The Da Vinci Disappearance - Assassin's Creed Franchise Review- Updated 2/2/18

[TheDarkKnight]

Complement on this.

What?


---


I bought Tyranny of King Washington. When I have time (and after I finish) I will write a short review for it.

[Shankbot de Bodemloze]

Great review mate, and you were right, Revelations was a great game.

Hope to see this in the latest ROTM.

+rep

[General Brewster]

What he said.

[TheDarkKnight]

What he said.

Ah, I was confused.

And Shanky, maybe...maybe.

[General Brewster]

No problem

[TheDarkKnight]

Call me crazy, but after playing all the games, I'm finding Tyranny of King Washington to be more " Assassin's Creed " than the parent game...


Not to say I enjoy it more or anything. I am just finding it resolves a bit of the "freedom fighter" issue than many seemed to have with it.

[eXistenZ]

Call me crazy, but after playing all the games, I'm finding Tyranny of King Washington to be more " Assassin's Creed " than the parent game...


Not to say I enjoy it more or anything. I am just finding it resolves a bit of the "freedom fighter" issue than many seemed to have with it.

Yes the more dark grim atmosphere (rather than "lets have a happy war/revolution!" ) was a big plus. Also George Washington is a way more forcefull and intresting character than he portrays in the main game, where he mainly is a flat tire that asks connor for everything. Not really what i call inspiring....

[TheDarkKnight]

I finished The Betrayal. I'll probably finish the DLC tomorrow. But who knows when I will write up a review...but I have a feeling the review of Tyranny will be higher than ACIII

[TheDarkKnight]

Sorry I haven't posted a review for Tyranny or a revised review for ACIII yet. Been busy...have ~30 pages of essays to write between now and next Monday, then I have my only final that Wednesday.

[kyfohatl]

Wow really good reviews. If I knew this sub-forum existed I wouldn't have wasted my time on metacritic.

[TheDarkKnight]

This is a revised review of my previous Assassin’s Creed III review. I made that review without playing any of the other games, lacking any of the benefits or detriments of the knowledge of the other games. Now that I have played the others, I believe that this one deserves another look at.

"On this land, I am torn. Part of me wants to fight and repel all outsiders. The other part of me is the outsider. In the name of liberty, I will fight the enemy regardless of their allegiance. While men of courage write history of this day, the future of our land depends on those who are truly free."

Assassin's Creed III

Taking place perhaps only hours after the end of Assassin’s Creed Revelations, Assassin’s Creed III sees the return of Desmond as the protagonist in the present. With the impending disaster mere weeks away, Desmond and his team arrive at the Grand Temple in an attempt to learn anything that may assist them in preventing the disaster. Opening it with the aid of Ezio’s Apple, Desmond and the others open the Temple and set up all their equipment. They soon realize, however, that the Temple’s power sources are missing and that there are further secrets to be uncovered to fully access the Grand Temple. While his team searches for any power sources scattered across the world, Desmond once again enters the Animus in order to learn whatever he can from his ancestors.

Desmond and the team inside the Grand Temple



Desmond Miles acquiring a power source for the Grand Temple

Desmond first accesses the memories of Haytham Kenway, a British man who acquires a special amulet while attending a play in London. Traveling to America, Haytham arrives in 1754 Boston in the middle of the French and Indian War. While pursuing his own aims with several like-minded individuals, the most notable aim being finding the Grand Temple, Haytham meets Kaniehtí:io, a woman of the Mohawk Tribe. Freed from captivity by Haytham and indebted to him, Kaniehtí:io eventually leads Haytham towards the Grand Temple, the secret of which is guarded by the Mohawk tribe. Discovering that he cannot access the Grand Temple with the amulet alone, Haytham and Kaniehtí:io realize that they have romantic feelings for each other…

