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[surly]

I also thought that the AI for the hired Romani/courtesans was worse than the last game as well. They could barely keep up with me when I fast-walked.

I didn't have that experience at all. In previous games, I would hire courtesans and walk in the middle of the 4 of them so that I was hidden and I'd regularly pop out of the area you had to walk in for no apparent reason, which would blow my cover and I'd be detected. That didn't happen once in this game.

The one thing that did get on my nerves a little is when you have to walk next to a character on your way to a mission. If you got close enough you could let go of the controls and you'd automatically walk next to them and the camera angle would change, except what would inevitably happen is that Ezio would almost immediately hit some object in the environment and pop out of that "auto-walk" mode.

On an unrelated note, did anyone notice that there's a particular sword that you can get that when you unsheath it, sometimes the guards will see it and get scared and run off? I thought that was a pretty cool touch, like they're thinking "shit, he's got the blahblah sword, leg it!".

 

[Ether_Snake]

I think the den defense is really the only new mechanic they stumbled with and I think a lot of that had to due with Massive being new to the giant AC working process. Bombs and hookblade were handled well.

Massive made the Desmond part.

 

[rataven]

On an unrelated note, did anyone notice that there's a particular sword that you can get that when you unsheath it, sometimes the guards will see it and get scared and run off? I thought that was a pretty cool touch, like they're thinking "shit, he's got the blahblah sword, leg it!".

Neat. Wonder if different weapons earn different reactions? I've seen a few citizens glare at Ezio and mutter some disapproval when he was walking around with a short sword unsheathed. This game is packed with little things that make me love it more and more.

 

[Irish]

Massive made the Desmond part.

Huh, figured they made the DD stuff based on their other work. Who did the DD stuff then?

 

[sangreal]

And where would I find this [manual]?

In the menu somewhere. Sorry, don't have the game active right now to check. Maybe under database?

 

[Blimblim]

Spoiler

Re: the main temple location - if you remember at the end of the Da Vinci Disappearance from Brotherhood, you get a set of numbers, which are actually GPS coordinates (43 39 19 N 75 27 42 W)

If you look up these coordinates on google maps, it's a quite interesting sight.

 

[sangreal]

Anybody else find that ziplines were completely underutilized? I like using them but the only time I ever saw them outside of story missions I was looking up at the wrong end

 

[sangreal]

Just finished the main story. Wow. What a brilliant and fitting ending to Altair's and Ezio's storylines. Definitely gonna miss them.

Looks like the plot begins now for AC3.

BTW for those who have finished the story...

Spoiler

Where do you think this central vault is?

Not sure what you mean.

Spoiler

Altair's vault is under the Assassin's castle from AC1. Did I miss some dialog about another vault?

 

[Blimblim]

Anybody else find that ziplines were completely underutilized? I like using them but the only time I ever saw them outside of story missions I was looking up at the wrong end

Yeah they were pretty much useless. Fun when they are on your way to somewhere, but otherwise not really worth going on rooftops instead of just running around the streets.

 

[Sai]

Finished the game with 100% sync yesterday, and watched Embers. Nice closure for both Ezio and Altair.

I really hope AC3 is more focused on Desmond. I don't have the encyclopedia, but I've seen some pictures on the AC Wiki... I want to see those modern Hidden Blades in action!... Stun Blades too!

Not sure what you mean.

Spoiler

Altair's vault is under the Assassin's castle from AC1. Did I miss some dialog about another vault?

He's talking about

Spoiler

the First Civilization's central vault/temple; the one Desmond and the others arrive at in the ending.

[EDIT] - Didn't realize those coordinates from the Da Vinci Disappearance lead to the same spot! Nice!

 

[PooBone]

So, I just started playing, beat the first two sequences. Why the fuck does Desmond look TOTALLY different? He looks like Niko from GTA4. It's fuckin weird.

Also, that tower defense mode they put in is terrible. I feel like the game is rushing, there's zero pacing like in 2 or Brotherhood. Gonna keep playing I have no doubt I'll finish it but so far it makes a pretty stale impression.

 

[sangreal]

He's talking about

Spoiler

the First Civilization's central vault/temple; the one Desmond and the others arrive at in the ending.

[EDIT] - Didn't realize those coordinates from the Da Vinci Disappearance lead to the same spot! Nice!

