'Assassin's Creed' spin-off goes to China

The season pass for "Assassin's Creed Unity" will include a sidescrolling platform game called "Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China."

The season pass for 'Assassin's Creed Unity' will include a sidescrolling platform game called 'Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China.'

Its the third of a three-part pass that's to be delivered between the launch of 'Assassin's Creed Unity' on PlayStation 4, PC and Xbox One in mid-November and early 2015.

'Dead Kings' dovetails with the main storyline of Paris-based 'Assassin's Creed Unity,' taking place not long after the game's events and sending players to the 1794 city of Saint Denis, just north of the French capital.

Historically, it was also the final resting place for French kings and queens were sent, with its graveyard subsequently sacked during the Revolution.

Main character Arno then descends beneath the city into a necropolis below wielding a new fantastical weapon, the guillotine gun; players can still return to Paris to complete three additional missions contained within the Season Pass.

But it's in an entirely different title, the downloadable 'Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China,' that explores 16th-century China through the eyes of female assassin Shao Jun, previously introduced in animated movie 'Assassin's Creed Embers.'

The standalone retains a more flowing and painterly visual style while recalling the sidescrolling perspective that typified early 'Prince of Persia' games, forerunner to the modern 'Assassin's Creed' franchise.

The Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and various historical figures await players within and around historical Beijing.

Whether the Chinese content will then be made available separately is not yet known -- though it would seem like a straightforward business decision, with the format especially well suited to a smartphone or tablet edition, just as Ubisoft's 'Rayman' games now appear on PC, console, and then reworked for mobile.