Jelle Mees
04-16-2008, 07:29 AM
http://omploader.org/vZ2Nx
First let me start off by saying that my English is far from perfect ( I am Belgian ). If you find any spelling faults, please contact me via PM. TPU visitors were very positive about my Crysis review, let's hope you like this review aswell.
Update: Thanks to member "knowledge123" for correcting spelling!
Assassins Creed?
First time I knew something about this game was when Gametrailers.com released their video-review. I was really amazed by the realism of this game. I didn't buy it on my Xbox simply because there was no hype about this game. When I read the news about Assassins Creed coming to PC, the game caught my interest. A lot of rumors where spreading about this game being the most demanding game of 2008 and that it would be the first game that actually benefits from DirectX 10. I am a graphics whore and when I read something about a game, pushing the hardware requirements to the next level, I always keep a certain interest, even though it's not my genre. I've always been fascinated by game-realism and the Xbox review was pretty impressive. Months passed by and when the game got released, I just thought "I'll buy it, and if it sucks, I could still sell it very fast so someone else". Lucky for me, the game didn't suck, not at all.
The Story
First thing I noticed when I launched the game was a futuristic interface. I didn't remember much from the Xbox review so I was pretty surprised. You start of as a guy who's a living experiment. Some scientist has some crazy theory about instincts being some kind of memory. A memory which humans can't recall without some electronic aid. So, the nutty professor developed a machine called the "Animus" which allows the player to travel back in time, in his own memory. The theory is kinda fucked up, but never forgot that you're playing a videogame. Once you've "traveled back in time" ( memory ), you're an assassin. That's all I will say about the storyline because it's really something you have to experience without knowing what's going to happen.
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff312/JelleMees/AssassinsCreed_Dx92008-04-1515-35-3.jpg
The Graphics
I've posted it more then once on this forum, the graphics are truly amazing. Not only that, the engine works like a charm and the requirements aren't that high for the amount of details you see on your screen. Sometimes the graphics are really breathtaking, especially when you're on top of a huge tower, scanning the area for new objectives. There are some abnormalities though. For example, not all characters have shadows. And in a game like this, it's not easy to miss it. Also, when you are enjoying the HUGE draw distance from a high tower, only a few humans will be visible and usually they don't have shadows and the buildings in the distance always have some kind of fog around them. Don't really know why Ubisoft created this fog but my guess is that they did it to improve performance.
If you want to know how the game looks like on PC, take the time to view these movies:
Short High-res High-quality movie: http://rapidshare.com/files/107076257/Assasins_Creed_HD_Movie.wmv
Very long High-res High-quality movie: http://files.filefront.com/Assasinc+Creed+Combatwmv/;10016944;/fileinfo.html
This game uses an engine that isn't very popular like Unreal Engine 3 but it should be. I had absolutely no framerate difference between 0xAF and 16XAF or 2 characters on the screen or 50 characters on the screen. This engine is powerful and should be used more often in future Ubisoft releases.
The sound
The sound? Why should I write something about the sound. Well, simply because it isn't that great. Not only have I read many, many complaints about gamers who have to play the game without sound, many games that DO have audio experienced problems with the voice-volume. In many cases, it's not loud enough. And in many cutscenes, it's really unrealistic. For example,, you could be standing in a huge crowd of people while listening to someone who's speaking from a high balcony. You hear the people around you like they are 10 miles away and the guy on the balcony like he's standing next to you.
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff312/JelleMees/AssassinsCreed_Dx92008-04-1315-4-1.jpg
Gameplay
3 words: Awesome but repetitive. The gameplay is unique, fun and original but I doubt that most gamers finish this game, or want to finish this game in one game-session, because then it could get boring. Not for me though, I feel like playing the game again and again and again.
