Slowly taking over the city and building up your control of the various neighbourhood has been a staple of the Assassin’s Creed franchise for years now. However, it has meant different things in the various games; sometimes it was just a matter of killing a captain and lowering a flag, and other times it was all about renovations. This time, it sounds like a more nuanced experience, and that’s a good thing.
One of my gripes with more recent Assassin’s Creed games was that owning an area didn’t really seem to do much. Sure, maybe you got added income or you got access to new missions, but it didn’t necessarily mean that you were safer, or that you really felt in charge around there. That sounds like it will be rather different this time around, as described on the UbiBlog.
Conquering the boroughs is actually tied to your progression through the game. Jacob and Evie are trying to weaken Templar Grand Master Crawford Starrick’s hold on the city, and one of the best ways to do that is by clearing his army out. Each borough contains a series of important missions, which must all be completed in order for you to take ownership of that district. Once a borough has been claimed, Rooks will be spotted more frequently on the streets and the Blighters will start clearing out.
[…] Characters like Abberline, Henry Green, Clara O’Dea and others will all have missions tied to your progression through the city. As you free districts, you will complete child liberation missions, bounty hunting missions, gang stronghold missions and more. Each of these will improve your standing with your allies, who will reward you with gear, schematics and rare crafting ingredients.
I like that there are a variety of missions that will need to be completed in order to clear out a borough. I do hope that the different boroughs have different mission types, though – it gets repetitive if it’s just a cycle of clear base, chase a guy, assassinate this other guy, done. However, if they can tailor each borough experience to the mood of what’s going on there, it could be a really fun and deep experience. Speaking of tailoring the mood of the borough, it sounds like there have been some interesting details applied in that regard, too.
Strolling through each of the boroughs is a unique experience. Not only are they all quite visually distinct, the music in each area also sets a specific mood. There is a strong sense of musical discovery as you make your way through the world; in a rich area like Westminster, you may find yourself walking among the city’s wealthiest inhabitants while grand music sweeps you off your feet, but in a much less affluent district like Whitechapel, you’ll find the slums. Here, the poor beg in the streets and the police are rarely seen. Murder ballads fill the air and crime is rampant. After a short time in the game, you may even be able to tell which borough you’re in without looking at your map, just by going off of visual and audio cues.
I really am curious about the new Assassin’s Creed game. I think Syndicate could be the best installment in the franchise that we’ve seen to date, but I also think that our standards for open world sandboxes have gone up over the years. Ubisoft isn’t the only game in town in the regard, and I hope that they have reevaluated their offering and done more to push the genre forward.
Last Updated: October 20, 2015
Nikola
October 20, 2015 at 10:24
All the details leading up to the release of the game sound really awesome love the whole gang idea, however I wasn’t impressed with the demo I played at Rage. Want to pick it up but will wait on some reviews.
Hammersteyn
October 20, 2015 at 10:33
Want to pick it up but will wait on some sales.
Nikola
October 20, 2015 at 10:35
Yeah of course, this whole gaming thing is getting expensive, Next month is Black Friday though so waiting on some specials then. Also this must come out now so Unity price becomes cheaper;)
Hammersteyn
October 20, 2015 at 10:37
Still need to figure out how to grab COD and Fallout. I could drink less but that seems like madness
Nikola
October 20, 2015 at 10:40
Haha I feel your pain dude luckily my birthday is next month so I am getting Fallout as a present now COD I don’t know might have to rob someone…hahaha yeah dude you can’t stop drinking now you put so many hours and dedication into it would be foolish to give up!
Commander JJ of the Normandy
October 20, 2015 at 10:42
For someone who has only played one AC game (and not Black Flag..yet). It does really look cool.
The one thing that I’ve always loved about the AC games is the diversity of cities and places. Different to most other games who are all set in the predictable New York city.
Hammersteyn
October 20, 2015 at 10:43
They should pick somewhere interesting next like New Jersey.
Commander JJ of the Normandy
October 20, 2015 at 10:45
LOL
Imagine if it weren’t considered racist or politically incorrect…they could do an SA one.
Though I do think there are still a few great cities they can give a try.
Nikola
October 20, 2015 at 10:44
Yip totally dude I love the AC games for the setting always in a different time in history great idea however if they just didn’t release a game every single year would be GREAT give them enough time for some innovation and bigger changes!
Hammersteyn
October 20, 2015 at 10:34
A Sherlock Holmes game based on the Guy Ritchie movies in the same setting would probably sell better and garner more interest
Nikola
October 20, 2015 at 10:36
That would actually be awesome, you actually have good ideas when you sober!
Hammersteyn
October 20, 2015 at 10:38
Yeah, but then I’m only half as clever.
Commander JJ of the Normandy
October 20, 2015 at 10:40
I’m not sure how to support this without promoting alcoholism or without calling you sober and stupid 😉
Hammersteyn
October 20, 2015 at 10:42
Meh, it’s all sticks and stones when the beer chills my bones.
