Assassin's Creed Brotherhood: How to be a master assassin

The best way to lose sync with your ancestor's memories in Assassin's Creed is to fudge it up and die. You know, cos you're then trying to remember a death that never happened. Confusing stuff. Best way to avoid brain-ache, then, is to follow the script and stay alive. Fortunately, we've got ten top tips for doing just that in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. Follow our advice and you'll soon become a master assassin.

The Golden Rule

It might seem like a total no-brainer, but newbie assassins tend to hit the panic button whenever their master machinations crumble to dust. It%26rsquo;s totally tempting to either turn tail and leg it or simply draw your sword and wade in like a nutter, but %26ndash; c%26rsquo;mon %26ndash; would you ever catch Carlos the Jackal doing that? No Se%26ntilde;or. Our advice is this: Once the guards are onto you... just take a chill pill. Walk away quickly (hold A/Cross) rather than running with the R Trigger, before depositing yourself in the nearest hay cart/bench/crowd of peeps %26ndash; there%26rsquo;s nothing that makes guards more suspicious than a sinister robed type hightailing it in the opposite direction!

Above: Sometimes acting like a dodgy guy in a hood is the worst thing you can do. Just 'act normal'

Blend In...

See all those cute citizens meandering about the cobbled streets of Rome? They%26rsquo;re not just there for show. If you%26rsquo;re loitering in a restricted area or Ezio%26rsquo;s notoriety is off the scale guards will actively seek you out %26ndash; and that%26rsquo;s bad news. Combat their beady eyes by walking close by groups of peeps %26ndash; religious types, noblemen and riff-raff are all fair %26ndash; game and (presuming he%26rsquo;s not in sight of any guards) Ezio will blend into the throng. Both our hero and his new entourage will then turn black %26amp; white to reflect his hidden status. The one stickler? These groups aren%26rsquo;t always heading in your preferred direction, so start practicing the timings of your transitions by melding into another group as they pass close by. Think of it as next-gen Frogger.

Above: Keep your head down and walk next to someone like you know them. Just like real life!

Buddy Up

Courtesans, thieves and mercenaries loiter around Rome %26ndash; and for a few coins Ezio can put their diverse talents to use. Need to create a ruckus? Opt for the latter two as they%26rsquo;re adept at getting guards all wound up. Our pick though are the sexy courtesans; not only can Ezio blend in with them and direct them about for short time as they wander about fluttering their eyelashes coquettishly, but they can also be used to seduce an entire group of guards with an L-Trigger X/Square. While the dirty buggers are having sweet nothings whispered into their hairy ears, Ezio can nip through the gateways they%26rsquo;re supposed to be guarding. Simples!

Above: It's like a Hannah-Barbera cartoon, only without the comedy eyes on stalks and lolling tongues

Money, Money, Money

If you need to slip away unnoticed and distract guards into the bargain, tossing some coins about is always an underrated but super handy option. Simply equip it from your weapon wheel and press x/square to lob the gold stuff onto the pavement. Any scabby citizens in the vicinity will immediately scramble for the moolah, leaving nearby guards flustered and in disarray. At only 10 florins per pop, it%26rsquo;s neat %26ndash; and underused %26ndash; trick... especially when you%26rsquo;re being chased and are struggling to lose your tail.

Above: Pull a Richard Branson andcreate chaos with the poor townsfolk before making good your escape

Brotherhood of Wham

Brotherhood%26rsquo;s central new mechanic revolves around utilising an army of miniature Ezios. We can%26rsquo;t stress enough just how handy/bloody cool they are, so it%26rsquo;s absolutely worth taking the time enlisting them (break up fights as you navigate Rome to recruit your budding footpads), training them (head to your nearest pigeon coup and dish out the missions; the more seasoned they become the tougher they%26rsquo;ll get) and unleashing them (one, two or three clicks of the right bumper unleashes upto six reavers; alternatively hold down said bumper when you have three full bars to unleash a storm of arrows which massacres every guard on-screen, smart bomb style).

The crucial thing about these takedowns is that %26ndash; most of the time at least %26ndash; they%26rsquo;re stealthy, meaning you can often remove swathes of guards with minimal fuss. Essential, since Brotherhood%26rsquo;s markedly meaner when it comes to de-synchronising Ezio for being detected than Assassins 2 ever was...

Above: When someone else is doing your dirty work for you, you don't even have to be facing the massacre