If you think you know Ezio Auditore da Firenze, think again. In Revelations he's a changed man; weary with age and haunted by the past. You would be too if the fate of the entire world rested on your ornate spaulders.
This is one of the best Assassin's Creed yarns yet: a dark tale laced with mystery, political drama and shock revelations. It gives the old assassin some unexpected depth, and answers many lingering questions. Only a constant feeling of familiarity blights the experience.
The year is 1511, and Ezio's travels have brought him to the Middle East. He's in Constantinople - better known today as Istanbul - searching for five keys hidden there by his ancestor, the legendary assassin Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad. The keys unlock a secret buried beneath Masyaf, an ancient castle that was once the headquarters of the Assassin Order, and that fans will recognise as the starting area of the first game. The bad news is that the Templars, sworn enemies of the Assassins, are looking for the keys too.
Known historically as the crossroads of the world, Constantinople is the 16th Century equivalent of New York City: a bustling metropolis teeming with people of all races, religions and cultures.
The first time you clamber to the top of a large tower and see the hazy afternoon sun falling over the buildings, which seem to stretch for miles, you'll spin the camera around in awe. It's one of the most beautifully immersive open world settings we've ever explored, rich with history and character.
Each area of the city has its own distinct feel. The Galata district, home to the Assassins, is made up of busy, winding streets lined with beggars and merchants. The Imperial district is a relative paradise, with green, flower-filled gardens and palatial mosques. The docks are dominated by huge galleons, their colourful sails reflected in the shimmering water. It really does transport you to another time and place.
It's massive too, which is where Ezio's new Hookblade comes in handy. This acts as both your hidden blade - the trademark weapon of the Assassins - and a new way of navigating the city's rooftops.
As you leap towards a building, hold Circle and Ezio will stretch his arm out and slam the hook into it with a satisfying, tactile thunk. This allows you to cross wider gaps, and 'double jump' while climbing to scale buildings faster. It's only a slight tweak to the series' established platforming mechanics, but a useful one nonetheless.
It's not all about Ezio. Desmond plays a significant role in Revelations too. In the real world he's comatose, but his mind is active and trapped inside the Animus on a bizarre desert island made up of abstract shapes and flickering data streams. Here he meets the enigmatic Subject 16, who tells him that the only way he can free himself is to complete as many of his ancestor's memories as possible.
They're viewed from the first person, and set in chambers that wouldn't look out of place in an Aperture Science facility. The goal is to get from one end to the other by making bridges from 3D rectangles and wedges. It's simple at first, but they get more complicated when gravity reverses, or changes direction, moving your shapes around.
Comments
35 comments so far...
bennyt on 14 Nov '11 said:
Hmmm not bad, but i'm still on the fence.
Couldn't get to grips with AC1, loved AC2, skipped AC:B and now this. I love the new setting and all, but there's something about it i can't put my finger on.
No doubt AC:B and this would have been experimental ideas for AC3, so i wonder if i should just wait til that then.
Army of 88 on 14 Nov '11 said:
"Essentially the same game we've played three times already"
mw3 does not get moaned at for it so why does this
anik_lc on 14 Nov '11 said:
Am I the only one who desperately wanted to see this game to receive 95% review? CVG gave BF3 & MW3 more scores! How is it possible?
verynaughtyboy on 14 Nov '11 said:
I for one am relieved that this review isn't saying that I need to buy and play this game asap! I've got so many games to get through and I still haven't played Brotherhood yet despite having had it for nearly a year! I'll be happy enough to hold off buying this until I get through my backlog and by that point it'll be cheap!
Billybob21 on 14 Nov '11 said:
So it's marked down for having the same (enjoyable) gameplay? Whatever happened to "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"? Or does that rule only apply to Call of Duty?
EvilWaterman on 14 Nov '11 said:
Im afraid that this just shows the inconsistency with games reviews and the reviewers.
anik_lc on 14 Nov '11 said:
But at the end of the day, we are getting more from AC than MW isn't it?
Midjet on 14 Nov '11 said:
To all those moaning about the point about this Assassin's Creed game being the same as the others and comparing it to Modern Warfare 3, pipe down. Andy didn't review Modern Warfare 3. Each review is the reviewer's own personal opinion. It's there to create debate about the game, not to have idiots shout and moan at one individuals thoughts.
TheLastDodo on 14 Nov '11 said:
http://imgur.com/tCp90.gif
AndyR on 14 Nov '11 said:
I can’t speak for Andy, but I don’t think it’s fair to compare two totally different genres and two different reviewers with different opinions.
Personally I’d argue in a linear FPS like Call of Duty the new set-pieces, maps and multiplayer unlockables are the main attraction, so the fact you’re experiencing those in the essentially the same structure (gaining XP, mission after missions) doesn’t matter as much.
In a game like Assassin’s Creed the focus is the sandbox, so familiarity and monotony becomes a much bigger criticism when you’re spending 20 hours+ discovering the same kinds of missions, rebuilding the exact same shops, with the same weapons etc etc
But that's just my opinion.
I finished Revelations yesterday and have to say I agree with this score. It’s another brilliant instalment for fans (and I am one) and the story has some massive twists, but – plot aside - I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as Brotherhood.
blackholes on 14 Nov '11 said:
YES YES THANK YOU
almanac2015 on 14 Nov '11 said:
Cruel. Whilst all of the games are pretty similar (undeniable) I think that AC2 (and therefore Brotherhood) improved massively over the first game. Huge improvement. Making it a game we have played twice before...which is only marginally better.
I know I'll get this game. I love Assassins Creed. The only thing to decide is which first - Uncharted or AC?
