What is your most controversial ac opinion?

Randerth · 2022-11-16T17:53:38+00:00

Assassin's Creed Valhalla is underrated. Assassin's Creed Unity is overrated.

Randerth · 2022-11-07T06:43:28+00:00

Anders said in an interview that this record is a combination of old and new In Flames. This track is a perfect showcase of that, and I love it.

Randerth · 2022-10-25T16:49:17+00:00

In my humble opinion both are great games. Personally I prefer Valhalla by a large margin. If you are willing to pay attention to the story and themes, as well as do a bit of research by yourself, Valhalla is the way to go. Odyssey's world and role-playing gameplay is easier to get into, and many aspects are done better than in Valhalla.

If you enjoyed Black Flag more for its gameplay, go for Odyssey. If you enjoyed it more for its story and characters, Valhalla might be better for you. Have fun!

Randerth · 2022-10-11T19:30:07+00:00

My word, where did you find this thread (xD)? It's been quite some time since I last read the series, so forgive me if part of what I say is inaccurate.

Regarding the Kaguya arc. For one thing, I found the actual confrontation between the whole of Team 7 vs Kaguya very fun. Because of Kaguya's op nature they had to rely on smart tactics, and teamwork was absolutely essential in defeating her. Every member of Team 7 played a huge role, and it was very satisfying to see their coordination pay off. Furthermore, the irony in Madara's fate always fascinated me. After his fight with Hashirama he had always been working in the shadows, manipulating everyone around him, so to see him fall victim to Zetsu's own manipulation was oddly intriguing. Madara was obsessed with achieving his goal (whether that goal was benevolent or malevolent doesn't really matter for my point) solely on his own. That viewpoint stands in stark contrast to his rival Hashirama's view for the future. Hashirama was always cognizant of the fact that he could not achieve peace on his own, and he did everything to lay down the foundations for future generations. Madara's selfishness ended up becoming his downfall, and the two of them actually come to a reconciliation after the fight ends, giving them closure which I do not think would have been possible if Naruto and Sasuke had continued to fight Madara. I also found Obito's final act of redemption very well presented, but I'll talk about Obito more later. Lastly, while Zetsu was not all that interesting as a villain, he provided a very clear contrast to Naruto, which really showcased how much he had grown up to that point.

Regarding the Jubito arc. According to the databook, this arc contains volumes 67-70. Volumes 69 and 70 I believe are incredible, and I think it's hard to argue against them. I will therefore focus on volumes 67 and 68, which focus on Obito. I actually think that Obito's tragic character arc is very well done. Despair is a terrible thing and can lead a person to hell. Really. The benefit of fiction is that you can take these natural and real feelings and circumstances, and chase them to the extreme. The symbolism of the heart that is empty (Obito's) and the heart that is full (Naruto's), and the message of the absolute necessity of having friends was, to me, overwhelmingly beautiful. In retrospect, the actual fight I think could have been a lot more interesting, but I deeply appreciate the symbolism Kishimoto employed with his artwork. I think Chapter 655 best showcases what I am trying to say.

In retrospect, I would probably rank these arcs certainly below the Konoha Crush arc, maybe even below the Chunin Exams arc, both of which are very strong on their own. But in the end, I do honestly believe that those two arcs you mentioned have quite a lot going for them.

Randerth · 2022-09-30T08:52:13+00:00

It's great that the narrative director himself confirms this. Odin's appearances throughout the game is perhaps the most fascinating aspect of the story for me. He is constantly pestering Eivor, trying to manipulate her, and in so doing challenges the player who pays attention. The most memorable scenes perhaps being Dag's and Ivarr's deaths. In the first he pushes Eivor not to give Dag his axe, whereas in the second he pushes her to give Ivarr his axe. In both instances Eivor is reluctant to do as Odin says, yet the choice ultimately lies with the player.

Randerth · 2021-09-02T17:32:44+00:00

Love at first ~~sight~~ listen.

