The return of ‘Assassin’s Creed’
BY ANDY MCNAMARA | GAME INFORMER MAGAZINE (TNS)
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows
Genre: Action-adventure, Stealth
Developer: Ubisoft
ESRB rating: RP for rating pending
Early in the life of the series, I looked forward to Assassin’s Creed games with a level of anticipation that few franchises could match. The original game, its sequel, and the amazing Brotherhood all hold special places in my personal video game hall of fame. At the time, I couldn’t see how anything could possibly go wrong, but I think it all started to fall apart for me with Assassin’s Creed III. I enjoyed it, but I could feel the execution starting to erode.
I knew for certain it was flying off the tracks with Black Flag, but even though the story had officially gone off the deep end for me, I fell in love with the pirate-focused gameplay. However, the story of Desmond and a larger mystery around the Templars and Assassins was what had pulled me into the series. That rivalry gave the great gameplay meaning, and Black Flag stated clearly that the series was headed in other directions.
From there things just got worse. I was unable to finish both Unity and Syndicate. Some people thought Syndicate was a step in the right direction, but I didn’t agree. I don’t think I was alone; other gamers seemed to drift from the series as well. Was it the lack of execution? The change in story direction? I guess we will never know, but despite all this, I feel the universe of Assassin’s Creed has so many possibilities that it can weather the storm. The core premise that lets the games jump through place and time is a powerful one. But without innovation and the time and care to make the games as great as their promise, it is easy to see why those two entries didn’t live up to my expectations.
I was happy that Ubisoft finally learned its lesson and took the series off the yearly release cycle to right the ship. Even though the series lost some of its luster over the years, it can still turn the tide and go from a sinking ship to a redemption story. We all love a great comeback.
The pressure is on. If Assassin’s Creed Origins fails to engage, I feel the future of the franchise will be in peril, but things look to be on the right track. I know I’m looking forward to it.
