“Assassin’s Creed: Unity” may be set during revolutionary Paris, France, but you won’t be hearing French accents in the English version of the title.
During an interview with UbiBlog, “Assassin’s Creed” Creative Director Alex Amancio explained the Animus in which gamers use to explore the DNA memories translates everything into the person’s native tongue.
“The idea is that the Animus is translating everything into the language you’re playing in,” Amancio explains. “That’s why, since you’re an Anglophone, you’re hearing all the dialogue and cinematics in English.
“It would really make no sense for there to be a French accent because that would mean that this French character is trying to address you in accented English. Everyone in the game is not trying to speak English for your benefit.”
The reason why English-speaking voice actors in the “Assassin’s Creed” titles have British accents comes down to what’s best-suited for the time period. Amancio claimed it would be odd to hear an American accent because it would feel too modern considering the era.
“It’s an artistic choice,” says Amancio. “It’s a new generation and the story is a little bit more serious, and having everyone speak in a thick French accent would detract a lot from the experience.”
However, the “Assassin’s Creed” has featured different accents in the pasts. In “Assassin’s Creed II,” Ezio Auditore spoke English with an Italian accent, and Spanish characters from “Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag” spoke with the appropriate accent.
Though characters players will encounter in “Assassin’s Creed: Unity” will be speaking English, non-playable characters will speak in French. "Assassin's Creed: Unity" will be released exclusively for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC on Nov. 11.
What do you think about the British accents in “Assassin’s Creed: Unity?” Share your thoughts in the comments below.
