ac syndicate Archives

PSXE Poll Update: Most Passing On This Year’s Assassin’s Creed

Ben-Dutka October 25, 2015 PS4 20 Comments

One of the year's biggest games comes out this week but that isn't swaying most of our readers.

In our recent poll, we asked if you plan to pick up Assassin's Creed Syndicate this week; it launches on Friday. As it turns out, no, most of you aren't interested at all.

We've seen reviews run the gamut from 4 to 9 , so one could say there's a hung jury concerning the critical reception at this point. Recently, Digital Foundry discovered that the PS4 version outperforms its Xbox One counterpart , but that's probably not enough to convince non-fans to make the purchase. Some critics say this is exactly what the franchise needed; others say the opposite. Bizarre.

Anyway, this week, we wonder if you think Sony should entertain the possibility of producing a more powerful PS4 . Do you think it would be a good move, producing a better-performing console that would cost more? Or is that just way too PC-like for you?

PS4 Version Of AC Syndicate Outperforms Xbox One Version

Ben-Dutka October 23, 2015 PS4 8 Comments

Not sure which version of Assassin's Creed Syndicate to get?

Digital Foundry is here to help, as usual. And according to their analysis, the PlayStation 4 version of the latest Ubisoft blockbuster edges out the Xbox One version. It's also much more stable when compared to last year's Unity , which launched with lots of bugs.

The team first marks the resolution, as both the PS4 and Xbox One versions boast 900p visuals, and then notes the "genuine improvement" in performance:

"Assassin's Creed Syndicate shows genuine improvement here. In Unity, we could see extended periods of gameplay where the 30fps target was nowhere in sight. Its successor shows huge improvement on both platforms, but it's clear that the PlayStation 4 takes pole position.

Rapid traversal through environments can hit performance on both systems, but where the Microsoft box dips into the high 20s, PS4 has a better lock on its 30fps target. And when the Sony console dips to the 27fps area, Xbox One is a couple of fps further off the pace."

Digital Foundry isn't completely done with their analysis but they do say the game offers a "like-for-like" visual experience across the two platforms in question, and the bugs are "substantially reduced" when compared to last year's AC adventure.

It's interesting to see the critics respond to the game, though, as reviews for Assassin's Creed Syndicate run the gamut from 4 to 9 .

Assassin’s Creed Syndicate Reviews All Over The Damn Place

Ben-Dutka October 22, 2015 PS4 116 Comments

Is Assassin's Creed Syndicate good? Is it worth your time and money? Does it indicate a step forward for the long-running franchise?

Well, uh…that all depends on which review you read.

Critics are weighing in left and right on Ubisoft's latest blockbuster effort and the scores are all over the place. You've got a 4 from Telegraph , a 5 from Videogamer and 6s from Push Square , Hardcore Gamer and GamingTrend . These reviews claim the title is a serious misstep and an absolute shame.

On the flip side you've got 9s from GameSpot , Game Informer , XGN , and God is a Geek , along with 8.5s from ZTGD , Polygon and ActionTrip , and an 8.2 from IGN . There are a few larger sources in here, if that means anything to you.

The weird part is that the good reviews almost completely contradict the bad ones. It's not that critics are all citing the same things and some just dislike the drawbacks more than others; it's that some are really saying the game is a great new entry in the series, and one the franchise desperately needed. While at the same time, the naysayers are claiming almost precisely the opposite.

Always odd when this happens.

What Does Syndicate Have To Do To Be A GotY Candidate?

Ben-Dutka October 14, 2015 PS4 28 Comments

We're coming to the end of the year and realistically, there are only a few titles left that could contend for Game of the Year.

One is undoubtedly Fallout 4 but perhaps the other is Assassin's Creed Syndicate .

A few years ago, it would've been a given; any new AC entry would at least be a nominee, if not a flat-out winner. This coming from someone who well remembers the greatness of Assassin's Creed II and Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood . I've always thought the series was top-tier anyway but this year, Ubisoft has a lot to prove. The question is, what do you think Syndicate must do in order to be a legit GotY contender?

Personally, I think it needs to fine-tune the mechanics a bit and make sure there's a compelling narrative and the elimination of forced connectivity via companion app, social media, etc. You can have those things, of course; just don't make me use them in order to unlock certain things in the game. They also need to make the protagonist(s) a lot less…sticky. I don't want to cling to absolutely every object in the near vicinity when I'm just trying to run, thank you. Oh, and bring back the option to press Circle when falling, so you can grab a ledge or something.

Even then, it might not be able to compete with the likes of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain , and I know lots of gamers who are already sold on either Bloodborne , Batman: Arkham Knight, or The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt . What do you say?

AC Syndicate’s Microtransactions Will Be “100% Optional”

Ben-Dutka September 30, 2015 PS4 2 Comments

Well, of course it's going to have microtransactions. Most AAA productions do these days.

Ubisoft has confirmed that the upcoming Assassin's Creed Syndicate will offer microtransactions but development director Francois Pelland has stressed that these are absolutely optional. Further, everything in the game can be acquired via traditional gameplay progress.

As Pelland told IGN in a recent interview:

"Assassin's Creed Syndicate will include paid options to save time and accelerate progress. The model for Assassin's Creed Syndicate is quite similar to Black Flag, allowing players who do not have time to fully explore our huge game world to still be able to eventually acquire the game’s most powerful gear as well as other items. Rest assured, all of AC Syndicate's content is available without paying anything additional and the game has been balanced such that microtransactions are 100% optional."

Ubisoft hasn't released pricing details for these microtransactions just yet but as a frame of reference, they started at around two bucks in Assassin's Creed: Black Flag . Syndicate is slated to arrive on October 23 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, while the PC version will release on November 19. The PS4 version will receive exclusive content and if you don't care about some minor spoilers, here's an hour's worth of great gameplay .

Ubisoft Ensures AC Syndicate Is Safe From The PC Police

Ben-Dutka September 24, 2015 PS4 40 Comments

I'm not sure how many transgender individuals were wandering around late-19th century England but hey, inclusiveness has to be a priority or you will suffer the consequences in this world.

Ubisoft is avoiding any problems by making sure the upcoming Assassin's Creed Syndicate is as politically correct and "progressive" as humanly possible.

As creative director Marc-Alexis Côté told Eurogamer in a recent interview, the new AC adventure will boast the franchise's first transgender character. His name is Ned Wynert and he'll be an NPC that gives you a quest. Said Côté:

"Inclusiveness is something that's super important for us as a team. We've made a good push towards diversity and how we approach different subjects in the game."

Obviously, this is in response to last year's criticism of Assassin's Creed Unity . People had a problem at the lack of female playable characters (I guess we're going to have to have two protagonists in each game now), despite the fact that one character – Elise – was a hugely critical part of the plot.

And of course, we will have a playable male and female character in Syndicate . Furthermore, Ubisoft made certain to amend the disclaimer for the game. It now reads: "Inspired by historical events and characters, this work of fiction was designed, developed, and produced by a multicultural team of various beliefs, sexual orientations, and gender identities." The last two were recently added.

Well, at least they'll be free from criticism this year. …that is, until they get flak for not having a playable transgender character.