Free-to-play time-traveling strategic RPG Reverse: 1999 just launched its biggest collaboration yet, its first to ever launch simultaneously worldwide, and it teamed up with another time-jumping franchise to do it: Assassin’s Creed. The collab adds new story chapters and popular characters Ezio, Kassandra, and Alexios, all three of whom will be playable.
Reverse: 1999 first launched in 2023 and has seen global success in the time since. It’s been downloaded more than 30 million times worldwide and stands at “very positive” with more than 2,500 reviews on Steam. Those fans have been clamoring for this collab since it was first announced earlier this year, and there’s been particular excitement about the addition of Ezio — as you can see from the 270,000 views and hundreds of comments on his official trailer.
While the characters and story content might be the headliners of this collab, there’s a lot more to it than that. You can see Assassin’s Creed inspirations in the UI, music, and garments that have been added. Plus, there are free goodies being given away (including Alexios), extra prizes in the gacha system designed to make it easier to pull the new characters, and both online and offline events to celebrate.
Let’s get into the details, shall we?
Familiar Faces in a Journey Through History
Reverse: 1999’s story takes you through different eras of history, and that trend continues with this crossover, whose new content will be released in two phases. Phase 1 is live right now and will run until September 18. It adds a story chapter that brings you to Florence, Italy, where you’ll meet the legendary Ezio Auditore da Firenze from Assassin’s Creed II.
The collaboration trailer hints at how the story of Phase 1 will bring you into contact with Ezio. Mr. APPLe, one of the important characters of Reverse: 1999, is mistaken for a fabled Apple of Eden and must be protected. He’s nearly dissected by Leonardo da Vinci, another character from Assassin’s Creed II who plays a significant role in the Phase 1 story.
Ezio’s character trailer shows some of the memories from his journey in Assassin’s Creed II — his assassinations, gathering feathers for his brother, the tragic execution of his family — materializing into different weapons, which references the unique ability he brings into Reverse: 1999. He can wield several different primary and secondary weapons and can swap them out as needed, so he’s always ready for any situation.
Like all other 6-star characters, Ezio comes with two garments, the second of which is unlocked after increasing his Insight level. His first garment is the assassins’ classic white robe, and his second (featured in the photo of him above) is the Armor of Altair from Assassin’s Creed II, which was built by and named after the hero of the original Assassin’s Creed.
Kassandra and Alexios will join in on the fun when the story shifts to Ancient Greece in Phase 2 of the collab, which will run from August 28 to September 18. Like Ezio, Kassandra will get a unique ability designed to make her adaptable: She has three skill trees (Hunter, Warrior, and Assassin) and can switch between them.
Beyond the characters and plot, Assassin’s Creed fans will notice other references. The level selection interface adopts the genetic sequence design of the Animus, and music — including the familiar song “Ezio’s Family” — has been pulled from the Assassin’s Creed series. The Into the Shadows mode will let you see the villa in Monteriggioni and complete events in Florence and Venice to experience the Renaissance assassin life like Ezio.
Dress Up for the Special Collab
It wouldn’t be a Reverse: 1999 update without new garments, and this collab is no exception. Four characters have new garments inspired by Assassin’s Creed and Greek mythology (pictured below). Hissabeth’s new look is inspired by Medusa, the famous snake-haired Gorgon from Greek myth who put up a hell of a fight in Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey. The art showing off her new garment shows her dancing between Medusa’s two sisters frozen in stone, the crown she wears pays homage to Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey’s Medusa design, and the artifact she’s holding resembles an Apple of Eden.
Marcus’s new garment draws from the myth of the musician Orpheus, who traveled to the underworld and used his music to convince Hades to let him take back his deceased wife Eurydice, on the condition that he not look back at her until they reached the surface. During their ascension, Orpheus was overcome with doubt and couldn’t help looking back, and Eurydice was taken from him forever. Marcus’s art recalls this moment of legend, as she glances back and offers her hand to guide her fallen friends to the gates of the underworld.
Vila gets a new garment inspired by the Sirens of Homer’s Odyssey who would lure sailors to their deaths with their beautiful song. Her artwork shows her standing among violet waves and singing as storms gather around her, and the Poseidon statue beside her is pulled directly from Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey.
Last but certainly not least, APPLe’s new garment turns him gold, and you can see how Leonardo da Vinci and other characters in Florence would mistake him for an Apple of Eden, the symbol of desire and temptation. And best of all, APPLe’s new garment is free for all players during the collaboration event.
A Celebration with Free Goodies
APPLe’s new garment isn’t the only thing that’s free. In this collab version, every player can get a free monthly pass that allows them to get 2,700 Clear Drops in total, which is 15 free gacha pulls. Additionally, free resources given out during the collaboration will make it possible to have at least 43 pulls on the event banners.
During Phase 2, everyone can recruit Alexios for free by taking part in the collaboration’s events. Plus, to celebrate the partnership with Assassin’s Creed, players can receive additional collaboration characters after 100/160/220/280 pulls. And there are other log-in and event rewards that you can see in the image below.
There’s Always More to Learn
You can download Reverse: 1999 for free right now on Steam, the iOS App Store, Google Play and Windows PC. The Assassin’s Creed collaboration is live now, and with all the goodies being given away for free, there’s never been a better time to jump in.
If you want more info about the existing characters of Reverse: 1999, you can check out the official website for details. You can also follow the game and join the community on Twitter, TikTok, Discord, Facebook, or YouTube.
