November 25th, 2007 by Slackerchan
Also available on:
PS3, PC Heed the Creed
In the last generation of console gaming, a French developer, famous for their work on tactical shooters like the Tom Clancy game series, took a leap of faith and decided to try something new: the revitalization of a classic franchise. The franchise turned out to be Prince of Persia, a classic side-scrolling adventure loved by NES gamers, and the trilogy that followed the revival was a huge success. For the next generation, Ubisoft decided to take another leap of faith while still keeping its feet grounded to its experiences, creating an entirely new intellectual property that is a spiritual successor to the Persia series.
But is Assassin's Creed a grand enough experience to dethrone royalty or does the Prince still stand supreme? Read on and find out...
Weaving a Tale
If there is one thing Ubisoft Montreal is well known for its creating an extremely intricate story, and Assassin's Creed is nothing short of an excellent example of what they can accomplish. In fact it has the potential to be one of the greatest fables they've ever conceived. To even reveal what happens in the first five minutes to a newcomer is a crime however, so I won't spoil it for you. Suffice to say you will certainly enjoy learning about those weird computer effects you've seen in all the previews for the game. Suffice it to say though is that Assassin's Creed utilizes storytelling elements that are rarely used in television and film nowadays. Not because the type has died out but simply because it’s a potentially risky one to take for those mediums of entertainment. It works perfectly however for video games as this title demonstrates.
The majority of the game players take on the role of Altair, a member of an assassin guild living in the middle of the Third Crusade in the year 1191. The Knights Templar, long time enemies of the assassins, are in search of a treasure and Altair is assigned to prevent it. He gets in over his head however and fails, leading to the death of a fellow assassin, the dismemberment of another, and even so much as leading the enemy to the assassin's fortress. For this colossal failure he is demoted back to novice status and stripped of all his weapons.
To earn back his status in the guild he must assassinate nine different targets; each one contributing to the escalation of the Third Crusade in their own way on both side of the conflict. They hide among the people of the three prominent cities of the time and area: Damascus, Acre, and Jerusalem. In order to achieve his goals Altair has to infiltrate the city the target is in, gather intelligence, attack and kill ánd make a successful escape.
Assassin's Creed is an example of an enticing story that has great potential for the future. The only conceivable flaws are that you want a lot more than is given and, if anything, the ending is quite abrupt. While this is a perfect set-up for the next game in the series, it would have been nice if the game had a bit more closure.
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