Assassin's Creed Brotherhood - Page 2

Yeah I realised I was wrong about it being 'open' about five minutes after I posted. Really irritating actually because it sort of creates the impression I'm getting ahead of myself. I'm on Memory 5 now, and I've already got three level 9 assassins, own the majority of Rome, and have done all of Leonardo's tasks. But then I do a mission which still feels like a tutorial.

I'm on Memory 4 or 5 (whichever one The Banker is). I think I have 1 more Leonardo mission left, I've bought nearly everything I've seen (haven't purchased all the landmarks yet, which are really overpriced considering how little they increase your income). I have 3 level 7 assassins, all the rest are level 6. It's kind of ridiculous how fast they mop up whoever I point them at. If one of your assassins fails their mission, is it just a failure or is there a chance they get killed? I've been hesitant to send my good ones out on the tough contracts for fear they don't come back.

My favorite kill by one of my assassins, last night I saw a group of 4 soldiers and one of them with a spear was poking a hay stack. I'm not sure who they were looking for. I called my assassins, and as soon as spear-guy turned his back an assassin jumped out of the hay pile the guy had just been checking and knifed him in the back. It was awesome.

Edit: I tried to look up an answer to my question on whether my assassins could be killed on missions when I discovered that you can send more than 1 on a single mission. I feel like an idiot because I never even tried this. Splitting those 600 point missions will move the levels a lot faster.

Loving this now that I've gotten to Rome. It feels like the best city Ubi's ever made for the AC series, though I feel a bit guilty when I say that, as if I'm betraying some of my favorite land marks and locations from games past

Anyway, I was up till 4 30 AM playing it, and woke up at 7 25, so I must confess that I don't feel up to going into my thoughts in too much depth, so I'll just toss out a few random ideas that come to mind

*Does anyone else find it slightly cheap the game stole all your weapons and powers from AC2?

*Does the fact they've made this game set in Rome circa 1500 AD mean that we're unlikely to get an ancient Rome game from Ubi?

*The thing about lining up kills is confusing. It sounds sort of like the combat mechanic from PATH OF NEO, but I am not sure how to work it. I tried the VR training and I passed it but didn't understand what it was I did

*I wish the cool gold mask from the previous game was available. You should be able to forge fearsome and fashionable masks at the black smith, IMHO

*I like that you can now dye your cape separately from your clothes, though right now I am wearing the matching Venetian Wine outfit because it's purple and blue, which are the closest colors to a traditional senatorial toga I could find

*I had some good chases last night. I tried to kill a Borgia captain at the Circus Maximus and got overwhelmed. I had to flee and the chase made for a breathless escapade

*I am focused right now on renovations and public works projects. In order to finance my initial infiltration into the city, I was forced to pick pocket aprox 1000 people in order to generate enough funds to begin purchasing up properties around Rome. I now seek to repay them by tossing gold coin freely as I make my rounds, and take satisfaction in knowing that my secret involuntary tax will benefit the lives of the citizenry in the long run. I still rob those wearing ostentatious displays of wealth, though I justify these actions with a 'Robin Hood' philosophy. Also, by focusing on renovations I can quickly build up my income that way at a certain point I no longer have to pick pocket people or worry about money

*The tomb of Romulus was harder than I was really looking to deal with last night, so I watched a video of a playthrough on YOUTUBE for hints. I like the fact the game includes hidden underground treasure hunts, but I started to feel claustrophobic and I couldn't see where I was going and I needed to get out of there

I'm sure at least some people have reached the end of the game by now. I just did...and fuck.

Anyone want to discuss? With spoiler text of course.

I just hit memory segment six. If I can break away from fucking about with my pack of assassin's I'll probably finish the main plotline today.

Man, I am really loving the hell out of this game. Between this and New Vegas, it's been a good year for "side-quels." Love the tweaks to combat, extremely satisfying to pull off the double executions. I love the one where you stick a knife in one guy, turn to throw a dagger at another guy, then continue stabbing the first guy.

They have a similar one with the medium weapon, where you stab one guy and then shoot another at the same time. Still loving the stab party you do with the hidden blades.

Okay, that last Leonardo mission SUCKS. I disliked essentially everything about it. When you start out and have to find the Architect...he apparently goes inside buildings and they don't tell you this. So I wandered the green circle area for about 30 minutes without seeing him. Hiding, jumping from roof to roof, worried about a desynch if any guard sees you. I then found the joy of poisons when I decided to clear all the guards out of the area (seriously, the guy going nuts and blindly swinging his blade into a crowd is hilarious). Killed everybody, ran around safely and still took 15 minutes to stumble upon the Architect in a small area.

