Derek Scarlino

Three stars because I just started and am only maybe an hour in. I like it so far. Hoping to get a touch of a Tenchu / Way of the Samurai fix (those games need remakes!). I read the one-star reviews. I still cannot understand the criticism over Yasuke’s role in “history” beyond simple-minded racism. Was Ezio Auditore real? While even every assassination target in the first AC was a historical figure, were they killed by blades to the throat? As the playable character are an African man and a Japanese woman, of course the body of male gamers is up in arms. Increasingly racist. Increasingly misogynistic. Enjoy hiding behind comments on the Internet, because most of us still want to deliver real punches to your mouths in the real world. The all of a sudden dogmatic adherence to “historical accuracy” is another racist dogwhistle. I’ve never heard any cohort of gamers scream as much about this aspect of AC before Shadows was revealed. For over 10 years, the hard right shift in gamer culture has already exposed these “concerns” for what they are. If only Yasuke was a throbbing, white penis, that might be the only way to console these snowflakes. I think I’ll enjoy this chapter of AC. I never finished Mirage, unfortunately, but this might give me more of a reason to.