Everyone loves character customization, and that’s all that really needs to be said. Projecting one’s self onto a video game character is incredibly empowering, but it’s not the only, nor the definitive best, way to bring characters to life. Games that focus on a rich narrative thrive because of how players can relate, not project, with characters. This is one reason that Ezio remains one of the most iconic figures in the Assassin’s Creed franchise, despite not appearing in-game since 2011. AC fans can relate, love, and empathize with Ezio, while it seems Ubisoft wants them to project themselves onto more recent characters like Alexios, Kassandra, and Eivor.
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However, that’s not always a possibility, as there are some games where RPG elements don’t mesh well. Character customization is one of those, no matter how limited or expansive it is, which brings players to a stark contrast: not only are Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s and Far Cry 6’s character customizations completely differently, they seem to impact the game differently, one for the worse. Of course, there is the caveat that Far Cry 6 is not out yet, but it seems rather clear based on recently confirmed details that Far Cry 6’s character customization may be more limited than, but is also ultimately better than, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s.
Male or Female Dani Rojas in Far Cry 6 Character Customization
Far Cry 6’s character customization, thus far, seems limited to choosing between male and female Dani Rojas. This could change, but it doesn’t seem like there will be facial construction, hair selection, or anything like that: just a simple choice. Even if it does change, it wouldn’t change the impact on the story. This makes sense when considering that Far Cry is a first-person franchise and, therefore, players will hardly, if ever, actually see Dani Rojas. Now, it has been confirmed there will be gameplay and cinematics in third-person, allowing players to see their Dani and customization options, but it hasn’t really proven to be that deep yet. After all, these limits fit into a franchise where RPG elements mesh well, making it perfectly reasonable and seemingly well executed.
For the most part, protagonists are not the bread and butter of the Far Cry franchise. While Dani Rojas is voiced and that’s a big step from the past two games, it’s so players can project themselves onto the character in the loosest of terms. Obviously, this is good for the protagonist, but it’s not a standout feature of the franchise who or how players connect to their character. Vaas, Pagan Min, Joseph Seed, and the upcoming Anton Castillo fill that role; players who enjoy Far Cry games are more drawn to the appeal of the villain than, at least, most other story-oriented features. As such, this saw the recent entries in the franchise move away from naming them and trying to develop them; it just wouldn’t do much.
That’s to say nothing against Far Cry 3’s Jason Brody or Far Cry 4’s Ajay Ghale, but it didn’t hurt the franchise when Far Cry Primal’s Takkar wasn’t really a relatable protagonist. The move to an unnamed protagonist with Far Cry 5’s deputy sheriff and New Dawn’s Captain proved how, in this franchise, the main character is more of a vessel for storytelling than an actual character players should try to relate, project, or really put first. All of this wouldn’t work in some franchises, but by limiting character customization, giving the new character a voice, and still seeing Dani Rojas fulfill this role in Far Cry 6 highlights all of the best of the franchise’s storytelling paired with customization.
Again, a lot of this is on paper, but it seems that Far Cry 6’s Dani Rojas checks all the boxes because it simple makes sense for the franchise. On the other hand, well, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla may open up more customization but hurts the overall narrative in doing so.
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Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s Character Customization in Comparison
Far Cry 6’s character customization works because the protagonist, no matter how involved, is inherently decentralized. Overall, the franchise itself lends itself to this because of the emphases placed elsewhere. However, that does not and cannot work the same in Assassin’s Creed. The main character is always centralized and, from a roleplaying element, are meant to be loved, related to, and empathized with. Watching Ezio find Altair’s remains and then speak to Desmond worked because of how much investment players had in Ezio. People still jokingly honor Desmond’s sacrifice to-date because of how much they invested in him. Every player has a favorite assassin(or assassins, or non-assassin PCs), whether that’s Altair, Ezio, Connor, Aveline, Edward, Arno, Jacob, Evie, Shao Jun, Nikolai Orelov, Arbaaz Mir, Amunet/Aya, Bayek, Alexios, Kassandra, or Eivor, because the protagonists will always be central to the game’s conflict.
This begs bigger questions then of how characters can be customized, who, in-game universe, actually existed. Canonically, Kassandra was the Misthios, while Alexios was Deimos. Eivor Varinsdottir, a name AC Valhalla conveniently forgets, is the one who walks around in-game. She is the Viking who sailed alongside the Brotherhood to England, but those big questions are neither here nor there. Ultimately, character customization is present in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, but it has no presence in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.
Changing genders at any time is confusing enough conceptually, but at the same time, the canon option means players are not the Viking on the cover but the real Eivor Varinsdottir for all except two story arcs. Its character customization muddies the differences between the real Eivor and Havi, undermines and decentralizes the main protagonist, and limits how players can perceive the world. There’s a certain irony in the freedom of its character customization limiting how players connect to its characters.
Overall, though, Far Cry protagonists could be swapped out with anyone, and the story would be as interesting. It could have been Jason Brody in Far Cry 4 or Ajay Ghale in Far Cry 3, it could have been the deputy in Far Cry 3 or it could be the deputy in Far Cry 6, or it could Dani Rojas in Far Cry 3, 4, and 5, and it would have still worked. The environments and the villains lead the story; the protagonist is just a window to it.
The same cannot be said of Assassin’s Creed: Ezio could not be the main character of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Eivor could not be the lead of Ezio’s trilogy, and no protagonist could be swapped for another and the story be the same. As such, having this ability to character swap, to muddy the character’s identity, also serves to destabilize their central role. Moment to moment, it may be fine, but its consequence mean that several out there may know the name Dani Rojas or Ezio Auditore, but less will know the name Eivor Varinsdottir.
Far Cry 6 releases on October 6, 2021, for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
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