Ubisoft’s ‘Assassin’s Creed Syndicate’ announced: here’s what you need to know

After the shambles that was Unity, Ubisoft really needs the next Assassin’s Creed installment to live up to the hype and win back the hearts of its alienated fans. Luckily, the company has today announced that Assassin’s Creed Syndicate will be its next major release.

Not too long ago, we knew its working title included “Victory”, but we’re pretty glad Ubisoft changed the name. Leaks were emerging as soon as 2014, with Ubisoft dropping a number of hints on social media from time to time. But finally, we have the next AC installment in writing and from the horse’s mouth.

So, what can we expect?

We run through the bits and bobs of what we know so far in a nifty Q&A style below.

Where are we headed this time?

Think 1868 Britain. It’s cold, it’s dank and it’s smoggy. It’s when gangster assassins can enjoy the stench of industrial era London in its prime while pricking people using knives and downing copious amounts of warm beer. It’s setting is perhaps a bit gloomier than Unity‘s architectural splendour, but it should also take advantage of the modern GPU.

We just hope it’s optimised for humans and not cows.

Who do we play as?

Wave goodbye to Arno for now, and welcome the Frye twins, from Crawley we hear.

According to Ubisoft, both Jacob and Evie will be playable with both boasting differing underlying characters. It’s particularly nice that Ubisoft has given us a female character in AC (apart from that one spin-off game dubbed Liberation).

She’s the “relentless assassin” and he’s the more the “brash” and “rebellious” of the two. Either way, it sounds like a good balance. And awesomely, players can switch between the two when not in the midst of a mission. Of course, some missions are character dependent.

What’s the story?

Well, are we going back to sneaking up on chaps and rearranging their internal organs? Yes.

Ubisoft explains:

Amidst blossoming conflicts between newly crowned kings of industry and the working class they exploit for all they’re worth, Jacob will work in the shadows as he climbs to the top of the criminal underground as the head of one of the city’s most notorious street gangs.

In brief: rally your gang, free the masses from their enslaved ways and overthrow the hierarchy of the government. It’s classic Assassin’s Creed, but set in a new visceral landscape which will feature the likes of Buckingham Palace, Big Ben the River Thames and the like. Charles Darwin and Dickens are also on hand to lend assistance, possibly throwing scathing philosophical ideologies and acidic caricatures at the oppressors.

Notably, it’s single player only though and for one, we hope U-Play doesn’t annoy the gamer at every waking opportunity. This could be an extremely engrossing game, but as always, its success is dependent on its execution.

When can I expect the game?

The game will come to the Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC, but at varying stages throughout the year. While the console launch of Assassin’s Creed Syndicate is penned for 23 October, there’s no official release date for PC.

Are you excited for Ubisoft’s next Assassin’s Creed title? Let us know what you think and what you’re expecting in the comments section below. Or vote in our Google+ poll.