Assassin's Creed

[Paragon Fury]

So I've been debating with myself finally starting AC: Unity (it came with my Xbox One, along with Black Flag). I've been real busy with Warlords of Draenor, Advanced Warfare MP and the Master Chief Collection but I've been kind of getting the itch to play again.

I'm hesitant to play mostly though because I didn't finish ACIII and feel like it might ruin Unity and Black Flag.

Assassin's Creed 1? Awesome game. Played it and almost 100% it.

Assassin's Creed II and Brotherhood? Amazing games, great story, Ezio was awesome and MP was fun.

Revelations? Okay, its decent but we're really milking Ezio here.

However, ACIII was ruined for me by three things.

1: I got the game super late compared to everyone else, so it was old AND there was no one to play MP with.
2: I had actually seen the story from start to finish because I watched my roommate play it; I actually had to beat the final level and boss of both the main game and DLC story for him (It took me only 2 tries and the first was because I had to get used to the PS3 controls since I play on Xbox, compared to his 2 hours of trying).
3: The pace of ACIII seemed really bad compared to the first two. It was just like "GOD DAMN, WILL SOMETHING HAPPEN ALREADY" even after several hours of play.

However, I wound up getting the AC: Unity Xbox One Bundle because hey, 2 games with my Xbox is pretty nice. And I've heard that Black Flag is pretty good, and that Unity is good when its not bugging out. My question is; is it worth actually playing these two (or at least Unity) or should I just keep on keepin' on with AW, MCC and WoD?

 

[Mezahmay]

According to the internet, check out AC4, then keep on playing WoD and CoD:AW or whatever for a few months while Unity fixes its shit. All the better if Unity's price depreciates or you catch it on sale.

 

[Mimic]

From what I hear: -

Assassin's Creed: Blag Flag - the parts where you are out exploring and sailing on the high seas are great fun although they can overshadow the main plot.

Assassin's Creed: Unity - has some ..uh problems as I'm sure you know. From what I understand the multiplayer is different in that it is cooperatively based rather than competitive.

 

[NoMercy Rider]

Yes, play them both. But definitely start with Black Flag. Black Flag is a close contender to being one of my favorite AC games. Sailing the open seas, listening to sea shanties, and exploring islands for treasure is just an amazing experience. Taking down the Legendary ships was probably one of the most intense moments I have had in recent gaming. The story is pretty 'meh' and not a very good "assassin" story since Kenway mostly operates as a lone wolf. The game can also feel a bit grindy at times to get the appropriate upgrades, but once the world opens up, it is truly amazing.

I say play AC4 first because the performance issues with Unity will likely be sorted out by then. Play Unity especially if you like the original Assassin Order lore from the first game. Unity has gotten HORRIBLE publicity (and perhaps for good reason), but there is a pretty great game beneath all the performance issues. It seems that Ubisoft has been working around the clock to fix all the issues, with two patches out already. Quite simply, Paris is one of the most immersive cities I have ever explored in a game. The amount of detail included within the city is astounding. I love to just casually walk through the streets and people watch. In terms of story, it really hearkens to the series roots, which I love. Arno isn't the lone wolf operative like previous games. He truly answers to the Order and must investigate a target fully before approaching the Order with a request to kill the target. I have heard that the story kind of falls flat in the second half (I'm in sequence 7 of 12), but so far I have really enjoyed the experience.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

Go ahead and get Black Flag. It's so much fun. If only Ubisoft would wise up and get rid of the Animus crap, AC IV would have been one of the most immersive titles I've ever played. But no, the Animus is still there to make sure that you never get fully immersed in an AC game. Other than that, it's so cool. As long as you're in the Animus it's incredibly immersive. Immersion owes a lot to the background music IMO. Even though the music has always been great in AC games, it didn't really fit the setting as much as it does in AC III and AC IV (AC III is boring though and nothing can change that). Music is absolutely perfect. From ambient music when you're just walking around or exploring various locations, to combat music. And my absolute favorite ship boarding music:

You even get to search for buried treasure in Black Flag. And it's not useless. It's the ONLY AC game that doesn't make you feel like you're wasting time on something. Every activity feels rewarding. It's also probably the most detail oriented game that Ubisoft has ever made. Usually their games lack some pretty obvious details that take away from the overall atmosphere. But not in Black Flag. I was really surprised by that. Until Black Flag I was convinced that only Rockstar and 2k Czech know how to use small details to create an immersive world. But like I said, Ubisoft is still doing the whole Animus thing, which harms the otherwise impressive immersion achieved through the historic setting that they built.

