Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

[mekanor]

I'm quite surprised this is being reviewed so well. Didn't AC2 only come out like a year ago? I'm playing through it at the moment and loving it, but it's clear that a lot of work and polish has gone into the game. How can that be replicated after only 1 year of development?

[Richie_uk]

wooow...

Eurogamer: 10/10
Destructoid 9.5/10
1up: A-
Gametrailers: 9.0/10
Joystiq: 4.5/5
GameInformer: 9.25/10
Gamesreactor (Denmark): 9/10
Gamesreactor (Germany): 9/10
Gamesreactor (Sweden): 8/10
Gamer365 (Hungary): 9/10
Gamespot (includes video and written review): 8.5/10
IGN 8/10
Gamersyde: Extremely positive
Kotaku: Extremely positive
MTV Multiplayer Positive

[Synthesthesia]

I'm quite surprised this is being reviewed so well. Didn't AC2 only come out like a year ago? I'm playing through it at the moment and loving it, but it's clear that a lot of work and polish has gone into the game. How can that be replicated after only 1 year of development?

Probably because I doubt this was made in 1 year. It'll have been in development while assassin's creed 2 was being made.

[Neon Ignition]

Can't remember whether it was from an old issue of Games or Edge but I vaguely recall them saying the multiplayer was being worked on for AC2 but they decided not to implement it then as it wasn't ready. Given the setting I'd imagine Rome was originally intended for that too so AC:B has probably been possible in 12 months due to the amount of work done for AC2. The review scores don't surprise me though, the AC games always seems to attract a lot of high sales and praise which is a shame in part as it means there's no chance of Ubisoft ever correcting the issues the series suffers.

[EvilBoris]

Which are? I felt AC2 was much improved over the first game

[Neon Ignition]

I find the AC games hokey sci-fi plotting to be pretty poorly done and despite it being a fairly recognised failing of the original the second game seemed to become more convoluted in that way by the end with the sections set in the future being very poor (though a preview I read recently said they'd been worked on for AC:B). The characterisations are poor as well, Ezio is a pretty crappy guy to have the spend hours and hours with let alone in another game.

Mainly though it's the central mechanics of the game. Though the city's look pretty they tend to be made up of around 8 buildings which are copied and pasted en masse to make a city up. Climbing the same boxes stacked in the same way again and again. The central mechanic itself of the assassinations are still botch as well. Each one should be like a puzzle where you have to work out how to get near your target and escape undetected as in Hitman though instead it's still typically a case of run up to them, stab them then run away.

The cabling in the AC:B Beta speeds up the ground to roof mechanic but other than that it seems to be retreading old ground from AC2 which will be more than enough for some. I end up playing everything ( ) though AC's tend to go on longer than they should and it's all a bit... basic.

[Flabio]

Each to their own, I thought the plot was one of the series strongest elements...

[EvilBoris]

I can't say the buildings being similar bothered me. There were the main feature buildings and various squares markets and public spaces that were plenty distinct enough.

Besides, I'm sure there are technical constraints that means they can't have 2000 individual buildings modelled/textured/lit in the city

[Number45]

Each to their own, I thought the plot was one of the series strongest elements...

I would have agreed until the end of the second game. I went from wanting to see more new games in different times, to not having a great deal of interest in seeing it play out at all.

I do enjoy the games though, so I'll pick this up at some point.

[Flabio]

You didn't think it had the single best timed use of an f-bomb in the history of videogaming?

[Number45]

Not that I can remember, no.

(I can't remember)

[fahrenheit]

Just a heads-up and a WTF...?

The US 360 version is region free but Play-asia are saying the Asian version is NTSC-J and PAL compatible only! They also only list English and Italian as languages on that version.

This is really unprecedented for a Ubi game isn't it? I've only discovered this after ordering the Asian version, but I shouldn't be affected unless there is something seriously different like censorship or incompatibility with multiplayer.

I'm keen to find out if the PAL version is any different now.

[yesteryeargames]

anyone played this to vouch for those high scores? im finishing of AC 2 just completed chapter 11 so not far to go now i take it?

[hudson]

I can vouch for it being a 8-9/10 game. It's an excellent game to plough time into.

[Daragon]

Can anyone recommend which version to buy of this for someone with both consoles? Do I go for the most likely heightened multiplayer experience of the 360 or do I take the exclusive missions found in the PS3 version?