.FLYINGHEAD WE GOT GAME!
.TITLE Assassin’s Creed comes to (and dies on) the PSP
.AUTHOR James Booth
.SUMMARY Coinciding with the release of Assassin’s Creed II, the franchise debuts on the PSP with Assassin’s Creed Bloodlines. How well does this title translate to the smaller platform of the PSP? In this review, Editor-at-Large James Booth let’s you know whether or not to "heed the Creed."
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Assassin’s Creed was one of the more successful console titles of 2007, and has remained so until this year’s release of Assassin’s Creed II. Coinciding with that release is Assassin’s Creed Bloodlines, the franchise’s debut on the PSP (Playstation Portable).
How well does this title translate to the small platform of the PSP? Is it a success? Should you "heed the Assassin’s Creed?" Or is it best to let Assassin’s Creed Bloodlines, shown in Figure A, fall to the wayside?
.FIGPAIR A Assassin’s Creed Bloodlines for the PSP (Playstation Portable).
.H1 The history
For those unfamiliar with Assassin’s Creed, players take on the role of Altair (All-tie-ear), a member of the Assassin Brotherhood during the Third Crusade to the Holy Land. As an assassin, Altair is pitted against the Brotherhood’s nemesis, the Knights Templar, whom are rousted from the Holy Land by the end of the first game.
.BREAK_EMAIL Should you heed the Assassin’s Creed on PSP? Click here to learn more.
In truth, the real protagonist of the Assassin’s Creed franchise is Desmond Miles, genetic descendant of Altair and captive of Abstergo Labs. This pharmaceutical company of the near-future is attempting to extract historical information from Desmond via the genetic memory of his ancestors stored in his DNA. Through a device called the Animus, Desmond is able to relive Altair’s memories in an effort to locate the missing information. It turns out that he is an assassin himself, a life he has turned his back on, and Abstergo is the modern incarnation of the Templars.
That should be sufficient background on the franchise to bring you up to speed on Assassin’s Creed Bloodlines for the PSP. Taking place between Assassin’s Creed and Assassin’s Creed II, Bloodlines continues Altair’s pursuit of the Templars as they flee the Holy Land for the island of Cyprus.
.H1 Setup and style
Like its console brethren, Bloodlines is played from a third-person perspective; which, as I’ve mentioned before, I feel suits the PSP quite well. Also like the console versions, Assassin’s Creed on the PSP uses a puppeteer control scheme, wherein certain buttons are tied to specific body regions, i.e. the Triangle is paired to the head for talking and visualization, the Square to the weapon arm for combat, X to sprinting and blending into the crowd like shown in Figure B, etc.
.FIGPAIR B Blend into the crowd so as not to draw attention.
Free-running is a major part of Assassin’s Creed. Altair can shinny up the side of most buildings, trees, or poles in order to gain access to the rooftops so as to traverse the city in freedom, for a quick getaway, or to skirt a patrol.
Protecting your anonymity is an essential part of being an assassin; as such there are ample spots in which to hide when you need to ditch some guards. Scattered throughout the cities, you’ll find haystacks and rooftop gardens in which Altair can hide.
While you’re up there trotting across those rooftops, you’ll occasionally want to scale the highest point to synchronize your viewpoint as in Figure C, this will reveal important locations throughout the region, such as safe houses.
.FIGPAIR C Synchronize your viewpoint from the highest location.
.H1 Gameplay
All of the components above are elements found in the console versions of Assassin’s Creed, merely a lighter, pared-down version. And therein lay the problem with Bloodlines, everything is just too sparse; too simplified.
While many of the character skins in the first Assassin’s Creed tended to be a bit repetitious, at least they filled out the cities, making them seem more real and alive. There were more people in my high school homeroom than what you’ll find populating the towns in Bloodlines.
The thrill of sneaking up on some unsuspecting dope and sticking them with your hidden blade, as shown in Figure D, is still there, but even this becomes boring and repetitious.
.FIGPAIR D Stickin’ it to ’em.
Who would have ever thought assassination could be boring?
While the combat system is relatively simple and straightforward, it’s rather poorly implemented. Combo attacks and counter-kills are supposed to jazz up combat, but I found them difficult to execute; every fight turns into a slow, fumbling series of hacks and chops.
If the AI had been more responsive the fights may have been livelier, but most of the combatants just stood around waiting their turn. I found it quite easy to take on six or more opponents at one time with no problem; it was like a fight in a bad chop-socky film.
Even assassinations were as easy as crossing the street. There was no difficulty at all to just walk up to a target, stick them, and walk away. In the console version of Assassin’s Creed it was necessary to put a bit of planning into a hit, knowing the location, hiding spots, escape routes. Not so with Bloodlines. In many instances it wasn’t even necessary to make an escape.
Finally, the game is rather short; too short. The entire campaign will only generate about six hours of play at best. Even fulfilling side quests like the one in Figure E only make for minor dalliances.
.FIGPAIR E Completing the side quests will give you more from the game.
.H1 Conclusion
When I played the first Assassin’s Creed on the PS3, by the time I got to Damascus (the first town you travel to) and synchronized all of the viewpoints, I kind of felt like, "okay, so this is what this game is about; this is pretty much all there is." Well, that was pretty much how I felt about Bloodlines before even leaving Acre for Cyprus.
Assassin’s Creed Bloodlines is designed to wrap up Altair’s story and act as a bridge to Assassin’s Creed II. Items collected in Bloodlines can be synchronized with and transferred to the PS3 for use in Creed II, but is it essential? Is this a can’t miss in the franchise? Not by a long-shot.
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In reality, it’s probably better off left alone. If you’re a diehard Assassin’s Creed fan and have to get your fill, then by all means indulge yourself; otherwise, save your cash.
Although in theory it’s nice to have Assassin’s Creed on the PSP, it’s a disappointment that’s not essential to the story. I give Assassin’s Creed Bloodlines two out of five.
.RATING 2
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.H1 Product availability and resources
Learn more about [[http://www.us.playstation.com/PSP/Games/Assassin_s_Creed_Bloodlines|Assassin’s Creed Bloodlines for the PSP]].
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