Focus
Assassin’s Creed Unity was a very ambitious game. It tried to do so many things at once that it unfortunately cracked under its own weight. You’ve gotta give them some credit for trying, but after that lackluster outing many fans just want a return to form. A return to what made them fans in the first place. And that’s exactly what Ubisoft is trying to deliver with Assassin’s Creed Syndicate.
After taking in all of the feedback the developers decided that the best course of action was to focus solely on a solid single player experience. This means no splitting teams up to create what is essentially two different games to ship together. Just a tighter story, tighter mechanics, and dual protagonists to mix it up and keep things from growing stale. While there are certainly those who lament the loss of the honestly fun multiplayer modes, the fact that the studio made the tough decision of hunkering down to deliver the best that they could possibly deliver is admirable. It shows dedication to make things right, and if Assassin’s Creed Syndicate is to breathe life back into the franchise, then dedication is the perfect ingredient.
Dual Protagonists
Assassin’s Creed Syndicate will feature two, fully-fleshed out protagonists for players to switch between. There’s Jacob, the thug of the sibling pair who prefers to get up-close and personal to his targets in the most brutal ways possible. Then there’s Evie, the smarter, more level-headed of the two who is more about stealth and shadows but equally (if not more so) as deadly as her brother. Of course, having more than one protagonist in a video game is nothing new, but in Syndicate, it actually makes for some interesting experiences.
The Frye siblings are more than just re-skins of one another with a description to make them seem different. The two actually feel different. Jacob feels heavy and powerful as he dives into a group of enemies with nothing but his fists. Sure, he could use one of the new weapons available in the game, but the crunch of bone that you feel through the controller as you slam someones head into the side of that stone building right next to you is unmatched. Evie is able to use a chameleon like effect to blend in with her surroundings, allowing her to lure enemies into her deadly clutches. She’s also a master of throwing knives, meaning even those far away aren’t safe from this menacing assassin.
Annualized franchises are always under the threat of becoming stale, but Evie and Jacob are setting out to make sure that definitely doesn’t happen here.
Industrial Revolution
As the Assassin’s Creed games have made there way throughout different periods in history, many fans wanted something a bit more modern. Horses and kings are great and all, but there’s only so much you can do before you’ve done it all. Sure DaVinci gave us a taste of technology before, but it’s time for something real. Assassin’s Creed Syndicate brings players to London in the middle of the Industrial Revolution. Steam machines and powered devices are everywhere, pollution paints the sky, people crowd the streets, and horse and carriages deliver people to trains and everywhere else they need to go.
This paints a gorgeous backdrop rife with opportunity as the world moves toward a new age. It also presents some unique gameplay opportunities not seen previously in the series. Fighting on top of moving carriages through a bustling city, battling it out in a train station as steam fills the area and utilizing the new solid steel machines as cover. Or, maybe you like to see an upgrade to your tools, such as the Rope Launcher, which lets players get their Batman on as they zip up buildings and between vantage points.
The fact that the setting is helping to mold the gameplay is something most definitely worth looking forward to.
Weapons
Keeping with the setting of this latest entry, Syndicate is changing the weapons players will carry and how they will use them. In previous games, it was perfectly normal to be seen walking around with a sword or a rifle. That fit those settings in both location and time. But as technology evolved, so to did laws and how people perceived certain things. That means in Assassin’s Creed Syndicate walking around with a huge weapon is one way to get yourself spotted.
Weapons now are more compact and easily hidden on your person. Throwing blades, a kukri knife, a small revolver, brass knuckles, and more weapons along those lines allow for more intimate, visceral encounters. Adding to the whole sense of more in your face combat are the executions that can be performed with each weapon. If you beat up an enemy and manage to stun them near death you’ll be able to perform a delightfully brutal finishing move. It varies by weapon and situation, giving the combat a more organic feel on top of the countering and brawling fans are used to. This is magnified during the game’s street fights when you have a large amount of enemies crammed into a small space vying for control of the streets.
The weapons do a lot of the lifting when it comes to adding flair to the more brutish fighting style and that’s a good thing. Moving away from the stylish appearance of the classic sword-fighting found in previous games in exchange for a system that uses the time, the setting, and the more thuggish approach is absolutely amazing.
Freedom of Choice
Not all of Assassin’s Creed Syndicate is completely new, though, but that’s not a bad thing. Missions will have multiple options for how they’re completed. You can go super stealthy, extra violent, bring in assistance, trick enemies, and much more. This adds yet another level of variety to the game on top of the two very different protagonists and the new weapon types. Of course, this isn’t just a carry over of the already open nature of missions that were available in Unity. There’s more story placed into the various options that makes it feel like you’re doing more than just choosing a path.
It’s a nice way of giving players meaningful options while also allowing them to feel like they had a complete experience no matter which way they went. It ties into that focus on the player’s experience in place of cramming as much onto the disk as possible. It’s also fitting that Assassin’s Creed Syndicate will allow players such freedom as they fight to liberate the streets of London from Templar tyranny. Take to the rooftops or fight on the streets as you bring freedom to the masses.
What are some reasons you’re excited for Assassin’s Creed Syndicate? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!
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