Assassin Creed

Overview

Assassin's Creed is a sand box style action-adventure-stealth video game that was developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. Assassin's Creed was released on Xbox and Playstation 3 in Novmber 2007 and released on PC in April 2008.

The game is centered around a machine that is dubbed "The Animus", The Animus allows the user to view the genetic memories of his or her ancestors, specificially Desmond Miles who is a bartender. Desmond relieves the memories of one his ancestors the Assassin called Altair Ibn-La'Ahad who lived in the Holy land during the Third Crusade, details of a battle between two ancient orders: The Knights Templar and the Assassins as they fight over an Artifact known as a "Piece of Eden".

Assassin's Creed recieved postive reviews for its' story and it's gameplay and got several rewards in 2006 at E3. In November 2009 a sequel Assassin Creed II was released. Gameplay Assassin's Creed is a non-linear action-adventure game which the player controlls a 12th Century Syrian Assassin named Alatir during the third Crusade, which is experiences through the Animus by Desmond Miles. The Overall goal of the game is to rise through the ranks of the Assassin Brotherhod by carring out a series of different assassination missions for Al Mualim (The leader of the Assassin Order). Altair travels from Masyaf to cities within the Holy Land, specifically Jerusalem, Acre and Damascus and in the sparsely populated land which is Dubbed "The Kingdom".

When arriving in any of the cities,Altair must then locate an agent of the Brotherhood called a Rafiq who provides Altair with a safe house called the Bureauand basic knowledge of the target. Altair then has to gather additional information by doing: eavesdropping missions, Interrogation missions, Meeting with informers and other Assassin's and gathering important items. After Altair has gathered enough information then he is able to safely and successfully carry out the assassinations. After having successfully completed assassinations, Altair returns to the brotherhood and is rewarded with a better weapon and given another target. When performing necessary missions, Desmond must direct Altair to view points in the city to further synchronize the memories that map out the current city. There are other side quests that Altair can do which include tracking down and killing Templars, collecting flags, saving citzens who are being threatened by city guards.Altair needs to carry out the majority of his missions without being noticed by any officials.

Creed uses an alert level Meter to inform the player of how noticeable Altair is to the surrounding individuals which includes guards by changing colour and shape of the Abstergo Logo. When perfoming certain actions at certain times may/may not raise the awareness level if an area is on high alert which means that the logo turns red and the entire sync bar earns a red tinge background, all citzens will run and scatter in various directions because guards chase and attempt to take down Altair and they are always on alert. To reduce the alert level Altair must break the guards line of sight by finding a hiding place or blend in with scholars who are dressed similarly to Altair he can also reduce the alert level with citzens who are sitting on benches. Altair is capable of high and low profile commands which will allow Altair to blend in with crowds, hide, and use the hidden blade to attempt a quiet and low profile assassination.

Using High profile commands will increase alert level commands include: free running, attacking foes and high prfile assassination attempts, Altai can defend himself if faced against multiple enemies with his sword fighting abilities. Health in Assassin's creed is measured by the synchronization between Altair and Desmond's memories when Altair is injured it's experienced as a deviation from the actually memory that occured and the synchronization decreases. When completely de-synchronised the current memory that Desmond is experiencing ends and restarts at the last checkpoint, when complete synchronized Desmond can as Altair use "Eagle Vision", which makes the Animus highlight all visible characters in the current setting in specific colours these depend on their status: friend, foe, target, As Altair's memories are being rendered by a computer, glitches may be experienced with error messages appearing some glitches help to identify targets and if the player reacts quickly may give other vantage points during a cut scene.

Synopsis

Desmond miles is a bartender and has been kidnapped by the company called Abstergo Industries to be used as test subject in the "Animus" which is a device than can recall ancestors memories. Abstergo intends to put desmond into the Animus to recall the memories of his ancestor Altair Ibn-La'Ahad who was a member of the Assassin brotherhood in the year 1191 as a part of the Third crusade in the Holy land. Desmond at first has trouble adjusting to the Animus but then relieves Altair's exploits over the next seven days.

The game mainly takes Altair's point-of-view, with occassionally changes back to desmond due to glitches in the Animus. Assassin Creed begins with Desmond entering Altair's memory but faces synchronizaton problems, Lucy and Vidic's voice can be hears after experiencing some problems Desmond exits the Animus. Vidic then briefs desmond and get's him inside of a tutorial program after Desmond has finished the tutorial he enters Altair's first memory. Lucy explains that Desmond has to relive Altair's memories so he can increase his synchronization before they can reach the final memory so the Templars can find what their seeking.

