Game review: Assassins Creed

Assassins Creed, is a video game developed by UbiSoft Montreal in 2007. The console versions were first released in November 2007, the PC version, which is also a director's cut was released in the first quarter of 2008. This is an action/stealth game, where the player takes control over an Assassin (Alatir) during the 3rd crusade. The setting is basic in historical events and characters, with many elements of fictions involved.

Plot:

The story of Assassins Creed is an interesting one, it started with a character called "Desmond", being put in a machine known as the "Animus". In the story, apparently our ancestors' memories can be stored in our DNA, and by entering into this Animus machine, one can retreive and "unlock" these hidden memories in our DNA. So in this game, Desmond is being put into Animus after being captured by a secret organisation in 2012, and forced to re-live his ancestor's memory.



Then Desmond goes back to the 3rd crusade, where the Saracens controlled Jerusalem and Damascus. The player takes control of a character known as Altair, who belongs to a organisation called "Assassins', historically known as "Hashasins". Altair is one of Desmond's ancestors. The story started of with Altair in the temple of Solomon, tryinjg to retrieve a artifact known as "piece of Eden". The story then revolved aroud Altair trying to retreive the artifact in a race against the Knight Templars. The story is full of twists and surprises, and is quite orginal as it becomes clear later that the real threat is more than just the struggles between the assassins and templars.

Minor spoiler: As you play the game, you will realize that the story is using the same style as Dan Brown's "Da Vinci Code", and it involves conspiracy theories. Towards the end, people might find the story a bit offensive because it is almost as if the story writer is writing a story to say that all regligions are consipracies. Personally, I didn't find the story offensive at all, because I think it is important to remember that both the story here in this game and the novel Da Vinci Code are "fictions" rather than truth, and they are or entertaiment rather than truth searching. So as long as you can remember to seperate this fiction from reality, then you will find the story quite enjoyable and will keep you interested. However, do remember that Christians already know the truth, it is all written in the Bible. Otherwise, enjoy this game.

Gameplay:

Assassins Creed is quite original. The game design is really amazing, the cities are designed according to the real scale, and filled with citizens and ordinary people. The game world is set in the open world, meaning that you can go anywhere at anytime. As an assassins, you have many different abilities, such wall climbing, long distance jumping. You will also have a variety of weapons at your disposal to get your assassinating missions done. The sword fighting in this game is really good, the combat animations are amongst top in the games released in 2007/8,

You also get a variety of missions, such as rooftop races, assassination missions, protect the citizens, so on and so forth. However, the gameplay really suffers at this point because the missions are very repetative. While playing this game, I felt like I was doing the same thing over and over again. The counter attack move was not balanced well, as combat became way too easy and you can easily take down 20 enemies by using counter attack alog. The lack of mission variety and the unbalanced combat system can make the game seem pretty boring at times. However, just when you think you don't want to play it anymore, the main storyline will drag you in again.

Graphics:

The graphics is probably the strongest point in Assassins Creed, the movements are fluidic, the cities and environment loook amazing. It was an awesome experience to stroll through the cities.



Final verdict:

Story: 4/5
The storyline of Assassins Creed is really interesting and full of surprises (that's if you manage to sit through the repetative missions and get to the end), much more interesting than Dan Brown's Da Vici Code. However, if you are a Christian and playing this game, just keep in mind that this is ficiton, and is for entertainment. While the story is interesting, it is for fun only and should not be taken seriously.

Gameplay: 3/5
While it is fun to jump around on the rooftops and assinate your targets using cool weapons. The lack of mission variety and the easy combat quickly makes the game really boring and repetative.

Graphics: 4.5/5
The graphics is simply stunning, the city design is really, really good.

Final score: 3.5/5

I became quite interested with crusader history and actually gained a lot of historical and geographical knowledge after playing this game. The game is good, with interesting storyline and everything else. However, it is way to repetative and can be a bit boring. However, UbiSoft Montreal should be praised for its groundbreaking design and concepts.

Movie review: The Watchman

The Watchman is a 2009 American superhero film directed by Zack Snyder (director of 300). It is originally a graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. The original comic book is a series of 12 issues graphic novels. The movie, is an adaptation of the comic book. I remember seeing this film in the cinema when it came out a year ago in 2009, and today I'd like to review this movie.

The movie is set in 1985 New York in an alternative time line, when the Cold War was still going on. In this "world", groups of superheroes gathered and started to fight crimes in the 1930's, and they disbanded after one of the superheroes died a violent death. A few decades later, another group of superheores get together and formed the "watchman". These superheroes made some real impact on American history, such as saving JFK from being assassinated, and helped America to win the Vietnam war. In the 1980's the watchman was outlawed by the American congress, and they disbanded. However, the movie starts where one of the watchman member started to investigate the mysterious murder of ex-superheroes, and eventually it leads to a much bigger and deeper conspiracy.

So without spilling too much of the story, this is the general background of the watchman universe. Now, being a huge fan of superhero movie myself, I was anticipating this movie for many months before it came out in 2009. Especially after finding out about the setting of the movie plot line. However, when I finally saw the film I was not only disappointed, by greatly offended as well.

Let me get on to the bad:

1) First of all, in the movie there was a character named Dr. Manhattan, the leader of the watchman, he had a lab accident and became a God like character who is all powerful and immortal, as cool as it sounds the character design is extremely awful. In the movie, the good Dr. walks around stark naked with a glowing blue penis swinging between his legs almost all the time. I do not understand why this character has to be designed this way, why couldn't he just wear some underwear?

2) Seconldy, there is an very explicit sex scene in the movie, featuring two of the superheroes having sexual intercourse for almost 5 minutes. I have to say the content was really explicit, and it was like watching porn in a movie theatre. The death scenes are also full of blood and gore.

3) Thirdly, and this is the most offensive part, is the ending. I will not spoil the story or the ending here. However, I was greatly offended by the ending, because the ending promotes the idea of "the end justifies the means", and in that there is no good or evil, just what we do to benefit and ensure our continual existence. Personally, I think this is Hollywood at its best in promoting the post-modern culture. As a Christian, I found the ending totally against the teaching of Jesus and the Bible. I also do not understand why filmmakers are beginning to make movies that promotes post-modern cultures, nor the audiences that praise this kind of movie for its "deep and complex plot and meaning". Have people grown tired of watching good heroes fighting bad things? Are we a society that has reached the point when we have finally think we can make up our own standard to suit our needs? What does the Bible say about the standard of good and bad? If you decide to watch this movie, it might be good to think this over after the film, and compare the teaching from the Bible against the underlining meaning of the movie's final ending.

Now onto the good:

1) The special effects are quite good and very well done.

2) The movie definitively feels like a comic book adapation, Zack Snyder did a very good job in directing the movie, a touch of imagination meets reality, but still manage to keep the dark, graphic novel atmosphere.


3) Dr. Manhattan's philosophy about the universe and life is quite interesting.

In general, the ratings are:

Video and presentation 4/5: Zack Snyder did a good job in directing the film, the atmosphere and the special effects are very good.

Sound and music: 3/5 I cannot remember the soundtracks, however the sound effects were pretty impressive.

Story: 1/5 I was greatly offended by the final ending and its underlying implications, the story is full of twists and surprises, but I think praising God's standard of good and bad is more worthwhile than praising a complex and original story that goes against what Jesus teaches us in the Bible.

Final verdict: 3/5 I really like the film for its design and atmosphere, but I just hate the message of what this film is about. If you want to watch this film, it is fine as long as you don't get pulled in by the whole post-modern philosophy. Please note the nudity, explicit sexual content, violence and gore might upset sensitive viewers.