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Assassin's Creed Syndicate Review Thread

Standards have dropped so far for AC that a 78 is being praised. It would be doom amd gloom if Halo 5, Rise Of The Tomb Raider, Fallout 4 or Battlefront get the same scores. I'm not saying 78 is bad at all, but it's not exactly a return to glory either.

Thats true but after the total mess that was Unity 78 is looking pretty solid
 
Slasher mentioned in his review that fans will be happy and those who've never been or have tired of it likely won't change their minds with this release. Every game has its flaws of course, and those that you've mentioned seem to be easy for fans of the series to overlook, so long as they get to play the part of an overpowered assassin in historical locations.

I just dont understand who those fans are. Its been the exact same thing for 9 games year after year (not counting handheld versions). I mean, how much of the same wash and repeat gameplay can somebody stomach?
 
But the reviews describe what they found fun. Fun isn't important in a game?

Thats fine... but dont you think they should go into detail regarding the very biggest problem that plagued the last iteration?
i mean this is a professional review,,,
not my buddy who i bumped into
 
I just dont understand who those fans are. Its been the exact same thing for 9 games year after year (not counting handheld versions). I mean, how much of the same wash and repeat gameplay can somebody stomach?

ive played every single one(all to 100%) and enjoyed most of them. Unity was one of my favorite games in the franchise. So I would be one of those fans
 
I just dont understand who those fans are. Its been the exact same thing for 9 games year after year (not counting handheld versions). I mean, how much of the same wash and repeat gameplay can somebody stomach?

I'm one but I dropped out after AC2 and didn't come back till unity which I really enjoyed. I'm also one who has no time for the modern day plot so the 'new' Assassins creeds feel fresh to me
 

Setsuna

Member
I just dont understand who those fans are. Its been the exact same thing for 9 games year after year (not counting handheld versions). I mean, how much of the same wash and repeat gameplay can somebody stomach?

Nice to know that Syndicate plays the same as Assasins creed 1
 

Ralemont

not me
Thats fine... but dont you think they should go into detail regarding the very biggest problem that plagued the last iteration?
i mean this is a professional review,,,
not my buddy who i bumped into

They do. Or at least the ones I've read. Here's Eurogamer for example:

It all looks the part, too, with none of the problems that plagued the series last year. Syndicate's frame-rate is smooth and any NPC quirks are now few and far between. I saw only one real graphical bug in over 35 hours of play, although occasionally I'd have to reset a mission if something went awry with the game's mission sandbox. For example, one time I was escorting Alexander Graham-Bell safely across a street. For some reason, a ruckus had occurred off-screen which caused the police to charge in, knocking down and killing poor AGB, forcing a mission restart. But such moments are few and far between.
 
I just dont understand who those fans are. Its been the exact same thing for 9 games year after year (not counting handheld versions). I mean, how much of the same wash and repeat gameplay can somebody stomach?

I play them all. I like them. I don't talk about AC on GAF because all GAF seems to do is shit on them, and that's not fun.
 

jrcbandit

Member
As the reviews show, the series needs a shake up and new focus. The primitive AI won't cut it anymore, nor the collect-o-thon repetitive side missions. A sub 80 meta critic isn't surprising with these issues. It's also why I'd never pay $60 for this series anymore, $35-40 at most for me. Pc version already was $39 from a legitimate online retailer, and you can get eBay Nvidia codes for $35.
 

BouncyFrag

Member
Good to see this doing well. I only beat Rogue last week so I'll need more time away from the series before jumping back in.
 

Aeqvitas

Member
seems to me like the game is actually doing pretty well across the larger, more established and respectable websites. Seems like most of the low ones are coming from small sites I've mostly never heard of, and are mostly just looking to capitalize on negative feelings regardless of the quality of the gamer.

That said, I still probably won't pick it up this year unless I get it as a gift or there is a crazy cheap black Friday sale.

Really hoping the next entries move away from Europe and the more modern times. No more guns please.
 
