Living by the Creed

                As far as gaming series go, we have seen countless instances of the sequels failing to live up to their predecessors. And then, there are some that simply blow us out of the water and make us fall in love with them-title after title. Assassin’s Creed, one of the most decorated games ever made is one such brand. So much so that to its ardent followers, it is something they swear by.

             As vast as my gaming repertoire is, I hadn’t delved into the AC series until this November. My friend Ritesh introduced me to the world of Assassins and as I give you a review of sorts, I’d also like to take this particular opportunity to thank him. It became clear exactly why this game is regarded as one of the best ever.

Master Assassin Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad

               It is just about the perfect mix of everything. Stealth, combat, intelligence, investigation, tactics and, of course, pure fun. Add to that a captivating plot-one that really makes you introspect- and you’ll be locked to your screen for hours on the end. You step into the shoes of Subject 17, Desmond Miles, and through him, with the help of the Animus machine, live through the memories of Master Assassin Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, in a bid to regain his lost status and redeem himself from the crime of breaking all 3 of the commandments of the Assassin Order, namely-

1.     Stay your blade from the flesh of an innocent
2.     Hide in plain sight 
3.     Never compromise the Brotherhood

Hide in plain sight

The Assassins also live by the doctrine,” Nothing is true. Everything is permitted.”

Sent on a mission to recover a certain Templar treasure, Altair, in his arrogance and misinterpretation of the Assassin doctrine, slays an innocent man, enters into an open confrontation with the Templars, leading to the death of one of his comrades and an attack on the Assassin City of Masyaf-breaking all three of the Assassin commandments. Although, as punishment for such a crime, the Assassin in question is executed, the Assassin leader, Al Mualim, recognizing Altair’s potential, makes a rare exception for him, demoting him to the rank of a novice and offering him a chance to absolve himself. And so begins our journey.

The Hidden Blade- your enemies will never see it coming.

 Altair is instructed to assassinate nine members of the Templar clan, the rival order to the Assassins in order to return to his former status. Set against the backdrop of the 3^rd Crusade in the 12^th century, Assassin’s Creed offers as historically authentic a gaming experience as any I have seen. The cities of Jerusalem, Acre and Damascus are intricately detailed, so is the combat and the factions of Saladin and Richard the Lionhearted, the Hospitallers, the Teutonic Knights and the Knights Templar. You need to get up to high places, or viewpoints, to reveal more of the map. Then there’s eavesdropping, stealth assassinations, blending in the crowd to escape the notice of the guards, pickpocket missions etc. to gain intelligence on your targets and some pretty awesome sword fights. Everything about this game is so authentic that you never for a second feel that this wouldn’t have been possible back then. Its as if you're playing through a historical chapter and not a work of fiction. And then there’s my favorite part, the leap of faith- to demonstrate the Assassins’ unwavering courage. 

The sword fights are challenging and fun

Enough said.

Altair is a likeable, plausible and to an extent, engaging character who, despite his abilities, is not above the human fallacies of arrogance and complacency. He is someone you can relate to. There is a lot to learn from this game as well. The plot centers around two ideologies to achieve world peace-the Templar school of thought, which seeks to control while the Assassin order preaches peace by knowledge and reason. It also cautions you against the dangers or thinking yourself above criticism, arrogance and blind faith. The plot and the story actually forces you to think and reason, and teaches you something- unlike most titles.

On the down side, the game-play does tend to get a bit repetitive, which may irk some impatient gamers, but that’s the only real complaint anyone can have with the game. All in all, the first title in AC series is one helluva experience and at the end of it, all you want to do is delve into the next one. So those of you who haven't played this one, don't wait. Take the leap of faith.

That's all for now, safety and peace.