Right now I have to speak to the Bureau Leader of Damascus and it says Damascus isn't in my spoiler (click to show/hide)
memory
Speaking of Thief, this game reminds me a lot of Thief's failed attempt to do the GTA-style world in Thief 3. That tried to do things with scripting, rather than good AI, and of course there weren't as many people on the streets to begin with. I'm sure a lot of the complaints put against AC for being repetitive would go away if the assassination mission areas were as meaty as the actual levels in Thief (hint, hint for the sequel, Ubi), but having the areas incorporated into the wide open world is admirable, even if it means they have been skimpy so far.
I really hope Ubi isn't listening to the reviews. They really did get this game mostly all right. Fuck asshole console gamers that want spazzy action shit. They can't appreciate a well-paced game in a realistic setting that's so ripe, yet so untouched in our hobby? Let the meatheads have their Gears of War, and for what it's worth, I am going on assassination 5, and I still don't think the game is repetitive. On the contrary, I'm kinda bummed that it's going to have to end. And that Ubisoft is probably going to make the next game flashier to appease the dumbasses at 1UP.
Favorite moment so far? Assassination number three (it might be the second for you folks, depending on which order you do the missions), the Knights Hospitaler duder. Details within for those that wish to relive it:
spoiler (click to show/hide)
You get into the hospital, where you see the target, a sick fuck knight trying to treat the sick and wounded, and wounding some in the process to keep them on the inside where he can experiment on them, break the fucking legs of a patient that tried to escape. I saw my older brother's leg get broken, and seeing knees bend backwards, even virtual knees, makes me squirm, and these virtual legs looked GREAT. You sneak through the hospital by hiding in a group of scholars, and as you pass the mad medic doctor, you can stealth kill him, and then use the ensuing panic amongst scholars, doctors, guards, crazy people, and sick people to escape, right out into the city (no loading screen! Big open world) and escape onto the rooftops. It's a fucking awesome game. Makes me feel like a hitman. The first time I tried to take out the doctor, he caught me trying to do the stealth kill, and he called the guards. I still almost managed to take him out. I love that there are multiple ways to do the assassinations.
Maybe this will be a GOTY contender.
I really hope Ubi does a sequel. And that they don't dumb it down. Gamers can't have anything good. It's either the mags or the fanboys ruining shit for all of us :(
penny arcade seems to love asassin's creed lotsa: http://www.penny-arcade.com/2007/11/14/#1195073220
qt3 is pretty pumped on it, too. even the dubious mister chick has high praise for it, although he hated the ending because (not really a spoiler, but just bein' safe):
spoiler (click to show/hide)
"he didn't know he signed on for a trilogy." dur, star wars fans didn't know they signed on for a trilogy with "a new hope" either, senor.
he's apparently giving it a high score in variety, and he thinks the major sites dinging it let their expectations get in the way of a proper evaluation.