Game platform: X-box 360
Game genre: Action
Rating (Aust): MA15+ - Mature accompanied
Rate the game:9.5/10
What you thought: Assassin's Creed Brotherhood is a great game that is as good if not better than it's predecessors.
After escaping the warehouse you were hiding in during Assassin’s Creed 2 you make your way to Monteriggioni where you get into the animus (a machine that relives memories of ancestors through DNA) and go back to renaissance Italy, Playing as Ezio Auditore Da Firenze just after the final moments of AC2. You have to get out of the Vatican and back to Monteriggioni with Mario, your uncle and master of the order of the Assassin's.After ‘spoiler’ you head to Rome to avenge ‘spoiler’.
Familiar faces return with Leonardo Da Vinci, Mario and Catirina Sforza. Optional missions are varied from races against thieves to assassinations to destroying Borgia towers to blowing up Da Vincis creations. 4 factions dominate the game the assassins the mercenaries, the courtesans and the thieves each faction has special missions and buildings can be constructed around the city. Because of the scale of Rome you are now allowed to ride horses in the city making easier and faster to get from point A to point B.
A new addition to Brotherhood is the ability to form a group of assassins that can fight targets in hand to hand combat or fire an arrow storm on a target. You can also use them as a distraction to slip past guards but can result in the death of the assassin. They also can be sent on missions to gain XP. leveling an assassin gives you the option of improving their weapons or armor. the other factions can also help but are largely not used due to their cost and assassins are just so much cooler. Your brotherhood will grow with each Borgia tower you destroy.
An in-game economy is now added to the mix and gives you the opportunity to purchase properties around Rome. These properties earn you money over time and are a good investment at the start of the game.
A training program inside the animus is available giving you the opportunity to earn gold, silver and bronze medals in a variety of categories.You can fight waves of soldiers or just free run. Two achievements are in the training program. Training for new skills help a lot when in game you are surrounded and have to make a descision whether to fight or run away like a little girl.
You can also go outside the animus and snoop around modern day Monteriggioni and collectables range from the medici cape to Maria’s feather chest.
New to AC is the ability to sheath heavy weapons and is great for people that in AC2 to used the axes that were dropped by the brutes. A crossbow has been added to your large list of weapons giving great long ranged firepower. Parachutes are also new giving the player the ability to break their fall if they fall off a very tall building.
Multiplayer is a first for the franchise giving you the chance to show off your skills to the world. Giving you the opportunity to play with up to 12 players on a variety of maps including Rome, Florence and Mont-St-Michel. Characters also vary from the stealthy to all out fat guy with a hammer. Weapons are different for all characters from axes to hidden blade to syringes filled with poison. Game types are plentiful from free-for-all to team based games which makes for new action every time you play. Points are awarded for stealthy kills while running after a target awards less. Perks and inventory are also added to the mix giving variety. Some help with attack and others help with escapes. The multiplayer takes an eternity to find a game taking away from the amazing experience of multiplayer.
Brotherhood relies heavily on its story line and is a hard game to take up and enjoy without playing the first 2 but taking the new features, new weapons and the all new multiplayer it is a must buy.
---- reviewed by LangazOnGames
