| Assassin's Creed: Revelations | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Ubisoft Montreal |
| Publisher(s) | Ubisoft |
| Director(s) | Alexandre Amancio |
| Producer(s) | Martin Schelling |
| Designer(s) | Alexandre Breault |
| Writer(s) | Darby McDevitt |
| Composer(s) | Jesper Kyd[1] Lorne Balfe[2] |
| Series | Assassin's Creed |
| Engine | Anvil with Havok physics |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release date(s) | PlayStation 3 & Xbox 360
|
| Genre(s) | Action-adventure, stealth |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
| Distribution | Optical disc, down |
Assassin's Creed: Revelations is a 2011 historical fiction action-adventure open world stealth video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. It is the fourth major installment in the Assassin's Creed series, a direct sequel to 2010's Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, and the third and final chapter in the 'Ezio trilogy'. The game was released on the Playstation 3, Xbox 360, and Microsoft Windows in November and December 2011.
The story is set in a fictional history of real world events set in three time periods, and features three returning protagonists; Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad in 12th and 13th century Masyaf, Ezio Auditore da Firenze in 16th century Constantinople, and series protagonist Desmond Miles in 21st century America.[4][5] The main story follows the Assassin Ezio's journey to unlock the secret of Altaïr's vault in Masyaf using disc-like artifacts containing Altaïr's memories. Intersecting with these historical events are the modern day activities of Desmond, who relives Ezio's memories to find a way to fight against the Assassins' enemies, the Templars, and to prevent the 2012 apocalypse.
Assassin's Creed: Revelations is set in an open world and presented from the third-person perspective with a primary focus on using Ezio's, Desmond's, and Altaïr's combat and stealth abilities to eliminate targets and explore the environment. One of the protagonists (Ezio) is free to explore the Assassin Base in the city of Constantinople and the city itself to complete side missions away from the primary storyline.
Although critical response towards the game was positive, many noted a decline in quality in comparison to previous titles in the series. In spite of this, the game was still a large commercial success, out performing the sales of its predecessors. The game was followed by Assassin's Creed III in October 2012, a direct sequel that continued the story of Desmond Miles and introduced a new 18th century playable character.
Gameplay
The game follows the series' standard open world gameplay in the Ezio and Altaïr Sequences, where the game's main story takes place. New gameplay additions include an item called the "hookblade", which can be used to zipline across the city or grab enemies to yank them in for a combo attack. The hookblade reportedly speeds up navigation by around 30 percent.[6] Along with the hookblade, Ezio also has around 150 different bomb variations at his disposal, which are to be crafted.[7] The game features new "Desmond Sequences", "Dali-esque" first-person platforming missions in a radical departure for the series.[8] These "Desmond Sequences" can only be unlocked by collecting a certain amount of Data Fragments hidden throughout Constantinople. Data Fragments are a new type of collectible in Revelations, replacing the Borgia Flags of previous games in the series.
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Also added and expanded are seizing districts of the city from the Templars. While capturing a district is very similar to Brotherhood, the Templars will attempt to recapture districts, which Ezio must defend using a "tower defense" minigame, where he controls a group of Assassins from rooftops against several waves of Templar soldiers and siege equipment. Similar to Brotherhood, initiates can be sent on missions to other regions, eventually wresting control from the Templars, and then using the city to produce a stream of income and new Assassin recruits. The game is playable in full 3D across three platforms: PlayStation 3, PC, and Xbox 360, with the console versions supporting both stereoscopic 3D mode for 3D HDTVs and for 2D HDTVs. All Revelationsgameplay and cinematics have S3D support.[9]Multiplayer[edit]
Multiplayer gameplay also makes a return in Revelations. The mode expands the basics of online modes from Brotherhood with new characters and locations. Players are able to customize their characters' appearance. Matchmaking and game interface are also improved. Ubisoft says that while the component is returning, they're putting greater focus towards the narrative, as it's the heart of the franchise.[10] As players level up in the multiplayer game, they move up in their Abstergo Templar rank and gain access to more information about the company.
