Assassin's Creed: Revelations: Where Did It Go Wrong? Ubisoft Needs A Break?

Pinoytutorial: After the mediocre review scores received by Assassin's Creed: Revelations, we're now analyzing the points needed to be rectified by Ubisoft if it wants the franchise to survive for a few more years.

Do you think Ubisoft should take a break with its annual release of Assassin’s Creed titles? Show your comments below.

[Chuk5]

When you think about it, a lot of the games coming out tomorrow are B material. Apart from Saints Row 3 and Rayman, everything else just seems tired.

[clank543]

Oh, come on. AC isn't B material if you're looking forward to the story and enjoy the first two games! I cannot wait to see the end of Ezio's story and I'm sure many other people feel the same. This is the end of a quick three year trilogy with all 3 games being iterative of each other and the continuity being high. I like to think of them as one huge 70 hour Assassin's Creed game that they just couldn't fit on one disc.

[WitWolfy]

couldn't agree more with you man

[Der_Kommandant]

@clank

Couldn't say it any better myself

[TBM]

I know im looking forward to finishing the story. Also looking forward to the new gameplay elements. These reviews mean nothing.

[Inzo]

Well said, I just started playing both MW3 and AC and at the moment I am enjoying AC more. MW3 just like BF3 is a major let down and it had much better reviews than AC, that makes me think, are reviewers playing different games than us or is money doing the reviewing?

[Fylus]

Clank, I just want Ezio's story to end already... Ubisoft saw Ezio's popularity sky rocket after AC2 and they've been milking his character since. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE AC, but honestly, apart from MP, ACR doesn't look any different from ACB, and I don't buy AC for MP. Ezio's story is just getting a little stale for me.

I'll buy a new AC when they finally take on a new character or fulfill my fantasy (Which is to play as Desmond through a modern city in his own time).

[STONEY4]

Kill me now, but I'd rather have had more Altair than Ezio. IMO he was the better character. And way smarter. But they REALLY need to move on from milking Ezio and AC. I loved AC2. I liked AC:B for the set pieces and variety. But Italy is getting old.

AC3 needs to finish the series with an epic modern day (future from our time) setting.

[milohighclub]

I've been a massive, massive fan of Ac since the first game, but ubi are milking this game and its pissed me off. It's been basically the same game for the last 3 years now. Every thing I hate about cod ubi have managed to do with what I consider one of the best ip's of this gen. Thank u ubi for ruining it. I will finish this game but only because I've put so much time and money in to the game and I want to know how it all turns out. I'm just sick of paying every year for the basically the same game.

@ fylus. Exactly bring on desmond. Modern time story is the best part, tbh I couldn't give a shit about ezio, I wasn't that keen on him from ac2. I'm finding it really hard to play the new game its just irritating me.

[AngryTypingGuy]

NO FRANCHISE should come out annually. Every 2 to 3 years is perfect for a videogame IP, otherwise it will just get tired. Sports games are an exception, because at the very least rosters need to be updated.

[t0mmyb0y]

cosign

[Skip_Bayless]

Assassins Creed's story is lame. I got tired of Assasins Creed when the 2nd one came out. Same game and same graphics. Ubisoft makes money off of blind fools like you.

[saladthieves]

Agreed - the storytelling and gameplay elements dealing with Ezio's storyline are superb.

[Saladfax]

Please tell me, John Madden, that your name isn't any indication of your game preferences.

Although it does make your statement of profit from blind fools hilariously hypocritical.

[Skip_Bayless]

Along time ago there was a fad of choosing famous people's names. This account is like 5 years old.

Now back on topic. I didn't buy Madden this year. And am extremely dissapointed with the current generation of Madden games.

I find Assasins Creed to be really repetitive. Mirrors Edge and Uncharted do parkour better because they mix it up. In Assasins Creed it seems like I'm climbing the same looking generic buildings for the uptinth time.

[SnotyTheRocket]

AC3 in Japan? IM IN

[KwietStorm_BLM]

I don't know what goes on when YOU think, but Saint's Row isn't even bargain bin material for me, and Assassin's Creed is far from B material. Rayman looked very refreshing until I found out it wasn't a digital game. I'm not dropping 60 bucks for that, especially this season.

[Fylus]

That is exactly the way I reacted about the Rayman thing. It looked like a game I could have fun with for a couple hours after dropped around 10 bucks... then I noticed it was a full $60 retail game... Yeah, no.

[danielle007]

I would honestly take another look at Rayman Origins, if I were you. It's beautiful, and packed with content.

[GraveLord]

How many studios do they have working on the franchise?
Do they at least have 2? OR is 1 studio getting worked to death every single year?

[Nitrowolf2]

5 worked on Brotherhood and 6 worked on Revelations
http://n4g.com/news/631931/...
http://www.pcgamer.com/2011...

