''Assassin's Creed Chronicles'' is a sub-series of video games in the ''

Assassin's Creed ''Assassin's Creed'' is a historical fiction, historical action-adventure video game series and media franchise published by Ubisoft and developed mainly by its studio Ubisoft Montreal using the game engine Anvil (game engine), Anvil and its m ...

'' franchise. The series consists of three games developed by Climax Studios and published by

Ubisoft Ubisoft Entertainment SA (; ; formerly Ubi Soft Entertainment SA) is a French video game publisher headquartered in Saint-Mandé with development studios across the world. Its video game franchises include '' Anno'', '' Assassin's Creed'', ' ...

. The games feature new protagonists and settings and a design that is new to the series: 2.5D environments inspired by traditional brush paintings. The first entry, ''Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China'', was released on April 21, 2015, for

Microsoft Windows Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...

PlayStation 4 The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013, in ...

and

Xbox One The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third console in the Xbox#Consoles, Xbox series. It was first released in North America, parts of Europe, Austra ...

. It was followed by ''Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India'' and ''Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia'' on January 12, 2016, and February 9, 2016, respectively. A collection comprising all three games was released on February 9, 2016, for the same platforms, and on April 5, 2016, for the

PlayStation Vita The PlayStation Vita (PS Vita) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 17, 2011, then in other international territories on February 22, 2012, and was produced ...

Gameplay

All three ''Chronicles'' games are 2.5D side scrolling platformers. Players control the protagonist from a third-person perspective and must make their way past enemy guards and other threats to reach the end of each level. The levels are all linear and feature little in terms of exploration, although some include hidden areas and collectibles, such as Animus shards, chests, and Sync points (which reveal the locations of other collectibles on the in-game map). The core gameplay of each title revolves around stealth and combat. Stealth consists of the player using various tactics, such as hiding in the shadows or creating distractions, to stray away from the enemies' cones of vision. If the player is detected, then an alarm is raised, prompting all nearby enemies to actively search for the player until they either find them or give up. The games' combat system revolves around weakening the enemy's defense until they can be executed; players can use light and heavy attacks, block incoming strikes, and perform some more advanced moves, like dodging gunfire and rolling over enemies.

Parkour Parkour () is an athletic Training#Physical training, training discipline or sport in which practitioners (called ''traceurs'') attempt to get from one point to another in the fastest and most efficient way possible, without assisting equipment ...

is also featured in the games, although players are restricted to only being able to climb areas highlighted with more color. Players are scored at the end of each level based on their performance, which takes into account various factors, such as the number of times they have been detected and whether or not they have completed that level's optional objective. The total score is calculated by adding up the 'ranks' received for each section of the level. There are three possible ranks that can be obtained in ''Chronicles: China'': Shadow, the highest-scoring rank, earned for passing a section without being detected and without killing any enemy; Assassin, earned for passing a section undetected and assassinating at least one enemy; and Brawler, obtained when the player is detected and forced into combat. In ''India'' and ''Russia'', the Brawler rank has been replaced with Silencer, which is earned for remaining undetected and using only non-lethal takedowns (which are absent in ''China''). Some levels do not feature these ranks, and instead score the player based on the time taken to complete the level. Depending on their score, players can unlock new upgrades for their character, such as an increased health bar. Each protagonist has a unique arsenal of weapons and gadgets that can be used in both combat and stealth situations. In ''China'', Shao Jun wields a standard '' jian'' sword,

throwing knives A throwing knife is a knife that is specially designed and weighted so that it can be knife throwing, thrown effectively. They are a distinct category from ordinary knives. Throwing knives are used by many cultures around the world, and as such ...

, firecrackers and noise-creating darts, which can be used to temporarily incapacitate or distract enemies. In ''India'', Arbaaz Mir has a typical Mughal and Dravidian

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

sword resembling an

Aruval The aruval (ISO: ) is a type of billhook machete from southern India, particularly common in the Tamil Nadu and Kerala. It is also known as the koḍuvāḷ, the kodavali, the machchu longu or the koita. It is a type of long sickle with a kni ...

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...

, Urumi from

Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...

