This review contains spoilers
(credits for researching goes to my friend Fahrenheit)
It's impressive how the of use semi open world areas - to familiarize yourself with environment on your own volition with side gigs and piling up connections instead of doing 'side quests' just to make use of it all in the main story was degenerated into the 'ubisoft open world'
The gameplay and the story are also so well synchronized (pun intended) that even the 'shortcomings' that you can experience as a result of its jank still have opposite effects and further immerse you in the game better and you could keep finding secrets on how to take advantage of its mechanics.
The game creates immersion in very simple yet organic ways, such as there not being any shops, so whenever you run out of knives, you could just ANYTIME ANYWHERE could just go on a detour and steal them from the population. Every mechanic is in such a harmony that you can't stop taking its aspects for granted, but I just kept thinking 'why are such obvious details lacking in other video games?.’
Heavy emphasis is placed on investigations to bear its fruition in the face of immersion. You can of course start investigations on each mission, gather intel and plan out how you gonna enter the area and how you gonna escape it by your own rules and then start the mission confidently, but you can also attempt to start the mission without any investigations, that will give you distinct dialogue and guide as to where could you find hints for your mission, making AC1 a game that can be perfectly played without using any kind of a map or even HUD.
The story is a bit too reddit for my taste with how it's concerned moreso about ‘dispelling the illusion’ and ideals a lot more than everyman, cultivating a bit of arrogant disbalance since I do not think fate of the population should be a matter of one on one ‘discussions’ and duels, especially in-between figures who do not have the same concerns and lives as the general population. But I appreciate that the mental states of said figures are some sort of a plea from the inner turmoil caused by the war-torn era and its never-ending disconnection.
What I could not recollect before replaying is how well structured and planned out its narrative and character work is nonetheless - maybe one of the better examples in the medium, even.
People may have been praising architecture and how districts are laid out in games like The Witcher 3 but Assassin's Creed did it before by exploring its culturally diverse and historically rich locations, actually making use of it all in regards to mechanical depth (say, building being in the middle of reconstruction have their own (dis)advantages for parkour, integral part of the gameplay).
Cities Altair visits are Damascus, Acre and of course Jerusalem. It is also worth noting that the theme songs of these cities correspond to the standing of each of these cities and thus reflect the general emotional state of the environment (as well as making use of different techniques and instruments according to their cultural difference), especially how the theme of Jerusalem is a combination of the previous one to reflect its cultural whiplash and transitory state.
Life is represented by Damascus - given its reliance on economics that distracts them from ever questioning higher matters and any of their propaganda, rather than on its own historical or religious value (to the Crusaders) that which is the very reason as to why they have not been conquered. Making it the very first city Altair visits at this most arrogance.
Death is represented by Acre - given its environmental decay and high body count on full display as it has been invaded in contrast to Damascus. Furthermore much of the Arabian and Muslim culture of the land has been eradicated with all the mosques demolished (that is single damaged one remaining that does not serve as the viewpoint anymore) to make way for churches and architectural design of buildings adopting masonry and terracotta rooftops in the richer districts. Terracotta rooftops are used to remove snowfall and since obviously there is no practical utility in building them in Syria, contradiction stands to send a message that culture is dominated by the Crusaders.
Rebirth is represented by Jerusalem - given how the city managed to revitalize itself after suffering the same fate as Acre and finally managed to move on by putting corpses in their graveyards. That said, cultural remains stuck in-between as the Crusaders influence is still intact.
The game starts by the main character committing a ‘sin’ that is used to put him on the leash and then every single encounter, in the face of an assassination mission he partakes in, seem to be (in)directly correlated to the perspective he currently possess and makes him question and finally alter his mindset by gaining faith instead of being blinded by duty and arrogance, finally reaching forgiveness from someone he wronged at the very start of the game.
