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Great!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: November 29, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Assassin's Creed will stay with you long after you finish it. Here is one of the most unique gameworlds ever created: beautiful, memorable, and alive. Every crack and crevasse is filled with gorgeous, subtle details, from astounding visual flourishes to overheard cries for help. But it's more than just a world--it's a fun and exciting action game with a ton of stuff to do and places to explore, rounded out with silky-smooth controls and a complex story that will slowly grab you the more you play. Make no mistake: Assassin's Creed is one of the best efforts of the year and a must-own game for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 owners.Not enough can be said about the living, breathing world that you'll inhabit in Assassin's Creed. As assassin extraordinaire Altaïr, you'll explore three major cities of the Holy Land in the 12th century: Jerusalem, Damascus, and Acre. Each city is beautifully rendered from top to bottom and features meticulously crafted towers that reach for the sky, bustling market squares, and quiet corners where citizens converse and drunks lie in wait to accost you. As you wander the streets (and rooftops), you'll push your way through crowds of women carrying jars on their heads, hear orators shout political and religious wisdom, and watch town guards harass innocent victims. Altaïr has a profound effect on this world, but the cities are entities all their own, with their own flows and personalities.

The visual design has a lot to do with how believably organic everything feels. The cities are absolutely huge, and though you don't get full exploration privileges in the first few chapters, they eventually open up to let you travel seamlessly from one side to another. Everything is beautifully lit with just the right amount of bloom effect, and almost everything casts a shadow, from tall pillars to Altaïr's cloak. In fact, sometimes the shadows get to be a bit much and may make you think for a moment that there is artifacting on your screen, when in fact it's a character's head casting a shadow on his or her own neck. Every object, from scaffolds to pottery, is textured so finely you feel as if you could reach out and touch it. Animations are almost as equally well done. Altaïr scales walls, leaps majestically from towers, and engages in swashbuckling swordfights that would make Errol Flynn proud. And he does it all with fluid ease, generally moving from one pose to another without a hitch. Minor characters move gracefully as well, though one of the game's few visual drawbacks is the occasional jerky animation on the part of a citizen. However, it's easy to forgive, considering that the cities are populated with thousands and thousands of individuals. In fact, these tiny blemishes are noticeable only because everything else looks so incredible.

What you hear is even more impressive than what you see. At the top of a temple, you hear little but the rush of wind, the twittering of birds, and the barking of a far-off dog. In the most populated areas, your ears will fill with the din of street vendors, the pleas of beggars, and the occasional humming. It's never too much, though, and the game does a good job of making sure you hear what you need to hear (for example, the cries of citizens who need your help), without filling your ears with pointless noise. All these effects, along with the clangs of swords and groans of assassinated foes, are outstanding. The voice acting of the supporting cast is similarly remarkable. Conversations are completely believable and delivered with the perfect amount of solemn dignity. Oddly, the weakest link is Altaïr himself. Actor Philip Shahbaz does an all right job, but he isn't up to par with the first-rate acting of his fellow troupe. Rounding it all out is a beautiful orchestral score that is most notable for its subtlety. Many of the game's most impressive moments are accompanied by lovely musical themes that add even more threads to the game's rich living tapestryFortunately, the story that binds it all together rises to the occasion. Actually, there are two related stories in play. The unfolding drama of Crusades-era Palestine is a mere memory, forcibly pulled from a modern-day bartender named Desmond by a resolute researcher using a machine called an animus. The memories aren't Desmond's own--they are Altaïr's, stored safely in the hapless subject's genetic code. We follow Altaïr as he assassinates nine public figures at the command of his master, and as the common thread that ties these men comes into focus, so does the true identity of Desmond's captors. There are no cutscenes in the traditional sense; every bit of story exposition and dialogue flows smoothly from the gameplay and takes place entirely within the game engine. The ending is confusing, and it blatantly leaves open the possibility of a sequel, but it's a small blemish on an otherwise stirring tale. Altaïr's world is not one of absolutes. His assassination targets aren't always evil, and Altaïr isn't always likable. As he is fond of reminding us, "Nothing is true. Everything is permitted."

