Tech Blog

[#1]

Ubisoft have finally given some proper details for the upcoming Assassin's Creed Brotherhood (what, no colon?) the next title in the franchise. Due to ship during this year's Christmas period for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC, it continues the story of Ezio as he moves from Venice to Rome.

I'll go on with further details in a minute, but am I the only person to be hugely disappointed with this? I liked that the settings of Assassin's Creed and Assassin's Creed II were completely different, and continuing Ezio's story just feels a bit boring, even if it would be pleasantly familiar. I wanted to be an assassin in Victorian England, revolutionary France, or colonial America. Something different, that I hadn't done before in a game!

Still! The new title--to be developed by Ubisoft Montrea in collaboration with Ubisoft studios in Singapore, Bucharest, Québec City and Annecy--is to follow Ezio, now a Master Assassin, in a trip to rome to strike at the "heart" of the Templar order; they promise that Ezio will now be able to "command an entire Brotherhood ... only by working together can the Assassins defeat their mortal enemies."

This seems to imply that Ezio's journey is going to be a bit less lonely this time, with likely lots of AI assassins to command, though it really isn't clear how. Squad-based combat? Some kind of a Godfather II-style management section? Whatever it is, I hope it's not an RTS-lite, like Brutal Legend unfortunately stumbled at creating.

Well, whatever it is, Ubisoft has also revealed new options for multiplayer, with individual characters with signature weapons and assassin techniques, and players also able to play Templars facing off against the assassins in different game modes. Open-world multiplayer is always a bit of a gamble, I think--I haven't liked it so much in titles like GTAIV--so I'm not sure about that either.

Hmm, sounds like I've been a bit negative about this new title. But it is exciting--I'm looking forward to seeing what Ubisoft have to show in future.

[#2]

Does this mean that we will also see the continuation of Desmond's story?  The only reason we see Ezio's story is ebcause Desmond is hooked to the Animus 2.0.  Hopefully they incorporate that continuation - otherwise there will be some serious plot holes.

JB

[#3]

No mention of Desmond... yet.