Disclaimer
This blog will consist more than entirely of the author’s thoughts and nostalgia for the times when the hoods were whiter and the towers were grounded. The author does not intend to offend or hurt anyone’s feelings. He just wants to share a piece of his childhood.
I remember the times when dynamic sand particles creaked between my teeth, and color correction created the illusion of heat – I remember the times Assassin’s Creed. It was already back in 2008, then we weren’t so spoiled by open worlds, so the first assassin attracted the attention of many players, including me. Hoods, cunning blades, crusaders, PARKU-U-UR – all this caused, in our still immature minds, wild delight. I still remember how I went to the now dying out computer club after school to chase the assassin. In those days, we didn’t care about the context: who we are?, why do we?, why us? – all this was not important, what was more important was that there was some suspicious guy standing over there in a white robe with a cross on it. Hey, why does he speak French?
However, over time, we learned the game completely, which was divided into two stages: modernity And memories.
Modernity
Our time is well described by one word – boredom. The game was deprived of beautiful cut scenes, therefore, basically the entire production was tied to the fact that two or more characters communicate, and we (players) are free to walk around the closed area and “listen” to them. Of course, it’s hard to demand a performance from Tarantino from the debut game in the series, but nevertheless, it only made me want to skip the scene. I think it was in this game that my social phobic tendencies were revealed; during the first playthrough I always turned Altair’s back to the interlocutor, supposedly he was a “bad guy”. Overall, an attempt to follow the plot of the game in "modernity" will remind you of watching a movie"Defenders" from director Sarik Andreasyan. Everything is presented in dialogues, completely statically, although sometimes offering to click the camera on assigned places, or still circling around the interlocutor. We also have the opportunity to read the correspondence of researchers who should tell us who Abstergo is, revealing to us a sudden turn. Oh yeah, Abstergo. Abstergo is a dystopian company straight out of cyberpunk that is trying to take root in all areas of people’s lives because (suddenly) is a subsidiary branch of the Templars – the blood enemies of the Assassins.
Memories
This is a completely different level: 4 large and 2 not so big locations. 4 Cities, one intercity and linear location. Need I tell you, looking back today, how well the locations are designed?. I think they will tell you more eloquently about the size of the locations collectobals (flags), which were enough at each location, about 100 pieces at each.
All the players were, to put it mildly, fascinated by the intro, which had already been staged, and I think everyone tried to repeat it in the game, but there was one catch – crossbow. Personally, I, with my friends, believed that having taken out absolutely all the flags and killed all the Templars (60 people trained to parry and repel our attacks), then we will get precious crossbow. Of course, then no one had the nerves to collect everything, however, if we had done it, our disappointment would have known no bounds, because it was just bike.
In addition to well-developed locations that you wanted to explore not only by running across the roof from the guards, but also calmly, on foot through the streets, the game contained a simple but enjoyable combat – strike, dodge, counterstrike, interception and the opportunity to flash your heels. And if you chose the latter, then the good old style chase began GTA. True, to finish it, you could kill all the guards (which violates the code and blah blah blah), or canonically hide: disguised in a crowd of monks/imams, sitting on a bench, in a haystack, or in a gazebo. Freedom stands out among the advantages of the game. If in modern times we are limited to a spacious, but still prison, then here we have something different – complete freedom in everything.
How it begins synchronization (local equivalent of https://nongamstop-casinos.uk/no-limit-casinos/ the chapter): we receive an assassination task from Al Mualim (mentor of all assassins) and that’s all. Do whatever you want, even steal knives from bandits and kill everyone you see (although from killing civilians you will receive a minus in karma, in the form of a loss from the health scale (which is also made in the style of synchronization, they say, your ancestor did not kill any civilians and did not miss any blows), but after half a minute, the lost health point will be restored (this was 2007-08, then autoregen was in fashion)).
Briefing, reconnaissance, murder, briefing, reconnaissance, murder – romance (and believe me, not without reason)
Fortress and base of assassins – Masyaf
But if we started doing what we were told, then we followed a well-honed scenario – go to the intercity area, here referred to as the “Kingdom” and head to the city, and there were 4 of them: Masyaf – Assassin Base, Acre – a port city captured by the crusaders, Jerusalem and Damascus – essentially two large Muslim cities. Returning to the topic of location, it is worth adding that the player was limited in movement, for example, we always had one entrance to the city, and a small road to it, moreover, we could not climb the city walls, only individual towers and a fortress in Acre, which is surrounded by water. It is worth noting that Altair suffers from Tommy Verceti syndrome – he cannot swim.