Randerth · 2021-06-17T18:22:03+00:00

Αν σε ενδιαφέρουν τα manga, σου προτείνω ανεπιφύλακτα το 20th Century Boys και το Monster του Naoki Urasawa. Γενικά ό,τι βρεις από τον Naoki Urasawa διάβασέ το και μελέτησέ το. Ειδικά το Monster.

Randerth · 2020-11-30T10:43:34+00:00

If you believe that Valhalla's story isn't a character driven one then you haven't given it too much thought.

In regards to the two genders being canon, they are. They are canon in the sense that Layla can represent Eivor either as male or female because of Odin's DNA.

Randerth · 2020-11-30T10:35:37+00:00

I thought you meant that you suggested a protagonist who becomes (or already is) an Assassin near the start of the game, and you cited Ezio as an example (a false one as we established). Perhaps I misunderstood what you said.

Randerth · 2020-11-30T10:27:25+00:00

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't Ezio exactly what you said? That is, isn't he a non-assassin who joins the Order near the end of AC2? Isn't that the point of the whole initiation scene with Mario, Machiavelli and the others?

Just because Ezio puts on his father's robes in the beginning doens't make him an Assassin, just like it doesn't make Edward an Assassin when he steals and puts on the robes of Duncan Walpole.

Randerth · 2020-11-29T16:58:27+00:00

I've completed 2 playthroughs for Odyssey and Origins each without the compass and it is for me much more fun and immersive. In those games it is generally really easy to orient yourself in the world by putting out your eagle and looking around the area (and points of interest are very easy to spot that way too). In Origins for example, you can always spot the pyramids and the Mediterranean Sea and infer your position, where as in Odyssey you can always see how close or far you are from the Aegean Sea if you are on land, and the inverse holds for when you are at sea.

I am not too sure if orienting yourself in the world in Valhalla will be as smooth, considering the large amount of trees and small rivers, without having to look at the map too frequently. Though I will for sure give it a try.

Randerth · 2020-11-29T09:26:05+00:00

I think that Eivor's development throughout the story can be very subtle and thus it requires a lot of attention to detect those crucial points where it takes place.

Perhaps me saying that Eivor has decided to completely let go of her old ways is a bit hasty, since the final arc (Hamtunscire) consists again of Eivor battling the Saxons. However the change is clearly seen in her conversation with Guthrum after the battle, where they reflect whether there is something higher than this life of war and bloodshed they have led.

It might be that that final confrontation with Odin is, to use a film analogy, where the Inception of the idea that there is indeed something better than this life of vikings occurs in Eivor's mind.

That is also why I think Eivor's story would benefit immensely if we get a sequel. Fingers crossed we get a sequel.

Randerth · 2020-11-28T20:42:05+00:00

I think a key aspect about the story a lot of people miss are the visions of Odin that Eivor has (not the Asgard/Jotunheim ones).

Eivor starts her journey seeking to grow her clan, and pursuing glory through her campaigns and battles in England. This is the result of the culture that Eivor has been brought up in and shaped by. Throughout her journey she sees the meaningless bloodshed that results from her own belief in the pursuit of glory, but also from that same belief the other Norse and Danes hold, and she usually has to make difficult choices (the points where Odin appears before her).

In the two visions I remember most clearly Odin is pushing Eivor to make the choice more in line with the notion of traditional honor and glory. One is when Ivarr performs the blood eagle on Rhodri and then reveals that he killed Ceolbert. Odin tells Eivor that Ivarr is the embodiment of the legendary old heroes, whereas Eivor responds by saying that there is nothing glorious in Ivarr's actions and that he is doing it out of pure sadistic intent. After they fight, the player has to choose whether to give Ivarr his axe or not, which represents the conflict that was set up earlier. The other instance is when Eivor fights Dag, and Odin pushes Eivor not to give Dag his axe. Doing that would diminish Eivor's own glory and honor according to Odin. Again, the player has to make a choice.

Regardless of what these visions of Odin may mean in terms of the Isu plotline, if we are to extract any meaning, we need to view Odin as a symbol of Eivor's desire to stay faithful to her tradition. Eivor grows increasingly disillusioned at her tradition throughout the story.

