Assassin's Creed Revelations

EPIC. EPIC. EPIC.
After the back-to-back installments of Assassin's Creed series, Ubisoft has never disappoint us with unique gameplay and many more add-on features in AC Revelations. (except the story part though :P) Revelations , also known as the 'sequel' of Brotherhood, depicts answers that are still lingering in AC fans' mind after that huge cliffhanger at the end of Brotherhood. (Actually they didnt really explain why Lucy was stabbed. Is she a Templar I wonder). It has three playable characters of different generations : Altair, Ezio and Desmond. Though, their stories are not as amazing as the gameplay itself. I have to say, the gameplay is really good :)

Revelations team must have long cracked their head to think of creative features to improve the game further. With basic ideas from AC Brotherhood, Revelations has similar gameplay with introduction of a new climbing hook and different types of bombs (tactical, diversion and splinter).

Hookblade

I really like this new handy toy :). Why? Really creative! Don't you think?
The hook is so useful! Zipline across the country, tackle thieves, counter-steal, pull down scaffolding on pursuing guards, plus climbing tall building (30% faster). I remember I actually counter-steal the big 'boss'. I got 4000! funny :P

Templars' Den
Instead of 'Borgia tower', Revelations use the term 'Templars' Den' since the game is not centered around Rome anymore, but Constantinople + Istanbul. Compared to Brotherhood, infiltrating their restricted area is much more easier and less challenging. Means, I can easily ignite the tower to recruit more assassins. However, one thing annoys me, my templar status immediately becomes red once I do so. It's super annoying and that is the ONLY thing I HATE in Revelations, probably not for the others. Templars will attack one of my dens after that if I did something offensive. In short actually, I hate that Tower Defense minigame.
First, I suck at it :P
Second, really wasting time to travel across city just to defend my tower.
Well I guess that's what the designers want so as to make the game more thrilling and challenging.
I can decrease the notoriety, but not as easy as I did in Brotherhood. Pulling posters and bribing heralds anywhere in the city. In Revelations, I can bribe heralds or kill templar messenger or stalker. but not appear very frequently. Only when you reach more than 25% notoriety I think.



Thus, it forces me to be more careful. Think before I do anything. Use stealth instead of creating open conflict.

Den Master
One way to get rid of the Tower Defense thing is by assigning a den master to that particular den. That way, it's locked. Good eh? :)
In Revelations, you get to do Master Assassin mission with the newly-appointed den master, unlike Brotherhood where you have to do alone, not as fun. From the mission, that den master learns something new. Then only he can reach a higher ranking of being an assassin.

Random Events
There are random events even when recruiting assassins. In Brotherhood, ALL recruits are saved by Ezio from attack. But in Revelations, there are some ego recruits as well :P Example, a citizen wants to challenge Ezio to brawl. But after Ezio won the brawl, the citizen is regret of his 'egoism' and join the cause. There are a few actually, not just saving the citizens from attack. I can said is much challenging.


Retrieving Masyaf Keys
These are by far my most favourite missions. I like exploring, jumping and climbing :) It's what make me like Assassin Creed so much.
The level designing is superb. Revelations has EPIC level designing.
In Brotherhood, most of them are underground and not as challenging as Revelations.
I LOVE Galata Tower and Maiden's Tower mission. They are the best!
Galata tower underneath is a huge EPIC cavern. Its awesome-ness is beyond description. Im Serious! This is the best scene I can show off to others how epic it is :P

Maiden's tower is scary. but epic in the way is huge. A huge puzzle. just to retrieve the Masyaf key.

Soundtrack
Lorne Balfe did a great job by composing Assassin Creed theme. Really Epic. I dunno how else to describe it. Jesper Kyd working on the scores with Lorne Balfe's assistance. So far, my favourite soundtracks are :
1) Assassin Creed Theme
2) Road to Masyaf
3) Sailing to Constatinople
4) Welcome to Konstantinyye

Scenery
Last but not least, the SCENERY! Omg It's really breathtaking. I still prefer Rome though. Istanbul has its uniqueness too. Hagia Sophia. Mediterranean sea. Beautiful!


My wish to use my full-fledged assassins against bosses was realised. There is one part where I can use ArrowStorm non-stop against the guards.
Sweet!

There is nothing much left to say. Unless you want me to tell the story? Nah, I don't think I will be able to as it's a bit complicated. And like there are a lot of empty gaps between. Too many questions in my head. But I sorta know how the overall story goes and stuff, but not in very detail. Altair in the end died, sealed himself in his library with the last Masyaf key and another Apple of Eden. Ezio retired himself as an assassin and died peacefully as shown in Assassin Creed Embers. Desmond in the end regained consciousness and he claimed that he know what to do with the Apple of Eden. I guess use it to save the world from another Solar Flare? The story is sorta make sense but it doesn't link. I dunno. It doesn't.

The fact that Yusuf Tazim died makes me so sad :(


Oh and if you watch Assassin's Creed Embers animated movie, there is a new mysterious Chinese assassin popped up . Somewhat wish to seek the truth from the legendary Mentor Assassin, Ezio (65 years old, can you imagine?)
And yea. I think. I THINK. AC3 may portray her as main character :P If it's not her, maybe his children. But I think Shao Jun (That's the assassin!) will be something new and fresh :) Some China History! Whoo! I love China History!

But one thing, it does explain what is the true meaning of Assassin's Creed.
Nothing is true, Everything is permitted.

Where other men blindly follow the truth,

Remember, nothing is true

Where other men are limited by morality or law,

Remember, everything is permitted.

We work in the dark to serve the light.

We are assassins.

This game has much much deeper meaning in it. In terms of morality. humanity. Through their conversations. Only ingenious people understand what moral value the game is trying to portray. Sorry but I'm not :P It has hidden meaning. abstract concepts.

Basically, the story depicted two different ideologies yet strong over the generations.

One is Templar, also known as the Order of Knights were a monastic military order-turned-corporate giant, which was formed during the prehistoric era. They sought to create a perfect world but through force and control.
Whereas,
The Assassin Order fought to ensure the survival of free will, as it allowed for the progression of new ideas and the growth of individuality.
(text taken from Wiki)
The general moral value is regarding humanity. Only with constant vigilance we can seek to create a world that we value.

By the way, I'm posting up this and I have EST exam the day after tomorrow :(
I really need LUCK. Hope I will do well. Really hope I will do well.

~pray.pray.pray~ :)