The Acolyte Podcast

With each game, mechanics seem to be forgotten or not improved upon. I guess that's what happens when you have multiple studios making an anthology-style series. It's really quite stupid to do, in my opinion. However, in this episode I go over some of my favorite mechanics and if I could take them from one game and insert it into another in order to improve the experience and elevating that partic...

I present to you, my series titled "Revisited: Assassin's Creed."  And in this series I will be revisiting every mainline game, including the Chronicles titles, and giving some updated thoughts and doing something that I love to do which is talking about the games, of course! Every episode will be released on the last Wednesday of the month. So, I'll start with O.G. Assassin's Creed and work my wa...

In this series, I'm ranking in order, from worst to first, my favorite playable characters from any mainline game or DLC. This is the first episode and will be released continually throughout the rest of the year between the General Discussion and Revisited Series episodes, in the middle of the month.

Ladies and gentlemen! Assassins and Hidden Ones! Welcome to Season 2 of  "The Acolyte Podcast!"   To kick things off for 2025, I'm discussing the franchise roadmap that has been "revealed" for the upcoming projects over the next 5 years and taking a deep dive (or leap of faith) into the interesting future that awaits Assassin's Creed. -The Hooded Shadow

At the end of every year, I will be doing the traditional "Game of the Year" discussion that everbody seems to do. I'm going to add a twist to it though, so instead of a "GOTY" of a game released in it's respective year, I will be doing a game that I finished a playthrough of. It doesn't have to be released in that current year, however. I have two "FGOTY's" for 2024, and the first is  Star Wars J...

At the end of every year, I will be doing the traditioinal "Game of the Year" discussion that every game content creator or publication does. However, I will put a twist on it. Instead of a "GOTY" of whatever released in it's respective year, I want to give my "favorite" game of the year, something that I played and finished a playthrough of, for the current year, but it doesn't have to be release...

Well here we are again. The  Assassin's Creed  franchise is once again at a crossroads. Everything I needed to say was said in this episode. I'll always carry this franchise in my heart, but I lack faith in the vision and people who are sheperding it into the future. Moreover, I've got some cool episodes lined up for Season 2, starting January 1st, but before that the next 2 episodes this month wi...

Wait...I have an idea! Or several unique ones for different aspects of  Assasson's Creed.  These ideas have been ruminating, most of them anyway, for a few years and are kind of like a "pie in the sky," wishful thinking, here's how I would improve upon these things. This is Part 4 of a 4-part series, which will all be released sequentially through the end of November. Thanks for listening! youtube...

Wait...I have an idea! Or several unique ones for different aspects of  Assassin's Creed. These ideas have been ruminating, most of them anyway, for a few years and are kind of like a "pie in the sky", wishful thinking, here's how I would improve upon these things. This is Part 3 & will be a 4-part series,  which will all be released sequentially through the end of November.

Wait...I have an idea! Or several unique ones for different aspects of  Assassin's Creed. These ideas have been ruminating, most of them anyway, for a few years and are kind of like a pie in the sky, wishful thinking, "here's how I would improve upon these things." This is Part 2 & will be a 4-part series, which will all be released sequentially through the end of November.

Wait...I have an idea! Or several unique ones for different aspects of  Assassin's Creed . These ideas have been ruminating, most of them anyway, for a few years and are kind of like a pie in the sky, wishful thinking, "here's how I would improve upon these things." This is Part 1 of a 4-part series, which will all be released sequentially through the end of November.

You can do a case study of the "evolution" of the  Assassin's Creed  franchise and after formulating a massive headache, then you *might* be able to have an informed opinion of it. A lot of opinionated gamers have varying degrees of how much these games have changed over it's 16+ year history. Is it really an evolution or was it a major, even necessary, change that occured? So in this episode, I g...

When the Assassin's Creed  Netflix show was announced in 2020, then reannounced in 2022, it seemed to be a long time coming for a franchise that was about to celebrate it's 15th birthday. Being one of the biggest brands in video games, it only seemed like a matter of time before we recieved a television series to synchronize with. There are some reservations about this, however, because the prevai...

