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| | Title:
Assassin`s Creed
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System:
Playstation 3
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Genre:
Action
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Publisher:
Ubisoft
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Developer:
Ubisoft
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Release:
TBA 2007
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Online:
No
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ESRB:
Rating Pending (RP)
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800 and 4000—that’s the difference between the number of main character animations for Prince of Persia compared to those of Assassin’s Creed. These two titles are comparable because the Ubisoft czars in Montreal, who brought us Prince of Persia, have also been working on Assassin’s Creed, which has been in production for over 2 years now. We’re not the only ones excited about the game finally being introduced to the public. Want to know why everyone is looking forward to this title? Read on.
What makes Assassin’s Creed ever-so-much-more special is that fact that it’s a historically accurate game, for the most part. Information isn’t in abundance for the secret Muslim society which the game surrounds, but the Montreal team is quite skilled at storytelling and can be expected to contrast the mythology with the flare and style they have shown in games such as Prince of Persia.
You'll find yourself controlling an apprentice Assassin known as Altaïr (pronounced al-tie-ear) during the summer of 1191, shortly after the Christian conquest of Acre. It’s a matter of fact that the word “assassin” actually originated in this era, derived from the group to which Altaïr belongs. Ubisoft was intrigued by the story of these “Assassins” and has since been creating a world for these desert ninja.
“Nothing is true. Everything is permitted.”
During the time of the Assassins, organized religion—regardless of faith—encouraged people to believe that what they were told was true, and almost nothing they wanted was permitted. This is the ideal that Altaïr and the Assassins fight against. Like a bird of prey (Altaïr translates as “eagle” in Arabic) Altaïr is tasked to seek and murder specific targets in Richard the Lionheart’s army, embroiled in the disruption of the Third Crusade.
From rooftop to rooftop or by blending with the crowd, Altaïr seeks his victims and will dispatch them; he does so with the utmost respect to his victims, killing mostly at close range and often with his ritualistic dagger which is strapped to his arm and concealed (it’s spring loaded and released only at the time of necessity). A good majority of those 4000 animations include a lethal attack unto the chosen enemy. Ubisoft is going to great lengths to instill emotional charge in the game when death is administered. Time will slow, and the camera will zoom in. Exhilaration will be mixed with the horror of taking a life as the victim’s face is etched with the gravity of the act.
“There’s other things going on in the Holy Land that most everyone else is unaware of.”
Not only are you tasked with murder and escape—which encompasses many locales, styles, and challenges—you’re also solving a mystery. As Altaïr dispatches key officials, he also receives information on the larger conspiracy in their dying words. It’s obvious that Assassin’s Creed is not lacking in the plot and storytelling department.
“You have to create the illusion of life without making it frustrating to play.”
One of the bigger challenges Ubisoft has tackled is making the animations as realistic as possible. Not only does Altaïr have 4000 animations, but they’re also destined to be extremely fluid. All the available screenshots you see...those aren’t done with CG. That’s in-game footage, folks, and it’s breathtaking. The incredible lighting, animations and locale depictions are all what we can expect the PS3 to render. And when a still picture portrays grace in movement, you know it’s a winner.
Assassin’s Creed will be using the “Scimitar” game engine, which will allow for over 60 NPCs on screen at once, each with their own AI and behaviors. Every person in that crowd you may be hiding in has his/her own agenda, and is not limited to two reactions (fight of flight) if provoked, as is the case with most NPCs in current games. They can develop thirst or hunger, drawing them to a food stand or a fountain. There could be dozens upon dozens of variables which can affect what should be a simplistic task. Running headlong into a big guy will knock you down, making him angry and other NPCs stare or join in your beating, which may also bring attention to you from your would-be victim. These types of elements really speak volumes for what this game is going to be.
As cool as that sounds, it just wouldn’t do to have a game such as Assassin’s Creed be overly affected by the behavior of NPCs. There’s got to be choices—choices such as climbing any available part of any building. The levels are one big action grid. Anything sticking out more than five centimeters is interactive. Any ledge, pole, rock, window, etc. can be climbed up/over, kicked, leaped into/on to, or knocked over.
“Once you understand the concept of the controls, you know how to play the game.”
Another intriguing feature to further intrigue us is the game control. There are choices there, too, beyond those of your normal offerings. Assassin’s Creed employs what is described to be analogist to a puppet master (the player) and his puppet (Altaïr). Basically, leg, head, and arms (including with and without weapons) are controlled by an individual button, with the right shoulder buttons controlling “intensity.” For example, if you are high atop a roof you can hop on to another using the intensifying shoulder button with your “leg” button. Or, press the arms button to leap forward to the ledge and grab on and the swing along them. Gently push a person in the crowd aside with the lower-intensity button or shove them with the higher-intensity? Decisions, decisions.
Combat is also an element that isn’t as straight-forward as an enemy lunging at you repeatedly while you hit the attack button. Counter-attacks coupled with timed maneuvers are the keys to victory in Assassin's Creed. Furthermore, the NPC AI is good, and so is the enemy AI. Some enemies encircle you, while some attack from behind as they hid in a corridor as you passed by. Others may go straight for you in a rush. Beat the toughest guy in the bunch and the other enemies may beg for mercy and/or run crying, or they’ll try their luck and continue fighting.
As if all that isn’t enough, Ubisoft has another incredible secret within Assassin’s Creed—the story is framed by a character far in the future that is actually looking back on his ancestor's life. What makes this a special idea is that in-game play will be affected by the strength of memory this mystery character has for the story that point in time. New places and situations will be a mystery, so confidence in the memory will be low meaning Altaïr’s ability to survive battles or injury will be lower as well. As you explore more terrain or open more of the conspiracy, understanding will overcome the mystery character, restoring Altaïr’s abilities. This is yet another gameplay element that supports strategy and critical thinking as you struggle to conserve health, make your kill, unfold the plot and ultimately escape.
Assassin’s Creed is so entrenched with innovation and content, it’s hard to not write a couple more pages about it! It’s so amazing in detail, design, production and innovation that this title could single-handedly drive an amazing sale rate of the PS3. Ubisoft is doing things with Assassin’s Creed which are pushing the envelope of what is and isn’t possible in video games. For two years we’ve all been none-the-wiser to the marvels being generated in Montreal, and it’s exciting to see something such as this coming to fruition. Expect more information, screenshots and videos as they become available at Playstation Core.
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