Assassin's Creed

Tread softly but carry a sharp knife in this slick free-roaming action adventure.

Altair's only a few feet from the ground, but every moment he lingers is borrowed time, and his quarry's unprotected back is within reach. He leaps from the wall, and a retractable blade locks into place just before sinking into the target's neck. Unfortunately, the noise of this execution has attracted an audience, and they're not the least bit shy.

The Promised Land

Dropping into the Middle East in 1191 A.D. might seem overwhelming, but our master assassin is recently disgraced, a contrivance that allows game complexity to grow gradually as the protagonist earns back weapons and abilities. Altair's secretive Hashshashin sect enjoys a safe haven in Masyaf, and it is there that the story begins in earnest.

The science fiction flourishes remain a tantalizing mystery, but Altair's got more than just a razor-sharp dagger up his sleeve.

The science fiction flourishes remain a tantalizing mystery, but Altair's got more than just a razor-sharp dagger up his sleeve.

Outside this stronghold are three sprawling cities-Jerusalem, Damascus, and Acre-linked together by a central hub, which serves as a sort of level selection area. Of course, you can't just pick up a map at a gas station; to get the lay of the land, you must find high ground. Climb a "view point," indicated with an eagle circling a perilously high structure, and you'll replace empty map space with valuable intelligence: red circles indicate guards, and blue ones mark potential hiding spots.

Secret Society

Studying the environment is always the first step to success. Though you're free to roam and stumble across objectives, a smart assassin knows the value of information. The Hashshashin don't simply pick names out of a hat, either: they need you to eavesdrop on conversations, steal important objects from paranoid conspirators, and even extract information from reluctant informants with your fists.

These preparatory investigations aren't just diversions on your way to a spectacular murder. Sure, they unveil valuable narrative information, but each also parcels out hints on how you might most effectively carry out your dirtiest business. How much snooping you do beyond the bureau leader's minimum requirements is up to you, just as the order in which you tackle your objectives is left for you to decide.

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