Whilst I was treated to great visuals, once the novelty worn off from getting viewpoints, the structure of the game just grew tiresome for me. 9/10 for nice graphics, but I need more than that.
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I know how to play it Ezee Ryder and how to stealth kill but sometimes the AI is buggered you can quietly stealth kill a bloke fine (Im always doing it to those begger women its the first thing I do) and other times it triggers the other lot off for no reasong and their NOWHERE in sight doesnt matter if I walk quiet or not. I aint on about the jump shiff either Im on about quietly going up to them stabbing em and walking away for the comotion to kick off its a technique to use to distract guards to get into an area. Also I can go kill a load (6+) on a protect the citizen quest and their all laid dying on the floor then off I slowly blend button as a guard is running at me seeing me do it and he does nowt, same on the later mission Id just done, got sick of using a blend and just scaled over the wall and killed a load; their was a patrol wandering past us all what ignored us for no reason. Ive also shiff killed loads of guards with their m8s next to em then gone and got each one after even though Ive had the alert button on me when they should be whacking me.
Im on Mission 5 now and its still dead easy just got a 100kills without being defeated unlock. Im actually loving it now as Ive totally given up playing this as a stealth game as for me it just doesnt work at all as that. Instead Im running about climbing like a monkey, jumping and shiffing every archer insight and then doing a few missions and off to kill the master. As an action game its fantastic and goes up to a 8/10 for me but I did want a stealth game and for me that just doesnt work, the game for me as a stealth game is broken beyond belief. Easiest way to shrug off the alert at end is just to stand guard on a roof and kill em all that gets rid of the alert which I thought was daft at first (as I wanted to play on steath) Id rather have been made to hide but its now much more fun and easier to pick a quiet spot and gank em one by one. If you do that on the roof you then just run to your assasin home and its done. I would have expected guards to be clambering everywhere when Im chucking their m8s off rooftops into them but they dont bother, think their off for some turkish delight or something
As an action game its great but I could pull it to pieces with the sword play. Hes mental you can jump shiff the first bloke then his m8s stand their whilst your sticking it to the first one on the ground and then they start attacking mainly one at a time even if theirs 9 of em at me. All I have to do is counter or evade and their history. I would have expected for a 9 gang of sword wielding maniacs to have to run but no I can fight and win the day and thats where I just reliased it was more fun to play it as an action game then and give up with it being a stealth game as otherwise I just wouldnt enjoy it.
For the spiderman comment Im not on about generic type of game, Im on about the ability of the character. Hes like something from a comic book. I was expecting at the very least to have to jump abit more and control his acrobatic abilities by adding more moves to him but all I have to do is run at a ledge or up a wall and he does the rest. Its very on rails and Id have hoped for something more Prince of Persia/Splinter Cell; its ok but it just feels detached and not as fun as he could be to control (grabbing occasionaly for me when Im falling on the VERY rare occasion because Ive got hit by a rock doesnt exite me). I think it would have worked better if you had to press a button to grab etc.. instead of holding it down and letting him get on with it.
Its fun as an action game for me but it had so much more potential for a stealth game.Last edited by Guest; 18-11-2007, 20:03.Comment
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Ok, the last mission saved me from total tedium. So, I'm pleased.
Why couldn't there be more variety in such a promising game (in terms of graphics and engine)?Comment
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ONLY read this spoilerific link, once you have completed the game:
As it proves a good insight to it's shall we say, cliffhanger ending.Comment
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Up to the 5th assassination now and while I'm enjoying it and I'm glad I bought it (I even went all out with the LE with the figure and bought the art book, which is gorgeous) the "OMG how can u raet dis anyfin les tan 10 it iz crimynal!!1!1!!!" is baffling. I don't understand how anyone can feel such pitiful AI, a complete lack of any real challenge in combat, the usual patented UBISoft array of bugs and glitches and such a high degree of repetition don't detract significantly from the game's appeal. Add to that a terrible voice actor for the lead and some staggering missed opportunities (Why can't you climb the castle at Masyaf? Screw historical immersion, why isn't there any equivalent of Crackdown's footraces?) and no way does this deserve a ten.
At the same time it looks utterly stunning (visual repetition aside - did the viewpoints in particular have to look near-identical?). It's great fun to play around with (the free-running system and the way it automates so much of your progress is very strange, but it's still very fulfilling just to experiment and travel around the place). And the story, while not exceptional, is definitely some way above average so far.
A disappointment? Oh, God, yes. I feel pretty strongly convinced that anyone who doesn't have any complaints about the game either isn't terribly hard to please or has a startling tolerance for general lack of polish. But it is good, and I think - as has probably been said - largely perception of the "bad" reviews is down to the usual idiotic belief that a seven out of ten can't possibly be a standout title that offers a compelling and memorable experience, despite its faults.
