Needs more variety
Aside from free-running, the AI systems are said to be a core component of the gameplay and it’s fair to say that you’ll be impressed by the amount of activity in the streets. It’s understandable that due to the amount of human traffic this isn’t always going to run smoothly, so there are times when I noticed audio loops – when locals repeated the same things over and over again in different sections of the town - and there’s also examples of A.I. walking on the spot and other locals seemingly not knowing what they’re supposed to be doing, but overall the good A.I certainly outweighs the bad.If you strip away the fancy backdrop, the atmosphere and the lively streets in this cloak and dagger tale and examine the core gameplay, it’s not particularly inspiring. The assassination missions are excellent and the cut-scenes prior to your attempt build up the story well and give each assassination a real purpose, but the side missions and the intelligence gathering objectives that you need to unlock before you get summoned to the bureau for your assassination mission are repetitive and rather boring.
Many of the 100 or so missions/side objectives fall into four categories: Interrogation, eavesdropping, pick-pocketing and saving a citizen. Out of those four tasks it’s only the latter where you really get to see any action.
Click for larger image
Click for larger imageThe interrogation process involves you heading to a plinth located on your map where a speaker talks to the crowds. Once he’s concluded his rant all you need to do is discretely follow him and then beat him up in a dark alley until he tells you more of the story. The information he reveals unravels the story and is fairly intriguing, but the process is dull and unrewarding.
The boredom continues with eavesdropping quests, which simply require you to sit on a bench and listen in on a conversation. Once again these quests are merely unravelling the story behind why you’ll eventually be assassinating your target and don’t require any skill to achieve.
Pick pocketing also lacks any real challenge and merely requires you to follow your target and press B when he’s not looking. If you do get seen you’ll have to head to the rooftops and hide away in a roof garden or dash through the streets and jump in a haystack to hide until the coast is clear. You’ll then head back to the same area to start the pick pocketing mission again and watch the victim follow the same path that he did last time. It’s just not very good - not even as good as pick pocketing in the Thief games. Despite being labeled as a stealth action adventure game, there’s little stealth in Assassin’s Creed aside from pressing the ‘A’ button to walk at snail's pace and blend in with the crowds.