The Acolyte Podcast

One of my favorite things is to get info on a new Assassin's Creed game that is in development (sometimes more than playing the game itself) and boy did we just get a bombshell dropped on us by Stephen Totilo and additional information from Insider Gaming that talks of a now cancelled game set in the "Reconstruction Era" post-American Civil War. It sounded very interesting too...In this episode, I...

The young, charismatic protagonist of Assassin's Creed Unity has a strange relationship with me. On one hand, I don't like Arno's naivete and the fact that he blindly follows the woman he loves at the expense of being a dedicated Assassin but his performance and aura is incredible, and is probably the best in the series for any main character. So please enjoy my ranking of Arno Dorian. -The Hooded...

Remember when Assassin's Creed was one of the top of the line, needle moving, franchises that when a new game was announced, it took its place as one of the most hyped games of that particualr year? Well, Assassin's Creed doesn't feel like that anymore as they have released another huge title with a setting that was requested for a decade and nobody really talked about it in the general gaming dis...

Can you believe it's been 10 years since Syndicate released!?! Anyway, the Victorian Era set entry has seen its fair share of praise and criticism over that span of time. I very much have a like/hate relationship with this game that constantly affects where I put it on my rankings list. So, lets revisit Syndicate one last time. Thanks for listening!

While they are not mainline titles, probably the most overlooked or maybe least known entries in the franchise are the games in the Chronicles series. Chronicles covers three different time periods and therefore, lets us experience three different but familiar characters and their stories. Personally, I really enjoy these games, and even though they're not considered "mainline" releases, I just wa...

When we first saw the Crossover stories for Valhalla in late 2021, it sparked a passionate discourse on other characters appearing together. But this is not a new concept as we've seen ideas and fan fiction about this as far back as 2014. So, for the next entry in the "Unique Ideas" series, I thought I would add my two cents on other crossovers that I would like to see. Please enjoy! - The Hooded...

One of the most interesting characters to wear the iconic hidden blade. He was born in Samarra , was picking pockets in Anbar , began his path to a Hidden One in Alamut, then ultimately laid his roots in Baghdad . Basim is such an intriguing character from the time we first met him in Valhalla and then get to experience his origin story in Mirage . He just misses my Top 5, but I love Basim to deat...

A butterfly that flaps its wings can cause a tornado elsewhere. That is the definition of a "Butterfly Effect." Nothing else describes Unity better than this because it had arguably the biggest impact on the franchise by altering its trajectory after the culmination of its golden years. I remember the hype for the game, I remember being so incredibly blown away by its graphics and art design and t...

In this "Revisited: Assassin's Creed" epsiode, I am discussing the rise, fall, and legacy of the game that affected the trajectory of the franchise forever. Unity despite being in my Tier 1 Rankings, is a game that has a lot of great ideas but is hindered by its flaws. Even though I love the player experience it gives of being a Brotherhood Assasin , a lack of execution of those great ideas did th...

Aya definitely makes her prescence felt in Origins (in a good way). And while she's the other playable character in that respective game, she is one of the many reasons why Origins is among my favorite games in the franchise. Here is my ranking of Aya of Alexandria , later known as Amunet ). Be sure to check out my rankings of each playable character and it will continue through the rest of the se...

In this episode of my favorite characters ranking, I look at the better half of the Frye twins that stars in Syndicate . To be honest, I don't really care about Syndicate that much anymore and the only reason I ever boot up the game anymore is to run around Victorian London as Evie. Be sure to check out my other rankings episodes and thanks for listening! -The Hooded Shadow

In this continuation of the "Unique Ideas" series, I discuss a way to improve on the design of the open world structure of these games. Being influenced by a particular peer of Assassin's Creed , designing a dynamic mission structure system could breathe a massive amount of fresh air into the "stale" RPG design of the current games. For context, this episode is just a fun idea that I had and I'm n...

