Assassin’s Creed is a great franchise- that is, of course, an understatement. What makes the series so great, though, is that fact that it recreates all its locations perfectly, exactly as they would have been in the medieval ages, building an atmosphere that no other game has ever featured before. Jerusalem, Damascus, Acre in Assassin’s Creed and Tuscany, Forli, Venice and Rome in Assassin’s Creed II brilliantly recreated the cities as they would have been during the period the games are set in.

However, there still are quite a lot of locations we would like the Assassin’s Creed games to be set it. Though they seem out of place for an Assassin’s Creed game to many of you, we feel the locations listed below will prove to be great settings that will provide us with some brilliant set pieces and story opportunities.

EGYPT

This is a no brainer, of course. Egypt would be the perfect setting for an Assassin’s Creed game. Scaling pyramids would be a sheer delight, and the desert-like environments would be a much welcome return to the original Assassin’s Creed’s dry locations. Not just that, Egypt has a rich mythology and history, one that can give the franchise many openings it terms of story and from a gameplay point of view as well. Historical locations like the Great Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza, if recreated properly, would be a wondrous sight in the game.

INDIA

India, during the medieval ages, has a lot of rich historical stories that too, can be related quite well with the Assassin’s Creed saga, if thought about properly. Not just that. Old time monuments such as the Taj Mahal, Qutub Minar, Fatehpur-Sikri and the Agra Fort can be great landmarks in the game, and can lead to a lot of exploration opportunities. Other than that, India also has a very rich culture that can be great for building a great atmosphere in the game, something that the series has now become synonymous with.

It was also told during the second game that Marco Polo brought with him the Codex Pages to Italy after his visit to South Asia, and since it has been recorded in history that Marco Polo visited India during his voyage, the saga of Assassin’s Creed can easily be associated with India and its historical figures.

CHINA

Quite much for the same reasons as India, China, too, will be a great setting for an Assassin’s Creed game. Since Marco Polo also went to China during his voyage, and because China, too, can enrich and enhance the series’ atmospheric setting with its rich culture and unique architecture, an Assassin’s Creed game set in the Chinese kingdom wouldn’t be such a bad idea. Locations like The Great Wall of China, or maybe The Lost Kingdom would provide for interesting twists to the game as well.

]]> https://gamingbolt.com/six-settings-we-want-in-assassins-creed-3/feed 31 13834 https://gamingbolt.com/assassins-creed-brotherhood-15-strong-violence-language https://gamingbolt.com/assassins-creed-brotherhood-15-strong-violence-language#respond Mon, 27 Sep 2010 10:13:47 +0000 http://gamingbolt.com/?p=11464

Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood has received a 15+ rating by BBFC, on accounts of ‘strong violence’ and ‘language.’ 14 year olds, stay off, this is not Modern Warfare 2.

The report also reports the game contains 150 minutes of cutscenes. Sounds pretty cool. It might even be as cool as it sounds. We definitely think it’ll be great. Check out our preview here.

[BBFC]

Did any of you ever know there was an Assassin’s Creed title in works for the PlayStation 2 and the original Xbox? Well, it got canned. Unfortunately. Anyway, ex-Ubisoft art director, now working on Deus Ex, Jonathan Jacques-Belletête told CVG that the PS2/Xbox AC project had gone pretty far in development, and it had Altair travelling to Cyprus, much akin to Bloodlines on the PSP.

“I worked on Assassin’s Creed, which was great… this amazing version that I was the art director on for the PS2 and Xbox 1, which wasn’t a port – because there’s no way you could’ve ported Assassin’s Creed the way it was,” he said.

“It was a whole different story – it happened in Cyprus actually… that’s like a scoop, y’know. It was canned. It was great…”

It was…it was funny because even back then, the concept for the 360 one was a bit different than the one that ended up coming out,” he said. “But yeah, it was obviously a little more closed and what not. In sprit it was very, very close, but it was amazing.

“I designed Cyprus and obviously the enemies were a bit different because there was a lot of Turkish influence entering the Third Crusade in Cyprus and we had different looking enemies, who were cool, who had the influence from the Turks and whatnot. So the Templars were a little different, than in the Jerusalem version,” he continued.

“It was probably a good way into conception,” he added. “We passed pre-conception. We were really a good time into conception… our fake footage was all done, we had some great level design testing.”

This sounds an awful like Bloodlines. Maybe this is Bloodlines.

Ubi Soft has revealed some of the entries from the artbook of its next Assassin’s Creed project, and guess what? It shows Templars and Assassin’s fighting each other- in space.

On the artbook  site, Ubisoft’s Jérôme Leclerc-Couture wrote: “Following the Call for Contribution, we have recently announced on Twitter that the artworks that would make their way into the artbook have now been selected.