Wow I can't believe I'm even considering getting another AC game. Dam it UBI you can't keep doing this to me!

did not expect positive reviews on this. I need to see it for myself. I don't trust propel when the day the overall structure of the game is better. It's not enough for me to just look at "cool" zip line animations all day
 

cakely

Member
It's reviewing higher than I predicted, based on the scores Unity received. It sounds like they've worked some issues out.
 

Stuart444

Member
I just dont understand who those fans are. Its been the exact same thing for 9 games year after year (not counting handheld versions). I mean, how much of the same wash and repeat gameplay can somebody stomach?

Some people enjoy the different settings enough that the same gameplay is okay for them? Plus Unity gameplay was still different enough from games before it and it feels a little fresh than the same old thing. (not saying it's radically different but it wasn't exactly the same I'd say)

I'm a fan of the franchise but I'm also happy to just wait it out until I know any major issues are fixed. I did that with Unity and I'm pretty sure I made the right decision since I didn't have much problems from a technical stand point.
 

kaioshade

Member
Didn't see this earlier but:

Anita's/Femminist Frequency's Review

Thought it was fantastic and the only review that I've cared to watch at this point.

Anita's review was solid, Even touched upon some of the bugs she encountered while playing. Shame about some of the narrative falling flat, but it still sounds better than i expected it to be.

I disagreed about one point she made about how Jacob and Evie were interjecting themselves into the lives and affairs of the people, as that is actually a point the games have pointed out about the assassins before in the narrative. But minor nitpick in an otherwise excellent review.
 

Dominator

Member
I just dont understand who those fans are. Its been the exact same thing for 9 games year after year (not counting handheld versions). I mean, how much of the same wash and repeat gameplay can somebody stomach?
It's not like these people are playing the games in order one after another. In that sense one would get tired of it easily, but I play AC every year and I enjoy it. I play many games in between that year span so I'm ready and in the mood for it when it comes out. Yeah it might be the same mechanics, but the characters and setting really bring me in and I like them quite a bit. I know some people despise the combat but it's serviceable to me and I have no problems.

The series has its issues no doubt, but to wonder why it has fans it's pretty ludicrous.
 

Riddler

Member
I just dont understand who those fans are. Its been the exact same thing for 9 games year after year (not counting handheld versions). I mean, how much of the same wash and repeat gameplay can somebody stomach?

Played all games except Chronicles.

For me each game added new things that kept the game interesting except for Revolution. AC:Blackflag ship was the best change 2nd only to AC2 which was a amazing leap. AC:Unity really left a sour taste with its bugs but after the patches it became playable and it was actually fun & beautifull looking.

Was on the fence with AC:Syndicate but after the reviews i'm all in and cant wait.
 
MGSV didn't have that good of an open world though.

good is highly subjective, obviously. I want a dynamic world full of emergent experiences. the open world in AC games has always felt static and lifeless despite being full of stuff. they're basically fancy menus where you select your mission.
 

WaffleTaco

Wants to outlaw technological innovation.
I just dont understand who those fans are. Its been the exact same thing for 9 games year after year (not counting handheld versions). I mean, how much of the same wash and repeat gameplay can somebody stomach?

It really has not been the entire same game. There have been gameplay improvements in nearly every game. Also this series is one of the few that makes history seem exciting and fun to learn about, and really bring the setting to life. Also assassinating people has always been fun and that will never change. I just really love the gameplay of it.
 

ogbg

Member
I haven't played an AC game since revelations but I'm a sucker for games set in Victorian london and this wide range of reviews isn't super helpful. I also wonder how much MGSV has affected open world game expectations. If this game has the same boring static open world that every other AC game has I'm kinda not interested.

If I were you I would hold off. Watching the streams it does seem like there are some dynamic elements, like when police attack rival gang members or your own or when your gang members get in fights with others, but mostly it's still a Ubisoft open world game which it sounds like you don't like.
 
If I were you I would hold off. Watching the streams it does seem like there are some dynamic elements, like when police attack rival gang members or your own or when your gang members get in fights with others, but mostly it's still a Ubisoft open world game which it sounds like you don't like.