It begins with Altair attempting to retrieve one of the artefacts known as a Piece of Eden from Solomon's Temple with the help of malik and his brother but is stopped by Robert de Sable, Grand master of the Templars and sworn enemies of the assassins. While retrieving the artefact, Altair breaks all 3 of the Assassin's creed ( Stay your blade from the flesh of an innocent, Hide in Plain sight and don't compromise the Brotherhood) this happens within the first 15 minutes of gameplay in their attempt to kill Robert de sable but he fails. In the following commotion, Malik's brother died, and Malik's left arm is crippled but is later amputated. When Altair returns to Masyaf he apologises that he failed the important mission but then incomes Malik who survived his fight with Robert de Sable and gives Al Mualim the Apple of Eden and curses Altair's arrogance

After their Battle against the Templars winning narrowly Al Mualim the leader of the Assassins demotes Altair to the rank of novice and gives him a chance to rise back through the ranks of the Assassin Brotherhood. Al Mualim then gives Altair the task of assassinating 9 key figure throughout the Holy Land in Jerusalem, Acre and Damascus with his aim to bring peace between the Crusader and Saracen forces. All of the targets are based on actual historical figures from the Third crusade these include: Majd Addin (Regent of Jerusalem), Garnier de Naplouse (Grand Master of the Hospitalier), Jubair al Hakim ( a eminent scholar in Damascus), Abu'l Nuquod ( the weathiest man in Damascus), Robert de Sable,Sibrand of the Knights Teutonic (Grand Master) and William of Montferrat ( Regent of Acre).

After Altair has completed each tasks, learning how each target is connected to Robert and the templars and how their aim is to end the crusade and have the Holy Land under their control. With men killed on bth sides, he discovers that Robert de Sable's latest plot is to attempt to unite Christians and Muslims against the assassin's who are their common enemy. Altair defeats Robert de Sable before Richard the Lionheart because he failed to convince the King that both sides want an end to the war, Altair learns from Robert de Sable that Al Mualim is himself a Templar member and has be using Altair to kill the other members so he can have the Apple of Eden for himself.

Altair rushes back to Masyaf to acost his master who reveals the truth; The piece of Eden which he recieved from one of the men in the library after Altair's transgression he creates illusions. Al Mualim then denounces relgion and other supernatural events eg the Ten plagues of Egypt, the parting of the red sea, and the presence of the Greek Gods in the Trojan War as illusions caused by the Piece, he then states that he wants to use the piece of Eden to brandwash man kind which will bring an end to all conflicts.

Altair eventually is able to see through all of the deceptions created by the Apple of Eden and kill Al Mualim when Altair recovers the piece of Eden it activates and shows a holographic view of the world with numerous locations marked across the globe. When the rpocess is finished Desmond learn that Abstergo is the modern front for the Templars and they are seeking the other artefacts at locations identified in Altair's memory. Desmond learns that the modern day Assassins have attempted to rescue him before the memory was complete but they failed.

Desmond was meant to be killed after completion but Lucy Stillman a researcher saves him from death and at one pont tucks in her ring finger into her palm this refering to the Assassin's tradition of cutting off the finger. Desmond remains trapped in Abstergo but his experiences in the Animus giving him the "bleeding effect" which allows Desmond to use "Eagle Vision". This allows Desmond to see strange messages painted on the walls of his room and the floor of the lab all of the messages deal with the various form of the end of the world from different cultures which include some references to December 21,2012 the dat that Abstergo plan to launch a satelite which will permanently end the war it's hinted that this is the same method that Al Mualim hypnotized Maysaf but on a larger scale.

The game finishes with Desmond wondering what these images are and who drew them, in fact they were drawn by someone was captured by the Templars to relieve the memories of his ancestor, subject 16 who draw the images in blood.

The Cast

Kristen Bell as Lucy Stillman

Phil Shahbaz as Altair Ibn-La'Ahad

Nolan North as Desmon Miles and Abbas Sofian

Phil Proctor as Warren Vidic

Peter Reneday as Al Mualim

Haaz Sleiman as Malik Al-Sayf

Alain Benatar as Jabal

Carlos Ferro as Damascus Bureau Leader

Jean-Philippe Dandenaud as Robert de Sable

Ammar Daraiseh as Tamir

Hubet Fielden as Garnier de Naplouse

Jake Eberty as Talal

Harry Standjofski as William of Montferrat

Fred Tatasciore as Jubair al Hakim, Abu'l Nuquod

Richard Cansino as Majd Addin

Arthur Holden as Sibrand

Elearnor Noble as Maria Thorpe

Marcel Jeanin as Richard I

Jenifer Seguin as Animus

 Development 

IGN in one of their original interviews with producer Jade Raymonddescribed Altair as an "Medieval Hitman" who has a mysterious past and he isn't a time traveler. During October 2007 IGN Austrailia an interview described the abilities that the main character has, climb and free run as being designed by the same individuals who designed the same features for Prince of Persia.