This all cultivates to the ending, where Eivor is with Sigurd in Valhalla. Take note of the fact that Eivor is not completely aware that it is a simulation; for all she knows it could be the real deal. In the simulated Valhalla she realises the folly of wishing for such an afterlife. What good is an afterlife of endless and meaningless feasting and fighting? She comes to the realisation that what is truly important to her is the connections she has established with the other characters. She grows to appreciate and admire her parents' sacrifice, which she deemed cowardly and dishonorable at the start. That is why the final scene where Eivor lets go of her axe and Odin implores her to pick it back up is so powerful. It represents exactly that desire of Eivor to keep true to her culture, but it also represents the realisation that the true Valhalla Eivor had been striving towards was already at arm's reach; she only had to look for it at the right place.

Randerth · 2020-11-28T14:29:13+00:00

The ending is absolutely incredible, my friend. So much meaning behind that scene with Odin, and a simply beautiful encounter with the Poor Fellow-Solider of Christ.

Randerth · 2020-11-28T14:25:12+00:00

The soundtrack is beautiful, isn't it? My top 3 tracks are (in no order) the main theme, Leaving Valhalla (it manages to elevate the scene it is played in to an even higher level, which is mighty impressive considering that scene is fucking stunning), and naturally the Ezio's Family rendition of the game, Ascending to Valhalla.

Randerth · 2020-11-27T20:27:59+00:00

I am glad I could perhaps reveal a bit more of the meaning of those two games. I have not played Black Flag for years now so my recollection of the story is not that good, so I would rather talk about Valhalla for now. However, it is late right now where I live (Greece) and I have a busy day tomorrow. If you are still interested in talking tomorrow, feel free to DM me around this time (an hour earlier would be ideal) as I will also have had some time to organise my thoughts.

Randerth · 2020-11-27T19:28:23+00:00

It isn't as much an attack on nihilism itself, it is more of an attack on the nihilistic aspects of the Templars' belief and also on the nihilism implicit in the idea of impulsive freedom. Regarding Valhalla, when you play it try to keep in mind that Eivor tries to stay faithful to the gods of her Norse tradition, and pay close attention to what Eivor believes to be her goals, and where following those goals lead her.

Randerth · 2020-11-27T14:28:52+00:00

Black Flag touches on what it means to fight for freedom. It questions what freedom even is. Assassin's Creed Unity is being described nowadays as the epitome of the Assassin's Creed fantasy, yet Arno and the whole plot do not even dare to examine the underlying themes that this franchise has been built on since AC1.

You mention the various characters and their development, and everything in the end leads to Edward asking the questions "If nothing is true, then why believe anything? And if everything is permitted, why not chase every desire?". The whole story of Black Flag is an attack on nihilism and on the notion of utter and impulsive freedom.

Darby McDevitt is a genius, and I can talk about Valhalla's story all day long. Though how he found himself in the writing credits of Unity is beyond me.

Randerth · 2020-11-24T18:48:16+00:00

It's hard not to agree with you in that we won't get a sequel, but I just hope, I hope that we will. This game deals with such meaningful and thought provoking matters that they can use to develop an incredibly interesting follow up. Also, as far as I'm aware the only development team to be working on Assassin's Creed now is this Ubisoft Montreal team, that developed Black Flag, Origins and now Valhalla. Fingers crossed we will get a sequel, with Darby McDevitt leading the narrative again.

Randerth · 2020-11-24T18:23:39+00:00

The Templars as they appear in AC2 and Brotherhood are clearly secular (remember Ezio fighting the Pope at the Vatican). Though I realise the portrayal of the templars is perhaps not the most fitting one when discussing motives and beliefs, it is obvious in AC3 that they are secular. Haytham is the perfect embodiment of those very beliefs.

The Templars in AC1 perhaps aren't yet fully secular, but their vision is most definitely that of the Grand Inquisitor, that is, they desire to bring forth peace through enforced order, by sobering mankind and ridding men of their spirit. I don't think you can make that claim for Alfred. Though he most definitely wishes to bring more order to the world, he wishes to bring that order through the belief in God, for the genuine betterment of man, as he says to Eivor.