New multiplayer modes are added to the already existing modes, including "story-oriented quests", as well as a much requested Capture the Flag mode. Some multiplayer maps are based in the island of Rhodes.[11]Among the new additions is a new multiplayer mode — Deathmatch — which differs from the previous multiplayer gameplay in that there is no compass pointing toward your assigned target, rather, there is a box in the top right of the screen where your current target is displayed, which glows blue when you enter the line of sight of your target. There is also Simple Deathmatch, which also removes the abilities and perks from the players.
Players who preordered the game with specific editions received the Ottoman Jester, the Crusader, and the Ottoman Doctor. Those who played the Assassin's Creed Brotherhood multiplayer received the courtesan, a character who also appeared in the multiplayer for Brotherhood. DLC packs for new characters have been released.
Synopsis[edit]
Setting[edit]
Revelations features all three of the series' major characters: Desmond Miles, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad and Ezio Auditore da Firenze. The main part of the story takes Ezio to Constantinople, present day Istanbul, in 1511 AD, consisting of four districts: Constantine, Bayezid, Imperial, and Galata; Cappadocia during the rise of the Ottoman Empire, part of which is a completely underground city populated solely by Templars;[14][15] andMasyaf, where the old Assassins' stronghold is located (featured in the first Assassin's Creed game), to which Ezio travels at the beginning of the game.[15] He discovers Altaïr has sealed within the fortress an ancient artifact that is said to be a powerful weapon which could end the Templar-Assassin War forever, and had the keys hidden in Constantinople. Ezio uses these relics of the "First Civilization" that hold memories of Altaïr to relive Altaïr's experiences, during which players control Altaïr.[11]
The game continues Desmond's story in the present day, following the events of Brotherhood, where he is trapped in the Animus 2.0, in a comatose state,[16] in which he has found a safe mode known as "the Black Room". Here, Desmond must find a "synch nexus", a key memory that links him with Altaïr and Ezio, to reintegrate his splintered subconscious and awaken from his coma.[14] While in game, Ezio meets a variety of historical characters, including: Manuel Palaiologos, an heir to the now-lost Byzantine Empire; Byzantine Templars lurking in the shadows of Constantinople;[17] Prince Suleiman, a man who will one day become one of the Ottoman Empire's greatest Sultans; and his uncle, Prince Ahmet.Single-player plot[edit]
Following the ending of Brotherhood, present-day protagonist Desmond Miles has fallen into a coma due to the combined stress of being forced into killing Lucy Stillman and being controlled by Juno, the hologram attached to the Apple of Eden, a piece of Eden with hints of prolonged exposure in the Animus. While Shaun Hastings stays behind in Rome to attend Lucy's funeral, Rebecca Crane takes Desmond to New York and meets with his father, William Miles. In an effort to save Desmond's mind, the duo places him back in the Animus, though this time in the machine's safe mode, known as the "Black Room."
Upon awakening on Animus Island, the original Animus testing program located within the Black Room, Desmond meets the consciousness of Subject Sixteen, who occupied Abstergo's Animus before him. Sixteen explains that Desmond's mind is broken, and the only way for him to repair it is by reliving his ancestors' memories until there is nothing left for them to show Desmond, at which point the Animus can separate Desmond from Ezio and Altaïr, and awaken Desmond from his coma.[18]
Desmond enters the Animus Island's memory portal, which places him back in the perspective of Ezio Auditore. Four years after ending the life of Cesare Borgia, Ezio has traveled to the former Assassin's fortress in Masyaf to discover secrets Altaïr had previously discovered, and find the true purpose of the Assassins. Upon arriving, he finds Masyaf taken by the Templars, who mark him for death. Ezio escapes to the bowels of the castle, where he discovers the entrance to Altaïr's library.[19] He learns that five disc-like "keys" are required to unlock the door; that the Templars have one underneath the Ottoman Sultan's palace; and the rest lie hidden in Constantinople, part of the Ottoman Empire.[19][20] He travels there and is greeted by Yusuf Tazim, leader of the Turkish Assassin Order,[21] and befriends a young student named Suleiman.[22] Ezio learns that the keys were hidden in the city by Niccoló Polo. While searching for the old Polo trading post, Ezio encounters and befriends Sofia Sartor, a young Italian traveler and book collector, and eventually falls in love with her. Ezio discovers the locations of the remaining keys with Sofia's help, all the while keeping his intentions, growing feelings and position a secret from her.[23]
Meanwhile, Constantinople is in chaos due to conflicts between Prince Ahmet and his brother Selim, who are quarreling over who will inherit the Sultanate. Caught in the middle of the conflict, Suleiman reveals to Ezio that he is an Ottoman prince (Selim's son), and that he suspects the Templars are behind the feud. Ezio uncovers evidence that Manuel Palaiologos, with Templar support, is attempting to raise an army to overthrow the Ottomans and reestablish the Byzantine Empire. Ezio kills Manuel and recovers the final key,[24] only to discover that Ahmet is the true mastermind of the Templar plot to open Altaïr's library.
