By far one of Ubisoft's most popular and lucrative properties, Assassin's Creed has been ongoing for fifteen years now, and Assassin's Creed 2 is considered by many fans to be the best game in the series. While many factors have contributed to the series' continued success, one of the more underrated factors in its popularity is the series' sense of humor. Assassin's Creed 2 may be best known for how it captures key moments in history, but its most iconic joke was made as a reference to gaming history.
The story of a secret fraternity and the Assassins' ongoing fight against the Templars may have seen some changes over the years, but part of what has made the games so enduring is how they have made players feel a personal connection with the past. Fans who had given little thought to the French Revolution outside of Les Miserables could easily slip into the role of someone navigating through it. The Italian Renaissance and its many political struggles could much more easily hold the attention of the average player when given the opportunity to test out inventions with Leonardo da Vinci. The games have taken the seemingly untouchable historical figures they portray and made them very human. They grieve, they fall in love, and very often they crack jokes.
Ezio's Journey to Uncle Mario's
While the franchise has seen a great many protagonists over the years, more than a few of them have showcased a more comedic side to the usually somber brotherhood. The Frye twins often acted as comedic foils to each other, Edward teased everyone he encountered on his journey, and even the notably reserved Connor had a mission that involved him loudly complaining as he tried and failed to herd pigs. By far the most memorable bit in the series is seen in Assassin's Creed 2. A young Ezio Auditore, recently having lost his home, father, and brothers, is on the run from the law with his sister and catatonic mother. When he's attacked on the road, he's saved by his uncle, who introduces himself by saying "It's a-me, Mario!".
The Super Mario reference may have been jarring to players upon their first time playing the game. While the franchise has never been a stranger to Easter eggs, the meta joke was a bit of a shock, especially after many had played the notably more stoic Altair in the first Assassin's Creed. This modern joke in an otherwise fairly historical game has remained in the minds of fans ever since, which would prove to be the perfect introduction to the character who delivered the line.
Ezio's uncle Mario acts as the players' introduction to a very different brotherhood that takes a much more literal read of the creed's maxim to work in the shadows. While Mario is much more flamboyant than the leader of the order fans had seen before, it's through him that players learn how the secret fraternity has changed. By now in the Assassin's Creed timeline, the brotherhood no operates underground rather than openly, and many customs like the removal of a finger to prove fealty have been abandoned to make it easier to hide. Despite the need to be inconspicuous, the introduction to this new normal starts with a joke.
Without sacrificing the elaborate story being told, most Assassin's Creed titles manage to incorporate a fair amount of humorous elements into their games to balance out the much more serious subjects covered in their narratives, which often include international conspiracies or potential world-ending events. While the story of the Assassin Brotherhood seems to be heading toward a darker tone overall, longtime fans of the series may find themselves missing the campier elements of the early games.
Assassin's Creed: The Ezio Collection is available now for Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Xbox One
