Assassin's Creed Nexus
Review
A perfect blend
by William Thompson
reviewed on PC
Finally…
Assassin’s Creed has always been about the parkour and the stealthy skills of an assassin, and Assassin's Creed Nexus is no different. It is a fully fleshed out action-adventure game that encompasses the aspects of the Assassin’s Creed series - all within a VR environment. And it works well right from the outset.
Initially, players are faced with a small challenge which is displayed on a holographic-style board. It was at this point that I felt like Tony Stark, moving objects around on his 3D holographic design board. After completing this initial puzzle, players are taken into the virtual office of Abstergo and will then be asked to complete a series of tasks to see if they are worthy. The initial setting acts as a pseudo tutorial, with the game prompting players on how to use the VR controls and the various mechanics within the game.
Assassin skills
As an assassin, much of the game will be spent sneaking around and using the skills available to you in order to take out numerous enemies. Nexus makes great use of the VR controls, placing gamers right into the action. Flicking your wrist reveals a hidden blade, allowing players to plunge the dagger into an unsuspecting enemy, whilst reaching down for your sword will permit gamers to defend and attack oncoming assailants.
The sword-based combat - when needed – does an admirable job, with the VR headset tracking movements so that players can dodge oncoming attacks and then perform counterattacks of their own. There is a bit of sameness to the combat though, with enemies attacking one at a time on most occasions, allowing players to get into a pattern of parrying and counterattacking. There are times that combat is unavoidable, but for the most part, I tried to avoid it where possible and stick to moving around targets and attacking in a stealthier way.
The climbing and movement mechanics in Nexus perform well. For climbing, Nexus uses a mechanic employed by other VR titles whereby players move each of their hands like they are climbing a ladder one rung at a time, and thus allowing them to reach higher locations. And moving through locations is a breeze, as players just hold the run button and face in the direction they want to go, leaping over small objects and across gaps.
Exploring your surrounds
And if you want to play the stealth game - like I did, then Nexus becomes a game of exploration as well as stealth. Players will often have to explore the surroundings so that they can find the optimal position for completing an assassination, either sneaking up from behind a target, or dropping down from above. Working out the best solution can be a complete joy when it all comes together and can take out a series of enemies undetected.
If you have played any of the earlier Assassin's Creed titles, some of the locations will be familiar. Players begin in Italy, spending time in Ezio’s hometown of Monteriggioni, before moving through to Sparta (playing as Kassandra) and on to Boston where players will relive the role of Connor. And like other Assassin's Creed titles, players will gain access to other skills and equipment as they progress. Throwing knives, smoke bombs and bows are some of the additional tools that players will gain through each of the locations. And each of these will have their use for specific scenarios. This gradual progression and introduction of the special equipment ensures that players aren’t overwhelmed early on, allowing them to ease into the role of each character.
If there was a let-down to Nexus, it would be the visuals. From a distance, everything looks wonderful, particularly if you’ve ascended a tower to look on the town below. But as you move about the populace, players will notice the low-res nature of the characters. Indeed, you’ll almost think that you’ve walked into one of the earlier games from the Tomb Raider series when chatting to the locals.
A slice (and dice) of heaven
I'm surprised that it has taken so long for an Assassin's Creed game to finally be released on a VR platform. After all, the original game takes place in a virtual world based on the memories of the descendant of Desmond Miles. And Assassin's Creed Nexus does an amazing job of placing gamers in the shoes of several notable characters and locations from within the Assassin’s Creed series. Although the story is not as detailed as that of previous Assassin's Creed titles, it still does a more than adequate job of keeping the player entertained over the course of the journey. But the developers have made full use of the VR controls to ensure that players feel immersed and like they are part of the action. Hopefully, Assassin's Creed Nexus be the first of many in a series of VR games from Ubisoft.
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8.8
fun score
Pros
Great use of VR mechanics allows players to sneak around
Cons
Low-res characters, Some repetitive sword combat
