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This is one of those games I was somewhat on the fence about, until someone I know, in this case Joe, played it first. Yes, I had to use someone as a guinea pig. I watched him play it for a bit, then went out the next day and picked up a copy. It was a good decision, although it wasn’t completely what I expected.
The story definitely wasn’t what I expected. I thought it was about an assassin named Altair in the 12th century who takes out crusaders. It is...and well...it isn’t. The real story starts in the year 2012 with a man named Desmond.
Desmond is just your average twenty something guy from Anywhere, USA, but deep in his ancestral memories there is something hidden. And there is this crazy scientist that uses a machine called the Animus to draw out his ancestor’s memories.
The game flashes back and forth between the past and future. In the past...you play as Altair, an assassin, hence the title of the game. Near the beginning of the game, you are stripped of your rank and all of your weapons for defying the code of the assassin’s guild. To get them back you must earn them by progressing through the mission the guild master gives you: the assassination of nine men in the holy land.
Now with all that story stuff out of the way, let’s get down to the gameplay itself. Assassin’s Creed is a game where you don’t have to try very hard to look completely awesome. The controls are rather simple; just hold down the A button and run. You’ll be climbing up buildings, jumping from roof to roof, and various other sorts of acrobatics in no time.
Combat is almost as simple. Well, eventually anyway. At first you rely on wearing down your opponent’s defense until you get a kill strike. Or throw your opponent onto the ground, and then get him with the wrist blade while he’s prone.
This is a game where you don’t want to fight fair. Which is why, when you get the ability to use counter kills, you never want to use anything else unless you have to. Basically, you just wait till your foe strikes, and then press the attack button to parry and execute him in the most brutal ways possible. It’s quite satisfying.
Well, being an assassin, you have to be sneaky, right? Well...this part is a mixed bag. Some of the ways of hiding seem kinda silly such as blending in with a group of scholars because they have somewhat similar robes. Never mind that Altair is armed to the teeth and the scholars aren’t. Your average city guard is oblivious to this fact, fortunately.
Visually, this game is breathtaking. The first time you climb a town and get a good look at the surrounding area, it’s awe-inspiring. Then you take a dive off of your high perch into a conveniently placed hay wagon. I don’t know who placed them there, but be thankful they did. It’s a blast diving off the tallest building in a city and knowing you’ll survive the fall.
This is one of the most enjoyable games I’ve played on the 360. It tells a good story, mostly. There are some questionable parts, especially near the end. Overall though, the game is really good. It’s not perfect, but then again, what game is?
I would highly recommend this game. It’s a definite buy in my opinion. It is a couple years old at this point, but unlike some of the past games I’ve reviewed, you can still easily find this game new or used for between $20 and $30. Pick up a copy, it’s worth it.
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System: |
Xbox 360
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| Genre: |
3rd-Person Action
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| Experience: |
Finished the main storyline
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