infexxionAssassin's Creed: Brotherhood
The latest entry in the stealth action series, 'Assassin's Creed'
It's 2010, and we're seeing the third entry of the Assassin's Creed series, though it isn't titled so. Instead of being called Assassin's Creed 3 (which Ubisoft has stated they chose not to, because "when people see 3, they'll expect a new setting and a new character") it's got 'Brotherhood' at the end of it, which is fitting. It is a direct sequel to Assassin's Creed 2, which, while I didn't beat, I enjoyed playing. We still play as Ezio and Desmond, but that's by no means a bad thing. So, does Brotherhood factor in as a solid entry in the series?
Visuals: The game is beautiful, let's get that out of the way right now.
Climbing to a high point in the city, it's easy to stop and just gaze out into this virtual world and get lost for a few minutes, whether staring at the sky, the buildings, or the people down below, everything looks great and really adds to the immersion and feeling that you're there, that you are Ezio.
The same carries over to the multiplayer maps. Gorgeous environments ranging from a castle with people bustling through it, to a large city with cluttered streets and plenty of places to hide, there is a good variety and it all looks very good, as do the character models. You have everything from a priest to a doctor to an engineer.
I did notice some screen tearing every now and then, and a few lighting glitches, but it was far from experience-ruining, and didn't really break the immersion. By the way, this was on the PS3 so I'm not sure if these issues are as present, or present at all on the Xbox 360. (If you have the game on 360, comment and let me know!)
4.3/5
Gameplay: Well, if you've played any of the other prior Assassin's Creed games, you're pretty familiar with the controls as far as combat and free running go. It's still fun to go running around the city, and I'm glad to say that the combat has been ramped up, and upgrades have been made. You get some new weapons as well, and it seems like the combat, while a bit cumbersome and hard to get used to in Assassin's Creed 2 because of the complication and button complications, has been much more streamlined so it's clear what each button does and what you have to do.
That being said, there aren't too many changes other than upgraded combat, better free-running, and prettier graphics as far as the single-player goes. I haven't beat the story, but it seems solid so it will make you want to beat it, but you're going to be familiar with pretty much everything if you've played the other Assassin's Creed games, which is either good or bad. I consider it both.
And, if you haven't played the other Assassin's Creed games, there is a quick recap at the start of the game that brings you up to speed, though I highly recommend you at least rent (or buy) the second one, it's very cheap now.
The multiplayer is what really shines here, and I consider this literally the coolest multiplayer I have ever played in my life. The premise is shockingly simple: assassinate a target while watching your back, because someone is going to be trying to assassinate you as well. Simple? Oh, everything but.
The system is so detailed. I actually compared the leveling system to Call Of Duty when describing the game to my brother because as you level up you get access to more perks, killstreaks, loss streaks, character models, it is sort of similar to Call Of Duty in that respect, but in reality, I don't plan to see many Call Of Duty fans online, the gameplay is just must different.
Take, for example, if you're in the lead. You get your target, but you may have two or three assassins on you. If you're in last, you'll get a target, and maybe have no assassins on you. The systems shifts and changes to be fair, and it works excellent. Being at the top of the scoreboard means you really have to watch your act and maybe play defense a little more heavily, blending into crowds instead of actively pursuing your target.
There's a mixture of game modes, most similar to free-for-all but some team based, and all are very fun.
4.2/5
Sound: Hearing the streets bustling with people, the sound of idle chit chat, the mix of Italian thrown in with the English, it all is very immersive in making you feel like you are there, you are Ezio. The sound of the blade sliding into the back of your target is equally satisfying, and a lot of fun to listen to.
The soundtrack is also very well done, a mix of era music with ambient electronic sounding music mixed in to remind you that you're in an animus revisiting Ezio, is very welcome. I've looked up some of the tracks on youtube and listened, I do very much like it.
5/5
BREAKDOWN:
PROS
The multiplayer is the best I've ever played
Good single player
Amazing soundtrack
Feels familiar
CONS
Feels familiar
If you like Assassin's Creed, pick this one up because it does feel familiar and brings a whole new deck of cards to the table with the multiplayer. However, if you didn't like Assassin's Creed 1 or 2, this one feels familiar and probably won't change your mind.
OVERALL: 4.5/5 MUST BUY
