The short films that accompany the Assassin's Creed games have been a mixed bag to say the least. Some of them have mixed life-action with animation and the most recent one featured really ugly animation for some reason; the one thing they generally have in common is that they don't ever seem to be worthy of the games they support. Things are a little different with Embers because it does look good and it does compliment the game well. Having just finished Revelations I came to this film to conclude the story of Ezio. The plot sees him as an old man with a family around him and his assassin days in his past. He knows his time is short, although things change when a young assassin from China seeks him out.
The details of the plot are not specifically important though, because most of it is done to create an overall impression of Ezio as he approaches his death. The strand with the young assassin allows us to see that he does (just about) still have all the keenness and skills that he did when he was younger while the quieter moments show his thoughts. This aspect is well done and connects well with the games and it pleased me to see him with Sofia and finally able to capture a small sense of his own life, having previously acknowledged that he was part of something bigger that he perhaps doesn't fully understand. The ending is open to interpretation but however you read it there is a sense of peace to the end of the short that works very well and seems fitting to the character.
Embers probably won't offer much to those unfamiliar with the character of Ezio but to fans of the series it is a great little film that focuses on the heart as much as the action and hands us a fitting end to his story and his life. Looks good and works well – by far the strongest short film in the series yet.
The details of the plot are not specifically important though, because most of it is done to create an overall impression of Ezio as he approaches his death. The strand with the young assassin allows us to see that he does (just about) still have all the keenness and skills that he did when he was younger while the quieter moments show his thoughts. This aspect is well done and connects well with the games and it pleased me to see him with Sofia and finally able to capture a small sense of his own life, having previously acknowledged that he was part of something bigger that he perhaps doesn't fully understand. The ending is open to interpretation but however you read it there is a sense of peace to the end of the short that works very well and seems fitting to the character.
Embers probably won't offer much to those unfamiliar with the character of Ezio but to fans of the series it is a great little film that focuses on the heart as much as the action and hands us a fitting end to his story and his life. Looks good and works well – by far the strongest short film in the series yet.