Assassin's Creed Comments by Tom Bramwell

I found it quite amusing how some people so quickly dismiss the game based on a review.

Well, the review is there to aid purchasing decisions and whilst 7/10 is by no means a bad score, you do have to set that in the context of a very rich release schedule across all platforms right now. As you're probably aware, many regulars on this site value the opinions expressed in Eurogamer's reviews highly (I know I do), so whilst "dismiss" is maybe a little harsh, yes, this review is enough to make me think twice about this title.

Life's too short (or rather, gaming time is too scarce) to play everything, so it pays to be selective. Personally I don't have enough time to play every 9-10/10 game that gets released, and whilst I'd never say never to a 7/10 rated game, it's not going to be at the top of my priority playlist.

You tools hacking on Jade Raymond need to get a fucking grip... What would you like? Would you like her to parade around proclaiming that the game is shit?

Did school just get out in Europe...? the comments are reading like a bunch of fucking cry baby wankers looking for someone to target for abuse.

"I found it quite amusing how some people so quickly dismiss the game based on a review."

Well, it's no longer just a review in singular, more like quite a bunch of them. Even sites like IGN and Gamespy dosen't have much to think of Assassin's Creed as a whole.

And when even they start to criticize, in a homogenous way that goes hand in hand with a "reliable" site like Eurogamer, then you definitely start to get the picture that there is just something not quite right with the game in question....

@BadBoyBonner

Indeed! This review would have done Bioshock to a tee. Pretty graphics, dull, dull, repetitive gameplay

And just to make sure I keep off topic completely... go play Portal instead, it's pure genius.

> Would you like her to parade around proclaiming that the game is shit?

I would like game producers to be sat in the office producing games, not publicising them. That's what marketting people are for.

@ Tom

How exactly do the climbing mechanics work? It's just, in the First Impressions the other day, it seemed to suggest that you press a button, then it does it automatically, which kinda worried me. Like, immensely.

"How exactly do the climbing mechanics work? It's just, in the First Impressions the other day, it seemed to suggest that you press a button, then it does it automatically, which kinda worried me. Like, immensely."

That's true to some extent, but not entirely. When you hold down the right trigger, Altair goes into "high profile" mode, and running at a wall and pressing the "feet" button (A on 360, X on PS3) makes him climb and grab a ledge if he can. You can then release all the buttons and use the analogue stick to direct him over the surface, using B (360)/circle (PS3) to release and drop. It's controlled, but without having to clamp hold of as many buttons as other games. I don't think the fact that having Altair leap from one hand-hold to one higher up using the analogue stick rather than holding up on the analogue stick and pressing A or X devalues its platform mechanics. In fact, the controls on the whole are very fluid and effective. The game's problems lie elsewhere.

Fuck, SEVEN?

Seriously, too many games coming out to be wasting time on an EG seven.

@ Tom

Oh, OK, that's much better. Just one more thing: how big is the game world, exactly? And is the horse available from the start?

When did 7/10 become a bad score? I've played and liked lots of games below that. Of course we've been spoiled with great games lately, but I still expect to get a kick out of this. Repetition is often a problem with games; I became numb to the action near the end of Half-Life 2, and that's a very well paced game. Sometimes it may be a better idea to not play a game in as few sittings possible (I did HL2 in two sessions).

Then again, Hitman's set the assassionation game bar pretty high already. With variation.

I would like game producers to be sat in the office producing games, not publicising them. That's what marketting people are for.

Next time I'll tell Mr Miyamoto not to talk about Mario or Zelda. While we're at it lets stop programmers like Carmack talking about game engines. This is really getting ridiculous ...

Dr. Mott:

"Just one more thing: how big is the game world, exactly?"

The game world consists of Masyaf, the Kingdom, Jerusalem, Acre, Damascus and another smaller area later on. J/A/D are the main cities and they form the bulk of the gameplay. Masyaf is used in a few places but is smaller and more compact, used more for narrative, tutorial and spectacle. The other area serves a purpose but isn't comparable to J/A/D. Comparing the size to something else is difficult, but the density of gameplay is probably closest to Crackdown I guess. It's a very fudged comparison though. There is enough to occupy you for between 15 and 20 hours, I'd say.

"And is the horse available from the start?"

You use the horse for the Kingdom area, but not in the cities. It's not a particularly big element of the game or I'd have made more mention of it. You can just grab any horse that's sitting around in the Kingdom bit and they all behave the same.