During these events, Ezio uses the keys in his possession to witness Altaïr's life after the events depicted in the first game. After killing Al-Mualim, Altaïr took possession of the Apple of Eden and assumed leadership of the Assassins. One of the Assassins, Abbas, did not support Altaïr due to past events, and for killing Al Mualim.[25] When Altaïr and his wife Maria left Masyaf for 10 years to repel the Mongol invasion, Abbas staged a coup d'etat, seizing control of the Assassins and executing Altaïr's youngest son Sef.[26] Altaïr sought revenge; but as Maria tried to stop him, another Assassin stabbed Maria in the back. Altaïr was forced to flee with his elder son, Darim, and went into self-imposed exile for 20 years. Altaïr finally returned to Masyaf, killed Abbas, then took his rightful place as the Assassins' leader. In the process, Altaïr told the dying Abbas the truth of the latter's father's death.[27] Years later, an aged Altaïr encodes his memories on the five keys Ezio would find, entrusting them to Niccoló.[28]
In Constantinople, Ezio discovers that Ahmet has killed Yusuf and kidnapped Sofia, demanding the keys in exchange for her life. Ezio agrees, but immediately gives chase upon ensuring Sofia's safety. He recovers the keys, but before he can deal with Ahmet, Selim arrives with his armies and executes Ahmet himself, after saying that their father "made his choice."[29] Due to his son Suleiman's endorsement, Selim has Ezio leave Constantinople, warning him never to return again. After completing this memory, the Animus begins to delete excess data—including Animus Island. Sixteen sacrifices himself to prevent Desmond from being deleted by the Animus.[30]
Ezio and Sofia return to Masyaf, where Ezio uses the keys to unlock Altaïr's library. He finds it empty except for Altaïr's skeleton and a sixth key. He discovers that the library was not meant to hold books—rather, it was a vault meant to house Altaïr's Apple of Eden.[31] Through the key, Ezio learns that Altaïr had sealed himself inside to preserve its secret from the Templars. Ezio leaves this Apple in the library, saying "I have seen enough for one life."[32] He then begins talking directly to Desmond, not knowing exactly who (or where) he is, but knowing that he is watching. While talking he discards his weapons. He tells Desmond that he realises that he is a "conduit for a message". He expresses hope that Desmond will be able to find answers to the questions he and Altaïr had worked so hard to uncover.[32]
Suddenly, Desmond is approached by Jupiter, a member of the First Civilization. He explains that the First Civilization had built numerous vaults to study methods to save the planet from destruction. All of the data collected was transmitted to a central vault, where the data was tested. None of the methods were effective, however, and they failed to stop the solar flare from destroying their civilization. Jupiter shows Desmond the location of the central vault, which from the map is located somewhere in New York, and tells him that he must save the planet from an impending second solar flare.
Upon hearing Jupiter's words, Desmond awakens from his coma and finds Rebecca and William standing with him, along with Shaun, who has returned from Rome. Desmond states that he knows what they must now do; meanwhile, the central vault activates underground.
During and after the credits, Animus Island reconstructs, allowing the player to access Desmond's memories as well as the open-world historical environment, though it is not explained how or why Desmond arrived at the Island again.