“The decision was a very tough one since we received TONS of amazing pieces. The quality was not just in the execution, but also in the creative ideas behind those. Sitting in a room with the AC team and make a selection was definitely one of the best meetings EVER.”

They sure as hell are creative. Assassin’s Creed in Super Mario Galaxy’s world? Hell yeah!

Here are some of the cuts. You check out the full thingie here.

Ubisoft has pushed back the release date of the PC version of their upcoming, highly anticipated title, Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, and now, instead of November 19th, when the console versions will be releasing, it will be releasing sometime in Q1 2011.

When asked why the PC version of the game was delayed, Ubi replied by saying “No comment.” How original! How come nobody ever thought of that retort? *universe implodes*

Well, at least the console versions are still releasing on November 19th, when they were supposed to. The game will be awesome. Probably the best in the series. Check out why in our exclusive preview of the game.

Assassin’s Creed is probably one of the biggest names in the industry, and for every different person, it evokes different feelings. Some call it repetitive, predictive, boring, and “vague.” Others act as if there’s no such thing better than being an Assassin, jumping on rooftops and murdering your targets. One thing is known: there is nothing in between. Either you simply love Assassin’s Creed, or you hate it. I, for one, am so in love with Assassin’s Creed, I can’t miss a single game in the franchise.

When Assassin’s Creed was just out in the market, and the art of assassinating was something new for the world of gaming, I found the concept of the game strange. A game with Prince of Persia platforming and action adventure, with sandbox gameplay, set in medieval Italy? Not to mention the fact that many of the players and critics were calling the game repetitive and flawed. It definitely wasn’t worth my time. But then, I noticed something. The game tried to be different. It failed in many aspects, and it often seemed to stumble upon its flaws, but the overall atmosphere and level of addictiveness that the game was full to the brim of amused me to unimaginable extents, and I immediately fell in love with anything Assassin’s Creed. Before Assassin’s Creed II came out, I tried my hands on Altair’s Chronicles, and the mobile version of AC, and surprisingly, I liked them both a lot.

When Assassin’s Creed II did come out, however, I was blown away- clichéd, yes, I know, but that’s the only way I can describe my feelings for Assassin’s Creed II. The level of finesse and quality that Assassin’s Creed II boasted of, and the leap it had taken in all aspects of the word over its predecessor made me fall in love with it the minute I picked up my controller- for me, and many others, Assassin’s Creed II was a perfect game.

With immense freedom, new mechanics like the ability to swim, row boats, heck, FLY- all of it came together in more ways than one, and ultimately delivered a nigh perfect experience, engraving the name of Ezio and the memories of his adventures in our very being forever.

And we though the game couldn’t be perfected. We were wrong, apparently.

Just have a look at that video. It’s not as if Assassin’s Creed II had any flaws or bugs, and the structure in the game was very open and free-flowing. Compared to this game, though, even Assassin’s Creed II looks restricted. The free flowing combat, the all new combos, thrilling horseback swordfights, spectacular chase missions, cool explosions and exciting stealth kills- at the risk of sounding like a guy from an advertising campaign, Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood will blow us all away with it’s immense depth and free-flowing gameplay.

Combat, horseback assassinations and other new mechanics

What was the biggest complaint with Assassin’s Creed? The combat. While counter-attacks looked exciting and offered for movie-like, cinematic action, they made the game repetitive. Counter-attacks being the most useful, all we did was wait till the enemy attacked, which made the combat feel sluggish and slow-paced. While Assassin’s Creed II added some of its own mechanics into the mix to make combat more interesting, it certainly didn’t fix the problem wholly.

Things certainly got more interesting with counter-kills, but it made for a slow-paced, repetitive combat system.

With Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, that problem looks to have been fixed, completely and wholly. Not only have Ubi Montreal added a slew of new combos and modern day weapons, like a hidden pistol and such, they have also enhanced the game’s AI, which means the enemies will keep us on our toes, and their moves will be highly unpredictable, making the players’ dependence on counter-attacks more or less useless. A combination move of the throwing axe, the sword, the hidden dagger, the pistol and your own melee attacks might do the trick though.

The combat, this time around, is not just on foot. Horse-to-horse combat is what will make Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood’s combat so good. Jumping from your horse onto your foe’s stead, stabbing him, throwing him to the ground and riding away as an entire contingent of guards runs after you not only sounds exciting, it will be exciting when played as well. And knowing Ubi Montreal, and all that they have achieved with their past games, this will all be done very smoothly, without any hitches. Oh, and did I mention that horses can also be used inside city this time around, since Rome is SO FREAKING BIG?!

