Among the many projects that have been revealed by Ubisoft,Assassin’s Creed Hexehas drawnfans' attention due to its creepier, darker presentation when compared toAssassin’s Creed RedandAssassin’s Creed Mirage,leading some to suspectHexemight actually be a horror game in disguise. TheAssassin’s Creedfranchise has been a series that’s continuously evolved and innovated over the years, with each new game tackling a new period of history and adding to the lore behind its fantasy sci-fi roots, so the suspicion that the series might be expanding into horror isn’t unfounded. Ultimately, fans are curious just how much horrorHexemight bring to the world ofAssassin’s Creed.
For the most part,Assassin’s Creedhas adhered to a tried-and-tested formula that’s remained consistent throughout the games, whether this comes in the form of the Animus protagonists use to explore the past or the iconic hidden blade. But each game has always sought to introduce something new, such asAssassin’s Creed Syndicateletting players pick between two gendered characters toAssassin’s Creed Odyssey’sRPG-style in-game choicesand dialogue options.Hexecould therefore be bringing with it tropes and traditions normally found in the horror genre to help distinguish it from the likes ofMirageorRed.
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Positioning Hexe Alongside Mirage and Red
Though severalAssassin’s Creedprojects were announced all at once byUbisoft,Mirage, Red,andHexestood out, as the other projects did not appear to be fully-fledged traditional games.Assassin’s Creed Jade, for example, will be exclusively for mobile platforms, whileAssassin’s Creed Infinitycould be Ubisoft’s attempt at its own metaverse-style platform. Of these three projects,Redappears to be the continuation of the series' current format, whileMirageis being characterized as a return to the games' more classic beginnings. This means thatHexewill have to forge a different identity for itself.
Already, Ubisoft has made it clear thatHexeis going to be something a bit different, and the only avenue really left forHexeto diverge down is its genre, and with limited options for genres to explore, horror seems easiest to adapt toAssassin’s Creedand ultimately the likeliest. Since players have already theorized based on the teaser thatHexewill be set in Germanyand potentially analogous toAssassin’s Creed Valhallain an early European setting,Hexemight lean more on the recent games' fantasy elements to create a more supernatural story.
How Hexe Might Introduce Horror to Assassin’s Creed
Since “hexe” is German for “witch,” this not only supports the theory of the game’s setting but alludes to its potential historical framing and narrative focus. WhileAssassin’s CreedUnityandSyndicateboth utilized their respective French and Industrial Revolutions as backdrops to their stories, so too mightHexeuse Germany’s history of witch hunts and trials. With the series embracing its morefantastical elements like the Isu,Hexecould be preparing to take this further than any previousAssassin’s Creedgame, as it could make “witchcraft” a direct part of its gameplay.
As a result, ifHexeis about witches - or rather characters perceived to be witches - then the game is likely to lean into this narrative. Connotations of evil, immorality, and more are surely going to follow, andHexe’steaser hintsas much. Between the shadowy forest imagery and logo seemingly inspired by the likes ofThe Blair Witch Project, Ubisoft has already laid the foundations of a darker, paranormal game.
Consequently, the game might diverge from the traditionalAssassin’s Creedexperience and instead focus on areas of gameplay and story best fitting for horror interpretations. For example,Hexecould take influence fromAssassin’s CreedRevelationsand present a story where its modern-day protagonist is trapped in an Animus and forcibly reliving their ancestor’s memories, fighting for their survival with no outside help. This might then increase the need for greater stealth, give more nuanced moral weight to killing, and introduce monstrous enemies corrupted by “magic”, the Animus itself, or whatever supernatural forces lie withinHexe.
Assassin’s Creed Hexeis in development.
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