, a concealed Katar with Bagh nakh, and Chakram, as well as smoke bombs and a

slingshot A slingshot or catapult is a small hand-powered projectile weapon. The classic form consists of a Y-shaped frame, with two tubes or strips made from either a natural rubber or synthetic elastic material. These are attached to the upper two ends ...

with rock pellets. In ''Russia'', Nikolai Orelov possesses a custom Berdan rifle fitted with a bayonet which can be used for melee combat with sniping capabilities, and a grapnel gun that can also produce electricity in order to short out electricity boxes, spotlights, lamp posts or kill unsuspecting enemies standing on water puddles.

Plot

''Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China''

''Chronicles: China'' is set in 16th-century

Imperial China The history of China spans several millennia across a wide geographical area. Each region now considered part of the Chinese world has experienced periods of unity, fracture, prosperity, and strife. Chinese civilization first emerged in the Y ...

, during the

Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming was the last imperial dynasty of ...

, and follows Shao Jun, the female Assassin introduced in the short film '' Assassin's Creed: Embers''. In 1526, Jun returns to China after a long journey to Europe, where she visited the retired Assassin Mentor Ezio Auditore da Firenze and learned the key to liberating her people. Her mission is to eliminate the Eight Tigers, a group of influential Templars who rule China from the shadows, with the

Emperor The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...

as their puppet, and who oversaw the extermination of most of the Chinese Assassin Brotherhood. Jun's first target is Gao Feng, the warden of a prison in the Maijishan Grottoes, and in order to get close to him, she allows herself to be captured, along with a box given to her by Ezio, which is a Precursor artifact. After escaping and killing Feng, Jun travels to the port city of

Macau Macau or Macao is a special administrative regions of China, special administrative region of the People's Republic of China (PRC). With a population of about people and a land area of , it is the most List of countries and dependencies by p ...

with fellow Assassin Wang Yangming, who already killed another Tiger, Ma Yongcheng ("The Butcher"), in order to assassinate Yu Dayong ("The Slaver") and recover the Precursor box. Jun succeeds, and escapes after the Templars set the port on fire in retaliation. In 1529, Jun goes after Wei Bin ("The Snake"), the second-in-command of the Tigers, in Nan'an. After killing him, however, she learns that the Tigers' leader, Zhang Yong, knows that Wang has the Precursor box and is hunting him down. Jun tries to save Wang, but arrives too late. In 1530, Jun infiltrates the

Forbidden City The Forbidden City () is the Chinese Empire, imperial Chinese palace, palace complex in the center of the Imperial City, Beijing, Imperial City in Beijing, China. It was the residence of 24 Ming dynasty, Ming and Qing dynasty, Qing dynasty L ...

to seek the help of Empress Zhang, an old friend from during her years as a

concubine Concubinage is an interpersonal relationship, interpersonal and Intimate relationship, sexual relationship between two people in which the couple does not want to, or cannot, enter into a full marriage. Concubinage and marriage are often regarde ...

, only to discover that the Templars have forced the Empress to lure Jun into a trap. Jun forgives her, and escapes after killing the Tiger Qiu Ju ("The Demon"). In 1532, Jun learns that Zhang Yong is plotting to maintain his grip on power by allowing the Mongols, led by Altan Khan, to invade China. Jun travels to the

Great Wall The Great Wall of China (, literally "ten thousand Li (unit), ''li'' long wall") is a series of fortifications in China. They were built across the historical northern borders of ancient Chinese states and Imperial China as protection agains ...

and prevents the Mongol invasion, before facing Zhang Yong. He reveals that the Precursor box is no longer in China, as it has been given to his fellow Templars, and attempts to flee, but Jun kills him. With the last Tiger eliminated, Jun claims that her destiny is not to search for the box, but to stay in China and rebuild the Brotherhood. Years later, an elderly Jun, now the Mentor of the Chinese Assassins, plots the assassination of the

Jiajing Emperor The Jiajing Emperor (16September 150723January 1567), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Shizong of Ming, personal name Zhu Houcong, art name, art names Yaozhai, Leixuan, and Tianchi Diaosou, was the 12th List of emperors of the Ming ...

by sending him lethal mercury disguised as an elixir of life.

''Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India''

''Chronicles:'' ''India'' is set in 19th-century India, during the Anglo-Sikh Wars between the

Sikh Empire The Sikh Empire was a regional power based in the Punjab, Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent. It existed from 1799, when Maharaja Ranjit Singh captured Lahore, to 1849, when it was defeated and conquered by the East India Company, Br ...

and the

East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to Indian Ocean trade, trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (South A ...

, and follows Arbaaz Mir, the protagonist of the

graphic novel A graphic novel is a self-contained, book-length form of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and Anthology, anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comics sc ...

'' Assassin's Creed: Brahman''. It is also revealed in the novel ''Assassin's Creed: Underworld'' that Arbaaz is the father of Jayadeep Mir, who later goes by Henry Green, a major character in '' Assassin's Creed Syndicate''. In 1841, following the assassination of Maharaja

Ranjit Singh Ranjit Singh (13 November 1780 – 27 June 1839) was the founder and first maharaja of the Sikh Empire, in the northwest Indian subcontinent, ruling from 1801 until his death in 1839. Born to Maha Singh, the leader of the Sukerchakia M ...

two years prior and the recent passing of his son and successor Kharak Singh, Templar agents infiltrated within the Company attempt to strengthen their control over the country during this period of political instability, as well as find more Precursor sites. Arbaaz managed to delay the Templars' plans by stealing the Koh-i-Noor diamond, a powerful Precursor artifact, but while Arbaaz is away visiting his lover, Princess Pyara Kaur, the Templars attack the Assassin Brotherhood's hideout, stealing back the Koh-i-Noor and capturing Arbaaz's mentor Hamid. After interrogating a British officer for Hamid's whereabouts, Arbaaz infiltrates the Templars' headquarters and rescues his mentor. Hamid reveals that the Templars' new leader, William Henry Sleeman, hopes to use the Precursor box to unravel the Koh-i-Noor's secrets, prompting Arbaaz to follow Sleeman and his men into an underground Precursor temple. After making his way past ancient death traps, Arbaaz confronts Sleeman, just as the latter unlocks a map showing the locations of other Precursor sites around the globe. Sleeman fires his gun at Arbaaz, who dodges the shot and lets it a Precursor structure, causing a chain reaction that results in the entire temple collapsing. Escaping back to the surface, Arbaaz reunites with Hamid and learns that the Templars are organizing an expedition to

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...

, one of the locations shown on the map. Arbaaz travels to

Herat Herāt (; Dari/Pashto: هرات) is an oasis city and the third-largest city in Afghanistan. In 2020, it had an estimated population of 574,276, and serves as the capital of Herat Province, situated south of the Paropamisus Mountains (''Se ...

, where the British have occupied the

citadel A citadel is the most fortified area of a town or city. It may be a castle, fortress, or fortified center. The term is a diminutive of ''city'', meaning "little city", because it is a smaller part of the city of which it is the defensive core. ...

in the center of the city and are being besieged by Afghan forces. Arbaaz opens the gates of the citadel to let the Afghans in and create a distraction, allowing him to explore the Precursor site underneath the citadel. He finds another artifact, but before he can retrieve it, he is held at gunpoint and captured by Sleeman and the Templars. Arbaaz is taken to the Katasraj Temple in

Punjab, Pakistan Punjab (, ) is a Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Pakistan. With a population of over 127 million, it is the Demographics of Pakistan, most populous province in Pakistan and the List of first-level administrative divisions by popu ...

, where he escapes and discovers that Sleeman left the Koh-i-Noor and the Precursor box behind, to be guarded by his right-hand man, Alexander Burnes. Arbaaz bests Burnes in combat, but chooses to spare his life; this earns him Burnes' respect, who orders his men to allow Arbaaz to leave with the diamond and the box. Arbaaz returns to

Amritsar Amritsar, also known as Ambarsar, is the second-List of cities in Punjab, India by population, largest city in the India, Indian state of Punjab, India, Punjab, after Ludhiana. Located in the Majha region, it is a major cultural, transportatio ...