Of course, such an authentic world would be meaningless without a lot of fun things to do in it. Thankfully, Assassin's Creed is endlessly entertaining in that it features a fine mix of stealthy exploration, tight platforming, and exciting combat. To discover the whereabouts of your assassination targets, you must first follow up on possible leads. There are several different mission types in this regard. In some cases, you sit on a bench and listen in on secret conversations. At other times, you will closely follow someone carrying an important letter that you'll pickpocket. Alternately, you can beat the information out of your target. Most missions are relatively easy to pull off in the early stages of the game. But once the guards and townspeople start recognizing you (or you alert them to your presence too close to the scene of one of your crimes), they get a little tougher. There are also some optional tasks, such as rescuing innocent townspeople from the clutches of guards. The reward for doing so is a group of vigilantes who will hang out in the area afterward and hinder any foes chasing you. It's also a good way to try out Assassin's Creed's combat, which is surprisingly satisfying, considering the game's focus on sneaking around. You can pounce on enemies using your hidden blade (an incredibly rewarding one-stab kill), or use throwing daggers to take enemies down from a distance. However, your sword is your melee mainstay, and though the hack-and-slash combat may seem simple at first, it gets more challenging once you unlock the various countermoves. Often, you'll have a dozen or more attackers to fend off at once, but though these fights can be a little tricky, you'll never feel as if you're in over your head. In fact, the few circumstances in which you are forced into combat--such as a late-game boss fight against a seemingly endless crowd of attackers and their leering leader--are challenging and require some pitch-perfect timing to counter every strike and lunge.Nevertheless, brute force is rarely the best way to handle a situation. You want to slink unnoticed through the crowds, but you can draw attention to yourself in a number of ways--whether it be galloping past a guard station on a horse, knocking pottery off of someone's head, or getting so frustrated by the various beggars that you fling them away from you. (And trust us--these are the most aggressive panhandlers you'll ever meet.) If you antagonize the guards, they'll give chase. Yes, you can stick around and fight, and though it's never the easiest option, breaking stealth does not damn you to death like it does in other sneaking games. But why not lure them to a rooftop? Once up there, you can grab them and fling them to the street below. Or if there are too many of them, you can jump across the rooftops gracefully until you find a hiding place, such as a nice bale of hay or a curtained garden. Once you're hidden, they'll break chase and you'll be free to roam about.

You can also seek refuge in small groups of scholars who serve as mobile hiding places. It's a bit contrived to walk into a stationary cluster of scholars and have them suddenly start moving simply because you're there, but it gets the job done. Actually, if there's any drawback to the usually excellent gameplay, it's how synthetic certain elements feel. Vigilantes are always in the same spot, missions reset if you don't get them right the first time, and those same guards will be harrassing that citizen, an hour after you pass by. It's easy to forgive these quirks though, given the easygoing flow of the world surrounding these pockets of gameplay.

Climbing up buildings and jumping around the rooftops is fun and breezy, thanks to effortless controls that strike a great balance between ease of use and player input. You can leap across alleys and scale walls with the pull of a trigger and the press of a button, and though it's possible to launch yourself from a wall or hurtle through a vendor's booth by accident, these moments aren't very common. You'd think that a city specifically designed to let you climb structures and caper about the roofs would look overly artificial, yet there's never a moment when you will think to yourself, "Wow, that looks like a place where I'm supposed to jump." The architecture looks completely natural, which makes Altaïr's abilities all the more exciting to pull off. The environments don't look as if they were created for him to climb around on; he just uses the hand he's been dealt, as any good assassin should. In Assassin's Creed, the greatest joy comes from the smallest details, and for every nerve-racking battle, there's a quiet moment that cuts to the game's heart and soul. Climbing towers to uncover portions of the map is a simple mechanic but forever satisfying, thanks to the beautiful vistas and soft musical themes that accompany the view. Even the drunks that pester you are amusing and fun, though their constant shoving is more than annoying, especially if you are trying to pickpocket a pedestrian or eliminate a target without a fuss. It all makes your missions that much more compelling, and you'll be inclined to explore every nook and cranny and take on every optional task, just for the fun of it. There's a ton of stuff to do, and even when you've exhausted your official tasks, you can search for the collectible flags and crosses strewn around the cities and countryside. You could probably plow through the main quest in 20 hours if you're lucky, but completists might spend close to 50 hours finishing every quest and gathering every collectible.

There are few differences between the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions. PS3 owners are blessed with a slightly more solid frame rate, although the 360 version features a little more contrast in the lighting, so it's pretty much a wash. But regardless of which platform you go with, you'll have an amazing and unforgettable game. Assassin's Creed is the kind of game you tell your friends about, and one that should be in your collection.

I dont review much but..

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: December 16, 2007
Author: Amazon User

this game is the 2nd best next to Oblivion on the 360. Ive heard the complaints about reptetiveness and Ive never played a game that wasnt to some degree, Oblivion included. The game is flat out awesome in detail, storyline, etc. Its not very difficult but Ive never felt that difficulty in a game was much fun anyway - rather frustrating. Some games key into this and others dont understand it which is the different between games and great games. Halo is as repetitive as this game is. You can take your time and collect flags or you can push through to the finish line. The fighting controls in this game are the best Ive seen as are the climbing controls although when I first tried them both I complained for about 15 minutes until I got the hang of it. After a while the warnings mean nothing - I never slowed down but rather fought whoever dared approach me until the end of the game. 4.5/5

One thing I didnt mention in my original post, as far as the ending - the story line should tell you enough. If you have ever read or watched anything on the masons or the templars you will understand what Im saying. The only time you know the full story is when its over.

Excellent game!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: January 01, 2008
Author: Amazon User

There is nothing negative that I can say about this game. It's fun, imaginative and let's you think about what you want to do during the course of the game. There has to of been a lot of time management in producing this game and it was well worth it. Good job!

