Assassin's Creed demo, like deja vu all over again
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Sep 28th 2006 at 1:55PM }
At X06 yesterday Ubisoft demonstrated Assassin's Creed running on the Xbox 360. The live demonstration was absolute deja vu for anyone that attended E3. Ubisoft Producer Jade Raymond showed the same game footage and read practically the same script as the E3 presenters -- minus the secret ending. Actually, is it a secret?Where Raymond coyly said she can't talk about it, the E3 presenter said, "I can't tell you what's going on in that last scene, but I can tell you that it is not time travel."
Then what is it? Ohhh we get it, this is hype. Fine, we'll play along, but we better start seeing some new scenes soon and not the same cool footage with lame combat.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Hachi_Roku @ Sep 28th 2006 2:03PM
He is on the Holo-deck of the USS Voyageger!!!!111!!!
bv @ Sep 28th 2006 2:04PM
I'm really confused on the intention of this post. Are you upset that you saw the same demo twice or are you angry that they aren't telling you what the last scene is about? I've never seen the gameplay before yesterday's event and not sure what E3 demo you are talking about. Also, how can you claim the combat is lame? She played one small level and from what I saw it was very unique and interesting. I'm definitely going to pick this game up when it releases.
dancingjesus @ Sep 28th 2006 2:05PM
Your an idiot this is for the public , we have never seen this footage before and secondly the combat isnt lame its sweet.
Thryon @ Sep 28th 2006 2:07PM
The player is actualy a dragon. This would give him incredible strenght and flexibility, and polymorph-self. Ubisoft, you stole my game idea......KHAAAAAAAAAAN!
Woody @ Sep 28th 2006 2:15PM
If Jade Raymond was in the room, I'm not sure I could pay attention to anything else.
EdZ @ Sep 28th 2006 2:22PM
I was thinking that video was somehow familiar. I'd read writeups of the footage from E3, and they DID have that little teaser bit at the end.
My guess: If not time travel, then some sort of simulation.
Franky Digital @ Sep 28th 2006 2:21PM
What the heck is going on around Joystiq? Did X06 bring out the worst in all the posters? First the live-blogging fiasco and now a post that seems to have no purpose other then deflating the whole point of this demonstation: public view.
broseph @ Sep 28th 2006 2:22PM
They better show something else, or what? - your gonna show them good? They don't owe you anything. Just let them make their game and they'll show you new stuff when it's ready. Jeesh. Such a sense on entitlement.
The Top Ramen @ Sep 28th 2006 2:23PM
Isn't this game basically Hitman but in Midieval times?
Andrew Yoon @ Sep 28th 2006 2:31PM
Uh... I appreciated the live demo, cuz not all of us could go to E3! The game looks absolutely fantastic, as does the combat.
steve @ Sep 28th 2006 2:26PM
I too was hoping they'd give away more of the game in each demo. I'm hoping to have as few surprises as possible in store for me should I choose to buy the game.
Kestrel @ Sep 28th 2006 2:28PM
He's a robot from the future who has come to kill *ahem* "terminate" John Connor. John Connor being, of course, a medieval.. guy.
rdj75 @ Sep 28th 2006 2:29PM
Now wasn't it rumored that the E3 demo was actually running off of an xbox360? Everyone knows how that turned out, everyone said it wasn't true and the xbox360 fanboys needed to get a life. Now they are showing basically the same footage as E3 but now they are saying its from the 360. I don't know about you guy but I find that kind of ironic to say the least.
Matt @ Sep 28th 2006 2:30PM
Good lord, Jade Raymond is gorgeous. :'(
aceregan @ Sep 28th 2006 2:31PM
What secret ending? Does Sam Fischer show up or something?