Hah! Tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk

But what actually adds depth to Brotherhood is its Role Playing mechanics- yes, you heard me right. Assassin’s Creed II had a lot of RPG mechanics, like buying new equipment, raising the skills of you character in different aspects and stuff like that. Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood builds on that. You can save certain citizens from the cruel, tyrant guards of the city, and, Ezio being a Master Assassin now, can make those specific citizens join your order of assassins, or rather, your “Brotherhood.” Later, you can send these assassins on missions, gain skill points level them up, customize their looks, and when in need, you can call upon your idle followers for help.

These specific sequences are what are giving me the hots for Brotherhood. Surrounded by twenty guards who’re bent upon killing you? A press of your button, and your followers jump out of thin air, killing most of your foes, and giving you room to either run, or take part in the skirmish yourself.

Other than recruiting new members to your brotherhood and levelling them up, there’s a lot more to do in Brotherhood. Being set in Rome, we have been given to wondrous real-time locations, such as the Colosseum, Vatican City and the like, all rendered in stunning visuals, with immense detail and shocking accuracy. So, you can just spend hours and hours, wondering at the glorious historical monuments rendered beautifully before your very own eyes, exploring the depths of buldings you would not be allowed to enter in the real world, practically re-living the past through the eyes of an Assassin, actually making you feel as if you’re re-living your ancestors’ memories through the Animus. Atmosphere is what has been the highlight in Assassin’s Creed games, and it is here where Brotherhood will probably strike gold- the city looks real, authentic, with great architectural creativity, and the typical aspects you would expect from a middle-age city- rivers, lakes, gardens, slums, rich districts, beautiful, epic environments.

And to think that Rome in Brotherhood will be thrice as big as Florence in Assassin’s Creed II simply blows me away- it isn’t as if there was lack of space in Florence, and the freedom it offered was spectacular. With five different districs, Rome will be heaven for all Assassin’s Creed lovers. Especially if you like leaps of faith.

EPIC!

Stop pointing that at me

One thing is clear- this game is epic. It has marvellous set-pieces, grandiose environments, and is set in Rome brought down to the ground by corrupt tyrants of the Templar Order. And it is our duty as the Master Assassin to free Rome and all its districts from these wretched rules.  In Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, we actually have to rebuild Rome, and prevent it from falling into ruin, as the corrupted Templar rulers spend all their money on the development of the Vatican City, and ignore the rest of the districts.

For that, we have to destroy all the outposts of the city, each and every one guarded by hundreds of guards, and housing one single ruler, so that that specific portion of the city comes out of the influence of the Templar rule. Each assassination in these towers is followed by a cutscene of an explosion taking place in them, as Ezio jumps off the highest point of the skyscraper.

Update: This video is no longer available.
Thanks, Gamespot, for providing us this developer diary entry #2!

This will encourage shopkeepers to open stores, and commercialism will boom in the freed districts. Players themselves can invest in the city. Freeing these sections of the city unlocks rewards and more missions for the players to complete. It all will definitely add a lot of repeat value, variety and longevity to the game, increasing the campaign by at least 5 more hours. And trust me, knowing Assassin’s Creed games, that won’t be the end of it.

A multiplayer component has also been added to the mic this time around, adding even more to the depth, replayability and complexity of this game. Apart from the conventional co-op mode, we will also have a new mode called the “Wanted” mode. In this mode, eight players will be pit into a map (Rome and Castle Gandolfo have been confirmed till now), and each of them will have to assassinate one of the other. We have to move through the city to find and kill our target, making sure our “predator” doesn’t see us. If he does, our target will be alerted to our presence, triggering a chase sequence. Different killings will grant us points.

The Plot…

(May Contain Spoilers)

The game will begin shortly after the events of Assassin’s Creed II. It begins in the village of Monteriggioni, which gets assaulted by Borgia’s forces, which are led by Rodrigo’s son, Cesare Borgia. During the battle that ensues, Ezio’s uncle, Mario is killed, Cesare escapes with the Piece of Eden. And now, four years later, when Ezio is a Master Assassin, his quest if for revenge, and nothing else.

Not much has been revealed of the story yet, but we know for a fact that Assassin’s Creed games have been known to have great stories, so I guess we can expect the same from Brotherhood.

I have not even begun scratching the surface on what all can be done in Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood and the amount of perfection, polish, finesse and freedom that it offers in every single aspect of the game. Just know this much: Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood will be the biggest, grandest, the best game in the series so far, and more likely than not, it might never be replicated.

When asked about this, the Ubi guy said: “Yes, there are plans in the works.” Okay, thanks for so much info on this matter. Yep, that’s all they said.

Okay, no, they also said that the game will focus on Desmond and that his character will be given a new dimension. “[He will] take a very unexpected turn. Things will change quite a bit in the present day. He’ll also be changing his look.”

Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood releases on November 16 on the PS3 and the Xbox 360, and on the PC on November 19th.