Haytham Kenway meeting Kaniehtí:io


Haytham, showing the amulet to Kaniehtí:io

Four years later, a young Ratonhnhaké:ton, son of Haytham and Kaniehtí:io, encounters a man named Charles Lee while playing with his friends in the forest surrounding his home village of Kanatahséton. Lee knocks out the young Mohawk, who awakens some time later to discover that his village is burning, and witnesses his mother’s death. Several years later, a teenaged Ratonhnhaké:ton learns from a Piece of Eden that he has a destiny: to become an Assassin and protect the Grand Temple. After convincing a retired Assassin named Achilles Davenport to train him, Ratonhnhaké:ton begins his own journey to become a dangerous Assassin. Though the Assassin order is nearly extinct in America, Achilles believes that Connor could lead the Assassins into a new age, and rid the colonies of both Templar and British influence. Though Connor believes whole-heartedly in the impending Revolution, as the years wear on he comes to realize that Patriot and British cannot be only considered good or bad, and that Assassin and Templar hold no sides; he must do whatever is necessary to both protect what he cares for and brutally change the course of the Revolution.

A teenaged Connor and his mentor Achilles Davenport

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Assassin’s Creed III takes place in colonial America, portraying the French and Indian War, Revolutionary War, and the period in between through the eyes of an invisible war between the two brotherhoods known as the Templars and Assassins. The Templars have gained the upper hand in America, virtually extinguishing the Assassins as a threat in the New World.

Connor, now an Assassin.

The game features three main maps, consisting of the fantastically large Frontier, the city of Boston, and the city of New York. When I say that the Frontier is large, I mean it…It is 1.5x the size of Rome in Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood. New York and Boston are also quite large, Boston so much so that I did not realize until after the game ended that I had been ignorant to the fact that I had not visited perhaps a fourth of the whole city. Joining them are several other maps, notably from the DLCs and other mission-specific maps, as well as the Homestead map, which while technically is part of the Frontier, it has its own place in the game. These maps are incredibly detailed, with thousands of people and eye-popping detail present in everything from the bricks and cobblestones to the rooftops to the leaves and trunks of trees. The cities are so exceptionally detailed in that they contain hundreds of different looking buildings, forts, marketplaces, etc. The developers even included a district of New York that had been burnt out, emulating the 1776 fire that had razed a significant portion of New York. The people, consisting of civilians and soldiers, are also nicely detailed, and allow for a variety of interactions that can range from civil to hostile. Travel between these locations can be accomplished on foot, on horseback, or by “fast travel” points.

Connor exploring the Frontier


Welcome to Boston


The burned district of New York was a nice touch by Ubisoft

Perhaps one of the most drastic changes between the previous games and this one is the inclusion of naval combat into the game. Connor eventually gains a ship, named the Aquila, as one of his assets, and utilizes it on a variety of sea-based missions. These missions, both side and main missions, typically involve the protection of vessels at the expense of the destruction of others, or plain ship-to-ship combat against privateers or British vessels. Connor is in full command, and can issue a variety of orders that will fire full broadside or the smaller swivel guns, orders to open full sails (faster speed) or fly half sails (better maneuverability), and even cover from incoming attacks. Connor can also cause the ship to ram others, leading to boarding, where Connor can execute his superior hand-to-hand fighting against the crew of the opposing ship. Connor (and the player) also must adapt to different weather patterns from gale force winds to storms, which can affect steering and aiming drastically. The economic system in place also allows for Connor to upgrade the ship in a variety of fashions.

Maneuvering while taking fire


Connor ordering his sailors to fire a different type of shot against the attacking ship in the middle of a storm.

One of the other new additions to the game is the Homestead improvements. Similar to the Monteriggioni renovation in ACII and renovation systems in Brotherhood and Revelations, the new system revolves around the settling of several individuals displaced by events, mostly the war, onto the lands surrounding Achilles’ mansion. Connor helps rid these people of their troubles, and invites them to the Homestead to settle. Further missions involving these people will reward Connor (and the player) with various bonuses, including boosts to his income as well as the crafting of special items that can be utilized by Connor.

Connor assisting future Homestead residents

Notoriety is much the same as previous games, so I will glaze over those. With incognito, Connor is free to do what he wishes. At levels one and two the enemies notice Connor more and more, and his activities will attract their attention (hostile, if it comes to that) much quicker. Level three will introduce fearful opponents and great difficulty in shaking the notoriety. Notoriety can be changed by bribing town heralds or ripping down posters, activities that become nearly impossible with the third level. Additionally, in the Frontier, the only way to become incognito again involves Connor desynchronizing, as it is impossible to eliminate notoriety in the Frontier.