, only to learn from Hamid that the Templars have taken over the Maharaja's Summer Palace and are holding Pyara hostage. Arbaaz infiltrates the palace and confronts Sleeman, who orders him to hand over the Koh-i-Noor and the Precursor box while holding Pyara at knifepoint. Arbaaz tosses the artifacts into the air just as Pyara stabs Sleeman with her own knife, forcing him to let her go. After Arbaaz and Pyara escape to safety, the former reveals that he managed to grab the Koh-i-Noor in the confusion, but the box has been lost to the Templars; he proclaims that the Brotherhood will one day recover it. Some time later, Arbaaz gives the Koh-i-Noor to Ethan Frye, a British Assassin and the father of Jacob and Evie Frye, for safekeeping.

''Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia''

''Chronicles:'' ''Russia'' is set in early 20th-century Soviet Russia, in the aftermath of the

October Revolution The October Revolution, also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution (in Historiography in the Soviet Union, Soviet historiography), October coup, Bolshevik coup, or Bolshevik revolution, was the second of Russian Revolution, two r ...

of 1917, and follows Nikolai Orelov, the protagonist of the comic book '' Assassin's Creed: The Fall'' and its graphic novel sequel, ''

The Chain "The Chain" is a song by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, released on their 1977 album '' Rumours''. It is the only song from the album with writing credits for all five members (Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, Christine McVie, John ...

''. In 1918, Nikolai contemplates retiring from the Assassin Brotherhood and leaving the country with his family, but agrees to perform one final mission: to recover the Precursor box, which is believed to be in the possession of the Romanov family. On the night of 16–17 July, he travels to

Yekaterinburg Yekaterinburg (, ; ), alternatively Romanization of Russian, romanized as Ekaterinburg and formerly known as Sverdlovsk ( ; 1924–1991), is a city and the administrative centre of Sverdlovsk Oblast and the Ural Federal District, Russia. The ci ...

and infiltrates the house where former Tsar Nicholas II and his family are being held, only to witness their

execution Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty and formerly called judicial homicide, is the state-sanctioned killing of a person as punishment for actual or supposed misconduct. The sentence ordering that an offender be punished in ...

at the hands of Templar agents infiltrated within the

Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...

, who also seek the box. Nikolai discovers that the Tsar's youngest daughter,

Anastasia Anastasia (from ) is a feminine given name of Greek and Slavic origin, derived from the Greek word (), meaning "resurrection". It is a popular name in Eastern Europe. Origin The name Anastasia originated during the Early Christianity, early d ...

, survived the massacre and has the box, which somehow links her to Shao Jun, giving her the latter's memories and abilities, which she is unable to control. Taking pity on Anastasia, Nikolai decides to take her back to the Brotherhood in the hope that they could help her. Pursued by both the Templars and the

Bolsheviks The Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, were a radical Faction (political), faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP) which split with the Mensheviks at the 2nd Congress of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, ...

, the two escape Yekaterinburg on a train headed to

Kazan Kazan; , IPA: Help:IPA/Tatar, ɑzanis the largest city and capital city, capital of Tatarstan, Russia. The city lies at the confluence of the Volga and the Kazanka (river), Kazanka Rivers, covering an area of , with a population of over 1. ...

, arriving there in September, in the midst of the Red Army's attempt to retake the city. Nikolai leaves to find his old friend,

Leon Trotsky Lev Davidovich Bronstein ( – 21 August 1940), better known as Leon Trotsky,; ; also transliterated ''Lyev'', ''Trotski'', ''Trockij'' and ''Trotzky'' was a Russian revolutionary, Soviet politician, and political theorist. He was a key figure ...

