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Assassin's Creed

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Assassin's Creed

We plunge into the heart of Ubisoft's crusader

Words: GamesRadar US

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Because, instead of simply linking missions with a linear narrative, Assassin’s Creed treads a less prescribed route. It isn’t completely free-roaming though, as instead of a dynamic day/night cycle, your missions take place at a set point within the plot, but you are still free to wander outside it. And with the fort at Masyaf serving as your base, Altair rides out across the Holy Land through the lush forests, blank deserts and arid mountains of modern day Israel and Lebanon. At its edges three magnificent towns form a triangle of civilization, complete with their own distinct districts, city walls, denizens and civic style. They are: the besieged and heavily westernized town of Acre, Damascus, Saladin’s Arabic stronghold in Syria, and Jerusalem, the game’s major city and your final objective. And since the road from Jerusalem to Damascus alone is over 130 miles long and the lawless sand between the towns is vast, the horse-riding section that wobbled when it was first shown at X06 is to play a major role.

It is in these areas that our new friend Altair will presumably be able to find clues to his next target’s location as well as discovering side missions and distractions. And while some of these tasks might prove to be filler, helping certain characters and causes can pay off later as these good Samaritans aid and abet you in your escape. But if you fail to help, the peaceful monks that might have concealed you will raise a veritable hue and cry, previously open doors will be locked, and beggars feeling betrayed by the amount of robbing in their hood will claw viciously at your ankles. In fact, the opinions and attitude of the masses are so important to your progress that using Altair’s “initiative” will highlight who your charity has convinced and who is still deeply hostile to your actions.