[chaldo]

i think its better than than ac2 and brotherhood =/

[ironfist92]

Agreed, Its the best of the series. I dunno where all thse 'mediocre reviews' are, especially when its a completely different game, yet reviewers feel the need to give MW3 a 9 everytime it rolls around...

[ginsunuva]

It could be better than the others by 0.1% - that doesn't make it worthy of a higher score just because it's technically better.
This means that the other ACs were better for their time of release than now.

And just because mw3's scores are undeservingly inflated doesn't mean they should inflate other scores as well. Then they would have to kick up 10/10 games to 11.

[milohighclub]

IT'S THE EXACT SAME GAME BUT WITH DIFFERENT CUT SCENES AND A FEW NEW FEATURES.

[cjflora]

I really don't get why 7 is a bad score. The way people see scores these days is ridiculous. If a game isn't at least a 9, it's garbage.

[guigsy]

Seriously I've been playing it today and it's BY FAR the best in the series so far.

[ironfist92]

Definitely the BEST AC game.

Each game has gotten better, despite the short period time. I honestly wasnt expecting Brotherhood to be better than 2 but it was pretty damn packed!

And now Ubisoft has done it all again, new gameplay mechanics, new story, new setting, new characters, new EVRYTHING! TYhe only thing kept the same is Ezio (and they even changed him by making him older!), and the gameplay....which really needs to be changed in Ac3 so its a lot more smoother like Batman.

[frostypants]

Clearly, Ubisoft needs to spend more on gift baskets and butt kissing of reviewers. Take a page from Activision...their annual rehash got strong scores.

[Double_Oh_Snap]

They need AC1 two AC2 time, and we would see greatness.

[newflesh]

What?

[dawgsfan117]

Not to be a grammar nazi but the confusion stems from his use of "two" instead of "to".

[Starbucks_Fan]

We should take the Assassin's Creed series, and PUSH IT SOMEWHERE ELSE!

[newflesh]

Space maybe?

[AntiTroll]

I see what you did there.

[C_Menz]

Mediocre review scores? When were 8's-9's bad? The game is great and they shouldn't change to much since they have the feel down. People buy the AC games now for the excellent story, settings, and the slight game play additions. It is one of the few great SP franchises the generation.

[Neo Nugget]

Hell, IGN gave Brotherhood an 8 last year, and I thought it was awesome.

(They gave Revelations an 8.5)

[Ryo-Hazuki]

Because people are so use to the inflated scores nowadays if its not a 9 or above its a flop. Game journalism is the problem. I remember years ago that a 7 or 8 was a really great score but thanks to the critics in today's gaming world they hand out so many 9's and 10's like its going out of style. 9's or above use to be reserved for the true stepping stone of gaming the true classics.

[Convas]

Wow, talk about a heavy-handed, hit whoring article. 8s and 9s do NOT constitute a mediocre game.

[danielle007]

To be fair, it has been getting a fair amount of 7s as well. With the inflation in review scores - those reviewers are basically stamping it with mediocre. Since the scale goes from 5 to 10 now, basically.

That's not to say I agree in any way that it is mediocre. It's Assassin's Creed, and reviewers obviously can not be trusted.

[hkgamer]

Agree with you all the way... maybe they should learn how to rate games from 1-10 instead of 5-10.

But I guess its too risky for any journalists to do that since it messes with the metacritic score and stupid "gamers"(fanboys) will get pissed and avoid/boycott the reviewers website.

[jc48573]

maybe they do need a break

[jdktech2010]

Give me ac3 next year...take a break and develop a new engine and deliver ac4 in 2014. That's my take on what they should do

[Neo Nugget]

I'm down with that.

...isn't that what they plan to do anyways?

[Ch1d0r1]

Been skiping all these AC versions, looks like they are milking the franchise but at the same time revolutionizing multiplayer.

But yea just give us AC3. Thank god they don't own Uncharted.

[jdktech2010]

They're really not. In my opinion, they've put out 2 top notch stories with AC2 and AC: Brotherhood and I've heard the same about AC: Revelations. The one thing AC has over games like COD or Madden is story and not just gameplay and in that they've delivered.

They've added new mechanics every year and so far I've loved all of them. Assassins Creed is the one yearly franchise I don't think twice about buying as they've all been solid and I expect the same from Revelations (plus a lot freaking answers please).

That being said if you are interested in AC3, you really need to get AC2, Brotehrhood and Revelations as it's an ongoing saga and I'm not sure how out of the loop you would be by skipping them.

Just my two cents

[TheDivine]

They really need to change the setting and add more stealth. AC2-Brotherhood-Revelations all seem like the same game. If they switched it to Egypt in its prime, China, Japan during samuri times, or America during the revelutionary war it would seem more fresh. Im sure ACR is still an amazing game. The series reminds me of fable because of the TD elements and buying property. Not many games like it that mixes genres so well. I skipped Brotherhood so il prob give this a go. I loved part 2 but it did get repetitive and was really easy.

