Assassin's Creed Syndicate
Assassins Creed Syndicate is triumph in terms of playability, size and scope. It plays smoother than any previous AC game and has the most relatable protagonists since Ezio. Gameplay might feel a bit too familiar and the obsession for collectibles is getting out of hand but even if I'm neither disappointed nor blown away by the game, Assassins Creed Syndicate is still a great game.
So what do you get with the new Assassins Creed Syndicate? A cynic would say more of the same with a few improvements. That would be an understatement of course because Syndicate might be the most refined AC experience yet. What it lacks, story-wise at least, is a clear purpose and a grand plan. The last three games are not really pushing the bigger story forward so you don't really see a connection between your actions and the ultimate goal. What are the assassins really fighting for and why should I care?
Although I used to like the modern day story of Assassins Creed it has by now turned into a mess. At this point they should either try to get it right or maybe skip it altogether. I guess with Desmond gone and the world saved there is not really anything driving the story forward. (One thing that would be cool though is if they made an AC game set in the age of the precursor race and you would playing the original assassin).
Anyway, in Syndicate we´re introduced to two new assassins, Evie and Jacob Fry, and no they're not married but actually brother and sister born in to the Assassin brotherhood and you get to play both of them. You're free to choose between them while roaming around the city of London but in missions there are some that can only be played by either one of our protagonists.
The option to switch between the two assassins is something you're probably familiar with from games such as GTA IV and it's a nice change and something I would also like to see in coming games. Both the protagonists are well written and have a great chemistry between them, even if they don't always see head to head. Jacob is more of a spontaneous brawler with a good sense of humor while Evie is a bit more serious and dedicated to the assassin cause. Evie is the stealth master while Jacob is the fighter and you'll make use of either ability to choose you'r play style or to suite different kinds of missions. Skill points are shared between the assassins so even if you play more with one or the other they both level up at the same rate.
It's been a while since there has been a really good villain or Grand Master templar in the AC games. Crawford Starrick, a charismatic but ruthless capitalist, fills this spot perfectly in Syndicate. He is actually a quite memorable character. The enemies you'll encounter now also include a lot of women so you're not always up against the same old brutes. And for the first time in an AC game all the British accents actually make sense.
As were approaching modern times in the AC games there are now trains and horse carriages you can use for transportation. You also have a rope launcher that makes it easier to ascend buildings or move quickly between one building and another. This is an essential tool because as building get taller and cities get bigger it would most definitely be a chore to climb them the conventional way. Fighting is more prominent now with multi-kills and special moves and there are also fight clubs around the city (but your not suppose to talk about those). And as usual, tons of side quests, collectibles and historic characters like Charles Dickens, Florence Nightingale and Karl Marx.
Fans won't be disappointed with Syndicate but probably not blown away either. I know it's nostalgia talking (because Syndicate is streets ahead in terms of playability) but I guess there won't be a way to top the best Assassin's Creed game of them all, Assassins Creed II.
So what do you get with the new Assassins Creed Syndicate? A cynic would say more of the same with a few improvements. That would be an understatement of course because Syndicate might be the most refined AC experience yet. What it lacks, story-wise at least, is a clear purpose and a grand plan. The last three games are not really pushing the bigger story forward so you don't really see a connection between your actions and the ultimate goal. What are the assassins really fighting for and why should I care?
Although I used to like the modern day story of Assassins Creed it has by now turned into a mess. At this point they should either try to get it right or maybe skip it altogether. I guess with Desmond gone and the world saved there is not really anything driving the story forward. (One thing that would be cool though is if they made an AC game set in the age of the precursor race and you would playing the original assassin).
Anyway, in Syndicate we´re introduced to two new assassins, Evie and Jacob Fry, and no they're not married but actually brother and sister born in to the Assassin brotherhood and you get to play both of them. You're free to choose between them while roaming around the city of London but in missions there are some that can only be played by either one of our protagonists.
The option to switch between the two assassins is something you're probably familiar with from games such as GTA IV and it's a nice change and something I would also like to see in coming games. Both the protagonists are well written and have a great chemistry between them, even if they don't always see head to head. Jacob is more of a spontaneous brawler with a good sense of humor while Evie is a bit more serious and dedicated to the assassin cause. Evie is the stealth master while Jacob is the fighter and you'll make use of either ability to choose you'r play style or to suite different kinds of missions. Skill points are shared between the assassins so even if you play more with one or the other they both level up at the same rate.
It's been a while since there has been a really good villain or Grand Master templar in the AC games. Crawford Starrick, a charismatic but ruthless capitalist, fills this spot perfectly in Syndicate. He is actually a quite memorable character. The enemies you'll encounter now also include a lot of women so you're not always up against the same old brutes. And for the first time in an AC game all the British accents actually make sense.
As were approaching modern times in the AC games there are now trains and horse carriages you can use for transportation. You also have a rope launcher that makes it easier to ascend buildings or move quickly between one building and another. This is an essential tool because as building get taller and cities get bigger it would most definitely be a chore to climb them the conventional way. Fighting is more prominent now with multi-kills and special moves and there are also fight clubs around the city (but your not suppose to talk about those). And as usual, tons of side quests, collectibles and historic characters like Charles Dickens, Florence Nightingale and Karl Marx.
Fans won't be disappointed with Syndicate but probably not blown away either. I know it's nostalgia talking (because Syndicate is streets ahead in terms of playability) but I guess there won't be a way to top the best Assassin's Creed game of them all, Assassins Creed II.
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