Malik’s words are coherent with the themes of rebirth. He states that he doesn’t forgive Altaïr as he’s no longer the man he once knew and therefore has nothing for him to forgive - going to the point of even having enough faith in Altair to question the creed. You can see relationships like this with the other bureau leaders too (and even targets), like the Rafik in Damascus is often too arrogant and cocky and likes to mock Altaïr until he feels Altaïr has outgrown him and feels a bit jealous, the Acre Bureau Leader starts of pessimistic and places no hope in Altaïr until he sees the error in his ways and even apologizes to him
Of course assassination targets are also making maximum use of their minimal screen time to have their presence heard effectively so as for them to not break the flow of the game. My personal favourite being the one that highlights how religion dislikes his kind and only by observing his body language amidst his speech you can see the hint that the cause of this is his homosexuality on top of other personal and political nuances that makes him hate himself and the world alike, forcing him into an active role against the status quo.
Needless to say, the addition of each and every target is nuanced and further thickens the plot.
Game also starts by making use of historical context and weaponizing reputation of the fanatical religious suicidal tendencies into a strategy to defend against the siege.
And if you were to start researching history you would notice that even something as simple as the tutorial section has the assassin's indoctrination as its subtext. To put out an example, in the intro sequence of the game the animus is glitching and Altaïr is surrounded by women in a garden and there's a godlike figure in the back quoting The Book of Ecclesiastes. Symbolic of a myth surrounding the Nizari Isma’illis (aka The Assassins).
Basically a myth spread by their western foes arose where it was hypothesized that the reason why the Assassins were so fearless of death was due to their initiates being put through a process where they would be abducted by their superiors, drugged with Hashish and then taken to a garden filled with pleasures of the world such as beautiful women and exotic fruits. Here they would be granted a taste of paradise and after it would be taken away from the area, they would then be promised a return to the garden as their reward for obeying the leaders of the Nizari Isma’illis to perform their Assassinations.
This is however a myth mind you, as it was only spread by the Western foes of the Assassins and it’s also due to this that u hear the common misinformation of the word Assassin originating from the word Hashashin (meaning those who smoke Hashish) when in reality it originates from the Arabic word Assassiyun (meaning People of Principle). The game incorporates this myth ingeniously as it being the first scene of the game is not only symbolic of the game indoctrinating you as an Assassin just like the initiates were in the myth but the game also acknowledges it as something false and later on goes to dispel this myth and reveal the truth (facilitating the game’s themes of the pursuit of truth and knowledge and is why The Book of Ecclesiastes is so relevant).
Later on Al Mualim even reveals that he allows their opposition to believe this myth as it enables the Assassins to spread their fear and terror to their opponents. Furthermore the final scene of the game mirrors this first scene where Altaïr is in The Garden with Al Mualim quoting The Book of Ecclesiastes only this time we’re given context and see the memory for what it truly was (and have thus been enlightened) The utility of the animus to glitch and combine a bunch of memories to create a corrupted one to later then be dispelled after you finish the journey is ingenious as it not only enabled the team to utilize the historical & mythological context to the fullest but also to simultaneously pursue the themes of the game by dispelling the illusions presented to you
It also subtly hints to how despite their symbolic castration (at least they cut their fingers), assassins still receive earthly delights as rewards (say, prostitution), which makes them more understandable albeit hypocritical.
Assassin’s Creed is a game about what it takes to find true peace. It explores how in order to end war and vanquish the chaos poisoning the world one must first bring tranquility within themselves for it is what belongs within the heart of man that he manifests upon the world. However it also acknowledges that to authoritatively brute control into society is a solution no better than war and that one’s inner rebellion can also act as the harbinger of liberty.
Assassin’s Creed therefore provides the answer that In order to find peace in all things one must first recognize the nature of the world, that Nothing Is True and Everything Is Permitted, thus guiding us to adapt to it. Additionally it also suggests that peace is not something definite in nature to attain as if one attempts to grasp at it, it will fade into thin air like mist. It is therefore wiser to follow its trail bearing the hope in our hearts that we may one day find it
Might also be worth mentioning that the game has a stylistic philosophy of treating its events like an entire dream sequence to facilitate its themes on the power of the human mind. It also fortifies the narrative of Desmond using the animus to venture deep into his mind to discover the truth of his ancestor’s journey through enlightenment. It’s also why the animus loading screens have Altaïr traveling through a blue and white mist as it mimics the sky and clouds to reinforce that dream like state
Unfortunately the game is a bit too ambitious for its own good and thus has visible cracks as a result of being an unfinished product. Notable being traversal area that is Kingdom, which is kind of a meme outside of you seeing the environmental destruction amidst the war (this section was meant to have horse chasers and whatnot) and how entire game goes to complete shit in the endgame by turning 'assassin' simulator into 'deflect another wave', even against the final boss that completely controls Altair's movements but somehow Altair keeps moving around whenever game demands it (this section could have been changed entirely), yet still manages to maintain its narrative on thematic level at the very least and packs the story under all-new concept of (dis)illusionment, making it inherent part of human nature.
