A high-profile French politician has accused ‘Assassin’s Creed: Unity’, which is set in Paris in 1789, of re-writing one of the most important periods in French history.
According to left-wing firebrand Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the game “discredits the Republic” by portraying Queen Marie-Antoinette and “treacherous King Louis XVI” in a good light, while showing the people of Paris as a “barbarian horde”.
“It’s propaganda against the people,” the leader of the far-left Parti de Gauche told France Info radio on Friday. “It portrays the people as bloodthirsty savages.”
Mélenchon’s anger is piqued by the portrayal of famed revolutionary leader Maximilien de Robespierre as a monster who was “far more dangerous than any king” and the instigator of the “Reign of Terror” that left “hundreds of thousands dead, and the streets running with blood”.
Historians argue about Robespierre’s sins and virtues. Some see him as a paranoid despot who orchestrated mass killings of “enemies of the revolution”, while others see him as the voice of the poor and oppressed who rose up against a tyrannical and exploitative monarchy.
For Mélenchon, the “incorruptible Great Maximilien” was a defender of the French Republic who wanted to abolish slavery and the death penalty, while promoting equal rights for women.
“Not a history lesson”
Perhaps anticipating the storm, Ubisoft began defending its portrayal of French history well before Thursday’s release.
In an interview with French daily Le Monde, producer Antoine Vimal de Monteil admitted that ‘Assassin’s Creed’ had taken a few liberties, but insisted the game “shouldn’t be seen as a history lesson”.
There are numerous of these liberties. For example, the game - which is set in 1789 - features the French ‘Tricolor’ flag (not introduced until 1794) and the singing of the French national anthem, “La Marseilleise” (written in 1792).
http://www.france24.com/en/20141114-assassin-creed-mockery-french-revolution-video-game/
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