ChannelFlip

arg, the stairs, I cringed the first time I noticed it! Can’t believe it’s still happening in game, Valve were talking about fixing it with some sort of procedural animation system way back when they first announced TF2. You’d think with all those cores in modern consoles you’d be able to utilise one of them to stop characters skating up and down stairs and standing weirdly on slopes.

Games like this are always going to get an amount of negative feedback because they’re victims of their own success - it’s been so hyped for so long that people have some pre-defined idea in their head of what it’s going to be and when it doesn’t satisfy that they analyse every little flaw in order to justify that. I also think that the pre-release hype made it sound like something it isn’t, but that I suppose depends on what you’ve read/seen about it prior to release. I generally agree with the criticisms that you and others have levelled at the game in that the pre-assassination mechanic is rather repetitive and dopey AI really impedes on your sense of immersion. What redeems it all for me is that it’s all just so much fun, the running and combat is brilliant and the cities themselves are fantastically immersive and distinct from each other. I’m a bit of an impatient type and don’t really hold much truck with this stealth nonsense, so the combat heavy nature of it suited me just fine, though I can see how that would grate for some people who like to take a more considered approach.

I guess it also depends on how/when you play it as to how much the bad things bother you, I was playing a couple of hours a night so it didn’t really become too odious. I did find myself rushing towards the end, but that was more to find out what the ending was.

As for repletion of voices I did read something about them having difficulty squeezing it onto the 360 DVD. I’m guessing if they had to cut some audio then they would have done so from the PS3 as well, just so that there was no obvious favour being paid to either platform, though that’s just rampant speculation. Maybe they ran out of cash or were just being lazy.

I own this game and what the reviewer said is accurate. She covered all the major points. Don’t know if I would have given it 4 stars though.

So, are you going to review Kane & Lynch?

Have you heard? LOL.

i been watching for assasins creed. When is it due out on pc? Geuss I might have to spring for a new console. I get a lot more out of your reviews than just reading them on other websites. You make it easy and I always look forward to your fun style and good looks. ( smile )

Yeah, I wish they had the book trilogy out too, but it’s not like they had any choice in the deal since the real group of “Assassins” came and spoke out against it…

At least the game did not get canned because of the same reasons, yeah?

very good review not much to add about this game other than WHERE WAS the multiplayer!!!.I thought about it for only a few moments and thought of a good way they could have made 1 of the most exciting mutlitplayer games ever.Get 1 very large city get a load of assasins give assignments there should be 2 sides christian Vrs muslim 1 side protects 1 side assasinates targets no name tags on players heads so the Suspense would build.only 2 players have the same assignment 1 protects the npc the other trys to kill the npc.Not knowing who the attacker was would be gr8 fun is he the guys sitting on the bench accross from you is he on a roof if you move out of tune with the city ai will he spot you and vice versa im drolling now but you get the idea.

Saw some vid a while ago where they said that they ditched multiplayer halfway through development. Real shame that one, not sure quite how it would work vs wise, but co-op would be pure awesome.

Here’s hoping for a sequel that lives up to everything people expected of this.

hi katharine i was just free thinking (pun intended) aloud the era is1095+ or should be but we know what america is like for historical fact and accuracy lol you just have to love the main heros acent NOT!!.And as for free running why not with such games being released just for free running lovers.As for people running around killing civis thats a good point maybe it would end the mission if you attacked a NPC other than your target as for people sitting on benches maybe they could be random positions good point again.Islamic Crusades vs. Christian Crusades is part of world history and it is a shame that people feel unable to portray what realy happend the children playing might even learn a lil history to boot fun and learning what ever next.I would like to add also you are very good at reviewing games and have knowladge beyond most and a real love for it gr8 work.

It’s a shame it was ditched - would be interesting to know what lines they were thinking along. You’re right Schmung, co-op would be so damn cool. Nice ideas about keeping it tight to the mission Lunewhite - not attacking NPCs seems much more inkeeping with the creed and is hella more assassiny! It is so interesting the way current events influence the way we see history, and even historic fiction. It’s difficult to know if we can ever have objective history. Thanks for the feedback, glad you’re enjoying the show
On a side note, I’m currently re-watching Farscape, and this is reminding me a lot of the Crichton/Scorpius/neurochip storyline.