Then you go to the next stage, which is burning the plans and then locating the machine. This is the only time in this game that it's essentially turned into Hitman. A ridiculous amount of trial and error (lots of guards who aren't in the line of sight of anybody, but killing them desynchs you immediately). It turns into an elaborate climbing puzzle based upon movement only when guard's backs are turned, but as with all climbing puzzles it takes a few times to figure out the proper route. Unfortunately, unlike the other climbing puzzles you'll have a guard turn around and notice you and reset you.

You finally get to the machine, and rather than give you a set of instructions and then have you fly...they throw you in the air with people shooting at you and your glider heading generally towards the ground while the instructions are popping up. Did I mention that the glider handles like a polar bear on ice skates?

Ugh. I took the game back to the rental store this morning since I'm out of town for Thanksgiving. I'll rent it again later, but I planned on doing 4-5 missions last night and only finished that one and muttered "I am not having fun" under my breath at least a dozen times.

Ha, when I started reading this I actually thought you were talking about a different Leonardo mission. I didn't have much trouble at all with the flying machine one (though flying it was a little cumbersome, even after having handled it in AC2). I can't remember which vehicle precedes it, but there's another Leonardo mission where getting to the architect is even harder. It takes place in some sort of Adam and Eve themed orgy party, and you have to tail the architect without being seen with tons of guards around, and tons of guards on the roof that all seem to have line of sight on you no matter where you are. Took me about 30 tries probably.

See, I didn't play AC2. That might be my issue with the flying.

I haven't played the mission you're describing though, and Leonardo told me that all of his machines are destroyed.

Hm, now that I think of it, maybe it wasn't a Leonardo mission, I think since a lot of the Leonardo ones involved required stealth, I may be mixing it up in my head.

So the ending (spoilers in black below)

My take is that the ancients plan is to create a halfbreed race between humans and themselves. Hence all the talk about the races joining. Desmond and the Sixth are key parts of that, and their progeny are key to the survival of humanity. The ancients saw Lucy as a threat to this pairing and thus forced Desmond to kill her. However I wonder what the line of dialogue over the credits about putting him back into the animus is about. It certainly doesn't sound like the Assassin team.

I still need to get all the Subject 16 videos in this though.

I'm kind if disappointed with the main missions towards the end of the game. Some of them just feel overly protracted. All of the side stuff has been fantastic though.

Spoilers: My take differs greatly. The god there said that paintings, buildings, anything they could think of to store information all eventually succumbs to time. Even they themselves will die eventually. So they created humans to serve as storage devices. Since we can keep all the information in our DNA. However, they didn't anticipate our nature or lust for power, which is why Adam and Eve stole the Apple in the previous Truth video. The god says they should have never created us.

They could foresee the future and they knew on the 72nd day before the end, Desmond would be there. The repeated lines that the god says AND that Subject 16 says is that it's already over. It's too late and Desmond will fail. I don't think they ever intended for Desmond to save the world, only to save himself and the Sixth. Which judging from what Subject 16 said, is a descendant of Eve. To save humanity is to well...have babies.

The talk about being born in the loins of blah blah I think had to do with Altair getting it on with Maria, who was a Templar. So Desmond has both assassin and templar blood in him. I think.

Why was Lucy killed? I'm not sure. Maybe she was a Templar agent, or like you said, they saw her as an obstacle to the pairing.

Finally, the voices at the end. My take is that this whole time, we've actually been playing through Desmond's memories after Abstergo has recaptured him sometime in the future. Desmond's condition has considerably worsened by this time because of the extended time in the animus

So yeah, that was longer than I thought it would be.

I am not sure if the game is glitching and I am just getting the same music over and over, but the score is not that great. The usually lyrical and subtle work by Jasper Kyd seems hard to detect. The music cues I hear over and over are monotonous and grating, like the pounding score to a slasher film. It has nothing to do with Rome or roof top exploration. It almost feels like left over chase scene music from the previous games. I feel like I'd be better off just putting on the Jeff Beal ROME soundtrack instead

PS The multiplayer is incredibly confusing, too. I wish they could just lay out just what precisely it is you're supposed to do without wrapping up the exposition in all that sci fi abstergo stuff. It's maddening

There should be an Aria playing in the countryside and gentle percussion and string based stuff in Rome itself. The more percussive, Hans Zimmer like, stuff only kicks in if you're on high notoriety.

The multiplayer servers were down yesterday when I wanted to try it out, but they are supposed to be back up now. So instead I played a bit more of single player, and I now have a lovely hideout to lounge around in. I plan to put a bunch more time into this game throughout the weekend.

Ah OK, the notoriety must have been what was causing the grim music. Thanks, Spike.

Still can't make heads or tales of the MP

Any tips on dealing with these uber-quick jerkholes? I've gotten by mostly by countering-killing them, does this change when you upgrade your equipment?

If the net-code wasn't so broken and the perk system so lobsided I think the Multiplayer would be genuinely amazing. Having to play with the same group of people continually or spend 10 minutes in loading screens is an annoyance, having Level 20/30/40 people have moves which essentially break the game is downright infuriating. You can barely defend yourself until you hit level five.

