In accordance with previous reports, Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate – 2015’s installment in the lucrative clandestine franchise – will feature brother-sister protagonists Jacob and Evie Frye, inhabitants of an unforgiving Victorian London circa 1868.
Speaking during today’s reveal, Ubisoft representatives described the pair as two very distinct personas, with Jacob existing as a much more brash and confrontational assassin, while his sister Evie has been billed as a master of stealth and deception. As we previously reported, players will enjoy the freedom of switching between the Frye siblings at will, though certain missions will require you to control one character or another in a similar vein to Grand Theft Auto V.
Taking control of a gang within the underbelly of Victorian London, Syndicate will once again orbit around themes of corruption and the social disparities between the haves and have nots. Alongside you for this plight will be your gang of renegades, not to mention cameo roles for Charles Dickens and biologist Charles Darwin, with the Ubisoft Quebec team striving to implement a tangible realism into the upcoming sequel as players look to dismantle the Templars once more.
In addition to this, the English setting also presents budding assassins with a myriad of outlets for traversal, be it the horse-strung carriages or inventive grappling hook which allows players to quickly take to the rooftops when the going gets tough.
“The ability to lead an underground gang, commandeer any vehicle on hand and use modern tools to take on an expansive and fast-paced Victorian London sets this game apart,” said Marc-Alexis Côté, creative director, Ubisoft. “Assassin’s Creed Syndicate has been in development for more than two years and this new modern take on the living open world will please Assassin’s Creed fans and newcomers alike.”
During the presentation, Ubisoft doubled down on the combat system within Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate, which has been billed as the fastest and most responsive set of fighting mechanics that the series has ever produced. Fans can also take solace in the studio’s candid approach to the controversy surrounding last year’s Unity, and assured the ardent AC community that this year’s installment won’t stumble into the same technical pitfalls.
Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate will launch for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC on October 23. For now, you can feast your eyes on Ubisoft’s photorealistic rendition of Victorian London using the gallery below.