Kristen Bell in December 2006 who does the voices of Lucy Stillman who is an Abstergo researcher and employee gave the first concrete information about the plot of Assassin's Creed by confirming that it was focused on genetic memory and the corporation's search for Assassin decendants.

Ubsisoft have released "Developer Diary" videos on the main website with mmbers of the devlopment team, which include the creative director Patrice Desilets and the producer Jade Raymond. The Developer Diaries explain the thought process behind different aspects of the game.

SoundTrack Development

The music for Assassin's Creed was composed by Jesper Kyd and the meaning of the soundtrack was to capture the gruesome atmosphere of medieval warfare but also be edgy and comtemporary. The music was writtent to contain orchestral music which have both dark and ominous overtones. Some of the tracks have choruses and vocal tracks in Latin to add to darker elements of the game and the time periods setting.

Editions of Assassin's Creed

Limited Edition

The limited collector's Edition of Assassin's Creed was released in America at the ame time as the standard release the Limited Edition contains a 3-inch Altair, Penny Arcade Comic, a short strategy guide and a bonus disc. The bonus disc has behind the scene videos, the developer diaries, trailers, interviews with the production team and the winners of the Assassin's creed short film contest. The European limited Edition was released and comes with a 12-inch Altair figure, a art book and a bonus disc, the bonus contains several short films and content that is similar to the American limited Edition.

A Steelbox was also released which has an Assassin's Creed Graphic Novel, a bonus disc and authenticity certificate. The cover is decorated with the Assassin insignia and the animus effect symbols while on the back there is a picture of Altair, the steelbox left enough space to insert the game.

 Director's Cut Edition (Pc Version Only) 

The Pc version has 4 exclusive missions which include the Rooftop Race challenge, The archer Stealth Assassination Challenge, Merchant Stand destruction and the informant Escort Challenge.

Prequel and Sequels of Assassin's Creed

A Prequel called Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles was released on February 2008 it was developed by Gameloft an Mobile version was released for the Iphone and the iPod touch in April 2009. Production of Assassin's Creed 2 was confirmed in January 2009 and was released as a Sequel in November 2009 the Sequel continues the story begun in Assassin's Creed but with a different set of genetic memories created to be explored by the player.

At the same time Assassin's Creed Bloodlines was released for the PSP which is a spin off, of Assassin's Creed: Chronicles where Altair's story continues a month after the ending of Assassin's Creed. The gameplay and the graphic style resembled the first game much or than Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles.

A Sequel to Assassin's Creed 2 was released in November 2010 it continues the story of Ezio Auditore and Desmond from the Modern day story it is also the first game in the series to have multiplayer mode. The Sequel to Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, Assassin's Creed Revelations. Ezio Auditore has his final adventure when he travels to Constantinople to find 5 keys to Altair's Library underneath Masyaf Castle. The keys allow EZio to view Altair's life before and after Assassin's Creed this allows Altair to be playable.

Awards 

Game Critics Awards

Won: Best Action/Adventure Game.

 IGN 

Won: Best Action Game, PS3 Game of the Show, Best PS3 Action Game, Best PS3 graphics.

Runner up: Best Console Game, Best PS3 Artistic Design, PS3 Award for Technological excellence

Nominated: Game of the Show, Best Graphics Technology

GameSpy

Won: Best PS3 Game of the Show

GameSpot

Won: Best PS3 game of the show

Runner-Up: Game of the Show, Best Trailer, Best Graphics, Best Action Adventure Game

GameTrailer's

Won: Best of the Show

Runner-Up: Best Trailer, Most Innovative, Best Action/Adventure

1UP

Won: Best PS3 game

Runner-up: Best Visuals, Game of the show

Trivia

. The timeline of the game lasts about 2 months from the Crusader Victory in the siege of Acre in July to Early September just before the battle of Arsuf.

. The Assassin's are based on the Islamic sect that are known as the Order of the Hashshashin which the word Assassin originates from, the idea came from Blitzkreig to Desert Storm: The Evolution of Operational Warfare by the author Robert M. Citino, along with Vladimir Bartol's novel Alamut.

. Elements from Vladmir Bartol's novel are borrowed during the siege of Masyaf. In the book the Leader of the Assassin's orders his men to kill themselves to demonstrate his power both of the men jump of the tower smiling exactly the same as Altair did when he jumped.

. One of the key inspirations of Raphael Lacoste who is the art director and the production designer of Assassin's Creed was Orientalist paintings those in particular the lithographs of the Holy land and Syria both by David Roberts.

. The phrase "Laa shay'a waqui'n moutlaq bale kouloun moumkine" this is Arabic for Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted" this is a popular phrase to describe the gameplay of Assassin's Creed. This quote has been generally attributed to the founder of the Hashshashin, Hassan-i Sabbah.