Oh, yeah, duh. Stupid drunk post on my part

 

[Ripclawe]

Something is off on this game and I can't put my finger on it.. The run/climb seems choppy and not as smooth as it was in the previous two games. I think the hookblade made it worse because the buildings seem to be designed for it than in spite of it.

The cowardly templar captains is a massive downgrade and not fun at all. Then you miss and have to wait 30 mins? is even worse.

 

[nel e nel]

Oh, yeah, duh. Stupid drunk post on my part

Sangria for Sangreal?

 

[Y2Kev]

MY god tower defense is bad.

I can just leave my zones in conflict forever? The only negative is that there are templar patrols now in all my cleared zones. Makes it like a full scale battle sometimes.

I go back and forth on hating this game. Also PS3 version runs like poo.

 

[Irish]

Man, I feel like I'm always on the wrong side of the barn when it comes to games. If this was longer, it would be my top AC game. Craziness.

 

[firehawk12]

Something is off on this game and I can't put my finger on it.. The run/climb seems choppy and not as smooth as it was in the previous two games. I think the hookblade made it worse because the buildings seem to be designed for it than in spite of it.

The cowardly templar captains is a massive downgrade and not fun at all. Then you miss and have to wait 30 mins? is even worse.

That got me to drop the game. Not only do they run, but then you are stuck with nothing to do. It's a pain.

 

[Y2Kev]

Yeah they were pretty much useless. Fun when they are on your way to somewhere, but otherwise not really worth going on rooftops instead of just running around the streets.

They were fun in Galata Tower. Game became uncharted. Which is okay. But I remember the platforming inside the Duomo in AC2 and wonder what has become of that.

 

[Crazymoogle]

I can just leave my zones in conflict forever? The only negative is that there are templar patrols now in all my cleared zones. Makes it like a full scale battle sometimes.

As I understood it, real estate in conflict zones was locked and you possibly lose the income?

 

[1stStrike]

Just beat the game. It felt... short in comparison to the other games. The final fight "sequence" was pretty fun, but I still felt lacking at the end. Like there should have been another fight or something.

I'm hoping that in AC3 they stop using the animus and it's all Desmond. I'm a bit burned out of historic places after 4 games in them. I want some modern assassin action - preferably with some skyscrapers and Desmond climbing that shit like spiderman.

 

[Wurst]

Up to the first Altaiir sequence and this game feels stale.

Story is not interesting in the slightest so far, the pacing is off and most importantly what is wrong with their faces?!

Up to this point it feels like excactly the rushed sequel I expected Brotherhood to be.
To be fair I mainly synchronized the towers and ran around the city.

Is there something like Glyphs in the game? A Sidemission that is relevant to the story?
Those 100 Animus cluster things?

 

[1stStrike]

Up to the first Altaiir sequence and this game feels stale.

Story is not interesting in the slightest so far, the pacing is off and most importantly what is wrong with their faces?!

Up to this point it feels like excactly the rushed sequel I expected Brotherhood to be.
To be fair I mainly synchronized the towers and ran around the city.

Is there something like Glyphs in the game? A Sidemission that is relevant to the story?
Those 100 Animus cluster things?

I haven't really found any. Also, I only got like 39 of the animus memory clusters. Not sure what you get at 100, but I doubt it's worth going through the ass pain to find them all. There's also some other shit you need to collect, but there's only 10 of them and they're hard as shit to find. I only found 1.

 

[DualShadow]

I haven't really found any. Also, I only got like 39 of the animus memory clusters. Not sure what you get at 100, but I doubt it's worth going through the ass pain to find them all. There's also some other shit you need to collect, but there's only 10 of them and they're hard as shit to find. I only found 1.

You can buy a map for them in later sequences from a book store.

 

[Wurst]

I haven't really found any. Also, I only got like 39 of the animus memory clusters. Not sure what you get at 100, but I doubt it's worth going through the ass pain to find them all. There's also some other shit you need to collect, but there's only 10 of them and they're hard as shit to find. I only found 1.

Sounds.. boring.
I hate collecting 100 things in an AssCreed after I collected 99 feathers in AC1 and due to a glitch the last feather was gone. Never to appear again. Meh..

