- Most games struggled to justify their hype, but this one exceeds it superbly, with an engaging story, immersive gameplay and stunning visuals.
Overview
There have been a number titles that I would consider "highly anticipated", and many of them have lived up the expectations. Today we are checking out a game that has promised to really take the gaming industry by storm, making a brand new experience that has never been explored before. The game is Assassin's Creed for the Xbox 360. Does the game have what it takes to revolutionize the way we look at video games? Read our full review to find out.
Gameplay
One thing that was not really touted at all during the development of Assassin's Creed was the story, and there is a big reason for it. You find out very early on that what you thought was a straightforward tale of an assassin actually is much more than that. I will not give this away because this twist has such a big impact on the way that you look at this game and how it transpires as well. The story in general has this one big twist at the start and it looses a lot of of momentum after that, and never really regains it. The story however is very nicely told, it's extremely interesting, and kept me intrigued throughout.
The main premise behind the game is your role in taking out nine key figures during the third crusade. If you're anything of a history buff the names will sound pretty familiar and so going into this game you will get even more out of this in that instance. In fact I have to say that being a bit of a history buff I had heard about some of these key historical figures and that really helped the experience even more. In fact the story really managed to give the entire experience a much stronger appeal.
But of course people aren't coming into Assassin's Creed for the story. As engaging as it is, most of us have been really excited by the gameplay. But does the gameplay live up to the hype? I don't really want to put this off any longer, the short answer to that question is yes. At the start of the game you have rather limited abilities, you will for the most part be engaging in a limited amount of combat and a lot of running and jumping. The controls are a big part of Assassin's Creed, in fact they have been questioned quite a bit during the development. I am here to say that the controls are actually quite intuitive, the face buttons are mapped in order to mimic your body movements. It does take sometime to get used to the controls but they do allow you to pull off some pretty awesome moves fluidly.
The controls expand as you get further in the game and your abilities grow as well. The controls expand from being completely offensive in nature to doing a lot more defensive and counter attacks that really expand the experience quite a bit. The game has a bit of a slowdown in the middle but all together the experience is just amazing. The game has these nine main missions but to get to these climatic events you have to do a lot of dirty work. This can be pick pocketing, eavesdropping, assassinating other targets, and all sorts of crazy missions. There is also a bunch of side missions in general, like saving citizens, finding flags that helps unlock extra content. The game mixes these two areas really nice, your going to find sometimes your just going to want to run around and do the side missions, one of the most enjoyable aspects of the game.
All in all it is the overwhelming score of Assassin's Creed that really takes this game to the next level. The combat isn't revolutionary, but it's the way the combat is intertwined with the stealth, and the ability to really adapt to your environment. Some of the best parts of Assassin's Creed is when you're loose from the games plot-line and you're running form guards or taking out swarms of guards while jumping from rooftop to rooftop. Although it may not revolutionize the industry like many had thought, the final product is still an amazing accomplishment.
Graphics
There have been some great looking Xbox 360 games, no doubt, but Assassin's Creed is by far the best looking game I have played, ever. The game beautifully renders all the town at once, you won't see things load in the distance, everything streams beautifully. For a game that is as intense as some of these chases are, it is amazing to see how well the frame rate holds up as well. The character models are beautifully crafted, the weapons are animated beautifully, and there is really nothing like a good sword fight. Overall this is by far the best looking Xbox 360 game to date.
Fun Factor
The whole Assassin's Creed campaign can be pretty short if you ignore all the extras. I am of the opinion however that I would much prefer a short but beautifully crafted game then a mediocre long lasting game. That is just my opinion however, and for those who agree you will see the short and yet stellar experience in this title. I have to say that there were a few of the side missions that you have to do before the big assassination that got a bit tedious, but overall this was a really fun experience.
Overall
Assassin's Creed is an amazing accomplishment by Ubisoft Montreal. Make no mistake, this is a fantastic game, it has so much to offer. Although it may not deliver to the "perfection" stage, it still gives us one of the best assassin experiences ever created. If you have any interest in this game I would highly recommend picking it up.
- Gameplay
9.0 - Graphics
10.0 - Fun Factor
9.0 - Overall
9.0