Connor being noticed by guards

Combat has received a MAJOR overhaul between Revelations and this game. Utilizing Connor’s heritage and the time period of the game, Ubisoft has crafted a combat system that is both brutal and elegant. Returning, of course, are the usual hidden blades and swords. However, Connor also makes use of the pistol and musket, the bow and arrow, rope darts, trip mines, war clubs, and my personal favorite: the tomahawk. The tomahawk, along with the dual-wielding of the left hidden blade in addition, saw the most brutal kills of the Assassin’s Creed franchise. The rope darts were a fun addition as well, which allowed Connor to strangle people from trees and from the ground in a slow, agonizing death, or jump from a tree after catching someone by the neck, lynching them quickly. Trip mines allow for ambushes, and the bow, muskets, and pistols allow for deadly ranged combat, with the bow and arrow taking down enemies silently. Every category has multiple types, and can be purchased from general stores in addition to more ammunition. The system has also changed, allowing for more fluid attacks, counters (they happen automatically once pressing the appropriate button…you don’t need to “point” towards the attacker anymore), disarms, and chain kills. The counters also include ranged and disarm counters, which can kill or at least weaken an enemy with the press of a single button. In addition, Connor can counter up to two enemies at once, leading to particularly brutal kills. The enemies have changed, but their weaknesses and strengths remain mostly carried over from the previous installments, with some able to block certain types of attacks. The most dangerous enemy Connor faces, by far, is the Jaeger, German mercenaries that can counter most attacks, and that appear and actively search for Connor beginning at the final level of notoriety. Some of these enemies can follow Connor to the rooftops, and in general these enemies will require different strategies for killing them. Additionally, with the introduction of many armed men forces Connor to utilize human shields on occasion to survive volleys; this is one of the best ways to get rid of the harder-to-kill enemies.

Connor running through a British soldier with a musket and firing into the next soldier


Connor performing a ranged counter


Connor taking out two men at once

The missions are rather interesting. The player negotiates the time period by participating in several historical events as well as minor, fictional ones. These can range from the assassination of Templars (who of course are historical figures and are on both sides) to assisting the Patriots in their war, as well as other, non-main story missions. Connor participates in many notable events, such as the Boston Massacre, Lexington and Concord, the Battle of Bunker Hill, the Boston Tea Party, and the Battle of the Chesapeake. One particularly fun mission involves manning a cannon at the Battle of Monmouth as the Patriots retreat. The player, as Haytham and Connor, also meets and interacts with such people as Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Benedict Arnold, John Pitcairn, and many others. The side missions, including the Homestead missions, are quite diverse. Some of these side missions can lead to the recruitment of people into the Assassin Brotherhood, and Connor can use these people in combat and other purposes to aid him in his missions. Connor can also send these recruit to other states to kill Templar agents and the success of these missions will reward Connor in several ways. These recruits cannot die, but can be injured and taken out of play for a while. There are also a variety of secret missions that can be unlocked with the DLC and allow for greater exploration of the world and the mysteries of the time. The game also has the return of the optional objectives, which I still have mixed feelings for as they do provide a greater challenge, but if you fail them but succeed in the mission overall it can leave you with a sense of failure in the midst of success.

The Battle of Bunker/Breeds Hill. Connor participates in this in order to get close to his target


Battle of Monmouth


Who wants some tea mixed with blood and salt water?

Other aspects of the game that are minor but important deserve mention. Movement has been changed a bit. Connor, with his bulkier build, is not as skillful nor as fast as Ezio in freerunning and indeed running in general. However, due to the improvements in the system, he can run through the trees, fluidly over rooftops, slide under damaged fences and other things as well as easily jump over other objects quite easily. He can also travel through open windows of buildings and emerge out the other side rather easily. The “health” bar has returned to the way it was in Assassin’s Creed…it is back to being a measure of synchronization, not health. That means that it will recharge on its own, rather than needing medicine to heal. I consider this an improvement over the previous three games. You also do not gain greater “health” throughout the game; you have the same level throughout. Additionally, there is no longer any armor, perhaps as a reflection of the 18th century nature of combat. The maps, large as they are, can be revealed by running around through the map, slowly revealing the sections, or using the high viewpoints to create a circle of revealing on the map. Hunting has also been added to the game, which allows Connor to hunt a variety of animals in the Frontier such as elk, wolves, bears, beavers, and more. Some of these animals, such as the bear and elk, will attack Connor, and require a bit of skillful maneuvering in order to bring them down. Depending on how you kill them, the pelts and other bits of the animals can be sold for a range of money. You can also stealthily or openly take over a British fort, which allows for Patriots to establish a foothold in otherwise British-held locations. This can also lead to humorous occasions where the British are still present in the cities or the Frontier after the war if the forts have not been liberated.