 

[CrazyDude]

Just beat the game. It felt... short in comparison to the other games. The final fight "sequence" was pretty fun, but I still felt lacking at the end. Like there should have been another fight or something.

I'm hoping that in AC3 they stop using the animus and it's all Desmond. I'm a bit burned out of historic places after 4 games in them. I want some modern assassin action - preferably with some skyscrapers and Desmond climbing that shit like spiderman.

That would stupid and very difficult to believe. Can you imagine how long and tedious it would to go up such huge buildings? Anyways, the modern period would so boring. There are millions games set in modern times. How many games can you are in historical periods? You would ruin the whole appeal of the series.

 

[Blimblim]

They were fun in Galata Tower. Game became uncharted. Which is okay. But I remember the platforming inside the Duomo in AC2 and wonder what has become of that.

The Duomo was indeed awesome (and beautiful too), and nothing like it has been in an AC game since, strangely. In ACR I really enjoyed the Galata tower one, and the bonus one when you find all the pages. The other were enjoyable at least, except the dreadful first one which really made me thought the rest would be like it. I definitely wouldn't have finished the game if it was the case...

I haven't really found any. Also, I only got like 39 of the animus memory clusters. Not sure what you get at 100, but I doubt it's worth going through the ass pain to find them all. There's also some other shit you need to collect, but there's only 10 of them and they're hard as shit to find. I only found 1.

Get the 10 pages! There is a map for those and you get a

Spoiler

nice bonus level to play and a very special piece of armor at the end of that

As for the 100 data fragments, don't bother if you don't feel like it. When you reach 50, you get a map of the rest so it's easy. I quite liked these because they are usually in interesting places.

 

[Sinatar]

I'm hoping that in AC3 they stop using the animus and it's all Desmond. I'm a bit burned out of historic places after 4 games in them. I want some modern assassin action - preferably with some skyscrapers and Desmond climbing that shit like spiderman.

Good god no. Nooooo. No. No.

 

[Sai]

If AC was to focus on modern times, it would have to go through a serious revamp. Like, Conviction-level revamp. And for all the good that could with it, there could be just as much bad—if not more. >_>

Despite knowing that, I still want to see it happen. How the Assassins fight in modern times, with and against modern weaponry. How the skills they've been honing all these years(skills that Abstergo's apparently trying to mimic) are being applied these days.

If it's done right, it could be lots of fun. But at the same time, they would probably be forced to abandon(or at the very least, severely limit) a lot of the things that made us like the franchise in the first place.

 

[Amir0x]

They were fun in Galata Tower. Game became uncharted. Which is okay. But I remember the platforming inside the Duomo in AC2 and wonder what has become of that.

my god the duomo was so amazing it makes me a little sad thinking about it and comparing it to the platforming challenges in the next games

 

[semiconscious]

That got me to drop the game. Not only do they run, but then you are stuck with nothing to do. It's a pain.

i just let myself get killed, & start again at square one. faster...

I'm hoping that in AC3 they stop using the animus and it's all Desmond. I'm a bit burned out of historic places after 4 games in them. I want some modern assassin action - preferably with some skyscrapers and Desmond climbing that shit like spiderman.

i don't know - i'm a bit burned out on skyscrapers myself ...


finally own all the istanbul shops, & my assassin team's progressing nicely. iow, yes, i've once again been successfully sucked into ac...

 

[ctrayne]

my god the duomo was so amazing it makes me a little sad thinking about it and comparing it to the platforming challenges in the next games

Il Duomo is one of the first things that pops into my mind when I think about AC2. Neat game. I have mixed feelings on the rest of the series but AC2 got it right.

 

[Y2Kev]

The game is just too full of junk. That's my take on it. The pendulum has swung too far to the other side. AC1 had nothing to do, ACR has too much to do. AC2 was perfect for me. I hate territory minigames in open world environments. Just a lot of running around and menu navigation. AC2 impressed with the variety of setting...ACR attempts to impress with the sheer amount of crap you can focus on. Some of it should clearly just be cut right out. Like helping individual people move boxes. Oy.

It's not that it's not fun or not a quality game, but they need to spend more time developing, refining, and then executing on the promise of the core stealth and platforming mechanics and less time building in diversions.

 

[White Man]

Please please please tell me that the tower defense stuff is significantly less terrible than the beginning of the game's wagon shenanigans.

