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Assassin's Creed: Ubisoft breaks the silence

Script writer sheds story revelations to our friends at Xbox World 360 magazine

Words: GamesRadar US

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After a cold and quiet few months, everyone's favorite French publisher Ubisoft has decided to break the silence on its Prince of Persia-meets-Hitman adventure, Assassin's Creed. Our colleagues at Xbox World 360 in the UK spoke to the game's script writer, Cory May, and you can find the entire interview right here.

Plus, check back next week for a full blow-out feature with new information and new photos. Until then...

Q: So, Cory, tell us about the main story to kick things off...
Our game takes place at the height of the Third Crusade. Crusader forces (under Richard the Lionheart) are fighting to regain the region from Saladin. The city of Jerusalem is their ultimate destination (having been conquered by Saladin several years prior to the start of our game). As the Saracens and Crusaders battle one another for control - the Assassins are working to find a way to end the hostilities. They see the war as pointless. There is no reason Crusaders and Saracens should not co-exist in peace. The Assassins are not allied with either side of the conflict, nor are they driven by a desire for profit or power. They are also not interested in furthering a religious agenda. In fact, they are generally opposed to most forms of organized religion (subscribing to the philosophy that "Nothing is true, everything is permitted.").

This means that the Crusaders (and the Saracens) are not the Assassin's true enemy. War is - as are those who exploit it. So to sum up: The Assassins are fighting to end the Third Crusade. Along the way they will discover a mysterious group that stands to gain a great deal by prolonging and intensifying the war. Once this enemy is discovered, it will be up to Altair and his Assassin brothers to stop them.

Q: What attracted you to the Middle Ages as a setting?
I think it's safe to say that the Crusades are an area we've wanted to explore for a long time, but we've been waiting for technology to reach a point where we can do it justice. It's not enough for us to simply set the game here - we needed to capture the experience of living during this tumultuous time (especially) the fusion of European and Middle Eastern art and architecture; the hustle and bustle of medieval city life; the intrigue and political machinations of regional leaders; the gritty nature of ancient combat; the air of mystery that surrounds the secret societies that rose to power around this time.