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Assassin’s Creed: Revelations Review for Xbox 360

Assassin’s Creed: Revelations Review for Xbox 360

Turn And Face The Strain

Assassin’s Creed: Revelations is a game I waited for. Assassin’s Creed was always my favorite series of this generation due to its heady mix of historical fiction and sci-fi. After the incredible ending of Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, I was ready to hop back into the animus and take a trip unlike any I had ever taken before. And to some degree, I got exactly what I wanted. But it definitely wasn’t what I expected.

Right from the outset, something about the game feels a bit off. You “wake up” as Desmond on a weird island with some floating structures around, with Subject 16 hanging out and looking like a menace to society. So what exactly is going on? The game is short on real answers that make sense, even by Assassin’s Creed’s whacked-out technobabble standards. Apparently Desmond has too many Assassin memories in his head, so he’s stuck in the Animus’ “safe mode” (thanks Microsoft!) and his real-world brain is mush.

Assassin's Creed: Revelations Screenshot

So, how do we fix this problem? Subject 16 has some guidance: finish Ezio’s memories so that he can reboot and become Desmond again. Yeah, the logic doesn’t make sense to me either. Anyway, once we pass through the magic time gate that peers into Ezio’s silver years, we see our favorite Italian stallion doing some travelling. Apparently, his final quest is taking him to Constantinople, where he is searching for Altaïr’s library. He needs it to gain wisdom, or something.

Realistically, the story is weakest element of this game, and it was where I found myself the most disappointed. Assassin’s Creed has always had a compelling narrative, but Revelations just seems lazy. You pop in and out of Desmond’s, Ezio’s, and Altaïr’s consciousness, and events happen with little to no explanation. The only part of the story that makes any sense is Ezio’s individual narrative. But overall, the story is the weakest in the Assassin’s Creed series to date.

Assassin's Creed: Revelations Screenshot

In addition to the story, the gameplay is also a bit underwhelming. The game features the same basic formula. You take on missions, kill baddies, and take out bosses. The game also includes the town upgrade feature that was first introduced in Brotherhood. It’s kind of cool, but lacks weight without the threat of Borgia influence.

Like the Assassin’s Creed games before it, Revelations introduces a singular new gameplay element into the mix. Yet unlike the team-based missions of Brotherhood and the town features in Assassin’s Creed II, Revelations’ new element actually slows things down and is a real drag. This new gameplay element turns big battles into RTS-like affairs. You will have to place troops, team leaders, and obstacles on the battlefield, and then you can watch as the enemies fall. You are stuck the whole time as a spectator; you can’t intervene at all, as much as you’d like to.

Assassin's Creed: Revelations Screenshot

While I would like to applaud the development team for doing something different, the experience is just a little too dissimilar to the rest of the Assassin’s Creed universe for me. Assassin’s Creed is all about stealthily killing people up close; just kicking back and watching while other troops go out and have all the fun is a bore. The whole experience lacks the depth that you would expect from an Assassin’s Creed title.

The single-player campaign is certainly the game’s bread and butter, and though it is fairly underwhelming, most players are picking this game up to continue the saga of our three heroes. However, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the game’s multiplayer mode, which has really come into its own. Brotherhood’s deception-based multiplayer mode wasn’t exactly that deep, but it was surprisingly addictive. In Revelations, the premise is nearly identical. You’ll need to use NPCs, your environment, and your own skills to take out targets using earned and inherent character skills.

Assassin's Creed: Revelations Screenshot

The big difference this time around is that there is a greater sense of purpose. Team-oriented missions, greater varieties in match types, and all-new abilities make the multiplayer much better; it’s certainly worth your time. Even if you abstained from checking out the multiplayer last time, I would definitely give it a shot in Revelations.

However, that’s about where the good news ends. Visually, Assassin’s Creed: Revelations is a bit of a wreck. I don’t know what went wrong with this entry in the series, but the graphics have seriously been downgraded since last time. Character models feature an unfortunate amount of jagged lines, pop-in is a constant problem, and even the camera suffers from some serious malfunction. Though the world of Constantinople comes to life rather vividly, many of the structures have repetitious design. However, to be fair, Italy has also had its fair share of repetitious structures as well. To top it off, Revelations has an unfortunate amount of visual glitches. Floating weapons, characters that spontaneously freeze, and disappearing body parts are all sadly common in Assassin’s Creed: Revelations.

I really wanted to love this game. As a huge fan of the series, I was beyond hyped for the last entry featuring Ezio and the first to blend the three heroes’ stories together. However, the game lacks a coherent story, visual polish, and meaningful new gameplay elements. Though running around and stabbing people is still fun, Revelations has lost some of the spark that made its predecessors feel so amazing. I hope the series can get itself back on track soon, because I know the Assassin’s Creed series can do better than this. I’m just sad to see that Ezio’s last story was not his finest hour, because he deserved a better exit than this.

RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 3.0 Graphics
Visuals are not very detailed, and there’s an unfortunate amount of glitches. 3.6 Control
Controls mostly work well, but some unnecessary tweaks have been made that will annoy longtime fans. 4.0 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
Controls mostly work well, but some unnecessary tweaks have been made that will annoy longtime fans. 3.5 Play Value
The story is underwhelming and the game’s new elements aren’t very fun. Prepare for some disappointment. 3.7 Overall Rating – Good
Not an average. See Rating legend below for a final score breakdown.

Review Rating Legend
0.1 – 1.9 = Avoid 2.5 – 2.9 = Average 3.5 – 3.9 = Good 4.5 – 4.9 = Must Buy
2.0 – 2.4 = Poor 3.0 – 3.4 = Fair 4.0 – 4.4 = Great 5.0 = The Best

Game Features:

  • Become Deadlier Than Ever – Wield the lethal skills of a wiser, more efficient and deadlier Ezio. Swiftly eliminate your adversaries by deploying a new arsenal of weapons and abilities, such as enhanced free-running and hook blade combat. Experience new levels of gameplay customization with bomb crafting, and use heightened Eagle Vision to overcome your enemies and the environment.
  • Herald the Return of a Legend – Experience the return of Altaïr, the hero of the original Assassin’s Creed, as a playable character.
  • Journey to Constantinople – Discover picturesque settings, from Masyaf, the mountain stronghold of the Assassins during the Third Crusade, to the vibrant and exotic Constantinople, the jewel of the Ottoman Empire in the 16th Century.

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