You can move around while doing one acrobatic stunt after the other by holding down two buttons/keys:
http://rapidshare.com/files/107076257/Assasins_Creed_HD_Movie.wmv
At the beginning you are limited to one weapon and a few basic hack and slash moves:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiGNB7SAnJU
Once you've assassinated a very important target you always go back to you superior and gain a weapon and/or a combat move. At the end you are able to dodge attacks, counter attacks and break the enemies defense. I always keep attacking and counter when possible. It's not that I don't know how to dodge an attack, I just love the amazing camera viewpoints that you get while hitting the enemy with a counter-move. If you dodge attacks, you can't counter them.
At the end you can take on many soldiers at once:
Low-res hiqh-quality movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfAN29IcV64
HD movie: http://files.filefront.com/Assasinc+Creed+Combatwmv/;10016944;/fileinfo.html
Other thoughts
ven though this is definitely my #1 game for 2008 so far, I do think that the game could use some tweaking here and there. The combat-style is pretty realistic and the counter-attacks are great but I miss the finishing touch. It happens very often that you are fighting against multiple soldiers and that you hack and slash the air 2-3 times before hitting one of the soldiers. It would have been cool if the character automatically gets closer to the enemies so that the fights look more realistic. I also would have liked more counter moves. I think that there are only 5-10 counter-moves which you see over and over again. If there were 20, the fights would have been a lot more interesting. There is also one thing I would have loved, the night. It would have been very cool if it got dark from time to time to see the huge cities at night.
I don't know if there is going to be an Assassins Creed 2, but I am definitely hoping for it. Assassins Creed 2 should have:
- Shadows on ALL characters at all times
- No reduced details + fog from tower viewpoints
- Day and night
- 2 extra weapons
- 20 extra counter-moves
- More realistic combat
That's all there is needed for another great game if you ask me.
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff312/JelleMees/AssassinsCreed_Dx92008-04-1404-15-3.jpg
Assassins Creed is one of the most beautiful games ever, the storyline and the unique gameplay keeps you interested from the beginning to the end. Even though this originally was a console-game, the controls work like a charm on the PC. The only minor downside is that the game could be to repetitive for many gamers.
Graphics: 9.5/10
Sound: 6/10
Gameplay: 9.5/10
Replay: 7/10
Total score: 8/10
Recommended game for every PC gamer!
First let me start off by saying that my English is far from perfect ( I am Belgian ). If you find any spelling faults, please contact me via PM. TPU visitors were very positive about my Crysis review, let's hope you like this review aswell.
Update: Thanks to member "knowledge123" for correcting spelling!
Assassins Creed?
First time I knew something about this game was when Gametrailers.com released their video-review. I was really amazed by the realism of this game. I didn't buy it on my Xbox simply because there was no hype about this game. When I read the news about Assassins Creed coming to PC, the game caught my interest. A lot of rumors where spreading about this game being the most demanding game of 2008 and that it would be the first game that actually benefits from DirectX 10. I am a graphics whore and when I read something about a game, pushing the hardware requirements to the next level, I always keep a certain interest, even though it's not my genre. I've always been fascinated by game-realism and the Xbox review was pretty impressive. Months passed by and when the game got released, I just thought "I'll buy it, and if it sucks, I could still sell it very fast so someone else". Lucky for me, the game didn't suck, not at all.
The Story
First thing I noticed when I launched the game was a futuristic interface. I didn't remember much from the Xbox review so I was pretty surprised. You start of as a guy who's a living experiment. Some scientist has some crazy theory about instincts being some kind of memory. A memory which humans can't recall without some electronic aid. So, the nutty professor developed a machine called the "Animus" which allows the player to travel back in time, in his own memory. The theory is kinda fucked up, but never forgot that you're playing a videogame. Once you've "traveled back in time" ( memory ), you're an assassin. That's all I will say about the storyline because it's really something you have to experience without knowing what's going to happen.
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff312/JelleMees/AssassinsCreed_Dx92008-04-1515-35-3.jpg
The Graphics
I've posted it more then once on this forum, the graphics are truly amazing. Not only that, the engine works like a charm and the requirements aren't that high for the amount of details you see on your screen. Sometimes the graphics are really breathtaking, especially when you're on top of a huge tower, scanning the area for new objectives. There are some abnormalities though. For example, not all characters have shadows. And in a game like this, it's not easy to miss it. Also, when you are enjoying the HUGE draw distance from a high tower, only a few humans will be visible and usually they don't have shadows and the buildings in the distance always have some kind of fog around them. Don't really know why Ubisoft created this fog but my guess is that they did it to improve performance.