But let’s return to our sheep again. Each city: Jerusalem, Acre and Damascus is divided into 3 areas: poor, proletarian and bourgeois. Each district will have its own class and population, which can be identified by clothing, appearance and structure of buildings. This doesn’t affect gameplay at all.
You won’t get robbed in a poor area if you have no money at all.
And here it’s worth talking about the devil, who is in the details:
Firstly these are people: they are completely different, for example you can meet bandits from whom you can dangle throwing knives, instead of returning to Masyaf. Porters, people who carry something from one side to the other, and if you hit them, they will drop their load and blame you for it, people will look back at you and you will receive attention that is not desirable for a hidden killer, fortunately you could hold down the button and Altair would begin to gently push people away.
During the first launch of the animus, we go through quite a thoughtful training, in which we are taught, among other things, to push people away. This task was set for us by passing through a huge crowd of women with jugs on their heads, walking closely in a circle. Honestly, this scene resembles a crowd of people playing Pokemon GO, where is your task to get through the same crowd.
Patients are psychos who push you, also attracting attention, or these nice people can even push you into the water, which will be fatal for Altair, because, as you know, all assassins are sugar. Beggars – maidens begging for alms, preventing Altair from moving.
Secondly environment: street, fo… walls, counters. Every city has its own details.
For example in Acre the poor area is dilapidated, due to the fact that not much time has passed since the siege, there is also a hospital in the same area where our goal is located. To the south is the church with the tallest spire in the game. And already in the east there is a port.
Damascus distinguished by a large bazaar, a “square” resembling a coffee shop, the estate of a local governor and libraries for theologians.
Jerusalem this is the Temple Mount, a small fortress of smugglers, a cemetery and many churches: Christian, Jewish and Muslim.
Thirdly it’s the wind. And I’m serious here, I didn’t observe this detail in other parts. If you stop and just stand on the roof, you will notice how the robes rise in the wind, fluttering on it. You won’t notice this effect while standing on the street.
Fourth This is an amazing feature of the first part. You will greatly increase the interest, hardcore and excitement of the game by simply turning off the interface, and then starting to play the game from the very beginning. You’ll have to listen to the characters you interact with. For example, in each city there is a local branch of the brotherhood of assassins, which will have its own mentor. After the briefing in Masyaf, you can go to the local branch of the brotherhood, in one of the cities, and find out where, how and what to look for; according to his tips, you may well be able to find information that is enough to kill. However, by connecting your attention, peering and listening, you will understand and find new clues to achieve complete synchronization(100%). While gathering information about murder, you
get hints: where the archers will stand, which doors will be closed, how best to get to the enemy, etc., just don’t forget to look at them before killing.
Having talked about the advantages, we can also tell about the cons.
The first disadvantage is the monotony of routinely leaving Masyaf and going to Roach horses to the city, go through the guards at the entrance, open the map, perform the same tasks (run, deliver, beat, collect), go to the police station, go to the meeting point, watch the scene, kill, hide, return to the police station. You will have to go through this algorithm 9 times, and it will be about 10 hours of pain if you decide to complete the game in one gulp.
The second disadvantage is the leveling of Altair. Initially, Altair is a master assassin, but due to a certain mistake, he was demoted to Shohi a beginner, and in this beginner’s set the player cannot even counterattack the opponent normally, which suggests that the player will act stealthily at first. However, later we are given certain things like a belt, a sheath for throwing knives, a dagger, an improved sword and an improved dagger. After each kill, Altair will return part of his master equipment.
Although there are fewer of these disadvantages, the first one is very significant, which can cover the other advantages for most players.
I tried not to touch the plot, except for the part in modern times, since those who played in assassin’s creed remember him, but those who don’t… Well, I hope that for you I have provided enough reasons and arguments to play assassin’s creed for the first time, or repeat it, for more interesting, without an interface.
And on this note, I say goodbye to my reader. Play good games. If you want, share your memories and impressions of your first playthrough in the comments. Next time we will be nostalgic for a thoroughbred, strong sequel, in which there is only a few times more. About the great and mighty..
