Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines Review
12.27.2022
Assassin's Creed was received very positively when it came out, mainly due to its original premise. The game follows a modern-day experiment on the mind of a person alleged to be the ancestor of a famous historic assassin, in an attempt by scientists to recover the assassin's memories and find out how certain events happened in humanity's timeline.
In a gameplay somewhat similar to the infamous Hitman series, only set in a medieval setting, Assassin's Creed was universally loved by gamers. Bloodlines brings the game to the PSP, and continues its story shortly after the events of the first game left off.
Gameplay
The player once again follows the exploits of Altair, tasked with eliminating various figures in his time. Those of you who've played the original Assassin's Creed will probably be familiar with the premise of the gameplay. You'll have to first identify your target (often by seeking them out in a busy crowd), then stealthily make your way to them, execute them and get out without getting caught. Of course, it's never as easy as it sounds, as the game does its best to stop you from completing your goals, by throwing devious AI mercenaries in your way.
The gameplay mechanics have been changed from the last installment in the series, “Altair's Chronicles”, and are much more similar to how the first game was played. You're no longer restricted to a linear gameplay, instead given the freedom to explore the game's world as you see fit, and approach your targets from original directions. You can once again take cover in various everyday objects, such as diving in a stack of hay to avoid getting detected by a passing group of soldiers.
Graphics and System Requirements
Bloodlines improves Altair's looks somewhat, at least to the extent that a portable console allows the developers to – the character has received a new dose of details, mainly on the clothing, and his animations now look more fluid (which is an achievement in itself, considering the original AC was praised specifically for the thousands of different animations the character used). The world is as large as ever, and the game draws it very far away – the engine isn't limited to a short rendering distance as most PSP games are.
The smaller screen may give you a few problems when you're trying to identify your target in a crowded area, but the “aura” skill makes it a lot easier – you'll just have to find out where the glow is coming from. All of the important objects have been detailed extensively and stand out from the rest of the environment at one glance.
Other
If you own a PS3, make sure you connect your PSP to it at some point. This will give you access to several new unlockable weapons, which can only be found in this manner.
Conclusion
A decent continuation to a great game, Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines could only use some improvement in its plot and short gameplay time, and it would be a perfect game.