Assassin's Creed Review (X360)

Nitpicky Flaws ...

There are significant flaws here, however. The combat, for example, is a real weak link because it just isn’t very satisfying. Even if you are fighting a dozen enemies at once, they will slowly attack you one at a time and if you time your counters and dodges right, it isn’t nearly as challenging as you’d think fighting a dozen enemies would be. You usually don’t even have to fight, though, and can simply run away and hide if you would rather keep all of the blood contained within your body. This is where another flaw pops up. You can hide in rooftop gardens or by sitting on benches or jumping into piles of hay or by finding a group of monks and standing in the middle of them as they walk around. And all of these hiding places are always in the exact same spots, every time you need them. You can’t hide if the enemies see you do it, but breaking their line of sight is ridiculously easy, and once they lose you they give up almost immediately. The chases can be pretty fun while they last, but it is just too easy to escape and the way you escape and the AI of your pursuers is just plain stupid. My final complaint comes in the fact that your investigation leading up to your kill is pretty much the same every time. You always start by climbing a tower. Then you pick pocket or interrogate or one of the other things. And then you go kill your target. The investigation is just crazy easy and not all that fun. I don’t mind that there are repeating objectives. I just wish they were more interesting to begin with.

... and Undeniable Strengths

There are significant strengths in Assassin’s Creed as well, though, that far outweigh the negatives. When you can perform your kills stealthily, there are few games that provide as big of a feeling of satisfaction as Assassin’s Creed. Even killing the guards on the rooftops is a thrill when you can stab them from behind, or use a throwing knife, or just sneak up and throw them off the roof down to the street. The free running and overall exploration aspect also really deserves praise because it is just plain fun. Being able to climb up pretty much anything and go wherever you please is a joy that never really gets old. Climbing up towers and getting an eagle eye view of the city is also a really spectacular thrill that is undeniably impressive. All of this is made possible by some incredibly fluid and intuitive controls that allow pretty much anyone to pick up the controller and know how to climb around and explore at will. I also really enjoy the other things Assassin’s Creed offers besides the main quest. There are hidden flags in each city to find. There are 60 powerful Templars in each city that you have to find and assassinate. There are towers to climb. And I also have to say the achievements are really good in AC and reward you for doing a lot of things outside of the main quest.

Graphics and Sound

Graphically, Assassin’s Creed is one of the best looking games ever. The game world is huge and very detailed and the cities look pretty darn realistic. The animation of your character as well as guards and NPCs is absolutely smooth and great looking. And, like I have said already, climbing up a tower and taking a look around is a real thrill.

The sound is equally as impressive. The voice acting is solid all around, although your character doesn’t quite pack as much punch as the other characters. The sound effects, are easily the most impressive aspect of the sound, and it is very cool to be in a high place, hearing the chatter and clatter of the streets below along with the wind whistling in your ears and the cry of a nearby bird. The music is also exceptional in AC and the orchestral score rises and falls at all of the appropriate times and is just great to listen to.

Bottom Line

Despite some questionable design decisions, Assassin’s Creed is still an amazing game that is among the best games of 2007. Sure, the combat is a little off and the “hide in plain sight” stealth stuff is pretty goofy, but when you work out a perfect stealth kill or climb up a tower and just take a look around, there is no question that Assassin’s Creed is a unique and special game that deserves to be praised. It is a game that needs to be fully absorbed and enjoyed and not rushed through. If you just do the bare minimum and rush from kill to kill, you aren’t going to like it as much. But if you go slow and really try to see everything the game has to offer, it truly is a sight to behold. The game clocks in at a good 15-20 hours on your first playthrough, and there is quite a bit of replay value simply because you can try to perform kills in different ways, so you definitely get your money’s worth. I highly recommend Assassin’s Creed for a purchase.