Before you purchase Assassin’s Creed: Revelations”for the PC- ask yourself something. “Do I have a PS3 or Xbox 360?” If so, do yourself a favor; get this game for one of those platforms. The keyboard remains a terrible, terrible method of controlling Ezio and Altair. Either invest in a separate game platform or a USB controller for this stealth-heavy game.
For better or for worse, Ubisoft has barely updated the game engine with each iteration. Revelations continues this trend with only minor polish. The animations are still fantastic – character models move with an impressive level of detail as does the world itself. Baskets tumble off rooftops, guards stagger beautifully from attacks, and ascending vertical obstacles is as satisfying as ever. The problem? We’ve seen this all before.
Assassin’s Creed: Revelations really brings nothing new to the table, save for some cosmetic improvements and a few new abilities. Visually, there’s plenty of eye candy. Even so, it’s from a jar we’ve sampled many times now. All of this graphical flair is rendered pointless by the limitations of the keyboard and mouse control scheme. The hack and slash gameplay as well as the Parkour elements both suffer under the PC controls.
Now we’ve reached the sore spot of every AC title. Desmond. Why does Ubisoft think gamers enjoy these gameplay segments? They attempted to mold him into a competent assassin last time around, but it mostly just made you want to play as the real stars of the show. This time around, Ubisoft finally gave the fans what they wanted- Desmond exists almost exclusively in the background. Ezio and Altair take center stage and both see a range of character development in the final Renaissance chapter.
For those that still wish to invest in the PC version, know that the system requirements are demanding for your average gamer. Your graphics card needs to be high grade and the minimum RAM is roughly 2 Gigs. With the minimum RAM, your visuals will suffer to the point of being almost unplayable. Textures stretch, animations stutter, and the locales are washed out. To get the most out of the engine, you need at least 4 gigabytes. If you wish to save yourself a headache in both the requirements department and controls, grab a copy of the PS3 version.
The gameplay remains largely the same- the only major additions are to the multiplayer component and a new castle defense system. If you fail to eliminate all the Templars in a specific region, they’ll flood the strikes in vengeance. It is at this point that your recruited assassins will step up and fulfill their duty. The castle defense gameplay is at first fresh and enjoyable, but becomes tedious by your fourth go-round.
Seasoned AC players will be disappointed by the lack of innovation that Revelations offers. The gameplay and mission types are almost completely lifted from previous titles. You’ll be fetching, assassinating, and stalking all over again. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it does keep newcomers from hopping right in and creates a fairly repetitive experience.
If you’re interested in the series but haven’t yet played one, make sure to start with the very first so as to understand this story-heavy series. If you’ve been in love with the game series and don’t mind the lack of innovation- you’ll likely enjoy Revelations. Fans of the Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood multiplayer modes will likely be pleased with the fleshed out elements offered here.