games: Assassins Creed

Today we have a spoiler free look at the hugely anticipated Assassin’s Creed a controversial title that is splitting gamers and critics in their opinions.

First, lets just pause a moment to doff our caps to the truly awesome graphics and artwork, and the beautifully fluid and impressively realistic free running mechanic. The world is enormous and has an awful lot of depth and detail, and the crowds really do add a feel of realism, even when you start noticing common repeated movements early on.

With the single exception of walking up and down stairs, the movement is realistic and a joy to watch, with impressive capturing of horse riding and mind blowing climbing and free running which quickly becomes intuitive thanks to the surprisingly excellent contextual control system. The only thing I found awkward to control was trying to climb down things.

But lets talk plot. If you have managed to keep yourself pure from the details of the game Ubisoft tried so hard to keep under wraps then I hope you will enjoy the reveal. I kept away from spoilers and when I read the manual I was confused and intrigued, and once I got into the game, I really enjoyed the twist, and found myself completely immersed. Some have criticized it for coming so early on, but I was glad that it did as saving it for the end would have cheapened the experience of the game.

But as cool and clever as the twist is, there are a few problems with this setup. The 1st problem is a question of marketing something where the buyer doesn’t really know what they’re getting. I know a few pure medieval fantasy gamers who are feeling a little gipped right now.

Secondly, that aspect of the story isn’t developed enough as it’s setting up for the sequel, and so the ending is not just unsatisfying but unfinished. The 3rd problem is that this twist will potentially create a conflict between your drive to complete the assassin’s quests which makes up the bulk of the game, and your opposing desire not to give in to the bad shit happening in this part of the story.

And this is not the only gameplay conflict created in this title. As we turn to the part of the game everyone knows about, you immediately come up against the fact that you are told it is against the Assassin’s code to kill innocent people, but then you are forced to act aggressively.

These initial acts are understandable as you live through Altair’s dishonorable actions which cause him to be stripped of his rank. This motivate the redemptive quest he is sent on for the remainder of the game. However, the rest of the game seems to forget about this part of the code and assumes a black and white morality where all templars and soldiers are evil and fair game for a killing. Even in the training section you draw blood fighting against opponents in a training ring.

And the big problem with this title is gameplay. Ubisoft have an undoubtedly great game mechanic, and a pretty cool story setting,

But the gaming narrative is far too repetitive with virtually no variation on the routine of traveling to a city, climbing a lookout tower, gathering information by eavesdropping, pickpocketting and interrogating, and then finding your mark and killing him.

The 1st couple of times are cool, but multiply this by 9 and it gets a little dull. Also, while you are in the small village of the training level the information gathering set up feels good, but in a sprawling city like Damascus it seems a tad unrealistic. And the assassin bit of Assassin’s Creed isn’t handled brilliantly.

You aren’t quite sneaky enough nor do you have enough control of the roleplaying aspects to really get into this side of things effectively. Certainly without resorting to quite a lot of fighting, but at the same time the game’s requirement for you to avoid being noticed by guards means you will often have to crawl through sections at a snails pace as you walk at scholar speed or frequently wait around in hiding spots.

On paper all this looked cool, in game it is initially interesting, but after a few hours becomes quite painful.

The hiding thing is also reliant on the stupidity of the AI - clearly if I am spotted on a rooftop and chased by a guard, the natural assumption when I suddenly can’t be seen is that I have actually disappeared. Certainly not that I am sat in the little curtained gazebo type structure smack bang in the middle of the otherwise empty rooftop.

The incredibly immersive setting with its good writing, stunning visuals and occasionally daring plot, is also let down a bit by the audio, with the repetitive crowd banter really sticking out and the rather arrogant American accent of your character Altair grating against the rest of the middle eastern setting.

Now I know I’ve focused on a lot of the flaws of this game, but do be assured that what is good about it is truly excellent, and it is definitely worth playing even though not everyone will feel like seeing it through to completion. 4 stars, and I am looking forward to the sequel.

For the best of the rest:

IGN:
Assassin’s Creed could easily have been one of the best games of 2007. It is, without question, impressive on several fronts. But developer Ubisoft Montreal took some missteps along the way and squandered the immense potential of its pseudo-stealth action title. A bad story, repetitive gameplay elements, and poor AI lead to the downfall of one of the more promising games in recent memory. Assassin’s Creed could have been one of the great games of this generation. Instead, it turned into just another action title. 


Game Spot:
Assassin’s Creed will stay with you long after you finish it. Here is one of the most unique gameworlds ever created: beautiful, memorable, and alive. Every crack and crevasse is filled with gorgeous, subtle details, from astounding visual flourishes to overheard cries for help. But it’s more than just a world–it’s a fun and exciting action game with a ton of stuff to do and places to explore, rounded out with silky-smooth controls and a complex story that will slowly grab you the more you play. Make no mistake: Assassin’s Creed is one of the best efforts of the year and a must-own game for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 owners.

Euro Gamer:
Obviously we’re not going to tell you anything. Ubisoft has worked hard to make sure that you’re not only excited about playing Assassin’s Creed, but that you’re also dying to find out what’s going on. What are all those glitchy graphical effects in aid of? Are you really in the Third Crusade at all? You want to find out for yourself, so go ahead.