Why I Despise Assassin's Creed IV.

[The_Scrivener]

Previously, I had put this game on a cross due to sheer outrage, but here I'm going to attempt to provide an actual criticism of the game in a vacuum and why I think it's a poor product.

My issue can be best summed up as wanting an open world pirate game and getting a tired franchise game that occasionally contains pirates. While there are open world characteristics, it's impossible to enjoy them when the game continually asserts its mythos in the middle of it. I can only pillage and plunder so far before I'm taken back into the frame tale set in the corporate future which is the most unbelievably insulting immersion death I've ever known. I'm in the middle of the ocean sailing this grandoise ship with my crew singing a sea shanty and then the screen gets fuzzy and I get warned that if I don't show more restraint with my freedom that the game will remind me I'm just playing a game and that I went across it's out of bounds line.

Desmond Miles? Ancestry experience programs? Corporate espionage?

I. Don't. Care. Put me back on my ship and leave me alone.

I bought this game because a pirate game is long overdue. It is such a missed opportunity for Ubisoft and it is so misguided that they continually enforce their self-important left field arc into what could've been an amazing and innovative experience.

And then there's the character/gameplay inconsistency. Why, in the intro, does Edward come across as supreme suave legendary badass and in missions, the mechanics force you to continuously flunk out of stealth school? Why did the game give me an arbitrary "desynchronization" when Edward got spotted on certain missions? Nobody was at risk. Nobody was held hostage. There was no in-game reason to fail some of these. It's just the game deciding that Edward should be stealthy here, so if you get spotted you fail. Why didn't that happen during any of the previous missions where if badass Captain Kenway got spotted, he just stabbed and battled his way out? What omnipotent body is telling Edward to start over on some missions, but not others? Why is Kenyway's NPC target for finishing the stealth mission standing in the middle of the field he just had to spend 15 minutes sneaking around in?

And then there's Ubisoft asking me to fill out a survey after missions and sign up for its UPlay garbage. Can't people do anything anymore without having a billboard in their face begging them to be a loyal subscriber? Get off my console, get off the product I purchased, get out of my living room. I don't want to sign up for your bullshit. I don't want to leave you feedback. Your playtesters should have done that. Your devs should've done that. Leave. Me. Alone.

 

[ShinyCharizard]

I massively disagree with your criticism of the feedback feature. It's a great idea. You can give the devs direct feedback on what missions you felt were good and were bad. Also it only takes 2 buttons presses so why ***** about it?

As for the rest I agree the series would be better without the whole future plot. Still it's better implemented in this game compared to the previous games in the series.

 

[The_Scrivener]

I massively disagree with your criticism of the feedback feature. It's a great idea. You can give the devs direct feedback on what missions you felt were good and were bad. Also it only takes 2 buttons presses so why ***** about it?

As for the rest I agree the series would be better without the whole future plot. Still it's better implemented in this game compared to the previous games in the series.

I concede that there are redeeming features of having direct feedback. But putting it in the middle of the game as opposed to it being an online survey or something that doesn't destroy immersion even further is really preferable. I don't know what the perfect solution is, but it made me feel like four staff members from Ubisoft were popping through my front door after every mission and asking me to pause and tell them what I thought. Then they'd scribble notes on their clipboards as if there is some calculated formula for the perfect most well-marketed game ever.

 

[ShinyCharizard]

I massively disagree with your criticism of the feedback feature. It's a great idea. You can give the devs direct feedback on what missions you felt were good and were bad. Also it only takes 2 buttons presses so why ***** about it?

As for the rest I agree the series would be better without the whole future plot. Still it's better implemented in this game compared to the previous games in the series.

I concede that there are redeeming features of having direct feedback. But putting it in the middle of the game as opposed to it being an online survey or something that doesn't destroy immersion even further is really preferable. I don't know what the perfect solution is, but it made me feel like four staff members from Ubisoft were popping through my front door after every mission and asking me to pause and tell them what I thought. Then they'd scribble notes on their clipboards as if there is some calculated formula for the perfect most well-marketed game ever.

It's not in the middle of the game? I was under the impression you were referring to the 5 star feedback system that occurs at the end of each mission.

Edit. Misread your comment there. But no an online survey would be so much more annoying compared to the simple 5 star system they've got at the end of the missions. It takes all of 2 seconds to complete. And it allows you to easily praise the good missions while calling out the shit ones.

 

[lacktheknack]

I bought this game because a pirate game is long overdue. It is such a missed opportunity for Ubisoft and it is so misguided that they continually enforce their self-important left field arc into what could've been an amazing and innovative experience.

It's called ASSASSIN'S CREED: BLACK FLAG.

You cannot reasonably expect it to be anything beyond an extension of the previous Assassin's Creed games. The fact that it does have a heavy emphasis on piracy is a bonus and a selling point, NOT a focus.