 

[happyninja42]

So I've been debating with myself finally starting AC: Unity (it came with my Xbox One, along with Black Flag). I've been real busy with Warlords of Draenor, Advanced Warfare MP and the Master Chief Collection but I've been kind of getting the itch to play again.

I'm hesitant to play mostly though because I didn't finish ACIII and feel like it might ruin Unity and Black Flag.

Assassin's Creed 1? Awesome game. Played it and almost 100% it.

Assassin's Creed II and Brotherhood? Amazing games, great story, Ezio was awesome and MP was fun.

Revelations? Okay, its decent but we're really milking Ezio here.

Yep, this is how I felt about them. Really enjoyed Ezio, mainly because he actually had an emotional range. He was funny, charismatic, but also hot headed and foolhardy sometimes. He actually felt like a real, 3 dimensional character, unlike Altair and Connor, who were both so bland as to suck the joy from my soul.

However, ACIII was ruined for me by three things.

1: I got the game super late compared to everyone else, so it was old AND there was no one to play MP with.
2: I had actually seen the story from start to finish because I watched my roommate play it; I actually had to beat the final level and boss of both the main game and DLC story for him (It took me only 2 tries and the first was because I had to get used to the PS3 controls since I play on Xbox, compared to his 2 hours of trying).
3: The pace of ACIII seemed really bad compared to the first two. It was just like "GOD DAMN, WILL SOMETHING HAPPEN ALREADY" even after several hours of play.

However, I wound up getting the AC: Unity Xbox One Bundle because hey, 2 games with my Xbox is pretty nice. And I've heard that Black Flag is pretty good, and that Unity is good when its not bugging out. My question is; is it worth actually playing these two (or at least Unity) or should I just keep on keepin' on with AW, MCC and WoD?

For me, AC 3 was ruined by Connor's "I don't give a fuck" emo/angsty attitude, and how they shoehorned him into every major political event in the game...even so far as to carry Paul Revere around on his fucking famous ride. I mean...really? And he's there during the signing of the Declaration, and what does he do? He just leans against the wall, all aloof and "Pssh, I can't be bothered to care about this, I just want to talk to one of those guys" Yeah, kiss my ass Ubisoft, that is not the kind of character I can actually give a damn about.

I never played AC Black Flag, for 2 reasons. 1: AC 3 left such a sour taste in my mouth that I just couldn't be bothered. and 2: Ubisoft's business practices starting coming to major light around that time, and I decided to not give them anymore of my money for their shitty behavior.

 

[Isalan]

3 is pretty poor by most peoples account, however, skipping it means you won't miss anything (as you've said, you've already seen it). Black Flag on the other hand is great, heavy on the collectibles, but still a cracking game even if just for the naval combat. Definitely play through that.

Unity I haven't played, though I hear from various reliable sources that its got bugs out the butt, even on the consoles. Honestly, I may or may not pick it up if it ever goes on deep discount sale.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

Yep, this is how I felt about them. Really enjoyed Ezio, mainly because he actually had an emotional range. He was funny, charismatic, but also hot headed and foolhardy sometimes. He actually felt like a real, 3 dimensional character, unlike Altair and Connor, who were both so bland as to suck the joy from my soul.

You're going to enjoy Edward Kenway then. He's got a full range of emotions and he grows as a character considerably through the course of the story. He's a very likeable asshole.

 

[Sigmund Av Volsung]

I'd recommend Black Flag, though I still think it's rather anaemic as a game.

The side objectives include getting treasure, and that's it. Sure, the ship upgrades are expensive, but I got all the relevant upgrades rather quickly, and after I took down one of the legendary ships, I just kind of lost interest. After that point, the game lost a lot of meaning to me, as well as a lot of the challenge.

