We maintain skepticism about Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles, for reasons entirely unrelated to the series. Even the release of this gameplay footage, coming as it does after the game is in stores, keeps to the super-stealthy strategy Ubisoft has employed in its "promotion." The game was never formally announced, existing as a Gamestop-supplied rumor until we finally saw the game on Nintendo's release list and the first screens on the boxart. So we continue to withhold our enthusiasm, even though our eyes tell us there could be something good here.
Ubisoft shouldn't have tried to go so far under the radar. They could have advertised this game and built anticipation with decent-looking visuals. For a 3D DS game, this looks really nice, keeping much of the same tone as the console version: stealth meets Prince of Persia. Climbing around and sneaking through a town on the way to a target looks like something we could really enjoy. In fact, it looks like a carefully scaled-down interpretation of the original right up until the pickpocketing minigame, at which point it looks like a DS game again.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-07-2008 @ 10:43AM
David D. said...
I wouldn't dislike this game so much if the camera wasn't so jittery. Honestly, that's what kills all of these first person shooters and 3D platformers for me.
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2-07-2008 @ 12:11PM
Brello said...
That's exactly what I was thinking, that camera looks very quirky. I'd still want to try it, but after watching the combat video on gametrailers...I don't know. The combat looked just as slow and dull as the console versions. Seeing the poor player try to activate the torture minigame was torture in its own right.
2-07-2008 @ 10:45AM
The Theory said...
It isn't too bad... I'd give it a 7 out of 10. It is definitely a platformer first and foremost. So those not into platforming should probably steer clear. The touch screen parts feel somewhat tacked on. Mostly due how infrequently they are appearing... and the rather uncreative implementation of them when they do.
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2-07-2008 @ 12:31PM
Synergistic said...
If you replaced the main character here with Disney's Aladdin, would you really notice the difference?
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2-07-2008 @ 3:23PM
The Theory said...
no.
...actually, that might make it better...?
2-07-2008 @ 12:34PM
Covarr said...
This game controls like crap. Some jumps require perfect precision, which is nearly impossible because of the sloppy non-analog controls. The swordfighting is okay, but it was better in the DS version of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (I haven't played At World's End). The pickpocketing reminds me of feel the magic, except not as good. The interrogation feels like a crappy rhythmless clone of Elite Beat Agents/Ouendan. The game looks beautiful in screenshots, but it's got a lousy framerate so it doesn't look as good in motion, and the framerate makes precise jumps that much harder.
In spite of all this, I can't seem to put the game down. :|
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2-07-2008 @ 1:55PM
Alien said...
IGN gave it a 7 , so it cant be that bad ... I will buy it anyways :)
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2-07-2008 @ 3:51PM
Foodie_Monster said...
Actually, a 7 in IGN charts is low, because they use the famous "7 to 9" scale that plagues the industry
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2-07-2008 @ 3:53PM
Foodie_Monster said...
Oh, and also, I played the game, it sucks major balls. Not kidding. It's super constricted, the platform element is totally boring, the combat is mediocre, basic and silly to say the least, the framerate is simply TERRIBLE... seriously, it's a waste of time and money. I loved AC on the 360, and this game just tarnishes the big one's image in my eyes.
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2-08-2008 @ 6:47AM
pas said...
No matter what, I still like this game, it has something special to it no ds title had before. (Enjoys guards following him over the rooftops, ready to kick them down one by one)
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2-09-2008 @ 2:54AM
Brent said...
I'm really disappointed with the rail-like advancement in this game. The way there's constantly an arrow or a glowing orb to tell you how to get through an area drastically reduces my enjoyment. Half the fun of a game like Assassin's Creed is finding your way from place to place. I understand we can't have enormous sandbox environments on the DS, but at least do away with the giant green arrow and let ME figure out where I need to go.
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