[Neo Nugget]

I don't think you can really *skip* Brotherhood and just play Revelations. They're intended to be played in order.

[showtimefolks]

I am not a fan if AC series I did buy all 3 games the 1st on launch. To me the mission structure needs to change with more verity and the Combat needs a serious wake up call.

Do I dislike the series yes but it's just like COD as long as it's selling why should UBI stop a making it? In gaming if you want to make a difference speak with your wallet.

We all hate on these sequels and say we want new Ips or we want the devs to take new risks with current franchises but when they make some significant changes to the game we as a majority are the first ones to hate on it and talk about boycotting it. We run to the stores to buy sequels yet when new IP launches it has hard time selling. We as the gamers are the solution but we are also the biggest problems to gaming community.

So be like me if you don't like a series don't buy it or if you do buy it wait for a huge price drop than buy used so your money does not end up to the devs or publishers.

2012 next AC game which will sell 5-8 million
2012 next COD which will set new records
2012 next medal of honor which will be mediocre yet sell 6-8 million

So for the forseable future get use to these 3 gaming series coming out every year because they each will sell well.

A mediocre Homefront can sell 3million in one month yet resistance 3 and rage which are much better shooters can't ge that? So stop getting hyped into these over rated games. Batman over all is 96/100 after playing it it's good but no way in he'll is it a 96/100 so reviewers get hyped into this too.

We need to hold these devs to higher standards. In 2nd half of batman a lot of your time will be wasted in just finding out where you are suppose to go to some people that might be fun but to most we need to know where we are suppose to head to

Rage how come a so called open world game has no map?

So I will stay away from AC and get saints row the 3rd more bang for my buck

[Scotty056]

Completely disagree. Arkham City was a damn good game. At Very least it deserved a 9/10, and the end missions only added to it. I don't see what you mean about "getting sent all over" because the plot wraps up quite well.

As for Assassins Creed, I think that a 7 is a mediocre score but not an 8. The fame looks to be very entertaining, and I think a lot of is will disagree with the "mediocre" reviews.

[Theyellowflash30]

The game is using the same engine since it debuted in 2007..... And engine that wasn't that good to begin with. The combat is easy and unintuitive. The controls always feel awkward. They need a new engine and more challenging unique combat.

[STICKzophrenic]

I think you just try to button mash.

For the most part, the controls are great. There's lots of stuff to climb and you move fairly quickly, so it's only natural for your character to go somewhere you don't want him to go.

The combat is awesome. I love the counter system and once you learn it, it makes chaining together combo kills very smooth and satisfying.

I'm only through the first sequence, but I'm loving the game so far.

[Theyellowflash30]

No im not trying to button mash, This is coming from someone who beat Bayonetta, Castlevania, God of war, Demon Souls on the hardest difficulty. The combat is easy and not that fun. Not a lot of depth either. Countering is far to easy. And the controls are clunky, im not the only one who has said that. Batman Arkham City has a much smoother combat system where chaining combos is fun, fast, and takes more skill than Assassin's Creed easily.

[Brownghost]

Look at the source engine, the engine is great with portal with years of age and new engines arent always necessary. controls feel fine to me and handle great and whats wrong with the engine, it looks good and the game has better graphics and character models.

[WitWolfy]

I love AC! I totally went into a AC phase last year and bought both AC 2 and BH at the same time, and enjoyed it to bits. One of the best game trillogies I played this generation. PERIOD!

[Grimhammer00]

I'm getting my preorder tomorrow. But I'll admit, I'm far more interested in mp. It's brilliant and fresh.

Ezio's story has simply dragged on too long and has deevolved the main story into Ezio's life in review. Lol

I do find it ironic that in a game about assassins, very little stealth is required. And mp is precisely awesome because it requires the stealth the series single player needs so badly!

Ubisoft.....please, give us tenchu but with your new era and location, culture. Make it rewarding to succeed, while punishing if you get discovered.
As it is now, Ezio could just walk into a army of Templar and leave with their heads. Lol

[Brownghost]

most innovative player this gen thats not a shooter

[joab777]

Its simple. AC revelations is suffering from release date timing. Had it released in September, I beloved it may have gotten more 9's. Fromwhat i have read, its the best plot, the graphics r better, all the great things from previous entries are there, but there's a few aspects should have been scrapped. I've read that the MP is back and better than before and that we get all the answers we wanted. So, what's the problem?