EDIT: Crackdown is simply the better game by miles, as far as I'm concerned. Greater variety, technically more impressive (I can feel Kotatsu homing in on this comment even as I type
), better thought out aesthetic design, better gameplay, better AI. I stuck it back in to have a quick go to convince myself I wasn't imagining things - within five minutes I was giggling with glee and had to force myself to stop playing and go back to Creed. AC has the story, the epic sweep and the subtlety, no question, but you really, really have to work for the fun. Acre cathedral simply doesn't compare to scaling the Agency tower for the first time. Or the second. Or the third, or the fourth... (although perching on the crosses is pretty nifty 
).
Last edited by Eight Rooks; 19-11-2007, 03:20.Comment
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Don't get me wrong. I think it has flaws aplenty. Many of them listed here. But what is does have is one of the most cohesive, gorgeously realised worlds I've seen in a videogame. If you pick it apart, rather like GTA or Crackdown, it basically is a game built on repetition, and mechanics that wouldn't be out of place on a SNES game, but you can't ignore the fact that in a sea of war based FPSes and Driving Games this is a real landmark title for console gaming. This raises the bar in many areas, and while I can already feel the creeping fingers of repetition and disappointment on my shoulder they can't take away that moment I first saw Damascus. The first viewpoint I scaled. The first time I rode the horse. The first time I killed a tramp. And so on. Damascus in particular took my breath away. It was the first time, possibly ever, my non game playing girlfriend has looked up from what she's doing and expressed an interest in a game - gazing at it for 10 minutes. It's so hypnotically lovely, even an avid-anti-gamer was captivated.
This game has given gaming as a whole a boost, and is a far more worthy title for us to be discussing with one another than, say, Call of Duty 4 - a game that has as many flaws, but just manages to paper over them a bit more efficiently.
The sad fact is, which will get a sequel (which could address many of the flaws)? I already sense average sales, and a heavily split opinion from people who have played it. But if ever any game has cried out for a sequel - this is it.Comment
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What is the problem people are having with the AI? The fights seem okay to me, and I think they'd be too difficult if all the enemies attacked at once. The game isn't about fighting, so for what it is it seems fine to me. The only possible complaint I could see is how you are able to blend in after a crime so quickly, but I really expect that will of been as a result of play tester feedback and would be a value Ubi will have changed for a good while to find what people enjoyed the most.
And visually it's totally unmatched from an art perspective, and Crysis on a high end PC aside, from a tech perspective too. Draw distance, texture detail, amount of characters on screen, realtime lighting, layered animation, and some subtle but lovely shader work (particularly with the extensive use of texture blenders). I was looking at some of the artwork on some CG forums and it's utterly amazing stuff. Ubi's 'A' team at work for sure and some of the best talent in the industry.Comment
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The AI never bothered me in game too much, I think if they had been more aware it would of made the game too difficult.
I did think it was pretty cool they could follow you up and around the roof tops, it was especially funny when they jumped to their death.Comment
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Variety yes...Originally posted by Kop_007 View Post
It's a shame darkness never falls. The Holy land at night would've opened up so many more possibilities, less citizens, proper stealth, low visibility when out of the light, proper avoiding patrolling guards and so on.
Indoor kills. All those wee houses and you can't enter them to sneak up on your prey.
The Templars. Looks to me like each one is guarding a chest, why not a side-quest for to pinch the Templar's treasure.
Super-stealth kill from atop a tower. Leap of faith just at the right time to land on your target, well ok, that'd be way too cool.
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This. Climbing that Norman cathedral and looking around off the top of it was awesome. Almost felt like I had vertigo.Originally posted by Mardigan8 View PostI think that is the most impotant point... people are wanting everything right away with this one and are feeling let down as a result. It really amazes me that this game is not getting more love for its obvious technical genius. How many people have got to a viewpoint and actually appreciated the scale and beauty of what is going on, remembering of course you can run around this environment and not ever have to worry about the immersion being broken by loading, etc. IMO, its so refreshing to play a game like this that just gives you an entire world to roam as you please and if they can build on this fantastic framework then they could really turn this franchise into something special.
Really starting to get into the mechanics of the combat now, mixing up short sword / throwing knives with the long sword and the guards dont know what is going on
spot a group of guards, throwing knife into lead stray guard, hidden blade into first of the group then engage the rest with long sword before fleeing onto the roofs and switching to my throwing knives to take out any one who gets to close in front of me... cant get enough of it TBH. Its the most wondefully detailed and epic gaming environment I have ever seen.
Working on my 7th assassination now.