Oh, and a massive thumbs up to the previous posts. Why do people not complain that MW3 is so similar? It seems certain game series have gotten away with it for years and (even if mentioned in a review) their scores don't suffer, and yet AC is subject to a lot of criticism for it.
Edit:
Ooh great for you to reply. I still disagree though.
Whilst assassins Creed is technically a sandbox game it doesn't have the exploration of some games released nowadays.
The repetitive nature of Assassins Creed has been something I have thought about, but I can't really imagine what they can change. The combat is too easy but it is fantastic so altering it in any major way would be risky. The climbing and the environments are fantastic. And as for the questing - it is a game based on assassinations so I don't know how different the missions can get. They at least tried with it in AC2 and Brotherhood (all the Da Vinci stuff).
combatevolved on 14 Nov '11 said:
Same as this guy, I still havent played 'brotherhood', loved AC1 and AC2 though, pretty much this gen's splinter cells, will get this for £12 in 6-12 months.
Killermancarro on 14 Nov '11 said:
I'd be rubbish at reviewing games. If I was asked to do this one I would write:
'Busy playing Skyrim so didn't review this game. Oh and buy Skyrim, but not MW3...boo to that'
Then I'd get fired and can play Skyrim all day.... ah bliss...
Sammy_bham on 14 Nov '11 said:
mw3 is fun, theres a difference.
ac, got bored halfway through
ac2 - bored after 10 minutes..
ill give this one a miss, with uc3, skyrim, mw3 and battlefield.... ac just doesnt fit anywhere, its not good enough to slog it with the big guns anymore.
im sure its key demographic will love it, but otherwise, it wont get a look in.
The_KFD_Case on 15 Nov '11 said:
I'm glad CVG went out on a limb and marked this game down for what sounds to be VERY similar game play. (Although if that is a criteria for lowering of scores, then what about yearly or bi-annual re-hashes? Hmm.)
If I win this game in a contest free of charge I'll play it and then trade it in. If I don't then I won't bother with it.
steagz on 15 Nov '11 said:
Assassins Creed My Arse
its all about wwe 12 and saints row
agraith on 15 Nov '11 said:
Totally hyped up for this game just hope thats its not a filler game like brotherhood still wondering how there gonna add gun controls for when Desmond has to fight assassins
The_KFD_Case on 15 Nov '11 said:
How can it not be a filler game? It's the third game dealing with the same character and still AC3 is apparently somewhere on the horizon. Couple that with what appears to be essentially the same game that has been played in the past two games in the franchise and the verdict is pretty much unavoidable: this is a filler game.
Denther on 15 Nov '11 said:
Hmm, possibly my favourite game series of all time, I have resisited all the big games so far, but may just have to find some moolah from somewhere for this, love it
richardr on 15 Nov '11 said:
Nice review, although being a big fan I was going to get it anyway.
Have to agree with people arguing about the comparison to earlier AC games though. Seems massively inconsistent.
Doug97 on 19 Nov '11 said:
Does it allow you to save/quicksave like a proper PC game?
gmcb007 on 19 Nov '11 said:
I'm glad to see that more and more reviewers are pointing out the fact that it's getting repetitive to milk this one storyline.
steve w on 20 Nov '11 said:
Since when did cvg do video reviews.
Doug97 on 21 Nov '11 said:
Can anyone answer my question?
combatevolved on 21 Nov '11 said:
Are you certain you would not prefer something somewhat more sophisticated sir?
Doug97 on 23 Nov '11 said:
Hello? Is this thing on?
Can you save in this game?
Doug97 on 25 Nov '11 said:
I couldn't find the answer on google either! Why the massive secrecy?
skyvisco on 27 Nov '11 said:
what happened to the horses in AC:R - totally took out one of the best aspects that Brotherhood brought in
Anthony ROOK on 28 Nov '11 said:
The thing above is meant to say, 1 little cheat and online drama. Stupid thing is too big
Just a little cheat I picked up, I hired thievs and went to the fighting club and they're fighting with me with daggers.
I only tried it once and I don't know if it'll happen again. But, it was easy to win, bet all 500 coin on all 5 rounds and win big time!
On an other note, I was playing Artifact assasult online I hid in a haystack at my base grabbed a guy trying to steel,pulled him in to kill him and got points. fair is'nt it ? guess what he did, he sent me a message saying "fu*king campers go back to yous cod" I put the * in but still, what a twit how can I protect without stayin at camp? I wont tell you his gamer tag, but who do you think was right? Me or him
Anthony ROOK on 28 Nov '11 said:
It saves atomaticly
Your device must be full. when you see a shape like this [x] it's saving.
Doug97 on 29 Nov '11 said:
I haven't bought it yet. I will buy it if I find out that you can save your progress rather than in Assassin's Creed 2 where there was a checkpoint system, forcing you to play the same parts of the game over and over. Life's too short for that and is one of the reasons why I play PC games instead of console games. Unfortunately sometimes the port to PC is so lazily done these days that they don't bother to add a save game feature.
By "saves automatically" do you mean a checkpoint system?
Anthony ROOK on 14 Jan '12 said:
Yes but like ACB you can replay levles over and over.
Gatix on 27 Feb '12 said:
I really hate cliffhangers. But Assassin's Creed's storyline and it's relation to 2012 is really mindblowing!
MrPannekook on 27 Feb '12 said:
Played it and after playing couple of hours i stopped and never touched it. Story is awesome but the gameplay just stays the same and gets really boring very fast
i loved playing AC1, 2 and brotherhood but now its just getting boring...