Connor hunting an elk

With the benefit of hindsight of all the games, I believe this review to be far fairer towards the game. I still believe, even compared to the great games of ACII-Revelations that Assassin’s Creed III is an amazing game. There are a few criticisms I would like to address. Connor, compared to Ezio, is not as likeable. He is quite stoic and devoid of the personality that defined Ezio. Many also viewed Connor as more of a freedom fighter than a true Assassin. However, where as many people see these things as large flaws, I see them quite a bit differently. If one is going to call a main character more of a freedom fighter, out for revenge more than true belief in the cause of the Assassins, it would be ignorant to completely ignore Ezio in the same rehard, who only joined the Assassins to get revenge, and did not even realize he was a part of the Brotherhood for TWENTY years. He also fought as a freedom fighter for much of his time as an Assassin. And while Connor was far more stoic compared to his predecessors, he was steadfast in his beliefs and he also focused much more on his duties as an Assassin, I feel. Another criticism of the game I have seen is the naval combat and hunting, with many saying that the game is not “Assassin’s Creed” with those. I say it’s fun, and a different addition to the game than most others. The only thing I really tend to agree with is the focus of the game on the side missions: it seems like the liberation missions, the Homestead missions, and the other side missions took much of the precedence in development, leading to a relatively thinner main plot than in the past. There were also some glitches that hampered my ability to complete some side missions, but those are minor issues. However, for the sake of pure fun while playing the game, I say the problems have little overall impact on the ability to enjoy the game.

Connor discussing matters with George Washington


The Battle of Concord.

Overall, I would say that Assassin’s Creed III and Connor were worthy additions to the franchise. At the risk of sounding pro-American, the game saw a refreshing change of setting and time from Europe or near-Europe of the previous games to the New World, which I believed help keep the franchise from going stale. The game also saw the return of Templars who are much more likeable and “grey” area in terms of morals compared to the Borgias and other Templars of the previous games. Desmond’s story and the overall story of the franchise, to keep it as non-spoilerish as possible, was an interesting continuation of the previous games, however, the conclusion leaves much to be desired. The soundtrack, no longer headed by the amazing Jesper Kyd, has been taken over by Lorne Balfe, who had assisted Kyd in Revelations with the cut scenes. Compared to the beauty and length of the Revelations soundtrack, the soundtrack of this game falls a bit short, but there are still many driving and outright fantastic pieces composed by Balfe that really set the atmosphere of the scenes they take place in. Finally, the graphics have been radically improved, which is a huge plus in my book as it is obvious the developers really wanted for the game to look and feel different compared to its predecessors. Seriously…Comparing the model of Desmond in the first couple of games to the model of Desmond in the new game is like night and day.


One of the more exciting tracks, "Eye of the Storm"

Though many consider this game to be the a failure in comparison to the previous games, due to the continuation of Desmond’s story and the so-called flaw in Connor’s story and personality, I believe it to be one of the most fun of the entire series. It’s extremely re-playable, fun, and interesting towards the greater mythology that Ubisoft is carefully constructing. Sadly, though, it looks as if Connor will not be getting another game like Ezio received, even though there were many hints at him still having a role to play in the world.. Even still, this game, I feel, is a must play.

9/10

The end of the road for Connor.

Hope you enjoyed my revised review for ACIII. Bet you didn't expect its initial score to be lower than the revised score, did you? I suppose that comes from appreciation over the game's addition to the franchise. While I consider the original review to be outdated now, it doesn't mean I find it completely irrelevant.