Here's the problem. It isn't a tower defense mini game. It isn't desmonds fps experience, it isn't the quest structure, the fighting, or years of similarity. Now, imagine being a reviewer in 2011 w all the AAA titles and the hype surrounding them. U have finished playing and reviewing deus ex, gears 3, rage, batman, battlefield 3, uncharted 3, mw3, forza 4, Zelda, and skyrim. In the horizon is bioshock and mass effect 3. Gta 5 was just announced. The review standards have literally changed a few times in a few months and its time to review AC revelations.

Now, u have to ask urself, where does it stand in regards to these other games? So, maybe its scores are surprising, but i can't wait to play it...if i ever have time. It is a great thing that they released it. Now, they can move on w the 3rd installment. And, yes, they will have have to make serious advancements for the next installment because they chose to release annually and have now wore thin their own template. But, i have faith.

It is odd though, that, once again cod is bullet proffered from similar critiques of contempory franchises, getting great reviews. Ubisoft chose the money route as dis cod, but cod suffers very little if at all for it. And my money is on AC revelations as the superior sp...by a long shot. And its MP isn't shabby either.

[Reborn]

I completed it, and I must say, it does answer a LOT of questions. So AC3 will be a must have for those following the story.

Then I'd say they need to take a break.

[ZippyZapper]

mediocre would be 5's, not 8's

[nitrogav]

They do need to take a break . This time next year they will hopefully be up against the biggest and best stealth game of all time , Thief 4 .

[Brownghost]

and the new hitman, in my opinion, AC was never a stealth game and whoever thinks its a stealth game is an idiot

[-Gespenst-]

Ay? It's gotten like maybe 2-3 mediocre scores so far, and the rest have been excellent. (When I say the rest I mean like the other 7-8 reviews there's been so far.)

This article is horsesh!t.

[Clayman]

Well Revelations didn't exactly get bad review scores (currently at 79) but it did in fact get much lower than AC 2 (90) and Brotherhood (89) so I think Ubisoft needs an extra year of development time for the next game.

[ZBlacktt]

Yea, because I let critic's decide what I should and should not play. Wise up man, be your own critic. I can tell you so many of these people have tunnel vision to what they like. Not what everyone will like.

[Chuk5]

AC isn't B material. Revelations is.

[LgHg]

In what world is 8/10 'mediocre'? This is the danger of grade inflation.

[danieldeath]

Yes, ofcourse every one needs a break ..!!

[upallnightgamer]

What are these idiots on about? AC: Revelations is awesome!

[Snowii]

seriously whats so wrong with it?

[ZBlacktt]

Just finished MW3, same old story line, same old game play. Played UC3 and plated it in 3 days and it took that long because I beat it twice. The story was all over the place. So is it fair to single ACR out on it's epic story line? What I've found in AC is a deep rich story. Nothing so far out there it's hard to believe. I love the game play, the environment, the tasks. It's a game one can truly get lost in it's open world. Going to pick up my preordered copy today. But I do agree, there has been a lot of games put out this month. I've also been playing the Metal Gear HD Collection as well. Beat MGS3, working on MGS2 now. But AC has been my fix since Metal Gear 4 came out and took a break afterwards.

I have Skyrim here not even opened yet. Just so much at one time, lol.

[N311V]

I'm a big fan of this franchise and really like the yearly releases. Basically I want more of what I like. I've never felt like I was buying DLC rather than true sequels. Those who partake in this hobby/industry that crave new experiences should know to stay away from sequels. Games should not be given lower scores because they haven't reinvented themselves. Reducing a score because it's not personally "innovative" enough for the reviewer is too subjective, reviews should be objective.

[robotsonik]

I'm sorry but this article screams hit-bait. It's so poorly written and lacking in any substance. I expected a good drill-down of issues and an insightful argument to back up the sensational title. I got none of the above. Happy your site is getting hits but please put a little effort and actually write something next time.

[listenkids]

Give this man a cigar.

[RELIGHT]

I really really wanted to like AC but the combat killed it for me. I felt like it wasn't fluid enough. They should have stolen the combat system from Arkham Asylum IMO. It does what UB intended to do with the AC combat system.

[Brownghost]

they really wont mix well since the guards have swords and block

[yojimbo_slice]

I think it's awesome they're finishing up Ezio's story, and I'm sure the game is great, but they've already announced ANOTHER AC game for next year. Unless they really bring something new to the table I'm a little worried the series might become stale. They've put out a new game for the past three years and next year makes four. I say take a break and get some new ideas flowing.

What I'd really like to see them do is take the story to another time and place. Ever since I played the first one I've secretly hoped they would take the series to feudal Japan.

How awesome would it be to infiltrate and assassinate corrupt shogun while they sleep at night. Blowing up samurai fortresses or collecting ingredients to poison your throwing blades. Imagine how awesome they could make medieval Japan look! Just thinking about a game that awesome gets me excited.

Even if not Japan, I think a break is a good thing, let them come up with some fresh ideas. It all makes for a better game in the end.