Oh yeah side gigs are also lacking in creativity in self-contained sense with how you keep repeating the same thing over and over again and for some reason initial impression and feedback of the game was that it was being too hard, so as a result the game was made a bit too easy - though I guess you could always download 'permanent rank 1' mod to compensate to a certain degree. That said, nobody really gets in your way to make the game more challenging and interesting on your own. I also have personal distaste to how you are keeping a count of how many ‘altruist’ deeds you have remained in the city, but I guess it is also up to the interpretation of the player since it can be done completely on your own volition no matter what kind of perspective Altair has in any point of the game - so it is always blurred whether it is an altruistic or calculated deed to use civilians as his pawns and even traps placed against assassination targets
Nitpicky complain I have in the process of assassination department is that even if replayability in the assassination missions are superb, it's a bit of a chore to actually restart missions - you still gonna have to get through the unskippable dialogue, replay 2-3 side gigs and some of them won't even have fast-travel available, but that's not something impossible to ignore so long as you are willing to put the effort in the game. That said, game making checkpoints depending on which phase your assassination is (be it either infiltration, murder or escape) kind of drags the mission-based nature of the game.
Talking about the base game ends here. Now I asked my friend his opinion regarding the changes done by the PC release of the game since I have not played Playstation 3 release and put his answer down below, which is in-depth and could be read in case there is interest from you all.
AC1’s rerelease on steam aimed to add variety to the investigations so that the process of gaining information was less monotonous. Whilst a noble attempt at refining the game I feel its execution was either misguided or sloppy. My main criticism comes from the fact majority of the new investigations are either superficial in nature or replace older ones which were more meaningfully designed for the Assassination. For example when investigating Tamir one of the older missions that’s replaced in the steam port is an eavesdrop where we gather the location of where Tamir will be found we also learn from the merchants being abused by Tamir are treated as his slaves and that Tamir has even executed some of them in the past.
Furthermore they remark that he’s abandoned the teachings of The Merchant’s Guild. All these details are significant in building Tamir’s profile, his executions already paints him as ruthless using fear to intimidate the workers under him to do his bidding, additionally the fact he sees them as slaves with no other purpose than to serve him displays that he is plagued by ego (this is even reinforced during his confession where he claims himself special by working with The Templars to creat A New World Order and also his ability to recognize arrogance in Altaïr too). Finally there’s the fact he’s forgotten the teachings of The Merchants Guild which portrays that abandoned a Creed he once believed in which not only makes him a good parallel for Altaïr but also reinforces the game’s commentary on faith and how the complete lack thereof can lead to the most heinous of deeds being perceived as justifiable.
All this is lost for a mission which simply requires u to race to an informant who just gives u the information about a meeting taking place at the souk for u to Assassinate Tamir. Even worse at times the additional missions can work in opposition to the game’s narrative. For example in William’s Assassination mission we know he’s been stealing people’s food so he may ration them yet the breaking stalls investigation has the narrative that they’re selling bad meat under William’s command and therefore need to be destroyed which makes no sense when it contradicts William’s goal (i.e taking away food to ration it, not provide it even if it is spoiled).
What’s most unjustifiable about all this is that investigations were always a backdrop and so missions like Eavesdrops and Pickpockets were always quick and to the point whilst being situated in places of interest for the player to study as the real meat of the game’s investigation period comes from studying the environment so to add new investigations which take even more time than older ones makes little sense as it draw attention away from what should be the game’s focus.
Overall it’s not the worst thing I the world as most of the old missions are retained at least and investigations are still a backdrop to the game to facilitate grandeur goals so this flaw is far from a deal breaker to playing the game and enjoying it but it does deserve criticism for making the game overall inferior in some way even if minor especially when it was completely unnecessary.