A review for "The Tyranny of King Washington" will soon follow...

(A note to Mhaedros or Luna, you can either replace my link on the directory for this game, or have them both. I don't care at all)

[Mhaedros]

Added to ze directory.


(still think Connor was the worst AC character of all times )

[Shankbot de Bodemloze]

That looks like an impressive review, can't wait to read it.

[eXistenZ]

Connor is unfortunatly underappreciated. Its not exaclty a gift to star right after Ezio who has had 3 games. Its like whoever will become the new number 10 at barca. He might be awesome, but people will always compare him to Messi. And offcours, if Connor was a lot like Ezio, people would have complained about that too.

But still, Connor is like 200% more brutal in his combat than Ezio

good review, +rep looking forward to TOKW review

[Mhaedros]

But still, Connor is like 200% more brutal in his combat than Ezio

You do know this is due to gameplay being simplified and easier and not "Connor's awesome fighting skills", right?

[Shankbot de Bodemloze]

He doesn't have the style and class of Ezio lets be honest.

[eXistenZ]

Yeah i know, but you still have to succeed in making it look brutal

[TheDarkKnight]

It's been done for several days, but I decided to put it up as a guest article on the Gamer's Gazette. So enjoy my last Assassin's Creed review.

[TheDarkKnight]

Assassin's Creed III: The Tyranny of King Washington

Assassin's Creed III: The Tyranny of King Washington (2013)

The Tyranny of King Washington picks up several months after the end of the Revolution as portrayed by Assassin’s Creed III, and finds Ratonhnhaké:ton awaking to a strange world. Instead of an America free of the British influence and free to follow its own destiny, America is under the despotism of a new king…George Washington. Washington seized power with the help of an Apple of Eden, and has established his rule brutally over the nation. In this world, Ratonhnhaké:ton never met Achilles Davenport, never took the name Connor, and never even helped end the Templar influence in America nor lead the colonies to independence. Despite all of this, Ratonhnhaké:ton remembers everything from the past reality: the events, the people, and the skills he learned as an Assassin. With the knowledge he has, the powers he will gain, and the allies he will assist, Ratonhnhaké:ton sets out once again to do whatever must be done in order to free America from the tyranny of a king.

Ratonhnhaké:ton, awake and confused by this new reality.

--
(Despite not taking the name in this reality, Ratonhnhaké:ton will be called Connor for the rest of this review for the sake of simplicity)

Consisting of three episodic updates, The Tyranny of King Washington is a DLC for Assassin’s Creed III that sees Connor, the protagonist of that game, return to an alternate reality where he was never an Assassin and never did anything to aid the Revolution. Washington has seized power and rules the so-called Kingdom of the United States with an iron-fist, driven mad with power due to the influence of an Apple of Eden. Connor must utilize everything at his disposal to end the influence of King Washington over the three locations (Frontier, Boston, and New York) that are visited in the original game, typically by eliminating Washington’s lieutenants. Gameplay wise, this game is mostly the same as its parent game, but with a couple key additions that sets it apart.

King Washington, addressing his people

The largest difference between the two games is without a doubt the addition of various “powers” that Connor utilizes. Throughout the three episodes, Connor gains supernatural-like abilities through the drinking of tea made from the boughs of a red willow tree. After making a journey to the “Sky World” in each episode that function as introductions towards each respective power, Connor is able to use the abilities in the main game. These abilities are utilized to aid Connor in his missions, and function in several ways.

Connor drinking the tea, soon to gain a new power from his journey to the Sky World

The first ability Connor gains is called “Wolf Pack”, and is simple in that it allows Connor to summon three spirit wolves to kill people that Connor targets. This ability is highly useful for aiding Connor in a tough situation, or for beginning a confrontation on a more even footing. The wolves continue to attack others until they disappear. They have essentially replaced the Assassin Recruits from ACIII. The second ability that Connor obtains is called “Wolf Cloak”, and allows Connor to become invisible for a short period of time. This can help Connor avoid detection, and Connor can stealthily kill guards without other guards noticing and the alarm being raised. In addition, it can help Connor escape difficult situations. You learn these two abilities in the first episode.

