Remember back when Assassin’s Creed games used to fill you with a sense of wonder, and Ubisoft hadn’t started milking the franchise. Today we look back at the first game in the series, Assassin’s Creed.
Released in 2008, Assassin’s Creed brought to life a huge gorgeous world set in holy lands of 12th century Damascus, Acre and Jerusalem. Now, I’m not a religious guy, but I’ve been told that Jerusalem is a real important place as far as religious matters are concerned. Doesn’t the Pope live there? Or was the Jesus fella born there?
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Anyways, you played the role of Desmond, a bartender in the modern day, who, through the use of a machine called the “Animus”, is able to view the memories of his ancestors, embedded in his genetic code. It’s like the movie Inception, without the train or Juno. The ancestor whose memories you access and follow is Altair, an expert assassin, and a member of the Secret Order Of Assassins. And you play as Altair for the most part, who’s a pretty cool dude who likes to stick blades into the necks of people walking by.
I’m just kidding. The Order of Assassins want peace through free will, while the Templars, who are the bad guys, want peace through control. And this is main conflict, as both parties struggle and fight each other for power. Most of the blades you stick go down Templar throats. The combat is fast, fluid and immensely fun. It’s also satisfyingly challenging. Though it has been refined over the years, back in 2008, it was equivalent to what the Arkham series represents now.
Stealth is also given importance, since you are an Assassin. It’s fun to sneak around, blend in with the crowd, overhear conversations, stalk targets, pounce on them at a propitious moment and introduce them to the pointy end of your blade. Oh, I forgot to mention. The blade is infact a hidden blade attached to your wrist, that retracts and extracts through some devious mechanism, and remains concealed up your sleeve. It’s a literal trick up your sleeve, the cost of which is a finger. But that’s just the cost of being a badass.
However, the highlight of the game is the parkour. Ubisoft not only created a huge world for players to explore, but also a fantastic way to explore it. That first time running across rooftops, jumping over ledges, climbing tall buildings and traversing tightropes was exhilarating. The game is an excellent mix of action, stealth and platforming. The story also holds its own for the most part, though the ending is rather open-ended. But it fits well as you start the next game in the series.
Assassin’s Creed is a must play experience, specially for its time. It is the start of something beautiful, and will always hold a special place in the hearts of millions of gamers.
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