It's impressive how the of use semi open world areas - to familiarize yourself with environment on your own volition with side gigs and piling up connections instead of doing 'side quests' just to make use of it all in the main story was degenerated into the 'ubisoft open world'
The gameplay and the story are also so well synchronized (pun intended) that even the 'shortcomings' that you can experience as a result of its jank still have opposite effects and further immerse you in the game better and you could keep finding secrets on how to take advantage of its mechanics.
The game creates immersion in very simple yet organic ways, such as there not being any shops, so whenever you run out of knives, you could just ANYTIME ANYWHERE could just go on a detour and steal them from the population. Every mechanic is in such a harmony that you can't stop taking its aspects for granted, but I just kept thinking 'why are such obvious details lacking in other video games?.’
Heavy emphasis is placed on investigations to bear its fruition in the face of immersion. You can of course start investigations on each mission, gather intel and plan out how you gonna enter the area and how you gonna escape it by your own rules and then start the mission confidently, but you can also attempt to start the mission without any investigations, that will give you distinct dialogue and guide as to where could you find hints for your mission, making AC1 a game that can be perfectly played without using any kind of a map or even HUD.
The story is a bit too reddit for my taste with how it's concerned moreso about ‘dispelling the illusion’ and ideals a lot more than everyman, cultivating a bit of arrogant disbalance since I do not think fate of the population should be a matter of one on one ‘discussions’ and duels, especially in-between figures who do not have the same concerns and lives as the general population. But I appreciate that the mental states of said figures are some sort of a plea from the inner turmoil caused by the war-torn era and its never-ending disconnection.
What I could not recollect before replaying is how well structured and planned out its narrative and character work is nonetheless - maybe one of the better examples in the medium, even.
People may have been praising architecture and how districts are laid out in games like The Witcher 3 but Assassin's Creed did it before by exploring its culturally diverse and historically rich locations, actually making use of it all in regards to mechanical depth (say, building being in the middle of reconstruction have their own (dis)advantages for parkour, integral part of the gameplay).
Cities Altair visits are Damascus, Acre and of course Jerusalem. It is also worth noting that the theme songs of these cities correspond to the standing of each of these cities and thus reflect the general emotional state of the environment (as well as making use of different techniques and instruments according to their cultural difference), especially how the theme of Jerusalem is a combination of the previous one to reflect its cultural whiplash and transitory state.
Life is represented by Damascus - given its reliance on economics that distracts them from ever questioning higher matters and any of their propaganda, rather than on its own historical or religious value (to the Crusaders) that which is the very reason as to why they have not been conquered. Making it the very first city Altair visits at this most arrogance.
Death is represented by Acre - given its environmental decay and high body count on full display as it has been invaded in contrast to Damascus. Furthermore much of the Arabian and Muslim culture of the land has been eradicated with all the mosques demolished (that is single damaged one remaining that does not serve as the viewpoint anymore) to make way for churches and architectural design of buildings adopting masonry and terracotta rooftops in the richer districts. Terracotta rooftops are used to remove snowfall and since obviously there is no practical utility in building them in Syria, contradiction stands to send a message that culture is dominated by the Crusaders.
Rebirth is represented by Jerusalem - given how the city managed to revitalize itself after suffering the same fate as Acre and finally managed to move on by putting corpses in their graveyards. That said, cultural remains stuck in-between as the Crusaders influence is still intact.
The game starts by the main character committing a ‘sin’ that is used to put him on the leash and then every single encounter, in the face of an assassination mission he partakes in, seem to be (in)directly correlated to the perspective he currently possess and makes him question and finally alter his mindset by gaining faith instead of being blinded by duty and arrogance, finally reaching forgiveness from someone he wronged at the very start of the game.
