New Assassin’s Creed: 8 Things We Want to See

With no Assassin’s Creed game coming out this year it gives us some time to reflect on what we’ve experienced so far. Undoubtedly the games are getting better, the character movement, location, graphics, and storyline. The games have come a long way from our first outing with Desmond back in AC 1. So, while we wait, here are eight things we want to see from the newest instalment of the AC franchise.

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1. A Move Back in Time

AC has been moving steadily through important or at least interesting parts of history from the crusades all the way to Victorian times. Instead of perhaps pushing further forward, say into the 1920s, revisiting other historical periods might not go amiss. Ancient Egypt is one setting that has been touted, but I personally would like to see AC go to 17th century Japan, or 17th Century England and its expansion into the New World. Pushing a move back into the further reaches of history would invigorate the series, in my opinion.

 

2. Keeping the 2 Character System

Let’s face it, Connor from AC 3 was boring to be around and Ezio in the later instalments could hardly keep up he was so old. Edward Kenway was fun to play as in ACIV but the introduction of Jacob and Evie was a real breath of fresh air, comparable to the introduction of three playable characters, each with their own unique strengths and characteristics in GTA V. If we were to see another double team strut their stuff in the next AC game, then hopefully it will only add a greater depth of gameplay (and stop you wanting to skip through all the cut scenes).

 

3. Extensive Testing Before Launch

Not so much to do with gameplay, but you remember Unity? Remember how bloody awful it was at launch? The people with no faces, the severe lag in frame rates and all round poor show that was supposed to be the next step forward for the series. It is not much to ask for Ubisoft use the time they have available to test, re-test and then test again before the title hits the shelves. Unity was, in parts, a good game, but it was so badly hampered by bugs and dropping frame rates. Syndicate did not suffer so much from this problem but since we can’t really expect an AC game this year then you would hope that the next instalment will be as bug free as possible.

 

4. No Co-Op

Harking back to Unity the one thing I found irritating was that you could only do certain missions if you were connected online and had a friend with you. Personally I don’t see the point, AC games have always been about you against the enemy, or in Syndicate’s case Jacob and Evie against the enemy. Having one of your mates pitch up and help you out kind of defeated the object of being an assassin in the first place. Remember Brotherhood? How you could call upon trainee assassins and initiates to do your bidding for you? To me it felt like Ezio had just given up, or his knees weren’t up to the challenge anymore. If you’re going to have co-op mode then have it in a dedicated multiplayer server.

 

5. Keep the Parkour

Any player of the recent AC games will know that the movement system makes running/jumping/falling through the city a breeze. Being able to fast run up and down buildings, through houses and shops gave you a whole new appreciation for the level of detail that went into the game and it made being chased so much more fun.

 

6. Keep it Simple, Stupid

Playing the first AC game nowadays is something of a rite of passage. But one thing is for certain was that it was pretty simple. You get to a city, you do some jobs to gain more information. You track down your target, kill him and then end up battling half the city before hiding in a haystack. Unity and Syndicate, whilst good games in their own rights, have almost too much to do. I liked the side missions in Syndicate and meeting the historical figures like Marx and Darwin, but for me you should be given your target and told to get on with it, less distractions, more decapitations. Some of the detective missions were quite fun, but for me they were more of a hindrance then a help. The next game should let the player be as creative as they want to be with their kills, because that’s what being an assassin is all about, right?

 

7. More Relevant DLC

Syndicate did this well with the Jack the Ripper DLC in particular. Instead of offering gimmicks like a pistol or a jacket offer something that will add another dimension to the game. The Jack the Ripper DLC was inspired and it actually felt that you were working on something that has baffled historians in the years since. Oh and make it free. We already pay enough for games when they come out anywhere between £45-50, so instead of asking us to shell out more, maybe give something back to the consumer for being so loyal and maybe have a couple of free DLC packs. Let’s face it, Ubisoft don’t need to make any more money, so why not win over some fans instead.

 

8. Make the Characters Assassins From the Word Go

Something that I and many others picked up on is the fact that playing as an assassin rather an initiate or a trainee made for a much more enjoyable game. With previous games there has been an amount of hand holding, press X to open this, press Y to kill that, press B to leap into the street. Instead of having someone coming into the assassin clan as a novice have someone who knows what they are doing from the first mission. By all means have improvements like health additions and more ammo pouches etc, but I think the game would benefit so much more from someone who can tackle problems by themselves without a metaphorical assassin babysitter telling you what to do.

I love the AC games because they made exploring different time periods fun. They are about as close as you can get to historical events, locations and people without digging them up. Ubisoft should take this time out now to make sure that the next AC game is the best one yet.