Kia @ Sep 28th 2006 9:39PM
Lame combat? I thought the game looked incredible, and yes, like a lot of people this is the first time I've seen this presented. Sorry we can't all get into E3, y'know.
azesino @ Sep 28th 2006 2:33PM
SAME DEMO FROM E3????? WE(the public) HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS DEMO BEFORE. before you post anything try re-read what your posting Sir
Regula Oblique @ Sep 28th 2006 2:36PM
Actually that whole secret thing (the futuristic GUI) was in the ubisoft leak that happened last week. Theres a screen shot that says "save" and some other mess. What if assassins creed doesnt only take place during the crusades after all?
But im guessin the prince of persia found that dagger again and teleported his self to the future.
^^^j/k
fahmi @ Sep 28th 2006 2:39PM
This is pretty much next gen prince of persia. medieval, lots of platform jumping, running, less killing, inside a castle. but with tons of people.
Evan Pierce @ Sep 28th 2006 3:11PM
ive never commented on a post befor but i read this article just after watching the x06 demo and i found the combat to be fantastic, its one of the high points of the demo and i wish they would have shown more of it. i just dont see how someone could call it lame, that is just the kind of thinking that makes developers NOT want to try no new things. counter productive my friends.
Chris @ Sep 28th 2006 3:03PM
While I'm not on the 'let's all bash Joystiq' bandwagon, there does seem to be a trend forming as of late. Since, as stated before, *most* people have never seen this game in motion, why should the public getting a glimpse of the gameplay be something to laugh at?
While I'm also not a rabid AC follower, why exactly is the combat so lame? I apologize on behalf of Ubisoft (who I am not affiliated with, btw) for not putting in sufficient gore and explosions for your desire.
Well, Joystiq is a blog, afterall. I suppose it was just time they returned to acting like one.
Firestorm @ Sep 28th 2006 2:56PM
Raymond already briefly explained the "secret ending", as well as the game's story, in a video that can be found on (I think) IGN. What we see at the end of this video is the point of view of a decendant of Altair (the assassin) living in the future. When you play the game as Altair, you are actually Altair's decendant who is viewing Altair's life through some kind of historical archive in the form of a VR machine. Whatever Altair accomplishes in medieval times will be relative to present (future) times. She didn't give out many details, but it seems this game's story is much more complex than the basic "this guy is bad, go assassinate him" storylines.
Jarrett @ Sep 28th 2006 2:56PM
I have to agree with Franky Digital and Dan...what is up with the bloggers the last two days? First the X06 stuff from yesterday. Then the whining about GOW and how easy it looks and the health regeneration issue and now this. I expect whining from posters but the bloggers now too?
Disappointed in the blogging from X06 by joystiq. I frequent this site because it is very current but the constant whining we could do without.
R2Dork @ Sep 28th 2006 3:00PM
Here's the deal on the futuristic stuff. You are actually an elite member of the Vatican Guard from the future conducting a research project on the history of Hassassins and the Illuminati. Or something? :)
Trent @ Sep 28th 2006 3:09PM
I think I'll buy a 360 and this game just to make Jade Raymond happy and fall in love with me.
I would probably kill an orphan if she asked me to.
gok @ Sep 28th 2006 3:07PM
Lame combat? Sure, everyone has their own taste and opinion but pls tell me that was a joke. And really that post is meaningful only to ppl who attented to e3, and even they probably wouldn't care. That post holds no content at all.
Milkshake @ Sep 28th 2006 3:15PM
this game is so cool
dish @ Sep 28th 2006 3:26PM
this article is a prmie example of why joystiq is teh suck.
Cryoakira @ Sep 28th 2006 3:30PM
Seriously, what's wrong with Joystiq bloggers ? Are those send to the X06 living in another dimension the rest of the time ?
Today, one is complaining about actual gameplay while it's the first time WE, READERS, ever see it.
Yesterday, another one wasen't aware that Team Fortress 2 was Cell shaded (it's been around for at least two month), was complaning that there was no gameplay footages of Bioshock and Blue Dragon (wake up man, it has been all over the place thanks to TGS), seems to discover Lost Odyssey (same thing : video every where)...