I liked Far Cry 2! but then they forgot that they made it. : (
 

dreamfall

Member
Nice to see it reviewing pretty well across major outlets. I've been really excited about it, I think the relationship between Evie and Jacob sounds really neat, and Victorian London looks like a lot of fun to scale. Might pick it up tomorrow, maybe Black Friday! I really have enjoyed all the AC games- I like my annual fix.
 

Hystzen

Member
I play them every year they are like watching a summer blockbuster. They are dumb not that varied as know what to expect but are stupid fun to play which is point of games.
 

MAX PAYMENT

Member
I considered myself an AC fan until unity really screwed me over.

I want this to be good, but I'm afraid it's not. I want good GAF impressions.
 
I loved Black Flag but was bored to death by Unity


Tempted to pick this up. Do any of the reviews touch on what's improved from Unity specifically?
 

Karak

Member
I considered myself an AC fan until unity really screwed me over.

I want this to be good, but I'm afraid it's not. I want good GAF impressions.

A good number of GAFers already posted their reviews.

I loved Black Flag but was bored to death by Unity


Tempted to pick this up. Do any of the reviews touch on what's improved from Unity specifically?

I tried to.
Combat has been sped up and the responsiveness during combat is about double. I think Ubi was looking to cut latency in half in combat.
The dynamic night and day means gameplay feels unique depending on where you are and when, though that's graphically.
Framerate is much smoother with continual averages being higher than Unity.
The main base and how its handled is easily the best in the series so far to me.
Side missions are now, for the most part, thematically connected to the main plot.
 

Papacheeks

Banned
I feel the same way. AC4 had the best character arc in the series imo, since it was a one-off and didn't feel overly long like Ezio's. I felt it capped off his story perfectly and had a couple of nice overarching messages and themes too. His development was awesome. Here's hoping the Fryes get something similar. :)

Yea, I enjoyed it a lot. I'm hoping the whole gangs of London angle they are going with really hit's the right notes. The character seems to be someone who came from poverty in the streets of london. Rather than come from a rich family.
 
A good number of GAFers already posted their reviews.



I tried to.
Combat has been sped up and the responsiveness during combat is about double. I think Ubi was looking to cut latency in half in combat.
The dynamic night and day means gameplay feels unique depending on where you are and when, though that's graphically.
The main base and how its handled is easily the best in the series so far to me.
Side missions are now, for the most part, thematically connected to the main plot.


This sounds really good, especially the combat responsiveness. Traversal improved too? I found I was constantly battling to get Arno to do what I wanted, especially around windows.
 

Setsuna

Member
good is highly subjective, obviously. I want a dynamic world full of emergent experiences. the open world in AC games has always felt static and lifeless despite being full of stuff. they're basically fancy menus where you select your mission.

Metal gear solid 5 is about as static as it can get
 

Karak

Member
This sounds really good, especially the combat responsiveness. Traversal improved too? I found I was constantly battling to get Arno to do what I wanted, especially around windows.
Windows were indeed fixed, or improved as Ubi stated they knew that was a problem there. There is also less of them open as it depends on the time of year and if its friggen freezing outside lol.
Traversal as a whole is good though I still have issues sometimes with judging when I can just leap and when I need to use the parkour down button.
 
How are the Finishing move animations? Are they more varied like the older AC games?

Seeing how you only have a knife, cane and fist knuckles are the animations all the same in every encounter?
 

Karak

Member
How are the Finishing move animations? Are they more varied like the older AC games?

More varied? Hmm. I would say they are brutal and in your face but I wouldn't say I felt there were like hundreds like a fighting game. Some very impressive ones though.
Well as you would think weapons do adjust the animations. Your not punching with your sword like its a fist or something.
 

ogbg

Member
I just dont understand who those fans are. Its been the exact same thing for 9 games year after year (not counting handheld versions). I mean, how much of the same wash and repeat gameplay can somebody stomach?

It's not like people are playing it non-stop all year round until the next one comes out. I've probably played GTA5 once a year on average since it came out and that's the exact same game every time. Maybe you just don't enjoy the games which is fair enough.
 
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