Let me begin by saying that I started Assassin’s Creed with high hopes. Who couldn’t with all the buzz being shoved out of the Ubisoft PR machine led by Jade Raymond. The publisher made sure Assassin’s Creed was a highly anticipated title by constantly keeping it and Miss Raymond in the public eye leading up to launch. Based on pre-order numbers, their plan to catch gaming geeks eyes with “garsh, a woman” tactics worked. Unfortunately for those same geeks, neither the game, nor Raymond are all they’re cracked up to be.

AC's story is the strong point here. At least the premise is strong. I won’t go into detail as I don’t want to ruin the story for those yet to fire this game up. The biggest twist in the title is let out in the first five minutes. This alone kind of threw me as it could have easily been kept a secret longer and had more dramatic affects on the player. What I will tell you is that there are two main characters involved. There’s some gene extraction going on. And people are trying to change time lines. So there’s kudos being awarded to Ubisoft Montreal when it comes to the story. The problem is the way it’s told and unfolds. Even the dialogue that takes place throughout the game is solid.

The worst aspect of this game, to put it nicely, is the redundant and boring gameplay. The Prince of Persia engine is used to create some great acrobatic gameplay that will entertain for a total of 30 minutes. Beyond that, you will feel like you’re just repeating the same thing over and over. While I like to use a lot of metaphors and witty slang to describe aspects of a game, you’ll find none here. Because I can’t be blunt enough when it comes to stating that this game is a big cycle of lather, rinse, and repeat. You will do the same thing over and over again. The excitement of the tutorial is the peak of fun as it’s all the same beyond that. Attacks are gory and gruesome, but how long will that hold your attention when it’s the same thing over and over?

I was honestly surprised that a game could contain so much and leave me feeling like there was nothing there. Like most teenage girls on prom night, I walked away in disbelief asking myself, “Was that it?’ all while the game lay in the disc tray with a triumphant smile on it’s face. Whoa! What was I talking about? That’s a perfect example though. The game’s ability to hold my attention failed on some many levels that I can’t even focus on it now.

A major selling point for Assassin’s Creed was to be the grand environments ripe for exploration. Just like the gameplay itself, there’s no reason to explore what you’ve already seen. Like a modern day version of Streets of Rage, gamers are subjected to the same NPCs, environments, and situations, each with a light variant. You’ll find yourself asking, Didn’t I see that guy two blocks back?, as you run through the streets only to see him 8 more times. Variety is the spice of life and in this case, Assassin’s Creed has no flavor.

While I mentioned a trend of repetition in this game, I have to say that graphically it is impressive. I’m sure that’s why it will get high marks from some of the larger review sites. The big boys know what casual gamers like. They like graphics. But seeing as the people of XboxFamily are of a more hardcore mold, I think they’ll understand that graphics don’t make a good game, they enhance one. The lighting and animations in Assassin’s Creed are top-notch. But after repeating the same stuff over and over, you won’t care.

Sounds? You want to talk to me about the sound? Ok, I like your face, so I’ll fill you in on the details. The sound in Assassin’s Creed is there. I can’t say it does much in the form of supporting the mood or setting a scene up, but it does the job. Again, this is not what I was expecting either. I had high hopes for every aspect of the game, but rarely felt the game lived up to the buzz.

Overall, this game is a renter’s dream come true. There’s no multiplayer to make you come back for more. The gameplay is so repetitive that you wouldn’t dare get that itch to play through the story again and it’s pretty to look at. This is like the date you don’t introduce to people. She’s fun for about 20 or 30 minutes, but once you’ve got what you wanted (a quick thrill), you’re done with her and never want to call her back. The fact that Ubisoft tacked on a cheap cliffhanger that screams sequel in progress, just shows how great they thought this game was.

+ Beautiful Graphics That Impress

+ Animations Are Fluid Thanks to PoP Engine

- You play the first 5 minutes, you’ve played it.

- Doesn’t come close to the hype.

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