Assassin's Creed

November 16,2007 - When we first saw Assassin’s Creed at last year’s E3, its presence was intimidating. The concept of becoming a “hitman of sorts” in the twelfth century intrigued us all. The game has been through a rough stretch, with all the talks of when the game actually takes place and all the secrets Ubisoft failed to reveal. Assassin’s Creed is like that secret Ubisoft has been hiding; everyone knew it was coming but no one expected what it had to offer when it finally arrived. Thankfully Assassin’s Creed does more than live up to its secrecy and creates a remarkable gaming experience that all gamers should not miss out on.

Without dabbing too much with the intricacies of the story for fear of spoiling anything, note that Assassin’s Creed takes place during two time periods, the present and twelfth century Palestine. The links between the two times become apparent within the first fifteen minutes of the game but its much more rewarding to see it for yourself than having us describe it to you. Although the two periods relate to each other continuously throughout the game, you will spend most of your time traversing the Holy Land during the Third Crusade as Altair, a hired assassin devoted to his teachings and lays down vengeance without mercy.

Altair is the essence of the anti-hero. His personality is very dark, he sticks to the shadows, and he kills without any sense of morality. Needless to say, you will become attached to him throughout the game despite your best efforts to hate him. His story is astonishing, truly shining over even the darkest events that Altair performs. As you advance through the game, you will learn of Altair’s ambitions and just what exactly he has to do with modern day science. His goals may be vengeful, but you will soon enjoy his ruthlessness as time goes on.

What makes the story so intriguing is the environment for which Assassin’s Creed takes place. Altair’s world is set up into three lands; Damascus, Acre, and Jerusalem. All have their own unique style and vibe, complete with hundreds of interactive citizens that roam the streets. At first glance, you might be blown away by the vastness each city has to offer, but there are plenty of secrets to be found if you spend some time exploring. Spiritual temples grace the landscape, crowds gather at the market in a seamless display of interaction, and monks recite passages from the Holy Bible to willing listeners. The environment is extravagant beyond means, and there are plenty of secrets for you to find that will surely peak your interest for a good time to come.

With so much time spent in the three cities, it’s useful to detect how lifelike each one feels. Every citizen, merchant stand, animal, and building can be interacted with and most can be utilized for your own specific goals, depending on the situation. More often than not you will find yourself running from guards in an attempt to stay hidden. You can use these interactions to jump on top of buildings, push helpless citizens in front of chasing guards, or even crush the legs of a fruit stand to block their path. The choice is yours, and that’s what makes Assassin’s Creed so innovative and exacting to play, there are just so many different options to choose from at any point in the game.

Of course, Assassin’s Creed is more than just irritating the guards and running away. You are tasked with assassinating nine Templars, protectors of the greatest treasure in the Holy Land. While you might think eliminating the Templars is overly dramatic, Altair’s ambitions become clear during the different story-arches, and sooner or later you won’t feel any sense of remorse in taking them down one by one. Getting to the Templars is as easy as finding them on your map and going to their location, but there are many factors you have to take into account, such as witnesses, guards, and the possibility of being outnumbered. To help alleviate these problems, you can take alternate side missions to learn of important information that will help in taking down each Templar. This information can be anything from what time a Templar walks in front of a certain tower in the day to who he socializes with. The possibilities for how you take down your target are endless, and you can use almost anyone to help you in your progress.

Learning this important detail makes up most of the basic gameplay for Assassin’s Creed. You will spend a good time hiding in the shadows or crowds trying to listen in on important conversations, follow behind targets in a chance to pickpocket letters, or jump atop buildings to get a birds-eye view of the surroundings. There are also optional missions that gain you respect with the citizens. The more you help citizens, the easier it will become for you near the end to take out those high-ranking Templar officials. Helping citizens can net you rewards such as bandits who help you escape after an assassination, or even a group of monks who let you hide in their bundle while they walk to the church.

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