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GOWTLOZ on 26 August 2018
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Barozi said:
GOWTLOZ said:

Syndicate was good and it felt like an Assassin's Creed game. My problems stem from AC 4, Rogue and Origins where the series loses its identity. They aren't bad games, they just lack what attracted me to the series.

Syndicate still wasn't quite as good as AC 2 and Brotherhood, that was the height of the AC series.

At the time, yeah. AC2 was my favourite, but I bet if I was playing it today, I wouldn't nearly like it as much. Gameplay-wise a lot has improved and mission design is also a lot better and more varied nowadays.
Tailing and eavesdropping missions are the worst kind of activities in any AC game and they got (almost) rid of them later on.
AC2 also doesn't have nearly as much content as the modern AC games, which is understandable since the maps are far bigger in later games.

The gameplay mechanics are a definitely better in Syndicate. But AC as a series has never centred around the gameplay which is really shallow compared to most other games. The thing that draws me to AC 2 are its cities, Florence, Tuscany and Venice. These are some of the most beautiful, atmospheric and soulful cities I've experienced in a game, they feel like real places where you would want to stay. They are also varied, with Florence having those massive streets and intricate paths, the huge cathedral at the centre and warm weather. Tuscany had an ancient feel to the city and the surroundings with the lush garden and satellite villages. Venice of course has its beautiful canals and its iconic design, and its tall buildings right on the sea. Forli and mountains were also good. These were all in 1 game but felt like they could be their own games with the bigger cities and a separate game with the smaller cities. The loading screens between these enhanced the experience by making the map feel huge. It was loading screens done right. Monterrigioni remains the best hub in the series and among the best hub in all of gaming.

The soundtrack was absolutely breathtaking and suited the story and the era. Jasper Kyd created a masterpiece of a soundtrack and AC 2 and Brotherhood's soundtracks are my favourite in games. The story of AC 2 was good, the pacing was masterful, the characters were well developed in their motives, even side characters were well portrayed. The stealth missions involved some of the best stealth designs in the series, where it really mattered. Its not often that I care for story and characters in a game but AC 2 made me care for them. It was beautiful and soulful game. The sequels were much more factory produced, good in their own ways and improved the core gameplay but lack the soul of AC 2.