6/10
Right from the off the Assassin's Creed story is split in two. In the present day we are Desmond, a bartender from New York, who is captured by the sinister corporation Abstergo and forced inside the Animus in order to relive the memories of his ancestor, an Assassin locked in a clandestine war with the evil Templars.
In the past we are Altair, a Master Assassin during the Crusades at the end of the 12th century who is tasked with taking out key members of the Templars (and learning to be less of a grump along the way). To do this we get to free-run around a large, multi-city open world and engage in social stealth (i.e. hiding on benches). This first entry is innovative and cool, but everything is half-baked. The free-running is dodgy, the combat is very slow, and the stealth is too presecriptive in how and when you can hide. Still, the seeds of a remarkable and exciting idea are there, just not yet fully grown.
Check out my full review! The Almighty Backlog, review #33:
https://thealmightybacklog.wordpress.com/2019/02/15/assassins-creed/
5
