Title: Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
Platform(s): PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Genre: Action / Adventure
Release date and price: 19 November, £49.99 RRP
What it’s about
‘Assassin’s Creed’ is a romantic series of action games that pushes the technical limits of PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 with outstanding depictions of the world’s greatest cities in ancient times. Inside these cities a secret war rages between the Knights Templar and a cult of assassins, the latter recently enlisting the help of an Italian nobleman named Ezio Auditore da Firenze. ‘Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood’ is faster-paced than the first two instalments of the series, with Ezio adding more sensational manoeuvres to his free-running repertoire in between scrappier assassinations. Generally it seems that ‘Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood’ is chasing an action-oriented audience.
‘Assassin’s Creed’ is a romantic series of action games that pushes the technical limits of PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 with outstanding depictions of the world’s greatest cities in ancient times. Inside these cities a secret war rages between the Knights Templar and a cult of assassins, the latter recently enlisting the help of an Italian nobleman named Ezio Auditore da Firenze. ‘Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood’ is faster-paced than the first two instalments of the series, with Ezio adding more sensational manoeuvres to his free-running repertoire in between scrappier assassinations. Generally it seems that ‘Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood’ is chasing an action-oriented audience.
All the good things
The free-running (parkour) thrills that debuted with the original Assassin’s Creed have become more breathtaking than ever. Ezio is launched rapidly skyward upon tripping a switch to gain height fast, or takes to swinging on lanterns and chains to round corners without losing momentum. Much of the groundwork here was achieved in the previous game, such as renovating the city to open new outlets for armour, medicine, and the latest fashions. This great idea is expanded to include the whole of Rome. Also the city is so vast that Ezio can ride his horse through the streets to save time, or take shortcuts through a network of tunnels. Exploration can be mesmerising due to sumptuous detail in all locations. If fighting is more your thing, you’ll love the way the combat system flows.
Stuff we don’t like
There aren’t any glaring negatives to ‘Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood’ but, as with previous outings, the first hour or so is slow to get started. A love scene is part of this, and is quite embarrassing – not because you see anything, it’s just daft watching a couple of dorky videogame mannequins getting it on. This is scene-setting, of course, but the storyline elsewhere can be hard to follow when you’re mostly busy figuring out how to climb the nearest tall building or legging it after a terrified Borgias assassination target. ‘Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood’ is best when it’s having more boisterous fun.
Should you buy it?
This is a much more balanced experience than the two previous games in the series, and therefore has broader appeal. You can even approach the game as a resource management project to a large extent, as Ezio’s army of assassins grows in number, and Rome recovers under his protection. We can’t imagine anyone becoming bored since you are constantly kept busy, puzzling over the most expedient route to the next Borgias tower or perfecting chained hits during clashes with agile foes. Some of the ambient appeal of the early ‘Assassin’s Creed’ is now lost, but in its place a constantly challenging, multi-layered experience that’s unlike anything else out there… in a good way!"
5 out of 5
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