MY FIRST REVIEW: ASSASSINS CREED: SYNDICATE

Reviewed on: Playstation 4
Also available on: Xbox One & Microsoft Windows

Developers: Ubisoft Quebec
Publishers: Ubisoft

There are two stories in Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate—the main story set in London, England, in 1868, and the present-day story that has been ongoing since the original Assassin’s Creed game. I’ll start with the present story, and it was absolutely dreadful. It’s evident that the developers had no clear direction, especially after they killed off Desmond in Assassin’s Creed 3. The main story was slightly better but nothing special. It felt too similar to the previous game (Assassin’s Creed: Unity), making it all seem a bit familiar. The ending to the story was also subpar, which doesn’t help. So, I can’t praise Assassin’s Creed Syndicate for its story. 4/10.

A refreshing change for the series was the introduction of two main characters, twins named Jacob and Evie Frye. Both characters were well-developed and contributed significantly to the story. Additionally, the ability to customize each character with different skills allowed for a tailored experience, whether focusing on combat or a stealthy approach. Jacob and Evie Frye stand out as the best characters we’ve seen in the series since Ezio Auditore in Assassin’s Creed 2, and they are on the same level as Edward Kenway from Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag. I would rate the game 9/10.

I can’t say much about the side characters because most of them are based on real people. Charles Dickens and Alexander Graham Bell were likable characters, but Queen Victoria was not. The villains were okay, but aside from them, Henry Green was the only real side character involved in the story. Unfortunately, he wasn’t very likable and came across as a poor assassin. Overall, I would rate the side characters 5/10.

Once again, nothing special—nothing we haven’t seen before in an Assassin’s Creed game. Most missions involved either following someone and assassinating them. The main assassination missions were decent, offering multiple options for added freedom. However, I feel the developers dropped the ball here considering the two lead characters. Despite having two main characters, most missions involved only one of them. They should have had both characters actively participating in most missions, similar to GTA V when Michael, Trevor, and Franklin were involved in one mission. Switching between Jacob and Evie Frye during missions would have been great and could have added more gameplay variety. I would rate the mission structure 6/10.

The controls were mostly simple and easy to remember. If you’ve played the previous games, you should have no problem with the controls as they remain the same. I enjoyed the combat in the game; the controls were easy, and it was a blast taking on several guards at once with your fists. The free-running controls were okay but were frustrating at times when trying to run straight and not up or down. Managing the inventory was also simple enough, which can be a pain in most games. Overall, I would rate the controls 8/10.

No problems with the audio. Simple things like hearing the trains and carriages stroll by or ordinary civilians going about their day helped bring the city to life and gave it a real British feel. The voice acting for all the main characters was also excellent, which always helps. The developers have mastered the audio side of Assassin’s Creed since Assassin’s Creed 2. I would rate the audio experience 10/10.

Similar to the audio, the map was spot on. It had a real British feel to it, with its pubs, shops, trains, and factories. It was also a good size, featuring many key London attractions such as St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Tower of London. The River Thames was my favourite part of the map. Different from what we’ve seen in previous Assassin’s Creed games, jumping from boat to boat was enjoyable and made me feel like I was playing the classic game Frogger. I would rate the map design 10/10.

Although the map was great, it was also frustrating. There were too many things to grab onto when free-running, causing your character to jump or climb somewhere you didn’t want them to, and it happened often due to the fast-paced nature of free-running. The new grappling hook was a game-changer but had the same problems as free-running. Driving the carriages was horrible, as it was way too sensitive, making it easy to crash (it reminded me a lot of the driving in Watch Dogs). The only enjoyable gameplay element for me was the fighting, but that alone isn’t enough to earn a great score. I would rate the gameplay experience 5/10.

The difficulty itself wasn’t too hard, but the frustrating gameplay had a major effect. While following someone in the missions, I often found myself too far away because of the awkward free running, which would result in a failure. The driving of the carriages also made the missions harder. When finishing each mission, I didn’t feel much of a reward for it, more of a relief that it’s over and that I would never have to do it again. I would rate the overall difficulty and satisfaction from missions 4/10.

Not the worst in the series (Assassin’s Creed 3 will always hold that title), but also not the best. While it was a slight improvement over Assassin’s Creed Unity, it was still not as good as Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag, which marked a return to form for the franchise at the time. I still can’t understand why they dropped the pirate ships. You can’t even sail the ships down the River Thames in Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate. Assassin’s Creed has once again lost its way. The developers played it safe, relying on its large fanbase to achieve a decent amount of sales. The rebirth of sailing should seriously be considered in the next installment. I would rate Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate 5/10.

Apart from the grappling hook, Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate didn’t bring much new to the table. It relied on old tricks, and the series is now starting to look like a one-trick pony. It felt very similar to Assassin’s Creed: Unity, just more polished. The developers nailed the less important stuff but stumbled on the most critical elements of a good game. It will be interesting to see where they go from here. My advice is to stick to the seas. Overall score: 6.6/10.

And there we have it. Thanks for reading. Please like, share, and comment. Also, feel free to follow me on Twitter X @rhysbritton.