Assassin's Creed Xbox 360

Released on 16/11/2007

• Assassin's Creed Preview

  Assassin’s Creed won’t blend in to the crowd...

  With Assassin's Creed now in its final testing and polishing stage, Ubisoft has invited us up to their offices to get our hands on one of the most anticipated titles of 2007.

  Before we begin, we're given some background on Assassin's Creed by Creative Director Patrice Desilets (you can tell he's creative... he's wearing a beret), who's travelled from Montreal with Art Animation Director Alex Drouin and Level Design Director, David Chateauneuf. It's fair to say that we're in good hands.

  Set during the summer of 1191, the time of the Third Crusade, in and around the cities of Acre, Jerusalem and Damascus, Assassin's Creed casts you as Altair (Arabic for "The Flying One") – a member of the original guild of master assassins known as "The Hashshashin" – and the striking figure on the Assassin's Creed's box who already looks set to become a gaming icon. Your task - to assassinate nine real historical figures entangled in the Crusades.

  A different experience altogether, one that effloresces with each step taken into Assassin's Creed's highly-charged and bloody political climate.

  Once Patrice begins playing the Xbox 360 version, we can tell this is a creative team dedicated to achieving the best, from the enthusiastic way that he talks up Assassin's Creed to the obvious results which are proudly displayed on a massive hi-def telly before us.

  As Altair explores the city of Acre before our eyes, two things are obvious – the detail of Assassin's Creed's physical environment, and that of the non-player characters that inhabit the bustling streets. Both are absolutely instrumental to Assassin's Creed's gameplay.

  The athletic Altair can go pretty much anywhere, employing techniques not far from the modern sport of Parkour (Free Running) – tiny ledges are enough for the assassin's fingers (or toes) to grasp, while he can leap large distances with the grace of a bird in flight, meaning rooftops and other hard-to-reach areas are accessible with ease.

  Meanwhile, the general population in Assassin's Creed are also vital to assassination success. They can be used to hide amongst, to run a distraction, they can be pick-pocketed, and even be convinced to join sides with assassin Altair and fight off guards. On the downside, the crowd are easily startled, and react to strange goings on. Attempt to scale a building in front of a large group and they'll (obviously) be interested, stoking the curiosity of any guards in the vicinity.

  An unexpected comparison...

  Patrice repeatedly stresses that we should prepare ourselves before playing Assassin's Creed – that it does not play how we would expect. Assassin's Creed's control method has a flow, a rhythm, which, while natural-feeling and easy to pick up, differs greatly from the conventions we're used to playing with (indeed, Patrice explains that in some ways Assassin's Creed is more similar to Pro Evolution Soccer than another action game) – and it'll take a while to sink in.

  When I finally get my hands on it, it's easy to see what he means; it does take some getting used to, but from the second you are in control, Assassin's Creed becomes a different experience, one that effloresces with each step you take into its highly-charged and bloody political climate.

  The way master assassin Altair moves is astonishing, and once you relax into the idiosyncratic control, Assassin's Creed becomes second nature. It's a truly joyous feeling to navigate your way across rooftops, up towers and over parapets like some kind of human cat.

  There's also a certain rhythmic quality to the combat – somewhat reminiscent of that in Ninja Gaiden – one well-timed button press is going to do you a lot more good than mashing the attack buttons, especially against more than one opponent, and blocking also plays a vital part in Assassin's Creed's fights.

  The way Altair moves is astonishing, and once you relax into the idiosyncratic control, Assassin's Creed becomes second nature.

  Researching your commission prior to striking is a fairly hefty part of Assassin's Creed, and there are numerous options available when it comes to deciding how to assassinate your target. In one scene, Patrice had Altair wait on a the top of a high wall while a commanding officer berated his soldiers in a courtyard, and then leapt directly from the wall onto his target with a dramatic killing strike. A spectacular assassination, yes, but one that immediately has you facing off with a gang of enemies in an enclosed space – something quieter and more considered may be the route to go next time, but, in Assassin's Creed that is up to you.

  Assassin's Creed is not a "hardcore" stealth title and not supposed to be – Patrice explains that a significant amount of work has gone into balancing the gameplay in this respect, to ensure a level of challenge and believability to Assassin's Creed while also retaining the all-important aspects that stretch realism enough to ensure it remains enjoyable.

  All will become clear...

