A consistent fixture of theAssassin’s Creedfranchise is the Animus. ForAssassin’s Creed Shadows,the Animus will form the backbone of a new franchise system called the Animus Hub. Previously known asCodename Infinity, the service will act as a one-stop shop for futureAssassin’s Creedcontent, including the new take on Anomalies.
Game Rant spoke to Animus Hub’s content director Ben Swinden about the ways the Hub will be used inAssassin’s Creed Shadows, specifically how the Anomalies will present themselves in the new title.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ Anomalies
Anomalies are nothing new. InAssassin’s Creed Valhalla, Layla “stepped” into the Viking age herself andsolved puzzles connected to audio logsfrom Loki and Aletheia. The Animus anomalies inAssassin’s Creed Shadowswill be very different, however, according to Swinden.
“They will be different from what you saw inValhalla, for example. With the launch ofAC Shadows, Anomalies provide new weekly quests rooted in the historical setting, leveraging core gameplay systems you’ll play as Naoe or Yasuke. These quests will give you new reasons to explore the world and fight challenging enemies in locations spread throughout Feudal Japan.”
That’s a striking difference from howanomalies were presented in ACValhalla. Rather than playing the present-day person using the Animus to explore puzzles, this time it will be Naoe and Yasuke facing what sounds to be far more varied challenges across Japan. Anomalies offer a distinct challenge to recover Data Fragments, which will advance Projects in the Animus Hub. The Fragments are used to decode Encrypted Data Files, which will advance the narrative of the modern-dayAssassin’s Creedstory.
The Animus Hub will also serve as a means to continue the present-day storyline in theAssassin’s Creedfranchise. The Animus Ego and Dark Animus will be explored in the storyline, which will be explored alongside The Guide. What that exactly means remains to be seen for now. At launch, it will also have the ability to act as a launcher forOrigins,Odyssey,Valhalla, andMirageas well asShadows, though players will need those games installedto use Animus Hub as a launcher. Moreover,Shadowsand the games that will come after it will feature integration with Animus Hub, like Anomalies inShadows.
Working through all these challenges will reward players with gear, resources, and items connected to the broadernarrative ofAssassin’s Creed. Most importantly, everything within the Animus Hub will be free to players.