Commander JJ of the Normandy
October 20, 2015 at 10:43
😀
oVg
October 20, 2015 at 10:43
sounds like a good night out at the local shabeen
oVg
October 20, 2015 at 10:41
or jack the ripper, in the game and not sold as DLC.
oVg
October 20, 2015 at 10:36
lol somebody posted a walk-trough on N4G yesterday and around 50 comments all said. BORING.
But I bet like Watchdogs and Unity it will sell over 10million copies regardless.
Hammersteyn
October 20, 2015 at 10:41
Might not be as boring for someone who last played Black Flag in this series. They really need to give their titles time to breathe. Look how amped people are for Deus EX, Just Cause and Fallout 4
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
October 20, 2015 at 11:03
Yep, the whole AC series has become a rush, not like the band, the band was cool, but they could do so good by just stepping back/holding back for a year or so…
Nikola
October 20, 2015 at 10:41
Watchdogs was fun though at least I had a LOT of fun with it!
oVg
October 20, 2015 at 10:42
I cant even remember the dudes name.
Hammersteyn
October 20, 2015 at 10:45
He had a name?
oVg
October 20, 2015 at 10:45
Sam Fisher
oVg
October 20, 2015 at 10:45
Joel
oVg
October 20, 2015 at 10:45
Max
Commander JJ of the Normandy
October 20, 2015 at 10:46
He looks like a James.
oVg
October 20, 2015 at 10:57
nope
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Male_characters_in_video_games
Commander JJ of the Normandy
October 20, 2015 at 10:59
Oh wow. Not a single James (apart from mister Bond).
oVg
October 20, 2015 at 11:02
and dont forget Jame Pond 🙂
Commander JJ of the Normandy
October 20, 2015 at 11:03
lol
Nikola
October 20, 2015 at 10:45
Aiden Pierce not going to lie though took me a few minutes to remember hahah he was a terrible character though but the game overall was fun and then GTA V came and made it look like absolute crap ahhaah
oVg
October 20, 2015 at 10:47
Aiden Pierce WTF? Only a French Canadian writer could come up with that lol.
Aiden Bwahahahaha
Hammersteyn
October 20, 2015 at 10:48
Wonder if he’s related 😛
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Goodwin_Pierce
oVg
October 20, 2015 at 10:50
Who knows. Aiden (chuckle) had less back story than a rock in Destiny.
I do remember somebody called Dog, cool dog, d-dog, T-dog!!! thats the one T-Dog.
Commander JJ of the Normandy
October 20, 2015 at 10:52
I don’t think gangsters realise that you can use other letters than “T” in front of “dog”
Nikola
October 20, 2015 at 10:52
YESSS T DOG hahahah!
oVg
October 20, 2015 at 10:54
The old white hipster with dreads. Come to think of it, after playing the game, are there any black dudes in Detroit? I thought they were the majority.
Commander JJ of the Normandy
October 20, 2015 at 10:54
I thought Watch Dogs was in Chicargo.
oVg
October 20, 2015 at 10:55
lol my bad, same goes for Chicago 😉
Commander JJ of the Normandy
October 20, 2015 at 10:57
Haha. I really just guessed. I remembered it wasn’t NY, so it stood out ;P
Remember when Left for Dead 2 had too many black zombies in it…even though it was in New Orleans where there are more black people. They got a lot of flack for that. Now they rather just pretend that cities aren’t diverse for safety.
Nikola
October 20, 2015 at 10:57
Chicago dude hahaha not Detroit! Yeah u right there are no black people in that game whatsoever when I come to think of it not many in Ubisoft games hmmm..
Commander JJ of the Normandy
October 20, 2015 at 10:49
Could’ve been Jaiden Smith…count your lucky stars.
oVg
October 20, 2015 at 10:51
lol that’s actually cool.
Nikola
October 20, 2015 at 10:52
hahahaha it is a DUMB name!!
Alien Emperor Trevor
October 20, 2015 at 10:50
Iconic hat though.
oVg
October 20, 2015 at 10:52
Hat dude with an iPhone
Commander JJ of the Normandy
October 20, 2015 at 10:53
No wonder it screwed up all other electronics connected to it.
Commander JJ of the Normandy
October 20, 2015 at 10:39
I thought you just needed to be an immigrant to take over London
Too soon?
Nikola
October 20, 2015 at 10:41
Hahahaha!!
Kristin Johnson
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Grand Admiral Chief
October 20, 2015 at 11:27
xD
Brandon Pike
October 20, 2015 at 15:42
Does anyone know if u HAVE to do the side quests (conquer boroughs) in order to advance in sequences?
Brandon Pike
October 20, 2015 at 15:42
PLEASE SOMEONE ANSWER THIS! I’M CONFUSED ON THIS PART!
Kristin Johnson
October 20, 2015 at 16:13
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