Malik’s words are coherent with the themes of rebirth. He states that he doesn’t forgive Altaïr as he’s no longer the man he once knew and therefore has nothing for him to forgive - going to the point of even having enough faith in Altair to question the creed. You can see relationships like this with the other bureau leaders too (and even targets), like the Rafik in Damascus is often too arrogant and cocky and likes to mock Altaïr until he feels Altaïr has outgrown him and feels a bit jealous, the Acre Bureau Leader starts of pessimistic and places no hope in Altaïr until he sees the error in his ways and even apologizes to him
Of course assassination targets are also making maximum use of their minimal screen time to have their presence heard effectively so as for them to not break the flow of the game. My personal favourite being the one that highlights how religion dislikes his kind and only by observing his body language amidst his speech you can see the hint that the cause of this is his homosexuality on top of other personal and political nuances that makes him hate himself and the world alike, forcing him into an active role against the status quo.
Needless to say, the addition of each and every target is nuanced and further thickens the plot.
Game also starts by making use of historical context and weaponizing reputation of the fanatical religious suicidal tendencies into a strategy to defend against the siege.
And if you were to start researching history you would notice that even something as simple as the tutorial section has the assassin's indoctrination as its subtext. To put out an example, in the intro sequence of the game the animus is glitching and Altaïr is surrounded by women in a garden and there's a godlike figure in the back quoting The Book of Ecclesiastes. Symbolic of a myth surrounding the Nizari Isma’illis (aka The Assassins).
Basically a myth spread by their western foes arose where it was hypothesized that the reason why the Assassins were so fearless of death was due to their initiates being put through a process where they would be abducted by their superiors, drugged with Hashish and then taken to a garden filled with pleasures of the world such as beautiful women and exotic fruits. Here they would be granted a taste of paradise and after it would be taken away from the area, they would then be promised a return to the garden as their reward for obeying the leaders of the Nizari Isma’illis to perform their Assassinations.
This is however a myth mind you, as it was only spread by the Western foes of the Assassins and it’s also due to this that u hear the common misinformation of the word Assassin originating from the word Hashashin (meaning those who smoke Hashish) when in reality it originates from the Arabic word Assassiyun (meaning People of Principle). The game incorporates this myth ingeniously as it being the first scene of the game is not only symbolic of the game indoctrinating you as an Assassin just like the initiates were in the myth but the game also acknowledges it as something false and later on goes to dispel this myth and reveal the truth (facilitating the game’s themes of the pursuit of truth and knowledge and is why The Book of Ecclesiastes is so relevant).
Later on Al Mualim even reveals that he allows their opposition to believe this myth as it enables the Assassins to spread their fear and terror to their opponents. Furthermore the final scene of the game mirrors this first scene where Altaïr is in The Garden with Al Mualim quoting The Book of Ecclesiastes only this time we’re given context and see the memory for what it truly was (and have thus been enlightened) The utility of the animus to glitch and combine a bunch of memories to create a corrupted one to later then be dispelled after you finish the journey is ingenious as it not only enabled the team to utilize the historical & mythological context to the fullest but also to simultaneously pursue the themes of the game by dispelling the illusions presented to you
It also subtly hints to how despite their symbolic castration (at least they cut their fingers), assassins still receive earthly delights as rewards (say, prostitution), which makes them more understandable albeit hypocritical.
Assassin’s Creed is a game about what it takes to find true peace. It explores how in order to end war and vanquish the chaos poisoning the world one must first bring tranquility within themselves for it is what belongs within the heart of man that he manifests upon the world. However it also acknowledges that to authoritatively brute control into society is a solution no better than war and that one’s inner rebellion can also act as the harbinger of liberty.
Assassin’s Creed therefore provides the answer that In order to find peace in all things one must first recognize the nature of the world, that Nothing Is True and Everything Is Permitted, thus guiding us to adapt to it. Additionally it also suggests that peace is not something definite in nature to attain as if one attempts to grasp at it, it will fade into thin air like mist. It is therefore wiser to follow its trail bearing the hope in our hearts that we may one day find it
Might also be worth mentioning that the game has a stylistic philosophy of treating its events like an entire dream sequence to facilitate its themes on the power of the human mind. It also fortifies the narrative of Desmond using the animus to venture deep into his mind to discover the truth of his ancestor’s journey through enlightenment. It’s also why the animus loading screens have Altaïr traveling through a blue and white mist as it mimics the sky and clouds to reinforce that dream like state
Unfortunately the game is a bit too ambitious for its own good and thus has visible cracks as a result of being an unfinished product. Notable being traversal area that is Kingdom, which is kind of a meme outside of you seeing the environmental destruction amidst the war (this section was meant to have horse chasers and whatnot) and how entire game goes to complete shit in the endgame by turning 'assassin' simulator into 'deflect another wave', even against the final boss that completely controls Altair's movements but somehow Altair keeps moving around whenever game demands it (this section could have been changed entirely), yet still manages to maintain its narrative on thematic level at the very least and packs the story under all-new concept of (dis)illusionment, making it inherent part of human nature.