  The creative team would not address any questions related to an apparent "sci-fi twist" in Assassin's Creed – yet loading screens definitely hinted at something, while figures in the game are often surrounded by complex, futuristic-looking information readouts. Are you playing as someone else who is playing a virtual reality Assassin's Creed game? Is time-travel involved? No amount of begging would convince Patrice to give up Assassin's Creed's secret – though apparently all will become clear in the first minute of the finished game.

  With its mysterious and engaging protagonist, unique and evocative setting, and a superb mesh of gameplay styles, Assassin's Creed is shaping up to be one of 2007's most desirable titles and certainly not one that is likely to look lost in the holiday rush. Might be time to sneak in a pre-order...

  Preview by: Jonny Austin
  Version Tested: Xbox 360
  Preview Published: 12.10.07

  Published: 12/10/2007

• Assassin's Creed Review

  Mark makes an Ass[assin] of himself...

  It's difficult to define Assassin's Creed. On one hand it's a stunning next-gen title with innovative control and a compelling plot; on the other, its imagination doesn't always match the presentation, its twisting tale takes some unexpected tangents, and it plays unlike you may have imagined.

  At first glance Assassin's Creed promises a next-gen story-driven stealth epic in the vein of a free-roaming Thief. I'd hoped to be scouring areas, locating my prey and blending into crowds, before stealthily slitting throats and slinking away through the confusion – or furiously fleeing acrobatically across rooftops as a desperate last resort if spotted.

  But in reality, Assassin's Creed contains very little sneaking. Instead, Assassin's Creed plays more like a mix between old Xbox adventure Galleon, Xbox 360 free-roaming favourite Crackdown, and PS2 stunner Shadow of the Colossus.

  Slick, stylish and empowering

  The Galleon comparison is based on the free-running controls, which make Assassin's Creed such a smooth experience. Holding R, A and up on the analogue makes main character Altair interact with whatever's in front of him – so speed across rooftops and he'll automatically leap gaps, balance on beams and effortlessly navigate the area; direct him at a tower and he'll find handholds and climb to his heart's content before swan diving elegantly into hay bails. It's slick, stylish, empowering stuff, but the trade-off is that you don't always feel fully in control.

  Assassin's Creed tasks you with exploring the cities of Maysaf, Damascus, Acre and Jerusalem, which – apart from some Colossus-esque horse riding to get between them – creates a structure uncannily similar to Crackdown.

  Assassin's Creed's nine assassinations play out like this; you'll get your target and gallop on over from Maysaf's assassin HQ to the designated city – scaling viewpoints as you go to unlock parts of the world map. At said city, you'll blend in with some scholars to get past the gates, climb viewpoints to unlock investigations, and then when you've done two or more, head on over to the Assassin Bureau to get the location of your assassination target.

  Packed with pedestrians and really capturing the feel of the Crusades era; it's a joy to explore Assassin's Creed's atmospheric, lush medieval HD world.

  The astounding thing about all of this is how alive each area feels; packed with pedestrians and really capturing the feel of the Crusades era; it's a joy to explore Assassin's Creed's atmospheric, lush medieval HD world – and, perhaps even more so, the jarring contrast of its minimal, sterile modern-day environment that's part of its much-vaunted sci-fi twist.

  Sadly, the investigations themselves are none too challenging and often repetitive; interrogations mean punching someone a few times, pick-pocketing requires following a target and pressing B, while eavesdropping means sitting on a bench and pressing a button – and it's like this throughout Assassin's Creed.

  Assassinations themselves are uncultured affairs – you can pretty much walk up to or chase your quarry and impale them on your blade – and with no option to stealth your way out of the situation, you end up either running furiously for a safe spot or fighting guards with disappointingly dopey A.I. using spectacular, but relatively shallow combat.

  Later in Assassin's Creed things do improve; unlocked equipment provides variety, increasingly challenging assassinations require planning, and the plot will certainly keep you playing to see what happens – while collecting flags, saving citizens and offing Templars adds longevity – but it's hard not to see this as a low-key, low-tech, high-def GTA instead of the standard-setting stealth-action-adventure hybrid it could have been.

  Polarised

  Assassin's Creed is certainly hard to pin down, with even the web's big gaming sites polarised; some scoring it in the 7's and others pushing into the 9's. There's a huge difference between a good release and a modern classic. Assassin's Creed had all the credentials to be the latter, but ends up somewhere between the two.

