altairs-chronicles
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Metareview: Assassin's Creed
Back when it was revealed, Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles seemed like some kind of joke. Surely, such a game could never come to be. Well, sure enough, it's arrived. And not that many critics have reviewed it, oddly enough. We do present some of the few who have, however.Any of you pick the game up? Care to tell us what you think? IGN (70/100) thought the game had some flaws, but was overall fun: "Altair's Chronicles definitely needed a couple more weeks of polishing up before Ubisoft's publishing date, but as a finished product it's a fun game for as long as it lasts." Cheat Code Central (68/100) says it was almost a AAA companion to the console title: "Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles essentially represents an average handheld experience. It has about eight hours of gameplay that is very conducive to the pick-up-and-play experience. Most mobile gamers looking for a portable experience will probably enjoy the fun hack n' slash gameplay along with the fun mini-games. But as a fan of the original console version, I just feel that this game lacked a little of the prowess of its predecessor." GameShark (58/100) thinks the game is just too short: "The game is short; you can easily complete it in an afternoon-even if you aren't a seasoned gamer. Without any other modes or options, the replay value is very short. It has its moments but it's a tough sell for $30. It's definitely worth a rental; especially if you have enjoyed the original game as it tells the story of how the characters got to that point, and frustrations and limitations aside, the time spent playing the game is enjoyable – it's just over way too soon." See also: 2008 Blips - Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles%Gallery-13855%
Assassin's Creed actually looks kind of neat
We maintain skepticism about Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles, for reasons entirely unrelated to the series. Even the release of this gameplay footage, coming as it does after the game is in stores, keeps to the super-stealthy strategy Ubisoft has employed in its "promotion." The game was never formally announced, existing as a Gamestop-supplied rumor until we finally saw the game on Nintendo's release list and the first screens on the boxart. So we continue to withhold our enthusiasm, even though our eyes tell us there could be something good here.Ubisoft shouldn't have tried to go so far under the radar. They could have advertised this game and built anticipation with decent-looking visuals. For a 3D DS game, this looks really nice, keeping much of the same tone as the console version: stealth meets Prince of Persia. Climbing around and sneaking through a town on the way to a target looks like something we could really enjoy. In fact, it looks like a carefully scaled-down interpretation of the original right up until the pickpocketing minigame, at which point it looks like a DS game again.
Assassin's Creed still doesn't look completely horrible
Okay, what's the deal here, Ubisoft? First you reveal absolutely nothing on the DS version of Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles until a month before the game launches, and even then it's only the damn subtitle. Then, with our expectations suitably lowered, you spring the first screenshots on us, and they're ... not bad, actually. Quite good. They make the game look potentially fun.This latest batch has the same effect -- Altair's Chronicles is actually showing real promise. Sure, they're a little brown, but brown isn't always bad, and these are quite pretty. There's even a couple of sensible-looking side-on shots, which gives us hope that Ubisoft hasn't completely borked the camera. We're yet to see these attractive 3D environments in motion, but for now, you can color us impressed and interested.Sneak past the post break for four more screens.
Europe will wait to assassinate
Europe has to wait for games so often that we should just assume all announced games will be delayed (low blow, sorry), but we digress. The latest game to avoid European release is the DS version of Assassin's Creed, which is now scheduled to come to continent on March 28th. On the bright side, we haven't heard many Europeans (or anyone in general) champing at the bit for this game, so those of you who live across the pond might not even mind this delay too much.The North American date for Altair's Chronicles is still marked as February 5th, giving Europe enough time to find out whether the game is any good before committing to buy it.
Assassin's Creed DS is 'Altair's Chronicles,' a prequel
We haven't heard much about the DS version of Ubisoft mega smash Assassin's Creed since we learned of its existence back in October, but we've finally had a little light shed on it by a GoNintendo reader who seems to have nabbed the game's box art. Click here for an embiggened version.We're kind of intrigued by the "Explore a fully-rendered 3D world" part, and a bit perplexed by using the stylus to pickpocket items from unwitting targets. We're also a bit troubled by the name, Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles. We've learned through the years that "Good Game Title: Character Name's Story/Tales/Chronicles/Adventures" is almost always a recipe for sadness. Here's hoping this one proves us wrong.
Assassin's Creed on the DS gets a ... subtitle
Altair himself would probably admire the stealthiness of the build-up to Assassin's Creed on the DS. Since the title was confirmed, not a word has passed through Ubisoft's lips about the project, despite the fact that it launches under a month from now. But finally, after a lengthy period of time, we have a full title, courtesy of IGN: Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles. MEGATON!Of course, that leaves us absolutely no clearer on what this accursed game actually is. The sensible money would be on a 2D platform-based adventure title, but that's pure guesswork. It could be a card game. It could be a kart racer. For all we know, it could be a damn dating sim. But we know this much: the lack of information on the game is now beginning to take its toll on us, to the point where we have developed a kind of perverse curiosity about just what form Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles will take. And we're not proud of that.
