Combat within the game is beautiful. There is a slight learning curve to get into the rhythm of; but eventually players will be able to pick it up rather quickly.

Ubisoft’s “Assassins Creed” for the XBox 360 is a pleasing look at things to expect from upcoming next-gen games. This much-anticipated stealth game has been creating excitement within the gaming community for over a year.

Set primarily within the 12th century crusades, the game takes place both in the present as well as in the past. The player takes on the role of Altair, a disgraced assassin who has been stripped of his title and must kill to regain it.

Along the way to carry out these assassinations, players need to gather information regarding their target. This usually entails pick pocketing, eavesdropping, and harassment.

While these are fun to pull off, the game can feel a little repetitive. A challenge of some sort would be appreciated when trying to steal something, rather than easily obtaining items time and time again.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of the game is the ability to jump from rooftop to rooftop. Dropping down from the rooftops to attack someone adds a very unique feeling that makes players feel like they actually are an assassin.

Combat within the game is beautiful. There is a slight learning curve to get into the rhythm of; but eventually players will be able to pick it up rather quickly. A player can expect to be fighting around 5-6 guards anytime something important goes down. However with a boss, it could be as many as fifty guards chasing after a player. A variety of weapons and moves keep the game from just being another hack-and-slasher.

Graphically, this is one of the best games to date on any platform. The amount of detail put into the making of this world is breathtaking. The cities are beautiful and feel like sprawling metropolises that have been recreated from ancient days. The character models are amazing, with so much detail and uniqueness spent on each of the citizens and guards.

The two biggest complaints of the game are the lack of multiplayer and the sub-par voice acting. While the concept of the game is amazing, it could have been so much more had Ubisoft put in a multiplayer mode where players would have to work together as a team of assassins or a fox and hound hide-and-seek-type game.

For all the things Ubisoft did right, there were just a few minor nitpicks they could have improved upon. “Assassins Creed” is an amazing game to look at and to play. From the lush countryside to the bustling cities of Damascus and Jerusalem, Assassins Creed is a step in the right direction for how upcoming games should look and feel. For fans of games like “Tenchu,” “Prince of Persia,” “Hitman” or “Splinter Cell,” “Assassins Creed” is definitely worth looking into.

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