  Whether it will be to everyone's tastes remains to be seen, and there will be plenty of stealth fans expecting something different to what Assassin's Creed delivers. However, Ubisoft's unique, ambitious blend of picturesque scenery, slow-paced skulking, empowering exploration and frenzied, acrobatic action make Assassin's Creed worth making your own mind up about.

  GAME's Verdict

  

  • The best looking game of this console generation so far
  • Effortlessly elegant and innovative free-running control in jaw-droppingly large and geniusly designed locales
  • Atmospheric beyond belief with lots of longevity and numerous ways to approach assassinations

  

  • Not the game stealth-action fans might have expected
  • Free running controls mean platforming, fighting and climbing require no real skill or inventiveness
  • Repetitive structure and investigation missions that lack imagination

  Review by: Mark 'Shinobi' Scott
  Version Tested: Xbox 360
  Review Published: 21.11.07

  Published: 21/11/2007

• May reveal for new Assassin's Creed

  In between the talk about numbers, statistics and more numbers in Ubisoft's financial results call, the company's CEO Yves Guillemot revealed some exciting news: that the next Assassin's Creed game will be officially unveiled in just three short months.
  
  "We will have an Assassin's Creed this year," said Guillemot. "We are going to give you more details in May."
  
  By his year', of course, Guillemot is referring to the fiscal period in other words, the game could launch any time between now and 31st March 2012. But it's a fair bet that, given the swift development period of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, the next in the series might well turn up around November time.
  
  Talking of Brotherhood, Ubisoft confirmed that the latest game in the stealth-action series had shipped 6.5 million copies since launch, a figure slightly down on predecessor Assassin's Creed II, but still mightily impressive. The publisher's other recent success, Just Dance, looks set to run and run, with Guillemot suggesting "there's a good chance this dance segment can be strong for four or five years like Guitar Hero."
  
  While it may not be the best time to make comparisons to Activision's recently-nixed franchise, Ubisoft revealed that the series and spin-offs including Michael Jackson: The Experience and Dance on Broadway had shifted over 10 million copies. Just Dance 3 in time for Christmas, then? We certainly wouldn't be surprised.
• Do you have what it takes to write the book on Assassin's Creed?

  CVG has spotted a post on Ubisoft UbiWorkshop site that should be pretty interesting for fans of the Assassin Creed series. It a call to arms for any knowledgeable super-players to help with the construction of an Assassin's Creed Encyclopaedia.

  Here what it says: "As the more faithful among you know by now, we are working on an Assassin's Creed encyclopaedia (well my human colleagues are, I mostly make sure they do it right).

  "A huge task by all means," admits the poster. "So, we need somebody to help them advance the project. Make no mistake, this is a job offer, not some petty human crowdsourcing trick."

  The post goes on to explain that applicants should have "excellent English writing skills", and "an accurate knowledge of the Assassin's Creed universe". Also, they don need to have any past experience. Equally, while it would be ideal if the candidate lived near Montreal, they could work from home.

  If youe interested, send an email to volt@ubisoft.com, along with encyclopaedia entries concerning either a main or secondary character from the series, the Animus or a historical event the series has covered. Best of luck!

• Ubisoft eyeing up the movie biz?

  It made some seriously cinematic games over the years, but now the French publisher Ubisoft is taking the plunge and opening up a movie division with the ultimate aim of creating films and TV shows based around its video games.

  That according to the Hollywood newspaper Variety, anyway thanks for the spot, Eurogamer who announced last week that Ubisoft Motion Pictures is being formed, headed by Jean-Julien Baronnet, who already worked with famous directors like Luc Besson, the man behind Leon and The Fifth Element.

  It early days, so wee not sure yet which Ubisoft games will be getting the big screen treatment, but Ubisoft already been sending out questionnaires asking gamers if they want to go to the cinema to see movies based on Ghost Recon or Assassin Creed.

  We reckon that Ezio Auditore renaissance adventures would be particularly well-suited for a life on the silver screen: Assassin Creed has action, adventure, and a weird sci-fi twist that should ensure blockbuster dominance.

  As Eurogamer points out, though, Ubisoft already had a bit of a run-up at Hollywood, in the form of last year Prince of Persia movie, starring Jake Gyllenhaal. What did you make of that one?

• Assassin Creed Revelations announced

  Ubisoft has just won a place in our hearts that it will hold for the rest of time. According to Eurogamer, the French publisher just announced Assassin Creed Revelations, the latest chapter in its brilliant action series, and it sounds like a belter.