If you want to know how the game looks like on PC, take the time to view these movies:
Short High-res High-quality movie: http://rapidshare.com/files/107076257/Assasins_Creed_HD_Movie.wmv
Very long High-res High-quality movie: http://files.filefront.com/Assasinc+Creed+Combatwmv/;10016944;/fileinfo.html
This game uses an engine that isn't very popular like Unreal Engine 3 but it should be. I had absolutely no framerate difference between 0xAF and 16XAF or 2 characters on the screen or 50 characters on the screen. This engine is powerful and should be used more often in future Ubisoft releases.
The sound
The sound? Why should I write something about the sound. Well, simply because it isn't that great. Not only have I read many, many complaints about gamers who have to play the game without sound, many games that DO have audio experienced problems with the voice-volume. In many cases, it's not loud enough. And in many cutscenes, it's really unrealistic. For example,, you could be standing in a huge crowd of people while listening to someone who's speaking from a high balcony. You hear the people around you like they are 10 miles away and the guy on the balcony like he's standing next to you.
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff312/JelleMees/AssassinsCreed_Dx92008-04-1315-4-1.jpg
Gameplay
3 words: Awesome but repetitive. The gameplay is unique, fun and original but I doubt that most gamers finish this game, or want to finish this game in one game-session, because then it could get boring. Not for me though, I feel like playing the game again and again and again.
You can move around while doing one acrobatic stunt after the other by holding down two buttons/keys:
http://rapidshare.com/files/107076257/Assasins_Creed_HD_Movie.wmv
At the beginning you are limited to one weapon and a few basic hack and slash moves:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiGNB7SAnJU
Once you've assassinated a very important target you always go back to you superior and gain a weapon and/or a combat move. At the end you are able to dodge attacks, counter attacks and break the enemies defense. I always keep attacking and counter when possible. It's not that I don't know how to dodge an attack, I just love the amazing camera viewpoints that you get while hitting the enemy with a counter-move. If you dodge attacks, you can't counter them.
At the end you can take on many soldiers at once:
Low-res hiqh-quality movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfAN29IcV64
HD movie: http://files.filefront.com/Assasinc+Creed+Combatwmv/;10016944;/fileinfo.html
Other thoughts
ven though this is definitely my #1 game for 2008 so far, I do think that the game could use some tweaking here and there. The combat-style is pretty realistic and the counter-attacks are great but I miss the finishing touch. It happens very often that you are fighting against multiple soldiers and that you hack and slash the air 2-3 times before hitting one of the soldiers. It would have been cool if the character automatically gets closer to the enemies so that the fights look more realistic. I also would have liked more counter moves. I think that there are only 5-10 counter-moves which you see over and over again. If there were 20, the fights would have been a lot more interesting. There is also one thing I would have loved, the night. It would have been very cool if it got dark from time to time to see the huge cities at night.
I don't know if there is going to be an Assassins Creed 2, but I am definitely hoping for it. Assassins Creed 2 should have:
- Shadows on ALL characters at all times
- No reduced details + fog from tower viewpoints
- Day and night
- 2 extra weapons
- 20 extra counter-moves
- More realistic combat
That's all there is needed for another great game if you ask me.
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff312/JelleMees/AssassinsCreed_Dx92008-04-1404-15-3.jpg
Assassins Creed is one of the most beautiful games ever, the storyline and the unique gameplay keeps you interested from the beginning to the end. Even though this originally was a console-game, the controls work like a charm on the PC. The only minor downside is that the game could be to repetitive for many gamers.
Graphics: 9.5/10
Sound: 6/10
Gameplay: 9.5/10
Replay: 7/10
Total score: 8/10
Recommended game for every PC gamer!