I just finished episode 1 of Crunchyroll’s new show Onyx Equinox, and now that I’ve signed up for Premium so that I don’t have to deal with any ads, I’m ready for my next point of order: immediately demanding a game in the Onyx Equinox world. This should not come as a surprise to loyal My Dpad readers, who know that I have demanded that the next Assassin’s Creed game have a Pre-Columbian (or early Post-Columbian) Mesoamerican setting. First, I guess I should tell you what Onyx Equinox is.
What Is Onyx Equinox?
Onyx Equinox is Crunchyroll’s newest original show, which is created by Sofia Alexander and aired this very day at 4:00 PM EST. At first glance, it may look like Avatar: The Last Airbender set in Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica (that is, what is now Mexico/Central America prior to the unwanted arrival of Christopher Columbus), and while that’s not the worst way to describe it, this is much more gruesome. In fact, it’s intended for a mature audience and is definitely not a kids show. However, it does involve epic battles involving divine forces (Maya and Aztec, specifically), so again, it’s not the worst comparison you can make. The first episode introduced the intensification of an eternal struggle between Gods with humans caught in the middle.
However, the most important thing for me is the worldbuilding in the show. While Onyx Equinox is sure to offer all sorts of drama and action that I’ll be excited to follow in the coming episodes, its fully realized Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica is the main draw. That’s what I would be most excited about seeing in a potential Assassin’s Creed game in that setting, and seeing it in this form was almost as good. I was watching with literal tears in my eyes thinking about how cool it would have been for me as a kid to watch a show like this, and how cool it is for all the kids out there now. But while an animated show is a great way to explore a world, a game can be even better. That’s why I would love to see Assassin’s Creed take it on, but an Onyx Equinox game would be nearly as good.
Imagine Onyx Equinox: The Game
Seriously, just imagine something like The Legend of Zelda: The Breath of the Wild, or God of War, or The Outer Worlds, or A Short Hike, but set in Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. I’m not picky, it could be a full-fledged open world RPG, a smaller puzzle/exploration game, or a very focused linear action game, just as long as it recreated that world that no living person has ever been able to see. Based on the first episode of Onyx Equinox, I think we’d be most likely to see a character action game, and while that’s not my favorite genre, I would be the first person to put in my pre-order.
Anyways, it hasn’t even been two hours since Onyx Equinox debuted on Crunchyroll, so I’m well aware I’m getting far ahead of myself. First things first, Onyx Equinox has to find its footing as a show, because even though the first episode was promising, it always takes a bit for a show to really come into its own. That said, I will be here, new Crunchyroll Premium subscription in hand, patiently and happily along for the ride. However, I will simultaneously be counting the days until there’s an Onyx Equinox game and I can do more than just be along for the ride in this beautiful world untouched by European colonialism.