  The game heading for the PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 this November, and it will apparently be the final chapter in Ezio story. The star of Assassin Creed II and Assassin Creed: Brotherhood will be heading to a new city, Constantinople, to stab people up in the Ottoman Empire.

  Templars are making trouble again, but there will be new gameplay tweaks, too: youl be able to manipulate memories to decipher mysteries and get a glimpse of the future, and the multiplayer content has apparently been refined and expanded, with the addition of new maps, characters, and modes.

  "Delivering the final chapter of the Ezio trilogy is an important milestone in the Assassin's Creed franchise for us and for our fans," said creative director Alexandre Amancio. "Assassin's Creed Revelations includes lots of new features and some significant surprises. We can't wait to show our fans what we have in store at E3 this year."

• Ubisoft lifts the lid on Assassin Creed: Revelations

  Last week we got to hear about Assassin Creed: Revelations, the latest instalment in Ubisoft brilliant sci-fi action adventure series that will hit the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 this November. Now, wee getting some real info on what we can expect from the title.

  According to the latest issue of Game Informer thanks for the spot, Eurogamer Revelations sees you back in the shoes of Ezio Auditore, who now well over 50 years old. Ezio on a quest to locate seals that hold memories of his ancestor Altair, and when the player tracks any of these down, they'll be able to play through some special Altair sequences.

  Elsewhere, Constantinople provides the setting, with four different districts to adventure across. Youl also be heading out into Central Turkey at times. In terms of new gadgets, youl get a hookblade that allows you to zipline around as well as mess up baddies, and there will be over 300 different bomb variations for you to craft. Eagle Vision, meanwhile, has become Eagle Sense, which lets you see the paths patrolling guards will take, so you can work around them.

  Wee already super excited about this one, but it safe to assume we'll hear more at E3. We'll keep you posted.
  

• Ubisoft details Assassin's Creed: Revelations

  Ubisoft details Assassin Creed: Revelations

  You, um, may have noticed that wee very keen on Assassin Creed: Revelations around these parts. The game was only officially announced a few weeks back, but wee already sniffing around for every scrap of new information we can bring you. Now, thanks to a report in Game Informer, wee been hearing about some of the game new characters.

  According to Eurogamer - who have all the details - the shift in setting to the city of Constantinople has called for an expanded cast. Alongside regulars like Desmond, Altair and Ezio, youl be meeting a bunch of new guys, including Manuel Palaeologos, a real-life historical figure. Manuel described as a rich aristocrat with ties to the Templars and the Byzantine rulers. Can you unravel his true loyalties?

  Then there Sofia Sorto, Ezio new love interest. She fresh in town from Italy, and she runs a book shop you might want to check out. She joined by Prince Suleiman, a teenage rich kid who Ezio will offer guidance to, and finally Yusuf Tazim, another master assassin, and the man who will provide Ezio with his new hook blade.

  On top of all these new friends and enemies, four multiplayer characters have been announced: The Vanguard, The Guardian, The Bombardier and The Sentinel. We can wait to get to know them, too.

  Assassin Creed: Revelations should be hitting shelves later this year for the PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.

• Assassin's Creed: Cutting through history

  Assassin's Creed has become such a mainstay of the game charts, and in such a short space of time, that it's easy to forget the mystery and confusion that surrounded the launch of the very first game back in 2007.

  Teasing glimpses of the Middle East in the 12th Century suggested a historical epic, but strange digital glitches hinted at science fiction. It was an open-world game, but nothing like the free-roaming crime capers the genre usually offered. And it was apparently a stealth game, but without a need to hide in boxes or crouch in corners.

  When the game finally arrived, the pieces fell into place. Ubisoft's Montreal studio had conjured up a breathtakingly lifelike recreation of historical cities, and populated them with crowds that flowed and moved in realistic ways. Our hero, Altair, was a member of the Order of Assassins, waging a centuries old war with the rival Templars. Oh, and he was being controlled by a relation from the future, via a machine called the Animus which allowed Desmond Miles to relive the memories of his ancestors.

  Most impressive was the nimble ease with which Altair could scamper around Jerusalem, Acre and Damascus. His fluid free-running made rooftop escapes and daring climbs incredibly intuitive and fun. Few will forget the first time they climbed a tower, admired the view and then dove off into a haystack far below.

  However, the gameplay beneath the technology was fairly raw. Altair had to carry out nine assassinations, which were triggered by performing set tasks. These tasks included such heart-pounding exercises as sitting on a bench and eavesdropping, or walking very slowly behind someone.