Learning "Wolf Pack" in the Sky World


"Wolf Cloak"

The third power that Connor gains (in the second episode) is “Eagle Flight”. This ability aids Connor in traveling short distances by turning into a spirit eagle, which lets him fly between various objects relatively easily. These short distances can turn into much longer ones by chaining together multiple flights. Besides just using this ability to traverse the map, Connor can also use Eagle Flight to get out of combat quickly, or he can use it to assassinate people in a similar manner to the air assassinations. You learn this ability in the second episode.

Eagle Flight

The final major ability is “Bear Might”. Connor can use this ability to create a shockwave around him, sending all people around him flying away from the center of the shockwave. Additionally, the power can smash objects that are obstructing Connor’s passage. You learn this ability in the final episode, and it is quite a useful one in some of the situations.

Bear Might

All of these abilities (with the exception of Wolf Pack) come at the cost of decreasing Connor’s “health” temporarily, so their use is limited and too much of it in certain situations may do more harm than good. Wolf Pack must be recharged with each use, so its use is advised only when necessary.

Connor learning a new ability

Aside from that, the game is much the same as Assassin’s Creed III. Combat has not changed at all, though the aforementioned abilities are added to the “weapons and items” wheels in order to efficiently switch between them and others. Connor’s enemies are now the Blue Coats and King Washington, along with several other notable characters from the original game, and his allies are Red Coats, natives, and other characters. Due to the madness of Washington, his soldiers are a mixture of fearful and fanatically devote, willing to kill or main unarmed civilians who have either done something to wrong the “Kingdom” or are just being made an example of. They are also much less tolerant of Connor's actions, and with no way to remove notoriety like in ACIII, they often attack on sight. Connor assists the Revolution in a variety of missions and side missions by participating in activities that range from feeding hungry civilians, assisting those that are oppressed directly, tearing down statues of Washington, killing fanatical officers, raiding prisoner convoys, or even starting a riot. Connor befriends notable figures such as Samuel Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and even Benjamin Franklin, whom he knows from the alternate reality but they are ignorant towards him and his actions. Connor moves throughout the same maps as Assassin’s Creed III that are for the most part unchanged with the exception of a major addition to the New York map that will not be discussed here for the sake of spoilers. Additionally, Connor can collect objects known as “Lucid Memory Fragments”, which, when all collected, reveal how the alternate reality came to pass.

Connor retains all the skills he learned in the previous reality, and does not hesitate to use them.


Riot


Connor, Ben Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson.

Overall, I would say that the game is a solid addition to the Assassin’s Creed franchise. Even though Connor is not strictly an Assassin in this DLC, I believe the game does much to improve on the flaws that many saw in Connor as an Assassin. The cries of him not being passionate or not having a personality or beliefs beyond his desire to be more of a freedom fighter than an Assassin should be silenced by this game. Tyranny of King Washington portrays him, in my view, as a true Assassin. His personality as a whole, from Assassin’s Creed III to this game, really improves dramatically. His dedication towards resolving the conflict without further bloodshed, his passion, and his beliefs in America as a new and different nation shine in this game. Furthermore, many of the characters that were in the original game seem to be much more interesting compared to their ACIII counterparts, Washington in particular, in his madness, really standing out.The story is refreshing in that the enemy is not a Templar: it is a man that Connor, for better or worse, considered an ally in the struggle to free America. The abilities are also a refreshing change, and are allowable within a franchise that portrays two brotherhoods, Templar and Assassin, as powerful and influential enough to change the outcome of major events in history. This is also completely disregarding the fact that the franchise has a large, overarching science fiction element concerning the Pieces of Eden and their origin, as well as the fact that the events of this game never truly happened within the story. The story is once again aided by the powerful soundtrack, composed by Lorne Balfe. Longer than the original, the soundtrack really sets the mood of the game, with tracks such as “The Redemption” really standing out. The DLC was a very fun one, and really improved on the original, making the entire purchase worthwhile, I feel.

King Washington with the Apple

9/10

Decided to move it here after being in the GG for a while. So this is the last review for now.


Hope you have all enjoyed reading these. Been a pleasure to write them.

I look forward to writing more game reviews over the summer.

[Vaðarholmr]

Already added, but I would add again.