" 'I would like game producers to be sat in the office producing games, not publicising them. That's what marketting people are for.' "

"Next time I'll tell Mr Miyamoto not to talk about Mario or Zelda. While we're at it lets stop programmers like Carmack talking about game engines. This is really getting ridiculous ... "

I'm with you on this. I like people involved with the game directly to promote them. The games industry would be a lot more boring without people like Harvey Smith, Ken Levine, John Carmack, Jade Raymond, etc, giving us an informed response to our questions and presenting the game with intimate understanding of how it works. Look beyond the fact she's a girl (and it's depressing that it is an 'if'), and Jade does a much better job than the vast majority of producers you see interviewed about games. I hope she continues to do so and that the juvenile response and however AC's ultimately received doesn't discourage her from doing so.

"what destroyed this for e was the video review on Gametrailers showing the poor ai"

yeah who gave it 9.1 i believe and said the game is still a big leap in terms of innovation and next gen-ness.

seriously is 7 a fair score for something ive read 8's for mostly or 9's?

I think this is the first game in the past few months where reviewers didn't break under the hype. In a way I'd say it is being treated unfairly, because so many other games have been grossly overrated lately that this reasonable review is making the game look worse than it is.

Anyway, I think many people who are giving it up in the light of the reviews would actually enjoy it. It's possibly the best looking game I have ever seen, and some of the stuff that you witness is simply breathtaking. Too bad that the action starts to lose momentum after a while. It could have been a classic.

This sci-fi twist really reminds me of Timeline by Michael Criten (think that's spelt right - the Jurrasic Park guy). They time travelled back to medieval France. If there's a bit about coming back through time disjointed then it's a defo rip ;)

The people who are canceling pre-orders and contemplating sending the game back because it scored "only" a 7 on Eurogamer are funny.

Send the game to me; I'll play it.

"Did school just get out in Europe...? the comments are reading like a bunch of fucking cry baby wankers looking for someone to target for abuse."

i.e. business as usual in the comment thread:-(

"Look beyond the fact she's a girl"

She's fairly attractive with a fairly obviously great rack.

Look beyond that I cannot do and they know it ...

Gutted. First GTA IV delayed, now this being less than amazing with its flaws.

I'll try it anyway, I guess - but not in a rush, as I bought Crackdown last week(!)

Now to choose which game(s) I'll get bundled with the Elite...

/rethinks game purchase priorities

"This sci-fi twist really reminds me of Timeline by Michael Criten (think that's spelt right - the Jurrasic Park guy). They time travelled back to medieval France. If there's a bit about coming back through time disjointed then it's a defo rip ;)"

I've read that book twice. It's so hilariously typical of Crichton, but it's good fodder when you're not particularly paying attention. And yes, it's very applicable. I would have mentioned it in the review, but I think I probably lose points if I cite Michael Crichton as a literary reference. :)

Looks like I'll pick this up next xmas in the under £15 bin. Most reviews have said the game has a solid engine and solid foundations so lets hope assassins creed2 is a better and more fun game.

Despite getting a bit sad about the not-so-great score in the review, I'm still picking the game. Crackdown alike in the Third Crusade seems good. Despite all the problems that Tom spoke of, still sounds like a great game. And 7/10 is still a great score.

I've been turning into some kind of good-score-is-just-9-and-above kind of person :|


Bring on Mass Effect, but please, this has to prove to be a 10/10 game, to not get another hyped game ruined. I don't mind hype, as long as the game deserves it in the end.

> Jade does a much better job than the vast majority of producers you see interviewed about games

You asked her about scheduling, overtime, how happy her team is, etc.? I think me and you have different expectations of what a "good" producer is, since we have totally different relationships with them.

"You asked her about scheduling, overtime, how happy her team is, etc.?"

In the limited time we get with people connected with the games, we focus on the games. I'm not commenting on her abilities as a producer, but I'm defending her ability to discuss her game, which she does well. You're right that there's more to being a producer - of course you are - but that's not what I'm taking issue with here.

so ubis relentless hyping of this game has blown up in their faces by sounds of things, whoops

Gah, the Team Xbox review gives away the (fairly obvious but doesn't need to be spoilt) plot twist in the opening paragraphs. Fuckers.

My Dad gave me a copy of Timeline to read during downtime when I was ill, and I found it to be a real page turner and great fun!

Still yet to see the film with Billy Connolly and Paul Walker though...

"Still yet to see the film with Billy Connolly and Paul Walker though..."

Me either. Although in the context of Crichton adaptations it can surely only be a poor man's Congo. Bruce Campbell! A talking gorilla! Parachutes! Racism! Oh.

terrorist training game isnt a super hit
I for one am glad the hashashin didt take over the world err virtual world
Have to ask Jade tho why not just make a prince of persia game instead of getting all carried away with yourselves and pretentios like
please no attacks from so called history student taa
i'm off... to outaspace with effect instead

meh.