It's still a very good game, and Edward is a pretty fun protagonist for the most part(though his character arc is incredibly stupid, especially towards the end). The Real life stuff is incredibly boring this time around as well.

I'd still say that Brotherhood is superior. There are more side activities, as well as more actual meaning to them, more chances to be an actual assassin, more stuff that utilises the parkour aspect, and the story is just stronger.

Black Flag is a really fun distraction mind. Taking down a Man O War is pretty exhilirating, though like I said, towards the end, you are likely to be taking them down almost routinely.

As for Unity... take it from a fan: that game is a black mark on this series, avoid it. It's incredibly poorly optimised, and the competitive multiplayer has been axed in favour for a more redundant co-op mode.

 

[Paragon Fury]

I should note; I do actually HAVE both Black Flag and AC: Unity. They both came with the system.

Its just getting to them that has been the issue.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

I should note; I do actually HAVE both Black Flag and AC: Unity. They both came with the system.

Its just getting to them that has been the issue.

You're not a very efficient person. You have both games. If you frequent gaming related websites then you must be aware that Unity needs to be patched up. You could have tried Black Flag for a few hours by now, and you'd know if you like it enough to continue to play it.

 

[ThreeName]

or should I just keep on keepin' on with AW, MCC and WoD?

...What does this even mean? Is there a new World of Darkness game or something?

That would explain the C&D for that fan-made Vampire: Bloodlines remake. Oh my Go,d so excited.

 

[Paragon Fury]

or should I just keep on keepin' on with AW, MCC and WoD?

...What does this even mean? Is there a new World of Darkness game or something?

That would explain the C&D for that fan-made Vampire: Bloodlines remake. Oh my Go,d so excited.

Warlords of Draenor.

New WoW expansion.

 

[Dalisclock]

So I've played everything up to Revelations and have Black Flag.

AC1: Good idea bogged down by somewhat crappy execution. The assassination missions were fun but a lot of the rest was kind of...meh.

AC2: Still my favorite in the series so far. Enjoyed 15th century plot arc and following the big web of intrigue was interesting. and of course, all the hidden little puzzles with Templar secrets hidden in them.

ACB: Fun but not quite as fun as AC2 It felt like I was sidelining as a roman real estate dealer.

ACR: ACB but in Turkey. What I liked most about it was revisiting Altairs story and closing out both his and Ezio's story.


AC3: Didn't bother. Heard it was terrible, watched the story cutscene videos. Feel no urge to actually play it. The ending was pretty craptacular, frankly.

AC4: Own it but have not played. On my steam list.

I am interested in Playing AC:Unity, because the whole French Revolution period interests me. However, it's buggy state and the dreck that is Uplay is pretty much making this a "Wait for DEEP discount and bug fixes" before buying.

 

[Godhead]

or should I just keep on keepin' on with AW, MCC and WoD?

...What does this even mean? Is there a new World of Darkness game or something?

That would explain the C&D for that fan-made Vampire: Bloodlines remake. Oh my Go,d so excited.

It's for the new World of Warcraft expansion that just came out, Warlords of Draenor. Don't worry, I keep thinking World of Darkness too. I hate acronyms.

OT: AC IV was a blast, even with all the stupid animus and aliens crap that Ubisoft keeps on pushing.

 

[Tanis]

I only really liked were Liberation HD and AC4:BF.

But the horrors I keep hearing about Unity have shut me off from it.

Though my friend is LOVING Rouge on the PS3.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

Black Flag was my favorite, mainly because in the middle of playing it I watched Pirates of the Carribean. Felt so damn immersive. The only things wrong with it were the combat, the "stealth", and the aesthetic. The combat of ACIII is infamously realistic, but at least it worked. Black Flag seems unpolished, kind of like Arkham Origins compared to Arkham City. Repetetive AND buggy? Meh. The stealth, well, we all know what the "stealth" of AC games is like. Lastly, the aesthetic. The Assassin's just don't fit into the Carribean. You probably have the worst assassin uniform yet, mainly because you add a lot of random stuff on it. A pirate running around with a blowdart looks weird. OCD of me yes, but again, meh.