This is like buying the new Tomb Raider and then being disappointed that it's not the new Deer Hunter.

If you seriously bought "Assassin's Creed" and expected something similar to "Pirates!", then you straight up deserve your disappointment. Also, it renders your critique utterly useless to literally everyone else, who would want to buy the game because it's Assassin's Creed.

And yeah, pirate games are overlooked... so are spaceship sims. Feel our paaaaaaaaaaaain (even if it'll be over in a year and a half). At least we actually have reason to whinge, what with X: Rebirth coming out and ACTUALLY being crap, although it was actually targeted at us.

 

[Frezzato]

snip

Totally agree with you. I tried the first AC, saw a creepy rendition of Kristen Bell's face from across the uncanny valley (those eyes), wondered why the hell they couldn't just keep the game set in an historical period, and never played it again. Eh, never say never I guess. I still have the disc so I might finish it, but I've heard some bad things about something to do with collecting flags or banners. Thankfully, I believe that's optional.

Regarding AC Black Flag though, I played the first part of the game (the first island I guess). I have to admit, I really liked it--until you returned to the present. There was something weird going on with the map though. Like the compass. I couldn't tell if it was a compass or a waypoint or something to do with an objective. And there was a jungle cat icon on the map which I went in search of but nothing was there. Just minor issues really. And the guy at the end, the ship owner, who was being held captive while screaming "Take my sugar!" sounded like he was being sodomized. That had me cracking up.

Good thing I was playing my friend's copy though. I'll just wait for Watch Dogs instead.

 

[CommanderL]

assassins creed 4 is a decent game let down by two many bullshit tailing missions or eve's dropping missions I seem to be the only one to like the future desmond story line and the surveys afterwards are a good idea becuase it allows them to get direct customer feed back of missions they like which means in future games they can give use more of them missions

 

[Frezzato]

assassins creed 4 is a decent game let down by two many bullshit tailing missions or eve's dropping missions I seem to be the only one to like the future desmond story line and the surveys afterwards are a good idea becuase it allows them to get direct customer feed back of missions they like which means in future games they can give use more of them missions

Actually, I think the vast majority of AC fans either like or don't mind the future story bit.

Are there surveys after both the historical missions and the future bits? Or just after the historical parts?

Captcha: Take A Survey

 

[Zeh Don]

...There was no in-game reason to fail some of these... What omnipotent body is telling Edward to start over on some missions, but not others?...

Well, I'm guessing you're not paying attention to the "meta-narrative", in which it is detailed that you're playing through restored memories. Success and failure is dictated by the individual memory - if Kenway was stealthy through a mission, then you have to be stealthy because you're replaying the memory. In terms of the in-game reasons, the story justifies this practice. In fact, the open-world components are actually concessions made for the sake of gameplay.

...I don't want to sign up for your bullshit. I don't want to leave you feedback. Your playtesters should have done that. Your devs should've done that. Leave. Me. Alone.

Press continue.

 

[CommanderL]

assassins creed 4 is a decent game let down by two many bullshit tailing missions or eve's dropping missions I seem to be the only one to like the future desmond story line and the surveys afterwards are a good idea becuase it allows them to get direct customer feed back of missions they like which means in future games they can give use more of them missions

Actually, I think the vast majority of AC fans either like or don't mind the future story bit.

Are there surveys after both the historical missions and the future bits? Or just after the historical parts?

Captcha: Take A Survey

after the memories it is even set up with an abstergo logo to make it seem as part of the future game meta story

I hope for ac5 that they have far less tailing missions because during ac4 I was one tailing mission away from rage quiting the game

 

[Frezzato]

snip

Just wait, I bet Watch Dogs is actually going to be some kind of soothesayer in the middle ages looking into the future.

Noooo don't jinx it!

[...]I hope for ac5 that they have far less tailing missions because during ac4 I was one tailing mission away from rage quiting the game

Oddly enough, there were a couple of tailing missions in Sid Meier's Pirates! as well.

*Edit* My mistake, that was just you sneaking through town.

 

[Reaper195]

As for the rest I agree the series would be better without the whole future plot. Still it's better implemented in this game compared to the previous games in the series.

Gotta disagree with you there.originally, I was hoping that the games would eventually lead to an AC game set in Desmond's time. The only reason the future secions have been so crap is because the writers are shit. They shake things up a wee bit when Desmond kills Lucy at the end of Brotherhood, but then he's in a coma for all of Revelations. Except the end, where he wakes up and BAM there's his father....what the hell? The first game did it pretty well by not having much happen, but at least by not having much of it in i. The second game gave us a lot of control over Desmond in the future...and then did nothing with him after the first fifteen minutes. Brotherhood got it nearly perfect, but then the series ust fell to shit afterwards.