Multiplayer plot[edit]
The multiplayer aspect has its own plot from the Templar perspective. After training to become a Master Templar and being allowed into the Abstergo inner sanctum, the player is implanted with a tracker to ensure his/her trustworthiness. It is implied that Daniel Cross (Subject 4) is a member of the Templar inner sanctum. After reaching level 50 in the multiplayer, the player is dubbed an active agent, and assigned the task of retrieving the current Assassin Order Mentor, William Miles.[33]
Development[edit]
Assassin's Creed: Revelations was initially conceived as a Nintendo 3DS game called Assassin's Creed: Lost Legacy about Ezio traveling east to the Assassins' former city of Masyaf, where he would have discovered the origins of the Assassin Order.[34] It was first announced during Nintendo's E3 2010 press conference.[35] It was quietly cancelled and its main concept was developed into Assassin's Creed: Revelations.[36]
In November 2010, Ubisoft's CEO Yves Guillemot teased "something Assassin's related" in 2011, despite an earlier statement by Ubisoft Montreal's Jean-Francois Boivin that no Assassin's Creed game will be released in 2011.[37] Geoffroy Sardin of Ubisoft later confirmed that there will be a "big" Assassin's Creed game in 2011.[38] Guillemot also explained that ultimate goal for Ubisoft is to release new games in the franchise annually along with Ubisoft's most popular other franchises.[37] In February 2011, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot confirmed that the next Assassin's Creed game would be released during its next fiscal year, which starts on April 1, 2011, and ends on March 31, 2012.[39]
On April 29, 2011 the game's name was released on the official Assassin's Creed Facebook page, with a link which led to a flash file.[40] The teaser clip included the words, "Altaïr Ibn La-Ahad, Son of no one" in Arabic which hints that Altaïr, the main protagonist of the first game, may once again be the main protagonist of the game.[40] A third teaser clip for the game showed the city of Constantinople, which hints at it being the setting for the game.[41] In the E3 rumor section of its April 2011 issue, Xbox World 360 said Assassin's Creed: Revelations' is not Assassin's Creed III, but suggests that game is also secretly in the works.Revelations is likely to be "another slimline Brotherhood-style offering", Xbox World 360 stated.[42] On May 5, Game Informer released details of the game,[4] and the game was "officially" announced by Ubisoft atElectronic Entertainment Expo 2011.[43]
The game was developed primarily by Ubisoft Montreal in Canada. Production was aided in part by five other Ubisoft developers: Annecy, Massive, Quebec, Singapore and Bucharest. Lead writer Darby McDevitt said that Revelations, won't answer all the burning questions clouding the series, stating "Well, we won't answer everything because Desmond's story continues. But fans will definitely know most of the important details of Ezio and Altair's lives, and how they fit into the grand scheme."[44] McDevitt also stated that 85 percent of Assassin's Creed's overarching plot is already "mapped out". McDevitt claimed original Creedprotagonist Altair had his story arc written for two years, and that Ezio's ultimate fate was planned during the development of Brotherhood.[45]
Voice of Desmond Miles, Nolan North, urged Ubisoft to adopt motion capture methods similar to Naughty Dog's Uncharted. Speaking in an interview, North admitted there's a "disconnect" in the Ubisoft game's current setup, which has voice actors provide voice facial animation separately from body motion capture, which is recorded by different actors. "I wish it wasn't done separately," North said. "Don't get me wrong, the mo-cap actors do a great job, but there will always be somewhat of a disconnect when it's done this way. After my experiences on the Uncharted franchise, where the actors do both performance and voice, I can honestly say there is absolutely a difference," he added.[46]
