Immortals Fenyx Risingwas one of the biggest surprises of 2020, with an expansive open world and Greek mythology-inspired setting. Wielding manycomparisons toThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, it was met with critical success, so it’s no surprise that developer Ubisoftis reportedly working on a follow-up. It could go in plenty of directions, even just staying in Greek mythology with dozens more tales that could be woven into Fenyx' adventures.
However, if the sequel toImmortals Fenyx RisingtookGod of War (2018)’s approach, it could find even more success by moving to an entirely different setting. Folk stories are told in all corners of the globe, which means that there’s always narrative potential if Ubisoft decided to take the franchise away from Greece.
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From Greek Myth to a Norse Adventure
Norse mythology iscurrently being explored by Santa Monica Studio withGod of War.Immortals Fenyx Risingcould capitalize on the trend by delivering a story in the same lore, but using different stories. Sutur, Heimdall, Frigg, and Bragi have yet to appear on Kratos and Atereus' journey, and the complexity of Norse mythology’s characters make it ripe for more stories to be told.
Players could stumble upon a quest to help the Master Builder and his horse Svadilfari construct the walls around Asgard, or foil Loki’s plans to use a mistletoe dart to kill theseemingly perfect and indestructible Baldur, all on a mighty quest to seek the approval of Odin and the rest of the Aesir gods. There are many directions a sequel toImmortals Fenyx Risingcould take while not stepping onGod of War’s toes, especially as the two franchises offer differing art styles, level design, and mechanics.
Fenyx Could Take to Egypt
WhileAssassin’s Creed Originsmay immerse itself in Ptolemaic Egypt, the nation’s storied history and mythology includes far more thanBayek’s adventures would indicate. Having Fenyx interact with the gods that manyAssassin’s Creed Originslandmarks are named after, like Anubis and Osiris, would be a perfect opportunity to not only do something new with theImmortalslicense, but also flesh out some of the history ofAssassin’s Creed’s Egypt.
Egyptian mythology is largely unknown by western audiences other than a handful of fictional properties likeMoon KnightandX-Men Apocalypse, soImmortals Fenyx Rising’s sequel would do well to make it more understood in the mainstream.
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Japanese Myth Needs More Love
While much of Japanese mythology is described in ancient proverbs, passages, and teachings, there is much to know about Japanese myth that often goes overlooked in favor of samurai storytelling and mechanics. Mythology in Japan is largely influenced by Shintoism and Buddhism, featuring figures like Benzaiten the goddess of luck and Amaterasu the sun goddess. The latter is the protagonist ofCapcom’s 2006 titleOkami, which is beloved for its Japanese influences in both its narrative and presentation.
Assassin’s Creedseems reluctant to explore Japanin any capacity despite the success of games likeGhost of Tsushima, soImmortals Fenyx Rising’s sequel taking the liberty to do so would give Ubisoft an opportunity to take a story to Southeast Asia. Fusing the expansive open world and side activities ofImmortals Fenyx Risingwith the gorgeous, meticulously crafted aesthetics and memorable storytelling ofOkamiwould be something truly unforgettable, and Ubisoft has the ability to make it happen.
Christian Myth is Untapped
The stories told in the Bible not only have a mountain of narrative and character potential, it’s also a mythology that is largely unexplored in modern video games.Castlevaniamay take advantage of some of its stories, andDoomtakes players to Hell with a liberal use of Satanic iconography, butImmortals Fenyx Rising’s sequel using locations like the Sea of Galilee or the Garden of Gethsemane could do well to bring this mythology to an open-world game.
Ubisoft always seems to recreate historical locations and characters with the utmost care, and using the toy box of Christianity is a slippery slope if handled incorrectly. However, the risk could be worth it, as there is much narrative potential that could makeImmortals Fenyx Rising’s follow-up feel truly unique, something increasingly difficult withopen-world games' popularity in 2022.
Immortals Fenyx Risingis available on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