 

[Magix]

As for the present story: didn't it only pop up like 3 times throughout the entire game? Even if you don't like it, I don't see how it was there long enough to cause any problems

 

[lapan]

assassins creed 4 is a decent game let down by two many bullshit tailing missions or eve's dropping missions I seem to be the only one to like the future desmond story line and the surveys afterwards are a good idea becuase it allows them to get direct customer feed back of missions they like which means in future games they can give use more of them missions

Actually, I think the vast majority of AC fans either like or don't mind the future story bit.

Are there surveys after both the historical missions and the future bits? Or just after the historical parts?

Captcha: Take A Survey

I just don't like how drawn out it is. After Brotherhood i decided to not touch the series anymore at least until it's finally finished.

 

[Seanfall]

As for the present story: didn't it only pop up like 3 times throughout the entire game? Even if you don't like it, I don't see how it was there long enough to cause any problems

Thank you it's much less intrusive here then in the other games. Hell I forget about it till their like 'Okay lunch time.'. Oh wait what?

Also...I had skipped from AC2 to Black Flag and since all the other games are available on the cheap I'm going back and playing through them. I got Brotherhood for 10 bucks...and considering it's length that's about all i'd pay for it...

 

[ERaptor]

I bought this game because a pirate game is long overdue. It is such a missed opportunity for Ubisoft and it is so misguided that they continually enforce their self-important left field arc into what could've been an amazing and innovative experience.

It's called ASSASSIN'S CREED: BLACK FLAG.

You cannot reasonably expect it to be anything beyond an extension of the previous Assassin's Creed games. The fact that it does have a heavy emphasis on piracy is a bonus and a selling point, NOT a focus.

This is like buying the new Tomb Raider and then being disappointed that it's not the new Deer Hunter.

If you seriously bought "Assassin's Creed" and expected something similar to "Pirates!", then you straight up deserve your disappointment. Also, it renders your critique utterly useless to literally everyone else, who would want to buy the game because it's Assassin's Creed.

And yeah, pirate games are overlooked... so are spaceship sims. Feel our paaaaaaaaaaaain (even if it'll be over in a year and a half). At least we actually have reason to whinge, what with X: Rebirth coming out and ACTUALLY being crap, although it was actually targeted at us.

Apart from the fact that the pirate thing was a huge part of advertising (actually, pretty much the only part i saw, oddly enough they rarely advertise by using the future-plot-sh*t. I WONDER why. I also WONDER why they advertised past games with scenes from Ancestors, not Desmond being boring.) and thus one CAN actually be a bit disappointed that some games insisted to drag you away from the pirates every opportunity they got. The same applies to every other AC game, since the different time-periods, gameplay mechanics and thus the majority of your time spent playing is actually defined by where and when the current game plays. I liked Revelations in this regard. You could get back into the Animus instantly, and there were only very few parts where you were actually _required_ to jump around as desmond. (Altough Black Flag is less intrusive, they are getting better)

Its not unreasonable to prefer the story that resolves around Desmonds Ancestors over:

Spoiler

Whacko-future-conspiracy with weird-ass space gods "Oh no we're actually humans and foresaw all of this" and often very confusing plot-twists-stuff.

Apart from the fact that you spend a LOT more time in the past than the present, this means that for some people the sudden swap to future-story really breaks immersion and also often breaks the flow.

Also, all necessary elemtents for a great pirate game are there. It wouldnt even have required them to get out of their way to keep the past and future seperate and allow the player to freely swap in between, instead of just plonking you into the futureplot out of nowhere.

Im pretty sure a lot of people agree that the future-plot stuff is sometimes awkwardly implemented and some people do not care for it at all. That does NOT make their critique invalid. AT ALL. There are people who buy these things because of the time periods and actualy gameplay, instead of the whole "Templar beat Assassins in DA FUTURRRRE"-shtick.

The only reason the future secions have been so crap is because the writers are shit. They shake things up a wee bit when Desmond kills Lucy at the end of Brotherhood, but then he's in a coma for all of Revelations. Except the end, where he wakes up and BAM there's his father....what the hell? The first game did it pretty well by not having much happen, but at least by not having much of it in i. The second game gave us a lot of control over Desmond in the future...and then did nothing with him after the first fifteen minutes. Brotherhood got it nearly perfect, but then the series ust fell to shit afterwards.

I would recommend putting that Lucy part into Spoiler, just in case. I can allready see the butthurt-spoiler brigade descending unto this thread.

Also, the "shit writers" are the _exact_ reason i would agree that AC should just drop the retarded-future stuff, or actually get someone with a working brain to write it. Currently its like someone inviting you to watch Pirates of the carribbean and then insisting on playing snippets from the Da'Vinci Code every 5 minutes.