, only to discover that the latter, believing Anastasia to be too dangerous as a symbol to be left alive, has allied with the Templars. Trotsky betrays Nikolai to the Templars, who torture him for the location of Anastasia and the Precursor box. Anastasia manages to rescue Nikolai, and together they escape Kazan by stealing a boat. Nikolai and Anastasia sail to

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

, where the two are separated upon meeting the other Assassins, who take Anastasia away to experiment on her and find a possible cure for her condition. Nikolai is instructed to return to the Assassins' bureau to report about his recent experiences, but overhears two Assassins talking about how Anastasia is now a living Precursor artifact and that they must extract Jun's memories from her, likely killing her in the process. Caring for Anastasia and enraged by the Assassins' lies, Nikolai decides to betray the Brotherhood to save the girl. After interrogating an Assassin, he learns that Anastasia was taken to the

Kremlin The Moscow Kremlin (also the Kremlin) is a fortified complex in Moscow, Russia. Located in the centre of the country's capital city, the Moscow Kremlin (fortification), Kremlin comprises five palaces, four cathedrals, and the enclosing Mosco ...

, and proceeds to make his away across the city while avoiding his former Assassin brothers, who now have orders to kill him. After infiltrating the facility where Anastasia is being kept, Nikolai rescues her and the two work together to escape back to the city. Once there, the Assassins try to kill them using a tank, but Nikolai is able to destroy it. Afterwards, Nikolai gives Anastasia false documents originally intended for his wife, providing her with a new identity, Anna Anderson, and a means to leave the country unnoticed. The two part ways, with Anastasia planning to start a new life in

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

, and believing that she will be able to keep Jun's memories under control.

Secret ending

A secret ending can be unlocked in ''Chronicles:'' ''Russia'' by inputting hidden codes found throughout all three games. The ending takes place in the modern day, where Templar agent Juhani Otso Berg meets up with the Head of Operations at Abstergo Industries, Laetitia England. Berg, who has recently studied the memories of Assassin-turned-Templar Shay Cormac to learn more about the Precursor box, presents it to England, who instructs him to take it to Dr. Álvaro Gramática in secret. Gramática claims the box to be instrumental in the success of Abstergo's Phoenix Project.

Development and release

''China'' was announced in September 2014 as part of the season pass for '' Assassin's Creed Unity''. On March 31, 2015, it was announced that ''China'' was part of a trilogy, with ''India'' and ''Russia'' to be released at a later time. The trilogy was developed by Climax Studios in association with

Ubisoft Montreal Ubisoft Divertissements Inc., doing business as Ubisoft Montreal, is a Canadian video game developer and a studio of Ubisoft based in Montreal. The studio was founded in April 1997 as part of Ubisoft's growth into worldwide markets, with subs ...

. ''China'' was released on April 21, 2015, for

and

. ''China'' is the first title in the franchise to utilize Epic Games' Unreal Engine 3. On December 8, 2015, Ubisoft announced that ''India'' would be released on January 12, 2016, and ''Russia'' would be released on February 9, 2016, alongside a collection of the three games titled ''Trilogy Pack''. A

version of the Trilogy Pack was released on April 5, 2016.

Reception

''Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China'' received "mixed or average" reviews from critics upon release, according to

review aggregator A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews and ratings of products and services, such as films, books, video games, music, software, hardware, or cars. This system then stores the reviews to be used for supporting a website where user ...

Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...

. ''Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India'' received "mixed or average" reviews from critics upon release, according to review aggregator Metacritic. ''Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia'' received "mixed or average" reviews from critics upon release, according to review aggregator Metacritic.

References

{{Assassin's Creed 2015 video games 2016 video games Action-adventure games Chronicles British India in fiction Cultural depictions of Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia Video games about dissociative identity disorder Video game interquels PlayStation 4 games PlayStation Network games PlayStation Vita games Side-scrolling video games Single-player video games Stealth video games Ubisoft games Unreal Engine 3 games Video games developed in the United Kingdom Video games featuring female protagonists Video games scored by Mark Rutherford Video games set in China Video games set in Macau Video games set in India Video games set in Moscow Video games set in Russia Video games set in the British Empire Video games set in the Russian Empire Video games set in Sikh Empire Video games set in the Soviet Union Video games set in the 1520s Video games set in the 1530s Video games set in the 1910s Video games set in 2015 Windows games Xbox One games Video games set in the 1840s Fiction set in 1841 Fiction set in 1917 Fiction set in 1918 Cultural depictions of Nicholas II of Russia Cultural depictions of Leon Trotsky