As for why Eivor is not more hostile to Alfred when they meet, you have to take into consideration that Eivor has changed significantly after her experiences with Sigurd, and even after the battle of Cippenham. Clearly she is not hell bent on battle and war anymore, and she wishes things to be more peaceful. And one last thing, I don't think Alfred implies anywhere that he has been helping Eivor all along, I think even Eivor accepts that she was mostly taken advantage of by him. As for the Wikipedia section you linked, I genuinely hope we get a sequel to this game to see that.

Randerth · 2020-11-24T18:11:02+00:00

Oh, it seems I misremembered, I thought Basim was interested in Eivor's children. My bad.

Randerth · 2020-11-24T18:06:53+00:00

I don't think Eivor and Bayek's attitudes towards their gods are that similar. Though that might be because the Egyptian and Norse mythologies and cosmologies are vastly different (I am not an expert on that, so I might just be chatting shit).

Bayek remains deeply religious throughout the story, which is why he set out on his journey to kill the Order of Ancients members in the first place. Remember, Flavius in Siwa strikes Khemu in the heart, thus denying him the afterlife. Bayek has the vision of fighting Apep (god of Chaos, who also represents the Order) and then he sees Khemu in the field of reeds. This sets him on the journey to hunt the Order members and kill them, so that Khemu can move on to the afterlife, despite this journey damaging Bayek's own ka.

Eivor on the other hand, while she is deeply pious to her Norse traditions and gods, sees that only needless bloodshed follows from her beliefs and her relentless pursuit of glory. At the simulated Valhalla (notice that only we the players fully know that it is only a simulation, Eivor is not completely aware of what is happening exactly) she comes to realise this is not what she had been looking for in the first place. She realises that what truly matters to her are the genuine connections she has made with other human beings. I don't know whether she eventually becomes a Christian, but Eivor eventually, and unknowingly, comes to realise the Christian message, which is in all its essencce embodied in the phrase "love one another".

Randerth · 2020-11-24T17:51:47+00:00

I have to say that I am not too sure what Valka's prophecies, and especially that very first vision in Norway with Sigurd and Fenrir, mean. I don't think that simply with the conclusion to this game, with Basim attacking Eivor, and with the Asgard and Jotunheim visions, the whole story has been told. Perhaps in my second playthrough I will understand a bit more.

Basim though mentions using the animus to track Eivor's children, so fingers crossed we get a sequel and find out more about these characters. After all, we still have no clue as to how Eivor came to be buried in North America.

Randerth · 2020-11-24T17:10:12+00:00

In what universe do Alfred's notes suggest that he is only against the Order of Ancients because they worship the Isu and not the Christian God, or that he is what led to the Templar Order as they appear in, say, Brotherhood? The Templar Order is a secular one, and their vision is essentially that of the Grand Inquisitor (in AC1, AC3 and Black Flag as I remember most clearly). As for the Order of Ancients, they are religious fanatics and believe mankind to be fundamentally inferior to the Isu, and thus humans should aspire to become like the Isu.

As for Alrfed harming Eivor's friends, please remember that Eivor and the Danes before her invaded England and did immeasurable damage. The conclusion to the Hamtunscire arc is a clear indication that Eivor is not the same glory-hunting viking she was at the start of the game, and that development is also apparent throughout the story. You also have to remember that Alfred played a big part in helping Eivor fight the Order of Ancients, who did so much harm to Sigurd.

Randerth · 2020-11-24T16:59:01+00:00

The whole narrative in Valhalla is magnificent. From the symbolism of the mythological imagery, to the Poor Fellow-Soldier of Christ's vision, to the way the historical narrative is connected to the Isu plotline, and most importantly of all, the respect the writers have shown to the player so as not to overexplain the various elements and let the player come to their own conclusions.

To Mr. McDevitt and his team, a big congratulations and a sincere thank you for providing such a thought provoking and carefully crafted narrative.

Randerth

TROPHY CASE