Tuesday, January 8, 2008

PHESP Game Review

(Assassin’s Creed, Xbox360, Ubisoft, November 2007)

HOLLY POO CAKES PEOPLE - this game is a ‘must-have’ if ever we’ve seen one! If you don’t own a gaming console then playing this game will make you wish you did… fix-up, look sharp and steal, buy, rent, borrow an Xbox and play this game noooow or be a loser for the rest of your sad days! (No, I don’t work for Xbox or Ubisoft)



















(Ratings /10)
GAME PLAY 10

GRAPHICS 10
SOUND 9
GAME LIFE 9
OVERALL 10
* Feels like: Hitman and Price of Persia style strategy set in a real-life interactive GTA like city, in the year 1191!

















As promised, ESPV reviews one of the biggest games for Xbox360 in 2007 - Assassin’s Creed.. simply put, Assassin’s Creed (AC) was hands down the best game we played in 2007. It took ESPV about 3 weeks of casual gaming to complete this game on ‘normal’ difficulty and we wish it took us longer cuz this game is simply a treat to play!
AC is a third person action-strategy game which (one could say) is a cross between Prince of Persia and Hitman.. only much, much better! The game has been a huge success worldwide and has already began work on two other releases for 2008 and 2009 making AC possibly one of the most popular trilogies to be seen on Xbox360.
To cut the long story short, what really makes this game pootastic is the level of interactiveness, freedom, graphics/detail, game play, maps and characters, AI and gaming lifespan.










Story line..
Set in the present day you take the role of Desmond Miles, a retired assassin whose ancestors date back to an infamous assassin brotherhood which was active during the Third Crusade in the year 1191. Desmond has been kidnapped by an unknown, secret society that wish to tap into his ancestor’s DNA memory banks to find an ancient Templar Knight’s secret. By strapping Desmond into a machine (The Animus) that allows him to go back and relive his ancestor’s days during the Third Crusade, the secret organization aims to use Desmond to play as Altair, infamous assassin, and find the Templar Knight’s secret so they may keep it for themselves.
























Levels/Game Play..
Each level consists of Desmond going back in time and playing as Altair to assassinate 1 of 8 of the Templar Knights (and murder and kill anyone that gets in your way.. which is allot). Each time a Knight is assassinated a new clue and fighting kill is given to you and the story’s secret slowly unfolds.
Now, AC stands out from all other games mainly for it’s interactive cities in which you wonder around life-like streets completing tasks and locating your target. Each city takes after one which existed during the Crusades such as Damascus and Jerusalem and there are about 3 altogether. Within each city exists complete freedom and life-like features similar to games like Grand Theft Auto. You can wonder around the many streets, talk to the locals, fight with guards, run around the roof tops from house-to-house, stalk your targets and basically do as you please. Each city is huuuge and offers loads of tasks for you to keep amused with, not to mention the graphics and level of interactiveness is truly jaw dropping! At any time you can run from street level, climb a wall, head to the roof and roof-jump your way around.. your character can climb up almost any wall you see (see trailer).
The level of AI is also truly impressive as town folk and guards reactive to the way you act similar to that of Hitman but in far more detail.













For a sneak preview at trailers, screenshots, downloads and more check out assassinscreed.uk.ubi.com for more cool stuff. You won’t regret it. Other previews, demos and walk through demos available by searching UTube.

(PS – stay tuned for more ESPV game reviews including Call of Duty 4, Ace Combat 6 and Lego Star Wars)