Photo comparisons show how accurate Ubisoft’s video game recreation of Paris is next to the modern-day city.
Assassin’s Creed Unity may have its share of problems, but one area in which its developers at Ubisoft succeeded was bringing the virtual city of Paris to life. Assassin’s Creed fan Damien Hypolite set out to see just how the real Paris compared to Unity‘s version by traversing the city and taking photographs. The result is side-by-side comparisons of Unity‘s locations and the iconic landmarks that inspired them, and it’s a pretty impressive sight.
Obviously, there are bound to be some differences–Unity takes place during the French Revolution in the late 1700s and these photos were taken in 2014, and modern-day France probably doesn’t have a ton of stealthy Assassins in hooded cloaks running around. Still, Ubisoft’s world-building is commendable, and has always been one of the series’ strengths; Assassin’s Creed II‘s Renaissance Italy was also noteworthy.
Having grown up in the United States, the idea of structures that are more than a few decades old, let alone centuries, is pretty foreign to me. Playing the Assassin’s Creed games has helped me realize just how young my country is compared to others, and how amazing it is that this centuries-old architecture still exists elsewhere in the world. Plus, tickets to Europe aren’t exactly cheap, so Assassin’s Creed Unity might make a nice substitute until I can make my way to Paris for real. Then again, maybe not.
