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Ubisoft has created a new virtual reality escape game focused on escaping the Notre-Dame cathedral when the dreadful fire engulfed it back in 2019.
Called “Notre-Dame on Fire” – which is also the name of a docu-drama by director Jean-Jacques Annaud – the game draws primarily from assets used back in 2014 to create Assassin’s Creed Unity. It will release alongside the film in March 2022, although right now, it’s not clear what VR platforms the adventure will be available on.
The world was aghast when the medieval cathedral caught fire three years ago in Paris, France, destroying huge sections of the 850-year-old church. People from all over the world rallied around the effort to rebuild the Parisian landmark – including Ubisoft, which donated €500,000 to Paris organizers and gave away Assassin’s Creed Unity (opens in new tab) so that players can enjoy its in-game recreation of the cathedral. Others paid tribute in their own ways, like a No Man’s Sky player who recreated the front view of the iconic church (opens in new tab) on a distant alien planet.
“Like any escape game, it’s a question of puzzles and co-operating with your teammates,” Ubisoft senior VP Deborah Papiernik told Variety (opens in new tab) (thanks, The Gamer (opens in new tab)). “The idea is to make your way through the cathedral to find relics and to fight the fire, because you have to save Notre Dame.
“The fact that we had that access [to the film’s screenplay] really nourished our team,” Papiernik added, reflecting on how the team responded to the film’s screenplay. “That doesn’t mean we translated everything to gameplay; rather, it offered our team food for thought for our adaptation.”
If it’s been some time since you last explored Ubisoft’s ancient reimagining of Paris, maybe Heather can convince you to give it another go (opens in new tab).
“I can’t say I ever expected Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s latest expansion to convince me to play Assassin’s Creed Unity again, but I’m certainly not mad about it,” she wrote last year.
“Despite the reception Unity initially received at launch – issues with optimization and stability on all platforms – I do remember enjoying my time with Arno all those years ago, and it’s been quite a nostalgic trip down memory lane returning to the adventure in 2021. Even with its flaws, Unity really has hammered home just how great the black box missions were and still are.”
Looking to expand your VR library? Here are our tips for the best VR games. (opens in new tab)