The PC version of Assassin's Creed: Revelations does not force players to always be online to work like its predecessors, despite Ubisoft's recent claims that its policy is a success, insisting it has seen "a clear reduction in piracy of our titles which required a persistent online connection". It does, however, require an online activation the very first time the player plays the game. Following that, the player can play offline.[47]
Marketing and release[edit]
Ubisoft announced a PlayStation Network timed exclusive multiplayer beta for Assassin's Creed Revelations on August 10, 2011. The beta began on September 3, 2011 and finished September 17, 2011, exclusively for PlayStation Plus and Uplay members on PlayStation 3. On September 8, the multiplayer beta opened to everyone with a PSN account. The beta offered access to nine characters (The Sentinel, The Vanguard, The Guardian, The Vizier, The Thespian, The Deacon, The Bombardier, The Trickster, The Champion – all boasting different abilities), three maps (Knight's Hospital, Antioch, Galata) and four playable modes (the previously seen Wanted and Manhunt options joined by new Deathmatch and Artifact Assault variants).[48][49]
Media Molecule announced on November 15, 2011 that a new Ezio costume for Sackboy will be made available in LittleBigPlanet 2 to promote the launch of Assassin's Creed: Revelations.[50] Those who pre-ordered through Best Buy got an exclusive multiplayer character.[51] All day one copies of Revelations for the PlayStation 3 had the first Assassin's Creed bundled as part of the disc, which launched in 2007. Ubisoft called the announcement a "special partnership" between itself and Sony Computer Entertainment America, and that the deal only applies in Europe.[52] Additionally, Ubisoft released an Assassin's Creed: Revelations Avatar collection Xbox 360, which includes a Codex prop, Desmond's black hoodie, and a pet eagle. Also, the following outfits will be available: Ezio, Bombardier, Guardian, Sentinel, and Vanguard (female only).[51]
There are several different limited editions of Assassin's Creed Revelations. The Animus, Collector's and Special editions were available on all platforms and only in Europe, Australia and New Zealand, while theSignature Edition was only available in North America through GameStop for all platforms.[51][53][54][55] Those who pre-ordered Assassin's Creed: Revelations through GameStop automatically upgraded to theSignature Edition of the game at no extra cost. The Signature Edition features exclusive packaging, a bonus single-player mission (Vlad the Impaler Prison), an exclusive multiplayer character (Ottoman Jester), weapons capacity upgrades, an animated short film (Assassin's Creed Embers Movie) and the original game's soundtrack.[51][58]
The "PS3-Only edition" includes the standard game contents plus a complete version of the Assassin's Creed original game included in the game disc. This edition is only available to those who bought the game when it first released or pre-ordered it.[59] The Animus Edition features an Animus box, an in-depth encyclopedia, an animated short film (Assassin's Creed Embers Movie) and the original game's soundtrack. In-game content included is an exclusive mission (Vlad the Impaler Prison), an armor from Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (Armor of Brutus) in single-player, weapons capacity upgrades, and two additional multiplayer characters (The Crusader and Ottoman Jester).[53][54][55]
Downloadable content[edit]
Uplay content[edit]
Ubisoft's Uplay system enables further in-game enhancements which can be redeemed by points that are given when playing the game. The available awards are a Revelations theme or wallpaper for PC and PlayStation 3, Solo Pack, Mediterranean Exclusive Missions, and Multiplayer Pack which unlocks the Knight.
Ancestors Character Pack[edit]
On the day of the game's launch, Ubisoft announced that it was working on various downloadable Content (DLC) for the game. The first one announced was a character pack, which was released in December 2011.[dated info] The character pack included four new multiplayer characters which include the Privateer, Corsair, Brigand, and Gladiator.