Maybe Joystiq bloggers should read Joystiq website, and other ones.
crono141 @ Sep 28th 2006 3:33PM
No, I think this article is a "prmie" example of why joystiq commenters are "teh suck"
todd @ Sep 28th 2006 3:36PM
The images:
http://static.flickr.com/116/254568649_fe1655fa6f.jpg?v=0
http://static.flickr.com/105/254574284_f4c4a7efd8.jpg?v=0
Gozao @ Sep 28th 2006 4:08PM
I have to say I'm a little dissapointed at the sci-fi element that they are hinting at. I guess I'll have to wait to see how they implement it but, as it stands, I think I would have preferred a cohesive medieval setting.
Ben Furneaux @ Sep 28th 2006 4:17PM
I think the key point of that demo is the word shown in the last moments on the menu screen, "animus".
Animus is filed under Wikipedia as:
"Animus is considered to be that natural and primitive part of the mind's activity and processes remaining after dispensing with persona, which is the "mask" displayed in interactions with others and which has been shaped by socialization."
So it seems to me, when you strip away this 'mask' all that is left is your conciousness. I think somehow you are transporting your mind. But we were told by Ubi that it is not time travel.
Deduct from this what you will.
todd @ Sep 28th 2006 4:23PM
total recall anyone?
dsub @ Sep 28th 2006 4:30PM
lame combat? why? because you can't flip through the air and boomerang toss your sword through twenty enemies and juggle enemies with your dual-wielded machine guns while shooting fireballs at the same time?
It's a more realistic approach to combat. Afterall, you are an assasin, and the main object of each mission is to get in, take out your target, and escape without being seen. If they made the character some uber-do-it-all one man army ala DMC it would sort of defeat the purpose of trying to sneak around. Thus, the more difficult defend and parry approach makes it so that you'll want to avoid combat as much as possible.
It's a stealth game. The focus shouldn't be on combat. The focus should be on making you want to avoid combat at all costs.
Figboy @ Sep 28th 2006 5:07PM
hell, i went to E3 this year, talked to the pretty lady at Ubisoft, but i still couldn't get in to see the presentation of Assassin's Creed (you needed to have a personal invite from someone within Ubisoft).
so while you bitch and moan about "seeing the same thing twice"(oh boo hoo!), me, and everyone else that didn't get to see it the first time will enjoy this "first look" at game play and then impatiently await what could be a defining game for this next generation.
sheesh. lighten up. something tells me being a privilaged "reporter" for joystiq has made you forget what it's like to be on the other side of the fence.
Pete @ Sep 28th 2006 4:56PM
I never like it when I see 1 guy taking on 10 in a game that is supposed to be realistic. They are all standing around watching Altair...friggin slash him! I hate that. I also expected the crowd to get a bit more angry when Altair pushed them out of the way. Game looks amazing though.
Mikeawesome @ Sep 28th 2006 5:11PM
If you watch the video and scroll through the time to the end then hit left and right on the arrows (reverse and forward, respectively) you'll find you can get a clearer view of the text.
It says, "Hard Drive," "Memories," and "Options." (also seen in the Flickr Images posted earlier) It appears it's just an interface that comes up after you die.
At least, that's my assumption.
However, if you look at the Flickr images, it becomes pretty clear that there's a face beyond the scope of the interface as if it were transparent. Possibly indicating some sort of Holo-Chamber? Some sort of Matrix-esque pod? Who knows.
I just know I'm pretty excited about this game. Hooray for Assassin's Creed! Hooray for Ubisoft!
tim @ Sep 28th 2006 5:47PM
I've seen a lot of complaints about the fight scene at the end. Think about it guys, if all the guards just ran in and slashed at Altair, it wouldn't look cool. Think about all the kungfu movies you've seen. The main character just stands in the middle and beats everyone up one by one. Sure, it's pretty unrealistic, but it looks much better than a tangle of guys flailing their arms.
iTard @ Sep 28th 2006 5:54PM
Who the hell are these idiots Joystiq has been hiring of late? This guy and the wanker that did the X06 live blogging?
