Does familiarity breed contempt?
Ubisoft also attempts to freshen up the old formula by adding a few new twists, the biggest of which turns out to be a real disappointment. A very basic tower-defence game, which involves spending points on choosing units to see off the threat of attacking soldiers, feels more suited to PC gaming. And it's totally out of place and poorly executed. Similarly, the bizarre platforming sequences with Desmond, which take place in a weird abstract world, aren't particularly entertaining but at least provide further insight into the war between the Assassins and the Templar. Altair's scripted sequences, on the other hand, though quite short, are well-produced and provide a nice deviation from Ezio's plotline.So, overall, it's not actually the new stuff that makes Assassin's Creed: Revelations an entertaining new chapter in the series, but it's all those features that we've become accustomed to since its inception. Strong level design, great AI, visceral combat, high production values and fluent open-world gameplay all once again prove to be its biggest strengths.
Away from the campaign, the multiplayer has been vastly improved. As well as new locations and characters there are story-orientated quests that serve to feed those hooked on Assassin's Creed lore, and some new game modes, including Capture The Flag. The best new addition is Deathmatch, which turns out to be an exciting cat-and-mouse game of death and trickery as you attempt to blend in with the locals while searching for targets, all the time while others do the same.
Though familiarity often breeds contempt among videogame critics bored of samey sequels and the regurgitation of old mechanics, it's not always a bad thing. This fourth game in the long-running series (not including numerous spin-offs) Assassin's Creed: Revelations comes complete with its familiar sandbox environment, tired-looking protagonists and up-close-and-personal sword fights, yet – ignoring some of the bizarre new additions - it's still wildly entertaining, despite the gameplay being, mostly, predictable.
The Good
Refined control scheme makes this the most fluid, free-running EzioCombat is enjoyable and satisfying
More choice than any previous Assassin's game, with more ways to move around and more variety in combat
The Bad
Storyline not easy to follow
Desmond sections and tower-defence game add nothing
HEXUS Rating
Assassin's Creed Revelations
HEXUS Where2Buy
Assassin's Creed: Revelations is available to buy from Play.com
HEXUS Right2Reply
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