I feel the same way about the plot. I spent a decent amount of time watching my roommate play the game and I can't figure out why the hell they through that in there. your two games one budget is the best explanation I have heard.

It does look like a fun game though.

I went back after i beat the game, to complete the DNA strand, and nothing happened. Disappointed till the end. And why did they put flags in the game? It makes no sense and its nearly impossible to collect all of them.

 After the 8th kill it does, and then CVG explained the ending and it all makes sense (I won't give you the link in case you are tempted to spoil it for yourself!). If you read the email, nick Vidic's pen at some point, and read them then it does. The Desmond world has quite a lot of stuff and really adds to by the end. I am really anticipating the next one, the end suggests a number of possibilities for the sequel.

    I actually loved it, after borrowing it from a friend, and it is has some of the most memorable moments in VG history (probably not, but still...) when you first get to the road into Dalmascus, and see the whole city in front of you, it is breathtaking. Personally, I only did the miniumum number of investigations, because they are all really similar, and so the less you do, the more fun they are. My favourite parts were just running around on rooptops asssassinating archers. The assinations themselves are good, but I don't think I ever stealth assassinated anyone, although I did sneek up on someone, but I was running at the time, so it wasn't the same.