The new installment of the internationally popular franchise Assassins Creed will be cutting a major limb from the game as we are introduced to Arno in Assassins Creed Unity. Head-to-head online multiplayer has been axed by the developers in the search of a more co-op shared experience, this will be the first game since Assassins Creed Brotherhood to not have a competitive component. In the online mode players took on a role in Abstergo and were featured in Assassin-vs-Assassins matches where players tracked their specific target and hunted for the kill in a variety of ways. Unlike a majority of AAA titles Assassins Creed multiplayer wasn’t fast paced, it made you think about every move you made, what your target was doing, how close could you get without them seeing you it had constant intensity.
Ubisoft clearly see their new co-op playability as a major selling point but I’d happily raise my hand and tell them there was no need to ditch the online experience. All co-op missions are able to be played solo so players that don’t have up to 3 friends with the same love of the game can complete it lone wolf style. The only thing that I could complain about is the achievements/trophies for online although I’m sure not as many people care about that as much as the experience itself which is completely fine.
There is of course a good side. It would be completely ignorant of me to ignore the prospect of new innovations that will be available in Unity, without multiplayer that frees up a lot of developing space as well as the new space that next gen consoles offer. I’m excited for Assassins Creed Unity even though I would be even more excited if I could go online into new maps and story to hunt down assassins around the world.
Requiescat in pace Assassins Creed Multiplayer.
