Assassins Creed Anthology

Video game sequels may be a secretive affair these days, but fans of Assassin's Creed have still been able to prepare themselves for a new installment coming this November - even if the exact name, story and setting were a mystery. But thanks to some newly leaked screenshots of the next in-development title, the first details of Assassin's Creed 5 can be guessed at.

Ubisoft will no doubt begin their marketing sooner rather than later, but for now, here's what seems clear: the game is Assassin's Creed: Unity , and it will be taking players back to 18th Century France on next-gen consoles.

The new leaked screenshots come courtesy of Kotaku, after what seems like months of rumors have been swirling about where the series would head next (and the developers even teasing fans on the subject in AC4: Black Flag). According to the source, Assassin's Creed: Unity (logo included in the images) will be set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, and as previously reported, will be just one of the two Assassin's Creed games releasing this year. Since Unity seems built for Xbox One and PS4, it's assumed the other title will have previous-gen consoles in its sights.

Take a look at the screenshots for yourselves, then we'll discuss the finer points of these seemingly confirmed rumors:

[gallery link="file" columns="2" ids="219254,219256,219259,219261,219257,219258"]

With the screenshots comes more evidence that has been piling up through various sources and outlets over the past months: the game will follow a man named Arno, and will follow the hero through the events and historical figures of the French Revolution (1789-1799). We've already made our case for why the historical revolt would make a perfect backdrop for an AC title, so we'll stop short of doing the same again here. Suffice to say that the leaked setting and time period are promising for both story and gameplay.

What the images also include is a few new commands in the upper right corner - specifically, controls to both 'Parkour Up' and 'Parkour Down.' These are obviously shots of a game world still in development, but the presence of new commands shows that Ubisoft might actually be attempting to address the issues that have nagged the series for years. Is 'Parkour Down' an ability to quickly descend structures, instead of leaping to one's death? We certainly hope that's the case.

The story remains a total mystery, with questions focusing on exactly how connected to the existing storyline Unity may be (while Black Flag was one of the best Creed games in years, it shared little with the existing mythology). Of course, these new details may also shift speculation to the other franchise entry releasing this fall, codenamed 'Comet.'

Assassin's Creed 5 Russia setting

Is it possible that Ubisoft may be ticking not one, but two iconic wars off their list of possible settings in 2014? If the French revolution is set for Unity, then exploring the Russian Revolution with Comet on the Xbox 360 and PS3 would not only silence two demands of the fan community, but offer a chance to market both together. Whatever their differences, seeing two entries in a series released side-by-side for separate platform generations will be interesting to watch.

That's assuming that neither of the games end up being delayed - something the publisher has said they're willing to do if it means a better game is released as a result. Hopefully this leak will bring about some official word or details, but for now, what do you make of the leaked screenshots and setting? Is the French locale and style the exact kind of history you were hoping to explore? Or do your hopes now shift to the previous-gen AC coming this year? Share your thoughts in the comments.

We'll keep you up to date as more information (or rumors) regarding Assassin's Creed: Unity arrive.

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Follow Andrew on Twitter @andrew_dyce.

Source: Kotaku