They're losing your credibility.
Bollenator @ Sep 28th 2006 6:04PM
For a considerably clearer encoding of the same live demo, go here immediately: http://media.ps3.ign.com/media/772/772025/vid_1687239.html.
Upon reaching the end of the demo, the text is almost completely clear. It's obvious the person in control of the camera is moving it to keep us from comprehending what's there (why not just end the demo right at death and not 5 seconds after?), but it just serves to give a clear view of most of that HUD.
Noticeable items (most, if not all, posted elsewhere):
1. Major option are Animus Hard Drive, Animus Memories, and Animus Options (interesting that all are "Animus")
2. Shutdown is available in lower-right
3. There is definitely a second party outside the HUD interface; looks like a fairly normal scientist type (looks like a lab coat), not a spectre or holo-image
Another interesting thing is watching the HUD during the demo. Check out the upper-left corner of the screen and watch especially at the big end fight where the meter quickly diminishes while no damage is being taken... what is it metering?
As to the Joystiq bashing, I agree that it's pretty silly to cry foul because this is the second time this gameplay has been seen by their intrepid reporters, but hey, at least they linked the video at all instead of writing it off because it was "teh 0ld."
Nick @ Sep 28th 2006 6:17PM
I think, in response to all the "Joystiq is anti-Sony" comments, Joystiq has hired some MS hating bloggers to even the balance and seem less "bias" (I don't think they ever really had a bias). This guy and that Kyle poster sure are terrible at blogging, I want vc and C. Grant back.
Nick
me @ Sep 28th 2006 6:25PM
what's happening with joystiq? it's like they've all been bit by the robert summa-syndrome. get the writing--and facts--back up to par!
sweethavok @ Sep 28th 2006 10:01PM
I am so glad this is not a PS3 exclusive because this is about the only game I was interested in that seemed to be a PS3 exclusive, This game absolutly looks awesome I cant wait for it to come out.
Azraelkans @ Sep 29th 2006 12:34AM
What? the combat is sweet, we havent seen the demo, ok you,ve already heard that..
About the demo: Penny arcade spilled the beans right after E3, here it is :
http://www.penny-arcade.com/2006/06/23#1151073120
And of course straight from the horse mouth:
" Just for trivia's sake, I should mention that despite the "middle ages" motif, Assassin's Creed is clearly set in a science fiction context. This is something I've been trying to make sense of every since I saw it, the June 2006 Game Informer helps make some sense of it. There's hints of it in the trailer I mentioned, futuristic scan-line effects, but I had written them off to teaser reel flash and didn't absorb what they were trying to communicate. I could be mistaken, I don't think I am, but when the character takes a tremendous amount of damage very pronounced video distortions are present. And when you die - get this - when you die, a pristine white interface takes over the screen, and you are looking up into a woman's face. I did not expect that in my sneaky Crusades game.
Given that we're exploring genetic memories, or Quantum Leaping or something to that effect, I'd be very surprised if the next Assassin's Creed game - let's call it Assassin's Blade - took place in a medieval context. "
Corey B. @ Sep 29th 2006 5:53AM
I understand that blogs are not written in the same sterile manner that regular news posts are but the style of this particular post really irks me; Mr. Sliwinski talks about seeing the same footage & combat as what was presented at E3 but what he fails to realize is that the vast majority of his audience has never seen the E3 presentation...before, we just had to rely on the report of bloggers & journalists.
It is a good thing that I can see the demonstration too because Sliwinski's assessment about "lame combat" was totally off-base IMHO...it just looked like this wasn't a hack & slash and instead it was more methodical about the combat.
Anyway, I can understand why people are wondering how this got on Joystiq...this whole blog post is more akin to something I would get on IGN forums then from a respected blogger...