The fight continues…
Some key points that this game offers:
- Stunning 2.5D gameplay mechanics
- Multiple planes to navigate on
- A new and unique arsenal at your disposal
Gameplay & Controls:
The standard layout is advised against. The way the controls are configured for Mouse and Keyboard users is not the greatest. Fortunately, you have the means to change the button loadout to a more comfortable experience. Playing with a controller works just as well if that is your preferred method.
Using a controller on the PC is an available option, albeit with limited support. It does play perfectly well with no notable issues whatsoever. On console, the controller works fantastic, fluid game control and responsiveness throughout the game. Whether it is whilst you are tactfully carrying out your revenge, or hastily pushing forward to outrun rampant flames where you can’t make a single mistake or risk dying, the controls handle perfectly here.
You are Shao Jun, the last remaining Assassin of the Chinese Brotherhood. Trained by the legendary Master Assassin, Ezio Auditore himself, you return to your homeland, trained and ready for vengeance! The Tigers took everything from you; and now you will take everything from them…, including their lives!
Your journey will take you through some of the most iconic locations throughout China. The game offers freedom of movement. As with titles from the original story, the player can take the stealth route or go in sword swinging. There are a variety of methods to go about completing your missions.
Hide, sneak, and tactfully manoeuvre through enemy patrols. Strike from the shadows using your assassin skills, killing an enemy instantly. Level design is pretty decent, you get to climb up or down, to reach higher platforms or lower areas. Hang from the side of a building and make your way towards your goal. A unique mechanic that further enhances the gameplay is the use of multiple planes. Within the 2D environment, move forward or backwards to reach your destination. The use of this mechanic makes the gameplay more exciting and quite unique.
Graphics:
Quite beautiful to be frank. The visuals of the game might not look too grand however, what the developers did here is truly gorgeous. Making use of 16th-century Traditional Chinese brush strokes will leave you feeling like you are in a painting that has come to life!
The contemporary and impressionistic styles they made use of here truly sets the atmosphere for the game. The visuals truly add to the era that the game plays off in, bringing every locale to life with its beautiful artistic creations.
The game lacks any cinematic scenes, and instead of using the standard cut scenes we would normally have in games we are left with still drawn images accompanied by voice over work. In a way, these images fit perfectly well with the game, a more cinematic experience would have given more life and personality to the characters, something that the game lacks, unfortunately.
Sounds:
There are no major dialogues in the game, albeit for the one here and there where you would converse with your targets. The voice-over work is done pretty decently, however, most of the time these dialogues fail to captivate you. They simply aren’t as entertaining as they could be.
Background music exists throughout each level that adds to the experience. Being a stealth-based game, noise levels play a role here. Make too much noise and you will alert the guards, or make noise to your advantage…
Replayability:
The game offers multiple difficulties for you to play on. Complete the game once and unlock the higher difficulty. The game also has a reward system that rewards you for completing each sequence in a level.
Getting through a sequence without killing anyone and without altering the guards rewards you with the highest rating and points. Completing the level whilst earning the required amount of points unlocks a permanent upgrade for your character.
As you play through the game unlocking upgrades and improving your character you can replay previous levels to obtain missed collectables with an upgraded arsenal at your disposal.
MGR Gaming’s Conclusions:
Spoilers Ahead:
Assassin’s Creed® Chronicles: China isn’t the Assassin’s Creed game we are accustomed to. It was never meant to be. The developers went with a completely different dynamic and brought us something totally different whilst still offering the Assassin’s Creed experience.
The multi-layered environments is a real winner here. It made the levels a lot more fun and entertaining. The combat isn’t really exceptional, but it delivered some fluid action nonetheless; Shao Jun has her own moves accompanying her unique arsenal. The hidden shoe blade made for some entertaining assassinations for sure, along with that rope dart.
All things considered, this was a fun experience with creative level designs and beautiful visuals. The lack of a more detailed story line did dampen the gameplay, however. One of the best things for me in games is the story line, it is one of the key defining aspects in a game. The lack of a complex and driven back story kind of brought the overall joy of the game down for me.
Even though you have different methods to go about your missions; Ranging from stealth, open combat, or by carefully taking enemies out one at a time or bypassing them entirely. There is freedom of choice here, however, it does get repetitive and feel scripted after a while. This can be attributed to the 2.5D environment, Afterall there is only so much that such an environment can offer.
When it comes down to the numbers, Assassin’s Creed® Chronicles: China delivers fantastic gameplay, in a beautiful setting that will entertain you for sure.
The Official trailer for Assassin’s Creed® Chronicles: China.
Additional Info:
Platforms: PC: Xbox One: PlayStation 4
Genre: 2D: 2.5D: Action: Adventure: Assassin: Assassin’s Creed: Female Protagonist: Historical: Open World: Parkour: Platformer: Side Scroller: Singleplayer: Stealth
Censor Rating: Violence: Blood: Sexual Themes
Age Rating: 13 (Teen)
Developer: Climax Studios
Publisher: Ubisoft Entertainment
Release Date: 21 April 2015
MGR Gaming Steam Curator:
https://store.steampowered.com/curator/32364038/