 

[The Antitype]

Please please please tell me that the tower defense stuff is significantly less terrible than the beginning of the game's wagon shenanigans.

About the same. But at least it's optional.

I actually had to FORCE the game into starting one up, just so I could complete the Assassin's challenges and get Altair's Sword.

Because it's badass, and I don't give a shit if there are other swords with better stats.

 

[Fjordson]

The game is just too full of junk. That's my take on it. The pendulum has swung too far to the other side. AC1 had nothing to do, ACR has too much to do. AC2 was perfect for me. I hate territory minigames in open world environments. Just a lot of running around and menu navigation. AC2 impressed with the variety of setting...ACR attempts to impress with the sheer amount of crap you can focus on. Some of it should clearly just be cut right out. Like helping individual people move boxes. Oy.

It's not that it's not fun or not a quality game, but they need to spend more time developing, refining, and then executing on the promise of the core stealth and platforming mechanics and less time building in diversions.

Sounds like I made an okay decision to wait for a Black Friday deal on this. I'm excited to play it, but I've heard very similar comments to yours from a multitude of people.

 

[GreenCyder]

Just a question about the tower defense.

Spoiler

If you have lv15 assassin masters at all the dens, is it still possible to play the tower defense game? The assignment lists says I need to play at least 3 games of tower defense, so should I complete this before assigning lv15 assassins to all the dens?

 

[The Antitype]

The game is just too full of junk. That's my take on it. The pendulum has swung too far to the other side. AC1 had nothing to do, ACR has too much to do. AC2 was perfect for me. I hate territory minigames in open world environments. Just a lot of running around and menu navigation. AC2 impressed with the variety of setting...ACR attempts to impress with the sheer amount of crap you can focus on. Some of it should clearly just be cut right out. Like helping individual people move boxes. Oy.

It's not that it's not fun or not a quality game, but they need to spend more time developing, refining, and then executing on the promise of the core stealth and platforming mechanics and less time building in diversions.

There's actually less to do....

Fewer assassin missions, no thieves, mercenaries or courtesans missions (one each to unlock the challenges).

No glyphs or secrets to find. The equivalent has been factored into the collection mechanic, where you get a Desmond mission for each ten collectables found (as opposed to a collection quest and a glyph-style quest).

The Den defense is basically just attached to the Borgia Tower mechanic from Brotherhood. There's a new gameplay mechanic involved, but it's not a new thing to do. It's just the second stage of something that already existed.

 

[SmokinGunZ1981]

I seem to be having a few issues with this game and i'm not sure if they are common.

I've noticed that when the game is intially loading the Ubisoft logo the video is really jumpy and the audio is very crackly, when it gets to the main menu that seems fine.

Also Ezio seems to be missing a load of the kill animations, for example if Ezio is impaling an enemy he seems to thrust the sword into thin air but the enemy still goes through all of the death animations or the last strike of a kill animation just misses completly(Granted these don't happen everytime but they are happening alot, never noticed this before In 2 or Bro)

Another thing I noticed last night whist climbing a tower were a lot of texture pop ins again much worse than Bro.

Xbox 360 version installed.

Pretty sure it's not the Xbox as i've been putting a lot of time into UMVC3, SR3 and Skyrim and not noticed any issues with those.

Forgot to say, checked for scratches and the disc seems fine.

 

[Scapegoat]

Just a question about the tower defense.

Spoiler

If you have lv15 assassin masters at all the dens, is it still possible to play the tower defense game? The assignment lists says I need to play at least 3 games of tower defense, so should I complete this before assigning lv15 assassins to all the dens?

You can just load the memory where you defend the first den as many times as needed and it will count.

 

[StunandStab]

Did anyone else play the multiplayer up to level 50 for no reason other than to see the final video they give you? Spoilers:

Spoiler

It seems the Templars have located the leader of the Assassins and want you to take him out

Not really a huge kind of "HOLY SHIT" story moment, but interesting anyway

 

[Dr Zhivago]

I've noticed that when the game is intially loading the Ubisoft logo the video is really jumpy and the audio is very crackly, when it gets to the main menu that seems fine.

That's deliberate, the idea is that the Animus is glitching.