I cannot describe the level of hype that I felt when it was officially announced that the next setting that  Assassin's Creed  would take place in was the Viking Age. It was one of my top 5 settings that I had wanted to see for several years and it took place during the invasions by the Scandinavian warriors unto the British Isles. However, I was very disappointed with the outcome of Valhalla  bec...

In this episode of "Revisited: Assassin's Creed," I am going back through the black sheep of the family. Assassin's Creed Rogue continues the design formula of AC3 and Black Flag and gives a setting in the Seven Years War in Canada and the northeastern United States. I have a very volatile relationship with this game, so please check out the episode to find out why! -The Hooded Shadow

We see Adewale ' appear in a few experiences throughout the "Colonial Era" of games and he is eligible for this list because of Freedom Cry . And I immensely enjoy his character but sadly we don't get a lot from him throughout these experiences. Thanks for listening!

Welcome to Part 3 of my review of Assassin's Creed Shadows . In this final review episode, I give my final thoughts about the game and give my ranking of the newest entry into this long-standing franchise. Please check out Part 1-Narrative and Part 2-Gameplay if you would like. Thanks for listening! -The Hooded Shadow

Here is Part 2 of my review of  Assassin's Creed Shadows and in this episode, I will be discussing my thoughts about different aspects of the gameplay. Part 3 will be released next week and will reveal my final thoughts and Tier Ranking. Also, Part 1 is out now! -The Hooded Shadow

Here it is...my review of the newest entry in the Assassin's Creed franchise, is a 3 part review and will be released sequentially over the next couple of weeks. Part 1 is all about the narrative! Please enjoy and stay tuned for the other episodes on Assassin's Creed Shadows . -The Hooded Shadow

In this episode of "Revisited: Assassin's Creed" I'm giving another look at one of the most popular games in the franchise. My original Tier Ranking episode of Black Flag states that I think this is an amazing pirate game but just an ok Assassin's Creed game. I still feel that way but I give a bit more nuance here. Also, this is a good time to revisit with the rumored remake being revealed later t...

A brand new game from Chinese developer 24 Entertainment and NetEase just released a trailer for "Blood Message" and it has taken the video game world by storm. Interestingly enough though, the game looks like it takes all the best parts of games like Uncharted, Assassin's Creed, and God of War and brings them together to create what is seemingly an amalgamation of all the best of what they offer.

Welcome back to the ongoing "Unique Ideas" series. For the first appearance in Season 2, I want to give some love to the most iconic weapon for any Assassin , the hidden blade . For their need of giving players the autonomy of open ended play styles and builds but not allowing customization of the hidden blade is asinine. So, I decided to give my two cents on a "unique" way to achieve this while k...

Making his first appearance in  Assassin's Creed III,  we get to meet the father of main protagonist Connor and son of  Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag's  Edward Kenway.  In the prologue section of  ACIII,  you get to take control of  Haytham  for a few hours. While oozing charm, charisma, and badassness, Haytham just  barely eeks into my Top 10 of favorite characters for reasons that aren't his f...

The Dutch Golden Age of the 17th century, despite how relatively unknown a time period it is, was actually a very pivotal time in the history of the world. It has been said that this era was the progenitor to modern capitalism because the Dutch were a viable world power, that for a time, was competing with other major superpowers like France and England in economics, military, etc. In a way, this...

In this next episode of my "Revisited: Assassin's Creed" series, I discuss the game that really changed the game for the brand in a lot of ways. This game is also where my entry point into the franchise is. But all in all, Assassin's Creed 3 is a polarizing game and one that leaves it's mark. Thanks for listening! -The Hooded Shadow

The Red Dead series is very special to me. Not only does it feature my favorite time period in history but both games have a narrative that has stuck with me to this day. In this episode, I discuss if there will be another game in this franchise and what years it might be set in. Also, the first game, Red Dead Redemption is now 15 years old this month and I want to give love to these games that ha...