Mediterranean Traveler Map Pack[edit]
The second DLC pack announced was the Mediterranean Traveler Map Pack, which was released on January 24, 2012. The contents of the pack include six new maps, three of which return from Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood.[60]
The Lost Archive[edit]
The story DLC is dubbed The Lost Archive. It focuses on Subject 16, includes Lucy, and details 16's entry into the Assassins, and his capture by Abstergo. It was released on February 28, 2012. Following Subject 16's apparent death by suicide(apparently slitting his own wrists to write a message in blood), 16 is recruited by the Assassins to infiltrate Abstergo and steal information relating to the prototype Animus. After learning of the importance of the Animus to Abstergo, the Assassins arrange for 16 to be captured, later to be freed by Lucy, who is revealed to be a Templar double agent. It is heavily implied she was enraged at her apparent abandonment at Abstergo by the Assassin order. 16 also inadvertently targets Desmond as another target by revealing Ezio Auditore as the Assassin Mentor. Lucy, realizing 16 has learned of her allegiance, allows 16 to be driven insane by the Animus and is planning to stage an escape with Desmond so that he can lead the Templars to another Apple of Eden. After completing the sequence, 16's consciousness is caught in "The Loop" a cycle of memories buried within Desmond. After collecting disparate fragments, a backdoor is revealed, allowing 16's consciousness to send a parting letter to his father, with whom he had a constantly strained relationship due to his mother's abandonment.[citation needed]
Reception[edit]
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Assassin's Creed: Revelations has received generally positive reviews. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and Metacritic gave the PlayStation 3 version 80.05% and 80/100,[61][64] the Xbox 360 version 79.37% and 80/100,[62][65] and the PC version 74.67% and 80/100.[63][66] IGN gave the game a rating of 8.5 out of 10, stating "This is the best Assassin's Creed yet, even if that victory is claimed by an inch and not a mile. If you've been following the lives of Altair and Ezio this long, you owe it to yourself to see their last adventure."[72] 1UP gave the game a rating of B+, stating "While Revelations lacks that one supreme improvement or standout mechanic that defined AC2and Brotherhood each, it's still a damn fine sendoff for Altair and Ezio."[67]
Edge gave the game a rating of 7 out of 10, saying that "unlike the elegant lead, who's grey-haired but unbowed by the end of the adventure, Assassin's Creed has been quietly compromised by age."[69] Eurogamer also gave the game a rating of 7 out of 10, writing "where Brotherhood enhanced the thrill of being Ezio Auditore, Revelationsdistracts from it. Ezio may look old, but it's the series itself that really shows its age."[70]
VideoGamer gave the game a rating of 7 out of 10, stating "So, for the first time, a new Assassin's Creed game is worse than its predecessor, the first time the short development period has had a noticeable impact on the game's quality. It's a game of nearlies and might-have-beens: summed up by the hookblade, a supposedly key new feature which in practice merely extends Ezio's reach slightly, and allows him to glide down the occasional zipline."[75] GamePro also gave the game a rating of 7 out of 10, saying that "at its core, this is the Assassin's Creed we've grown to love in recent years, and it still serves as a pretty good time sink -- plus, it's a necessary bridge to next year's already-announced follow-up. But obligation shouldn't be the primary reason to play something, and sadly, that's too often the case in this humdrum campaign."[76]
Game Informer gave the game a rating of 8.75 out of 10, writing "a number of new features have been attempted to make Revelations feel new and different from its predecessors. In that quest for broader variety and a unique identity from the earlier games, Revelations makes some missteps that are hard to ignore. However, the game offers more of what has been great about the franchise, and that should be enough to bring most fans to the table, even if it a poor starting point for new players."[77] GameTrailers also gave the game a rating of 8.8 out of 10, saying that "the engine is a bit long in the tooth and some of the content isn't entirely worth exploring, but if you're looking for an unforgettable top shelf action/adventure, heed the creed."[73]
Official Xbox Magazine gave the game a rating of 8.5 out of 10, stating "What's available here remains as ridiculously appealing as ever. It's still a thrill unique to the series to be perched six stories high, looking out across miles of meticulously rendered game world — even if that dazzling, danger-filled world has grown overly familiar, having traded what was once revolution for iterative evolution."[79] UK PlayStation Official Magazine gave the game a rating of 9 out of 10, stating "As a conclusion for Ezio's chapter, Revelations proves an utterly brilliant swansong."[80]
Sales[edit]
Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot announced during an earnings call on November 8, 2011, that pre-orders for Assassin's Creed: Revelations were "significantly higher" than figures for Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, yet the firm is still expecting a "double digit decline" in sales for Revelations compared to the other title.[81] According to NPD Group, Revelations was the fourth-best selling game in the U.S. in November 2011. Ubisoft announced sales of Revelations were up 10 percent year-on-year on 2010's Brotherhood. That puts Revelations first month total at around 1.26 million.[82] Revelations debuted at second place in the UK video game sales chart in its first week. Its week one numbers were better than those of its predecessor Brotherhood by four percent in unit terms and eight percent in revenue, making it the best performing title both in the series and in Ubisoft's history to date. 61 percent of the game's sales occurred in the first 24 hours.[83] As of February 15, 2012, the game has shipped 7 million copies worldwide.[84]
Reference
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassin's_Creed:_Revelations
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