifting to disguise and infiltrate enemy positions and strongholds could provide some seriously tense yet enjoyable segments of gameplay for the heavily rumored title. With how different the goals of Loki and Basim are, Loki’s gameplay elements could even see the player sabotaging the Hidden Ones themselves, further portraying the conflict within Basim’s character.
Assassin’s Creed Riftis reportedly in development.
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