But the good parts? Ship combat is AWESOME. Using a mouse and keyboard for naval warfare is more difficult, but seeing as you use a console, you shouldnt have a problem. Nothing more badass than fighting a galleon and its escort in the midlle of a typhoon. The game looks beautiful, the water, beaches, and plants reminded me of Just Cause 2, except better. Going into a big city, killing everything, escaping the mercenaries after the bounty on your head, then skulking through ancient ruins reducing the enemy one by one is pretty much all you do, but it feels different each time you do it. Edward Kenway is an engaging character, but like everyone else said he just doesnt give a fuck about the Assassins and it takes the death of a crossdresser (who looks suspiciously like a certain Captain Jack Sparrow) to make him sit still for a few minutes. The other pirates are fun, though its unclear why they even know Edward. The ending was pretty great, if a bit unrealistic, but it gives Edward closure, unlike in ACIII you basically say "Oh I'm done with the game? The British soldiers are replaced by the United States army? Okay... What do I do now?" Connor achieves nothing, but Edward actually gets rewarded for all the shit he goes through.

As for Unity, it is funny how I was so excited for the game despite the obvious glitches and bugs in the trailers (how come everyones only complaining now?) When i heard what a hot buggy mess it was, I bought CoD AW over it. Yeah, thats how bad it is. If I were you, play Black Flag, and when you finish it, Unity SHOULD be patched up. Of course, that means youll have to leave your Xbox on overnight updating.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

I played AC1, AC2 and AC4.

Black Flag is mad fun. Your ship needs upgrades, you need money for upgrades, you need pirating for money and pirating is fun as hell. The crafting checklist was also fun to complete and the stuff you craft helps out considerably. And so on. To me it's the definition of a perfect sandbox: lots of side stuff to do that are fun and useful and never get old. Fun, fun, fun.

My only complaint are those mainland tailing missions (very linear, contextual parkour simulators) and the modern-day framing device.

 

[CaptainMarvelous]

Honestly, of all the Assassin's Creed games, Black Flag is the only one where I actually shot for 100% completion. The writing's never been BAD in these games but the conceit of everyone being a mythical assassin and wrapped up in the Templars during major historical events and the almost bipartisan split that you get of Assassins were the sympathetic side/Templars the unsympathetic ones used to irk me.

But Black Flag? Kenway isn't an Assassin. He's got the skills and the tricks but that's from his upbringing, it's circumstantial, he's a guy who's got a whole life and deal going on and the most assassin-y thing about him is the clothes he stole and the fact he infuriates the Assassin's leader by defending this with "Everything's permitted, mate". That and he gets a whole big character arc that makes him probably as good as Ezio in terms of characterisation.

Plus, y'know... you can ignore the main plot and just be a pirate. Do you want to be a pirate? Yes. Everyone wants to be a pirate.

 

[Zendariel]

I didn't find Edward that engaging character. The most fun i got out of the character itself was after I got the mayan armor. The armor doesn't have a hood so it ended looking incredibly silly when in almost every cutscene he would normally but the hood on he just goes through the motion without the hood existing.

Plus, y'know... you can ignore the main plot and just be a pirate. Do you want to be a pirate? Yes. Everyone wants to be a pirate.

Sea shanties and pirating in the game are awesome, diving missions can be pretty scary and work pretty well. The game mostly falters when it's on land. The story assassinations are (or feel like it afterwards) mostly running through this cinematic setpiece without messing up to catch your target before he gets to shelter. There would often be spots where you could easily shoot your target during those, but because of the "cinematic nature" of those sequences you're not allowed to. The tailing missions could be better, especially those where you have to stay close to listen as the game can just screw you over by for example setting a guard patrol just next your hiding place and the characters you have to tail going in a direction you can't follow to if you choose a "bad" hiding place.

It's a very good pirate game, not that great assassin game.

Haven't played Unity so i can't say anything about that except buggy, with annoying and probably very immersion breaking business practices(non mandatory microtransactions and chests that you need a companion phone app to open)