  Ubisoft clearly took notice of the criticisms levelled at Assassin's Creed's more repetitive moments, as two years later Assassin's Creed II improved the series hugely with more dynamic missions, a stronger story and a more interesting hero. With a hop forward in time to 15th Century Italy, Ezio Auditore became our lead, bringing with him a rakish charm that marked him out as a Rennaisance James Bond. Accessories and gadgets could now be purchased, from no lesser vendor than Leonardo DaVinci himself, and the game was rightly praised for the way it took the immersive world of the first title and built a deep and rewarding game on top.

  The second game also showcased a series capable of delivering multiple narratives at the same time. As Ezio's story unfolded in the past, Desmond's story followed suit in the present. Hidden in the game, behind mysterious glowing glyphs, was yet another tale. Subject 16, a previous user of the Animus, had buried clues to his fate throughout history. Solving the mind-boggling puzzles, and deciphering the dense conspiracy-laden history lessons within, added yet more layers to the increasingly immersive Assassin's universe.

  With the formula cracked, Ubisoft quickly set about improving, adding and tweaking the game for the best results. Assassin's Creed Brotherhood followed in 2010, just a year after Assassin's Creed II, leaving some fans worried that the game would be a jumped-up expansion pack rather than a true follow-up.

  The worries proved unfounded, as Brotherhood not only continued Ezio's story in thrilling fashion but introduced some remarkable new features to the series. First among these was the brotherhood of the title, a growing team of assassin's that could be recruited, trained and then called upon to assist in your nefarious hits. Brotherhood also introduced multiplayer for the first time, in the shape of a cleverly designed suite of game modes that used the stalk-and-slay gameplay of the main story to weave a paranoid multi-layered game of cat and mouse, with players all hunting one of their peers - while someone else in turn hunted them.

  In just five years, Assassin's Creed has gone from a curious oddity to one of the biggest and most critically acclaimed gaming series of this console generation. This week sees the release of Assassin's Creed Revelations, an ambitious entry that brings original star Altair back into the frame alongside Ezio, while Desmond roams digital limbo trying to return to normality. With Altair and Ezio reaching the end of their adventure this year, and Desmond's story set to wrap up in another sequel in 2012, the future and past for assassins everywhere has never been brighter.

• Ubisoft asks fans to help pick future Assassin's Creed locations

  
  Ubisoft asks fans to help pick future Assassin's Creed locations

  Ubisoft has sent a survey to fans on its Assassin's Creed Uplay mailing list, asking them to vote on possible locations and time periods for future games in the series.

  There are eight options to choose from, all of which could throw up intriguing new gameplay possibilities. Medieval China and feudal Japan both feature on the list, as do the American and Russian revolutions. Ancient Rome and Egypt are also suggested, along with Victorian England and the Spanish Conquistadors.

  The recently released Assassin's Creed Revelations brought the stories of previous heroes Altair and Ezio to a close. Next year's Assassin's Creed 3 will reportedly be the last to feature Desmond Miles, the modern day hero who relives the memories of his ancestors in the games.

  But Ubisoft has admitted they want Assassin's Creed to be an annual event, and there's certainly scope in the idea to take the series to interesting new places in 2013. Where would you like to go?

  Assassin's Creed Revelations is out now for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.
  

• Michael Fassbender to star in Assassin's Creed movie

  Assassin's Creed will make the daredevil rooftop leap from games to the big screen in fine style, it seems, with the announcement that Michael Fassbender, one of the most popular actors around, will not only star in the movie version of Ubisoft's hit stealth franchise, but will also co-produce the movie with Ubisoft through his own production company.

  Fassbender is box office gold right now, with critical acclaim for arthouse dramas such as Shame and A Dangerous Method rubbing up against commercial hits such as X-Men: First Class and Prometheus. "Michael Fassbender was our first choice," said Ubisoft Motion Pictures boss Jean-Julien Baronnet. "Michael is an extremely smart, talented, versatile and committed actor."

  It's unclear which elements of the Assassin's Creed games will be used for the movie, but Ubisoft is adamant that it will retain creative control. The publisher even scuppered an earlier attempt to finance the movie by refusing to allow Sony's movie division to tamper with the story.

  It'll be a few years before we see the Animus in action on the big screen, but gamers can look forward to the end of an era when Assassin's Creed 3 is released this November 16th. The game, set during the American Revolutionary War, brings the story of time-hopping hero Desmond Miles to a close.
  

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