Assassin's Creed Review

Assassin's Creed is an action adventure open world stealth game, made by Ubisoft Montreal. The game was released back in 2007 on Xbox 360, PS3, and Windows PC. There are currently six Assassin's Creed games, one of them still in development. The Assassin's Creed series has always been in my top five list, I remember back when I first picked up a controller and played the first one, how amazed I was with how the game was presented and the mechanics it used. Anyone who has not heard of or even played any games in the this series should do so.

Story and Setting:

Technically the game takes place in the present day, you play as a bartender named Desmond Miles who was kidnapped by an organization known as Abstergo Industries. They built this machine called the Animus, which decodes our DNA and allows us to relive the memories of our ancestors. Abstergo is in search of a

powerful artifact called the Piece of Eden and the only way to find its location is through the memories of Desmond's ancestors. So he is strapped into the Animus and the player is then taken back to the Third Cusade and put into the life of' Altair ibn-LaA'had, an Assassin of that time. The Assassin order strives for peace and freedom and has always been at war with a group called the Templars, who's goal is to controller and shape the world as they see fit. During your time as Altair you witness and play his life as an Assassin, you will visit great cities such as Jerusalem while completing assignments and assassinating targets of vital importance as well as uncovering information through Desmond. Lots of surprises and historical moments are played throughout the game and with each bit of memory Desmond gets one step closer to revealing the truth behind the Piece of Eden.

Soundtrack

The music, though nothing amazing, was nothing underwhelming. The game features a solid and pleasing soundtrack that fits the mood and the setting of the game. The different tracks play well with the gameplay, whether you are sneaking around, in a fight, or in a chase sequence. I myself found the Crusader style themes very fulfilling and enjoyable.

Gameplay and Visuals

By today's standards the games visuals are not amazingly impressive, they were however top quality back in 2007. The game presents a relativly high gray scale with lots of dust and particles to try and capture the environment of the Third Crusade. The gameplay is where the games uniqueness really shines. This is a stealth based platforming game, what kind of Assassin would you be without stealth? While you are in the cities, the game generates massive crowds of people, which both brings the game to life as well as providing plenty of hiding places. You can actually use the crowd to your advantage while escaping guards or stalking a target. Another

features in this game is the platforming, the Assassin's have amazing parkour skills which allows you to scale any building in the game which can be real useful when you are in a tight situation.  You are also presented with a whole arsenal of weapons and gear, everything from swords, short blades, and throwing knifes to armor and upgrades. These tools are all hear at your disposal and are unlocked throughout the game, but a true Assassin does not need them, he makes due with his hidden blade. This is the iconic tool of the Assassins, it as a gauntlet which contains a retractable blade. Perfect for sneaking in, killing the target, and sneaking out. All of these features come together to form dynamic and thrilling gameplay.

Assassin's Creed is an amazing video game series and it all started with the original, I recommend anyone who has ever played an Assassin's Creed game to give this one a try if you have not already. It may not be the best compared to the games of today including the current Assassin's Creed games but it is definitely worth your attention, especially if you're a fan.