Uber-Quick Jerkholes?

Really don't know which enemy you're talking about as aside from guys with spears and the big, plate armoured, guys countering is always the best option in combat.

(Minor spoiler as this is fairly early in the game)

There's a mission where you must deliver a ransom to some pirates (?) for a kidnapped courtesan. Once the fighting breaks out, the pirates were dodging ALL of my regular attacks with the sword - attempted to go at them with my dagger but got the same result (This happened a second time when a group of mercenaries ambushed me in the countryside)

Ah. With those guys, you need to press A to kick them. That will instantly connect and let you murder them.

Just did Subject 16's final schism puzzle thingy.

What do y'all make of (spoilers, swipe to read): The fact that Chairman Mao has the Assassin symbol imposed under his face? Is the implication that the Assassin's became corrupt as the order went on, or are Ubisoft framing Mao as a good guy because of his breaks from Soviet Communism and Western Capitalism

BTW, Spike..

It turns out that the pounding monotonous sound track issues I was having were NOT connected to my notoriety. Instead the issue was that it seems different sections of the city have their own soundtracks, and the section I was in had a droning, oppressive score. Go figure

Eh, I am underwhelmed. It's all terribly confusing. There is no one moment where they just lay out what you're supposed to do in a list with bullet points. This is where a proper paper instruction manual would have come in handy, IMHO. I've found that my escaping skills translate well to the online world (I almost always escape if I am being actively chased, unless I goof and get distracted), but I am unable to sneak up on anyone. This is due to the difficulty of trying to blend in with a crowd of NPCs when you are a human and trying to deceive other humans. Your movements are never going to precisely mimic those of a person whose actions are governed by software

Also, it all seems to be about competition. It would be great if you could assassinate someone using only the power of team work. A free roam mode would be cool too, because I like to engage in leisurely strolls through the game world, and a non competitive free roam mode would enable players to walk around without worrying that someone was about to knife them

SPOILERY SPECULATION:

Maybe it means that in the next game, Mao is the target?

The multiplayer in this is kind of insane. It's unfortunate that I have spent more time in loading screens than actually playing matches so far. That's how it feels at least.

The single player part of the game is still awesome. I finished unlocking the three factions this morning after spending a bunch of time treasure hunting and generally just running around the city. I've also done a couple of the Romulus tomb things, and they must get easier with future abilities or something. I got through the couple that I found, but nowhere close to the 8 minute requirement for full synchronization. After a couple attempts on the first one, I decided that I would go back to redo it later on.

This is how it feels for me too, there are load screen a plenty, and I've grown weary of being trapped with the same 8 or so players round after round. Some of them are either cheating or their skills are so far beyond my own that it's an unevenly matched confrontation

Then the actual matches are too short too, IMHO. There should be a no time limit free roam mode where you can roam freely free from worry that you're about to get offed by some random X Boxer

They're not cheating, it's just that as you level you gain skills and perks which are ridiculous. There's one move, called Templar Vision, that you unlock at Level 19 and essentially makes your target GLOW. Then there's the general speed and crowd control boosts, the morph ability, firecrackers. It's designed to punish new players.

There was one move someone used on me where I was climbing a wall and he was climbing behind me and he reached up with his hand and I died. There is no equivalent to this move in singleplayer (if you're climbing the only thing that can hurt you is a rock*), and I felt it was cheap. I assume that it's easier with a mic, though there is no team work component that I can detect in the MP so maybe not

Oh, also, I did manage to get to level 2 though so now I can disguise myself, for whatever that is worth at least

This is kind of why I don't like multiplayer though: the intimidation factor. Any time I've ever tried online gaming (rarely) I always find myself outclassed by my fellow Xboxers and I find little fun in being killed over and over before I've even had time to understand how someone got the drop on me

*or a sword swipe from someone on top of the structure you are climbing

What, drop kills? Technically, that's sorta in the SP as an assassination move.

Also, the MP doesn't have the computer controlled movement when you blend into crowds like the SP has?

No no, I mean, if someone is chasing me on foot on the ground and I climb a wall to get away, and I am already high enough on the wall that he can't stand on the ground and slash me as I try to climb (the way a guard in SP would try to), they will start climbing after me only to attack and kill me mid climb, while we are both climbing

Guards can't kill you that way in SP
Hm, no I don't think so, but I am not entirely certain what you are referring to. There are no computer controlled crowd blend techniques in AC2 or ACB. At least, I don't think there are. The only 'on rails' crowd blending was in AC1 with the scholars where you'd sort of get glued to their little group and walk in sync with them

In multiplayer if you walk into a crowd of NPCs who are moving and don't touch any buttons once you've synced with them you'll walk with them.