Disappointing

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: January 07, 2008
Author: Amazon User

This game was heavily hyped and advertised through many outlets for a long time prior to its release. Its debut came with tons of hype and everyone assumed that it was the sweetest piece of software ever and they had to buy it. It's OK. Just OK. Very flawed and by no means one of the best games of 2007. Maybe I could see it around the top of a top 5 PS3 game list, but only because that platform has not really seen anything very cool in 2007. Otherwise, I could name 5 games just off the top of my head that blow it out of the water on 360 and Wii. It's not even on the Wii, but if it was it would be like 360 in the sense that it's just not that impressive.

Rivals Bioshock

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: February 29, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Ok, after playing Bioshock as my first 360 game, I thought I was screwed because I'd never find a game to compare it to... well, guess I was wrong.

This game is ridiculously fun. True, if you get too sidetracked, it can get pretty repetitive, but you can avoid that by completing things in a timely manner.
The only problem would probably be that there are no levels. I would have liked to play on regular then try a harder level, but there's just one level. Nonetheless, definitely worth buying... and forcing all your friends to play too. ^_^

No Subtitles, Don't Buy!

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 2 / 9
Date: April 28, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I'd be tempted to buy this game at the now-lowered 50% off price tag if it wasn't for one thing-- the game has no subtitles!!! I've never played it and refuse to because of the laziness of the company not to add subtitles at least during cut-scenes. There was an article on IGN stating that the developer "just didn't have time" to put them in. That's a direct quote. This is unacceptable. Video Games are becoming the next great medium, much like movies were in the 20's to 70's. It's a multi-billion dollar industry. Deaf and Hard of Hearing gamers demand equal access to media, just like mandated closed captioning on TV. This affects hearing gamers as well. Imagine you're playing at night and need to be quiet so as not to wake others in the house. You're not going to have any idea what's going on. Or maybe you have loud roommates and can't hear the game too well. Welcome to our world. Deaf and Hard of Hearing gamers(and those who can empathize) unite! Boycott this product! Show developers that this form of discrimination is unacceptable!

Beautifully executed

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: November 15, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This game is just perfect. Its gorgeous to look at, controls very well when you get the hang of it. Your emmersed into a living breathing world, merchants haggling on the streets, town criers spreading various propiganda, corrupt gaurds shaking down people on their beat.

You play as Altair, a disgraced master Assassin who must redeem himself by taking out nine targets that are fueling the 3rd Crusade into a bigger war than it already is, and causing suffering to the innocents caought in the middle of Arab and European forces. This only leads to conspiracy behind the nine and the Templar nights that spills over into the near future, as you occasionally play as Altair decendant 1000 years after his death.

The marionett style contros may seem strange at first, but they allow for very fluid game play. Combat is generally a wait to counter attack scenario, as you are always going to be out numbered, but this brings a good deal of realism into the game. You can spend all your time hacking away at one opponents defensess, exposing your back to your other foes. A soon as one takes the opprotunity to try and run you through, you can quickly shift your attention and defense to block the assailant using the right stick.

I've only made it to my first of the nine, but I've loved running across the city of Damascus, and have no doubt that the rest of the game will be a once in a generation experience.

Very good intersting game must play

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: November 16, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Oh my god this game rocks. might not be for everyone but fans of hitman and MGS will enjoy this

Assassin's Creed

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: November 17, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Assassin's Creed is a beautifully crafted game. It has an ingenious plot, amazing graphics, realistic AI, and a kick-butt anti-hero, Altair. I won't tell you what happens in the story...but I will tell you that you will enjoy the game for it. The controls for this game are a bit complicated at first, but once you get the feel for it and play around a bit, it will come as second nature. A lot of people complain about the fighting and how the other guards won't attack you. Well, it's true but it doesn't take away from the gaming experience. If they were all to attack you, you would probably die. Anyways, Altair can free-run. And that is about the coolest thing ever. As Altair, you can run and climb just about anywhere. You can also perform one of the most amazing jumps ever, the Leap of Faith. The actual missions require investigations, such as eavesdropping, pickpocketing, interrogating, and such. People complain about the repetitiveness of this game and it is a bit true. However, I still enjoy the game a great deal. Assassinations are quite fun to do once you complete investigations. Really, this game is a lot of fun and depending on you go about it, it has a lot of replay value. Get it and go on assassinating!

Repetitive but what game isnt!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: November 20, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This game had me worried when i read the reviews at first but i put my faith in my own beliefs and tried it out. Let me tell you this is the most coolest game i ever played!!!! i love to just run around and jump on everything and when i say everything i mean EVERYTHING. i jumped off a persons head then caught myself on a ledge it was pretty funny. the fight system is excellent and all around gameplay never gets boring. may get a little boring but WHAT GAME DOESNT!!!!!! I just ask that you play this for yourself and not because a review said it was good or bad im telling you, you will love it!!!!!!!!!!!

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