I think I'll wait for some teenager to buy and finish this first, and then grab it on the cheap as pre-owned.

+1 to KG & Eighthours

Thanks for sticking arounds for questions, Mugwum.

Looks like they have the engine in place for AC2, so they can concentrate on the game next time around... ;)

Do people still buy 'recent' pre-owned games? AFAIK, recently released preowned only differ in price by just £1-2 with new ones. And I usually only find value-for-money preowned games when they are so old but popular the preowned market is flooded by them.

Some people here even think this game will hit the bin bargain in next January! Amusing ...

Well, they gave crackdown 9/10 and that is the most repetitive sandbox-game I ever played. 0 sidemissions ftw apparantly. I doubt creed is worse. I really do.

Not seen the film either (Timeline that is). Don't expect it to be that good though. Didn't know Billy Connoly was in it! Was there a Scotsman in the book? As for losing points for citing MC as reference; i think he's a great writer. Liked the Jurassic films but the books are even better. Especially Lost World, really shows the film up IMO but then isn't that always the case :)

Back to the game: Still looking forwards to it though, no cancellation here. How long a game is it? Anywhere near the 20 hours cited by devs?

"I got the game today and have played it for 3.5 hours and I love it. The controls are ace, the graphics lush, the story is intriguing."

Well, I've played it for 20 hours, and finished it, and as observers of this thread will note - as I did before I decided to extend this comment - you're rather proving my point.

I bet he has not even read your review Tom ;)

"I bet he has not even read your review Tom ;)"

Who would? "Assassering"? IDIAT!!!

Anyway, I'm going to bed now. As I've said, any questions about the game I'll answer. I'll take another look in the morning.

Have a good "Assassering"!

It's too cold.

I've no idea why, but I just spent some time reading all of this. Classic stuff! My personal favourites:

* Those sexists falling over themselves to make sure the unfairly judged gaming community is as well-represented as possible
* The guy who thinks Microsoft would bribe a European website to give a game released on its own system a low score
* The guy who blocked KG for using words to communicate in the English Language

Brilliant stuff! I'm feeling especially proud to be a gamer this evening

stfu fag

(p.s. this is irony *camp gesture*)

Nice review Tom, I particularly enjoyed "assassering" although I would also have accepted "assassinatoring".

I think we can all agree that Assassin's Creed remains an interesting title worth checking out when it pops up discounted during the months of drought in 2008. It's disheartening though, to see a game which gets so many things so right in terms of visual flair and the underlying technology then falter so summarily when it comes to actual fun. Watching some of the videos, the character animation is so breathtakingly fluid and a joy to behold... how do you get so many things so right and yet fail at the most important basics, the game design, and providing interesting and varied entertainment? Leaving aside the likelihood that the game was doubtlessly rushed out for the Christmas push, surely someone at Ubisoft must have noticed how thin their game was before now? Given the amount of money involved, the amount of effort and resources required to get a new IP off the ground and market it properly in this most competitive season, this is hardly the most auspicious start Ubi could wish for. The game should have been proven and fun before a single bloody texture or effect was allowed anywhere near it.

The general wisdom among most who have played the game seems to be "the sequel could be brilliant". That is, of course, if it isn't rushed out in time for Christmas 2008 (following the worrying recent trends with Ubisoft) accompanied by a heavy metal soundtrack and a new, meaner "dark Altair"...

That is, of course, if it isn't rushed out in time for Christmas 2008 (following the worrying recent trends with Ubisoft) accompanied by a heavy metal soundtrack and a new, meaner "dark Altair"...

I see what you did there... :o)

"This review is total bullshit. "

You're right, how dare his opinion be contrary to yours! Disgraceful! The only thing left to do is confiscate Mr Bramwell's game journalism badge, cut up his membership card and expel him from the clubhouse. BURN THE HERETIC.

Honestly, I'm still getting this.

I'm sure all that tom said is true, but I need an action-adventure with swords. There's only so much guns I can take, and I love FPSs.

Besides, doesn't hurt that I'll be getting it without spending a pound.

So which version is better? The PS3 or the 360?

after reading a mixed bag of reviews, the lowest of which was Eurogamers with a 7/10, and with the fact that Eurogamer gave Halo 3 a 10 out of 10, thusly i am no longer giving 100% faith to their opinions, i think i'm gonna pick this one up after all.

Pity - if they just played it straight and none of the sci-fi crap I would still be interested but after looking at some of the videos I see that it intrudes all the time. When your fighting someone, there is all this graphical mess surrounding them. Everything just breaks any immersion I might have had :'(

I just hope someone rips it off but leaves out all the crap stuff - that would be ace ^_^