No, but assassins can grab people from ledges and pull them down as an assassin move. It doesn't really come up on the way up a wall since you don't really chase guards up stuff.

Oh neat, I didn't know that. I will have to test it out once I get home and can play again

BTW.. This is kind of unlikely, but hear me out: It would be great to have some kind of book, a manual of sorts, that would be filled with paper that had been printed with instructions for just this sort of thing. Destined to remain a pipe dream I guess

Right, that is kind of different than what I am saying though. I am not at the top of the wall and they're pulling me down, I'm still climbing the wall and and they shank me in the ankle or something as they climb behind me

Oh well, it's not game breaking it just feels cheap since all my game play escape techniques were developed to work against opponents who could not do that move

You learn the move in the game. Pretty sure they spell out what actually happens when you first learned the move in the second(?) game.

The MP has you against "assassins" not guards.

Hm, well you learn something new every day. I'd never heard that before, and had never done it in the game
I know, but the treacherous ankle shank is not a move that I can perform against a guard in single player where you play as an assassin yourself. How then are the assassins in MP capable of such a feat? My point was that all my stratagems were formulated to combat opponents who would could only resort to rock throwing if I climbed more than six feet off the ground

Kate, a proper instruction manual for all thing single and multiplayer is in the options menu.

And FYI, its always better to play with friends, especially ones with mics. I don't ever play the Manhunt or Alliance modes unless me and 1 or 3 other of my buddies can coordinate some playtime.

Also, if you keep getting killed by jerks who just run around not caring about stealth just let them get their piddly 100-200 points. I've netted 900-1100 point kills for being a complete silent assassin and have come in the top 3 of many matches.

It's not really a 'proper' one though, is it? You can't highlight passages for quick reference. You can't keep it on your lap to glance at while you play. You can't quickly flip through pages and scan with your eyes till you find the relevant portions. You can't 'redact' objectionable instructions. Instead, Ubi expects you to pause the game and scroll through their endless confusing menus in order to look up simple stuff Meh, my XBL experience is extremely limited and for the most part extremely underwhelming. Until recently I'd only ever tried it at other peoples houses, or on the few nights when I was sleeping over at my moms. I don't have a mic, a wireless adapter or even the little key pad accessory and nearly every time I play I've found the experience to be more intimidating than fun. I play games with other people so rarely that I think the skills I've developed are only effective against opponents controlled by the CPU. I tried COD MW MP one time and I kept getting killed every 10 seconds for nearly 10 minutes straight

You are more of a single player. Nothing wrong with that.

Spoilers

Wow, another killer ending that really makes me want to play AC3 whenever it hits.

Really hated the second to last level though (especially since it seemed like it would be the last level). Being forced to use the piece of eden was a really horrible game mechanic, and made those missions feel really anticlimactic. Luckily the final confrontation with Cesare was ok. Loved the Desmond capper though, fantastic stuff. And I really love the song that plays over the credits at the end, it actually sort of reminded me of some of Mansell's stuff in The Fountain.

No, but you can't fault me for wanting to be good at everything

EDIT: I did get some good kills last night though! I hid on top of a zip line thing and waited for people to zip up, then smoke bombed them

I just don't see how someone can be THAT confused with the multiplayer. They spell everything out to you in the training mission, there's stuff to read about in the manual, and there aren't many controls. Follow compass to target. Kill. Repeat. Someone tries to kill you. Run and hide. I agree though that some of the perks later on are ridiculous and the load times suck. Of course, it's annoying getting killed all the time, but that's in every game.

Oh and if you're on a team, quit running around all the time. The other three guys on my team stuck together but they ran around, alerting all the targets they were after, and never got many of them. I went lone wolf, silently stalked each one, and got us first place.

Well, I'm figuring some of it out now, but my skills are still lacking. I'm planning to give it another crack once I get off work today (unless I take a nap instead) but I'm still vexed by the perks. I've gotten some good kills though, usually when I plant myself in one location and wait for my enemies to come to me, like a Venus Fly Trap (such as staying atop the zip line with my smoke bombs - mwa hahaha)

PS I am very good at running, it's probably my top skill. I do better running from my foes than hiding myself from them

BTW I enjoy MANHUNT more than WANTED, because I appreciate the power of team work

BTW, playing now and IMHO running around frantically is a good method for flushing the enemy out. If they see you running towards them they assume their cover is blown, and they end up breaking cover to escape

I am clever like that!

Is there a way to play only with people who have few extra powers? Last night there was someone called PSYCHO CHRIS who was 30 levels ahead of everyone else and dominated the game match after match. It sucked

Doesn't that blow your cover to those hunting you too?

Yes. Then they chase me and usually fail at it, netting me points

EDIT Neoolong, my previously mentioned stratagem was for the MANHUNT mode when you are hunter. My comment in this post refers to breaking chases as the prey in MANHUNT mode