There are many games in the development pipeline, currently, for  Assassin's Creed . Alongside the "flagship" titles that are  Shadows and Codename: Hexe , respectively, there's two multiplayer experiences, two (speculated) remakes, the "Modern Day" storyline making a return, and "smaller, classic-style" games too; all due for release by the end of the decade. One of these "classic-style" games is...

Assassin's Creed has largely been an anthology during it's existence. Each game would usually ignore what the last one did instead of building on narratives, characters, and gameplay systems with each entry. We have the Ezio Trilogy of games and a pseudo-trilogy with the Kenwa y Saga , but we almost had another trilogy. This one would have featured two of the most loved characters in the franchise...

Wait, I thought this was an Assassin's Creed podcast!? The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles  brand is still going strong today after seeing a plethora of comics and a movie having recently been released, as well as an upcoming TV show being in the works. After reading the comic The Last Ronin that concluded the era of the original Turtles, I loved it so much that TMNT is now one of my top franchises t...

Raise your hand if you've been waiting for Assassin's Creed to tackle the setting of Feudal Japan. It's been my most anticipated setting for over a decade, and it's finally happening! The first bit of gameplay was shown recently, and I have some thoughts about it. The gameplay demos have never WOWed me and I always feel different once I get my hands on the game, but something just felt off to me a...

I was inspired to make this episode after reading an article written by fan group The Ones Who Came Before that talks of a game set in the Aztec Empire. This has been one of the settings that I've wanted to see for a long time and there is a rumor that says it may be happening!?!? I talk a bit about that and emerge from the shadows to present my opinion on how awesome it could be to have an Assass...

Despite being the star of Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China and having a major role in Ezio's life (and short movie,  "Embers" ), not to mention the Assassin with one of the dopest designs, a Shao Jun game has never materialized. A lot of fans have clamored profusely over the years for an experience as the titular Assassin, even though there have been several transmedia projects that tell a lot o...

Even though we technically have seen the Spanish Inquisition setting in the transmedia, being the movie and a mobile game (Rebellion), it has not appeared in a mainline game as of yet. It is one that I would really like to see, however, for a plethora of reasons. I go into detail as to why and try to will the game into existence.

Some dork on YouTube (I don't remember his channel name) called Mirage "Fast Food Gaming." And even though I think the brand as a whole and  Ubisoft's development strategy appropriately deserve this title, Mirage does not. For context, I didn't watch the video itself and this title was in the thumbnail, so maybe I don't have the proper context for this YouTuber's (asinine) opinion. People like to...

Assassin's Creed Codename: Hexe caught the attention of everyone when it was announced in 2022. And even though it's not scheduled for release for a few more years, we just recieved a recent report from Tom Henderson of Insider Gaming giving details on the atmosphere of the setting and a couple gameplay details that have proven to be a bit controversial. I discuss here the amazing potential of thi...

Here is a "unique" topic that most  Assassin's Creed podcasts don't really talk about. In " Unique Ideas ," I just give a brief summary of some...ideas I'd like to see implemented in future experiences. I may do a "Part 2" at some point, but for now enjoy this episode! ( Spoiler Warning: There is definitely going to be a Part 2!)

Over the years, there have been rumors and requests for a " Bayek sequel" that has never come to fruition. As he is my, as well as many others', favorite character in the franchise, many have called for more stories from this beloved character that appeared in 2017's Assassin's Creed: Origins . In this episode, I give my thoughts on what my ideal Bayek sequel would look like and take inspiration f...

In this bonus episode, recorded in 2022, I vent about the state of where Assassin's Creed was as a brand after the most recent era that just concluded (RPG/Mythological) and give a rant about my pessimism of A.C. moving forward. I lament the days when it was a unique, historical/sci-fi, genre bending IP as it has now transitioned into a mythological, unrealistic experience, that some have said nee...