Please please please tell me that the tower defense stuff is significantly less terrible than the beginning of the game's wagon shenanigans.

That wagon is the low point of the game - helpfully placed near the start!

 

[shas'la]

Can anyone add some light as to what assigning assassins in the mini game to do each city they are assigned to? Does it reduce the control erosion, make missions easier, or increase maximum control %?

 

[NinjaFridge]

The game is just too full of junk. That's my take on it. The pendulum has swung too far to the other side. AC1 had nothing to do, ACR has too much to do. AC2 was perfect for me. I hate territory minigames in open world environments. Just a lot of running around and menu navigation. AC2 impressed with the variety of setting...ACR attempts to impress with the sheer amount of crap you can focus on. Some of it should clearly just be cut right out. Like helping individual people move boxes. Oy.

It's not that it's not fun or not a quality game, but they need to spend more time developing, refining, and then executing on the promise of the core stealth and platforming mechanics and less time building in diversions.

Sums it up for me also. How can a game like this not have a crouch or cover mechanic? I'm not asking them to turn it into a Gears or Uncharted clone but it would really help with the stealth.

 

[Ripclawe]

bah, I am done with it. Between the cowardly templars captains and just an overall feel and play of a game that is just not up to par with the previous two its just pissing me off.

 

[indigo-cyclops]

Sums it up for me also. How can a game like this not have a crouch or cover mechanic? I'm not asking them to turn it into a Gears or Uncharted clone but it would really help with the stealth.

This has always been a complaint of mine. At the very least, this game needs a crouch walk move. I can't believe they haven't added it yet..

With a game that relies heavily on breaking the line of sight between enemies, it seems essential.

I can relate to an extent with the other complaints about too much to do etc... Personally I like it, to an extent, but also feel they need to shift focus back to the core. I love the guild stuff, but sometimes the territory aspects get to be annoying. Again if they overhauled how stealth works *crouch* I would be all for more opportunities to challenge myself with full stealth assassinations etc.

 

[Y2Kev]

There's actually less to do....

Fewer assassin missions, no thieves, mercenaries or courtesans missions (one each to unlock the challenges).

No glyphs or secrets to find. The equivalent has been factored into the collection mechanic, where you get a Desmond mission for each ten collectables found (as opposed to a collection quest and a glyph-style quest).

The Den defense is basically just attached to the Borgia Tower mechanic from Brotherhood. There's a new gameplay mechanic involved, but it's not a new thing to do. It's just the second stage of something that already existed.

None of that enhances the gameplay for me. I am not interested in more of these undercooked missions or laughable "puzzles." The design has been reduced to a small variety of missions (if I have to tail one more person, things will not end well) while the core gameplay has been reduced like some kind of fine sauce. How in the world didn't they notice that Eagle Sense has become their answer for everything?

The actual gameplay needs very serious enhancements. I am not interested in incremental changes to the existing formula. And there are many here.

Explain Den Defense however you like. It's uninspired, perfunctory "we need to add something here" crap.

 

[reggie]

.

 

[1stStrike]

I've owned this since day one and am still yet to start playing. What's the general consensus? Is worth putting away Skyrim for a bit to play?

Yes and no. I'd say it's a nice change from Skyrim, but the game does have some issues. Some are a bit over blown by GAF's typical overreaction to everything, as it's still a fun game overall. It's just a bit shorter than I'd like, and most of the things that bother people in this thread are easily skippable.

 

[Y2Kev]

It's still a good game. It just feels like it's getting more and more diluted. The assassination missions in the first game were sort of my favorite parts of the whole series. I'd like to see them focus back on the killing part of the game.

 

[B_Rik_Schitthaus]

It's still a good game. It just feels like it's getting more and more diluted. The assassination missions in the first game were sort of my favorite parts of the whole series. I'd like to see them focus back on the killing part of the game.

Agreed, they need to bring back the old assassination missions as a side quest.




A year from now Revelations will be be forgotten by me, replacing the Glyths for shitty FPS moments, weak story and characters and a setting that they keep telling the player is new an exiting but just looks like a dumping ground for all their old textures and building models.

Spoiler

The moment when Altair's wife stops him killing someone then gets killed herself only for the guy she protected to be killed by Altair anyway was a fucking joke.


and the ending was the most Matrixy thing I'v seen in years.