Highlights
- The Aztec Empire would be an ideal setting for future Assassin's Creed games due to its historical significance and storytelling potential.
- The Aztec mythology and religion align perfectly with the Isu and the broader narrative of Assassin's Creed, providing an opportunity to adapt various Aztec deities as Isu.
- The Aztec Empire offers unique weapons and gear options, such as the Aztec death whistle and obsidian variants of iconic weapons, making it visually unique for an Assassin's Creed game.
With Ubisoft outlining an ambitious scope of upcoming Assassin's Creed projects that will visit all sorts of regions and time periods, one well-known and distinctive era of history that a future Assassin's Creed game could feature could be the Aztec Empire. Given the Assassin's Creed series has a soft spot for history's most memorable periods, such as the Renaissance, the American Revolutionary War, and the Industrial Revolution, it's likely that Ubisoft will continue this with future Assassin's Creed games. As such, the Aztec Empire would be the ideal setting for Assassin's Creed both for its historical significance and the storytelling opportunity it could offer.
But while the Aztec Empire might visually appear closer to the likes of Ancient Egypt and Assassin's Creed Origins, the empire actually began towards the end of the Middle Ages meaning an Aztec-inspired game would take place parallel to Assassin's Creed 2 and Assassin's Creed Brotherhood. Though this might mean the overarching story of the Assassin's Creed franchise would need to be adapted for another game taking place halfway around the world during this period, the Aztec Empire has creative potential. Between Aztec gods and myths to the distinct architecture and craftsmanship, Assassin's Creed would be right at home in Mesoamerica.
Aztec Religion and Mythos is Perfect for the Isu
Since the most recent Assassin's Creed games have leaned more into the fantastical side of science fiction with players often battling with mythical creatures of the era, the Aztecs have an abundance of legendary monsters and gods that could serve the same purpose. Coincidentally, some of these mythical creatures can also tie into the broader narrative that Assassin's Creed has regarding the Isu, the First Civilization, and the constant cycle of destruction on Earth. In particular, the Aztec's creation mythology of the Five Suns aligns perfectly with this, providing Assassin's Creed the opportunity to adapt various Aztec deities such as Quetzalcoatl, Huitzilopochtli, Tlaloc, and more as Isu.
The Aztec pantheon goes much further than a few of its central deities, which would give an Assassin's Creed game set during this period the breathing room to freely adapt its mythology as required. Even historically the Aztec religious doctrine remained flexible when it came to differing beliefs, as many were subsumed into the broader belief system so long as Huitzilopochtli was officially recognized in minority faith. As such, the Aztec Empire could be incorporated into the Assassin's Creed lore as surviving Isu build a new civilization in the region per this mythos until the Spanish conquest brings Templars to the empire's doorstep.
Adding Aztec Flair to Assassin's Creed's Weapons and Gear
Similar to weapons and tools inspired by their time period like Assassin's Creed 3's Native American tomahawk or the trident from Assassin's Creed Odyssey, the Aztec Empire has its fair share of gear that could be added to the Brotherhood's arsenal. For the traditional stealth elements of Assassin's Creed, devices like the Aztec death whistle could become a signature tool to distract enemies and cause them to either leave or investigate the area. Meanwhile, unique weapons such as the Macuahuitl would make for interesting additions to Assassin's Creed for their distinctive look and as a balance for close-quarters combat.
In fact, the Aztecs were widely known for using obsidian to make their tools and weapons, which means many of Assassin's Creed's most iconic weapons like the Hidden Blade could have obsidian variants introduced if a game was set during the empire. Historically the Aztecs also used many of the weapons Assassin's Creed uses throughout the series, including axes, shields, spears, and dart guns—or blowpipes as they are called in the games. With designs that take after traditional Aztec craftsmanship with feathers, decorative stones, and animalistic imagery from snakes to birds, an Assassin's Creed game set during the Aztec Empire could be its most visually unique.