Oh yeah side gigs are also lacking in creativity in self-contained sense with how you keep repeating the same thing over and over again and for some reason initial impression and feedback of the game was that it was being too hard, so as a result the game was made a bit too easy - though I guess you could always download 'permanent rank 1' mod to compensate to a certain degree. That said, nobody really gets in your way to make the game more challenging and interesting on your own. I also have personal distaste to how you are keeping a count of how many ‘altruist’ deeds you have remained in the city, but I guess it is also up to the interpretation of the player since it can be done completely on your own volition no matter what kind of perspective Altair has in any point of the game - so it is always blurred whether it is an altruistic or calculated deed to use civilians as his pawns and even traps placed against assassination targets
Nitpicky complain I have in the process of assassination department is that even if replayability in the assassination missions are superb, it's a bit of a chore to actually restart missions - you still gonna have to get through the unskippable dialogue, replay 2-3 side gigs and some of them won't even have fast-travel available, but that's not something impossible to ignore so long as you are willing to put the effort in the game. That said, game making checkpoints depending on which phase your assassination is (be it either infiltration, murder or escape) kind of drags the mission-based nature of the game.
Talking about the base game ends here. Now I asked my friend his opinion regarding the changes done by the PC release of the game since I have not played Playstation 3 release and put his answer down below, which is in-depth and could be read in case there is interest from you all.
AC1’s rerelease on steam aimed to add variety to the investigations so that the process of gaining information was less monotonous. Whilst a noble attempt at refining the game I feel its execution was either misguided or sloppy. My main criticism comes from the fact majority of the new investigations are either superficial in nature or replace older ones which were more meaningfully designed for the Assassination. For example when investigating Tamir one of the older missions that’s replaced in the steam port is an eavesdrop where we gather the location of where Tamir will be found we also learn from the merchants being abused by Tamir are treated as his slaves and that Tamir has even executed some of them in the past.
Furthermore they remark that he’s abandoned the teachings of The Merchant’s Guild. All these details are significant in building Tamir’s profile, his executions already paints him as ruthless using fear to intimidate the workers under him to do his bidding, additionally the fact he sees them as slaves with no other purpose than to serve him displays that he is plagued by ego (this is even reinforced during his confession where he claims himself special by working with The Templars to creat A New World Order and also his ability to recognize arrogance in Altaïr too). Finally there’s the fact he’s forgotten the teachings of The Merchants Guild which portrays that abandoned a Creed he once believed in which not only makes him a good parallel for Altaïr but also reinforces the game’s commentary on faith and how the complete lack thereof can lead to the most heinous of deeds being perceived as justifiable.
All this is lost for a mission which simply requires u to race to an informant who just gives u the information about a meeting taking place at the souk for u to Assassinate Tamir. Even worse at times the additional missions can work in opposition to the game’s narrative. For example in William’s Assassination mission we know he’s been stealing people’s food so he may ration them yet the breaking stalls investigation has the narrative that they’re selling bad meat under William’s command and therefore need to be destroyed which makes no sense when it contradicts William’s goal (i.e taking away food to ration it, not provide it even if it is spoiled).
What’s most unjustifiable about all this is that investigations were always a backdrop and so missions like Eavesdrops and Pickpockets were always quick and to the point whilst being situated in places of interest for the player to study as the real meat of the game’s investigation period comes from studying the environment so to add new investigations which take even more time than older ones makes little sense as it draw attention away from what should be the game’s focus.
Overall it’s not the worst thing I the world as most of the old missions are retained at least and investigations are still a backdrop to the game to facilitate grandeur goals so this flaw is far from a deal breaker to playing the game and enjoying it but it does deserve criticism for making the game overall inferior in some way even if minor especially when it was completely unnecessary.