Does anyone know if you can climb the castle in Masyaf? I keep trying but can't find any way up it. AND, when you finish the game can you start again with all your skills and stuff, DMC style?Comment
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With ref to Mardigan8,
i have to agree. Imagine what it would be like if they too this engine, skills etc and bolted on an RPG eliment like oblivion. Gave you extra weapons, bow's, different swords..I think that is the most impotant point... people are wanting everything right away with this one and are feeling let down as a result. It really amazes me that this game is not getting more love for its obvious technical genius. How many people have got to a viewpoint and actually appreciated the scale and beauty of what is going on, remembering of course you can run around this environment and not ever have to worry about the immersion being broken by loading, etc. IMO, its so refreshing to play a game like this that just gives you an entire world to roam as you please and if they can build on this fantastic framework then they could really turn this franchise into something special.
Now wouldnt that just be amazing to playComment
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I must say I love the game and I can't stop playing it. Sure it's a bit repetitive but I enjoy everything about it even watching the people around and pushing beggers into market stalls!
Oh and diving on guards with your hidden blade drown and pushing people off buildigns is also fun!Comment
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You can totally tell this tech is all getting chucked at the new Splinter Cell as well - the crowds and their behaviour, massive environments, ability to "blend" with the crowd - all stuff that's been promised for the next SC without even getting into the insane animation system at work.Comment
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The combat, at least where I am in the game, provides virtually no challenge whatsoever. None. I play games as a test of skill - I mean, even Animal Crossing has some kind of gentle risk/reward mechanic going on appropriate to the game, some barrier to your having everything at once. In Creed as soon as you've worked out how to use the counters you're nigh on invincible. Do you not have any problem with basically being given an easy one-hit-kill super move within an hour or two of starting the game? Although both games have you similarly far more powerful than the average NPC at least in Crackdown if you stick the difficulty up to the highest level and carelessly land in a confined space among a crowd of enemies You. Will. Die. Creed has no such penalty. I let one of my housemates try the game and watched as he started killing random civilians in Masyaf and basically realised he could carry on stabbing people then running away from the guards forever. Then he grew bored as he realised that was basically all he could immediately do, given you can't climb the castle at Masyaf and the town gates are closed until you've spoken to your mentor for the first time.Originally posted by Kotatsu Neko View Post
<EDIT:> As an example, I haven't worked out how to leap onto a target (if there is such an ability - the manual doesn't say); I jumped down to try and strike at William of Monferrat, totally messed it up, was surrounded by ten or more of his guards and managed to hack my way through them in less than thirty seconds without even losing half my health. If I'd not set off the alert earlier and kept my concentration I could easily have walked through the whole thing unscathed. The idea I'm somehow nitpicking or asking too much by calling the lack of any real penalty for this kind of mistake ridiculous strikes me as laughable. Where's the incentive to play "properly" or even skilfully when relying on your superhuman combat prowess (or holding RT and tapping X every so often, if you'd rather ) will get you through everything?
I like easy games, I do. I own GRAW 2, found it hugely enjoyable despite the single player being an utter, utter walkover requiring no real skill on any difficulty setting. But the idea they're somehow immune from criticism because you can handicap yourself if you really want to is something I'll never understand. </EDIT>
And all of this is not even getting into their inability to hear more than ten feet away across an open city on a clear day, to remember who you are (even for five seconds), to pick you out of a crowd when no-one else looks like you do, to descend from buildings without killing themselves or any one of a score of other niggling problems. Creed has some fantastic ideas, but virtually none of them are implemented as well as they could be. The most fun for the most people is one thing, but the lack of even a harder difficulty level is inexcusable.
I'll gloss over the subjective aspect, since you detest Halo's art direction, and Crackdown'sAnd visually it's totally unmatched from an art perspective, and Crysis on a high end PC aside, from a tech perspective too. Draw distance, texture detail, amount of characters on screen, realtime lighting, layered animation, and some subtle but lovely shader work (particularly with the extensive use of texture blenders). I was looking at some of the artwork on some CG forums and it's utterly amazing stuff. Ubi's 'A' team at work for sure and some of the best talent in the industry. . Creed's technical excellence is certainly undeniable, even to someone like me with little more knowledge of programming than the average gamer. Still, just off the top of my head Crackdown has a day/night cycle; it has more detailed cloud cover and it has a far greater amount of detail visible into the distance (look down from a viewpoint in Creed and you can't see anything beyond those streets immediately below you). It also seems to frequently throw far more up on screen at once. Creed's superlative animation quality is definitely something that distinguishes it from most games out right now, and while I like Crackdown's art direction and texture work I'm not going to pretend Realtime Worlds haven't blatantly sacrificed a whole lot of fine detail to get their game up to speed or that their lighting is anything like as nuanced. Still, I need more than a big checklist of next-gen technical features to be properly blown away.
Again, I do recommend the artbook, Kotatsu, if you don't already own it. Whatever faults I may find with the game it's unquestionably a beautiful piece of work and the artbook was well worth the money (even if I had to buy the strategy guide with it).Last edited by Eight Rooks; 19-11-2007, 12:23.Comment
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