Preview: Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood @ Gamescom 2010
At this year's Gamescom we got a chance to see the latest build of AC: Brotherhood, we can confirm it is looking great. We sat in for a 15min demo presentation about some of the mission structure that will be in the game as well as a brand new 'RTS' style element which we've never seen before, I don't think anyone saw it coming!
We start in Rome; the biggest construction that the Assassin's Creed dev team has ever created. Rome consists of Vatican City, large sprawling markets and a playground of rooftops for your entertainment as well as being a populated world of people, shops and assassins. Whilst you have been away those crafty Borga folk have come in and taken over the place, boarding up shops, harassing the women and saying nasty names to your mum. Borga towers petrude the skyline and it is your job to remove their presence from different 'territories' in Rome.
You have 2 different ways of taking on the towers: Either go for the 'no holds barred' approach and kill everything as loud and as frantic as possible, or sneak in like a moth through a darkened room, prepping to bite the non-suspecting sleeping victims. We were shown the latter. Each borga tower consists of its own puzzle of winding pillars to climb so you can access the entrance point of each tower. Once infiltrated it is now your job to take out the guards as quickly (and in this case quietly) as possible. If the 'leader guard' is alerted then you will encounter an on going wave of enemies and you inclined to attack the tower another day. If you do have the skills to take the tower, once you have dealt with the 'leader guard' then you must climb the tower (each tower has a unique climbing puzzle) and fly your flag by setting fire to the tower. Once completed, areas in the previously controlled territory will be accessible to your brotherhood and you'll be able to setup shops in the area, this goes on to add to your city management (like the villa mini-game in AC2).
A brand new feature to come out of Cologne was a take on a task based RTS mode for your brotherhood of Assassins. You can equip your assassins with a vast amount of weapons and attire, making your own unique look for your brotherhood. We were shown a world map with cities plotted across it for you to send your assassins off to go and do specific missions. Places included: London, Paris, Barcelona, Madrid, Portugal, Munich, Rome, and even Moscow! "In Russia, Assassin's kill you". These missions will improve your Brotherhood's skills and give your assassins XP in which you can spend it on better weapons, more health or even the option to become even more elusive. They level up as they improve in skill and will be able to take on bigger tasks and will become 10x more helpful on the battlefield, but if they get overwhelmed and die, then they are dead forever. Gone. Kaput. Like Kaiser Soze.
This Management mini-game does look rather interesting and we can't wait to see more of it as well as more AC: Brotherhood action!
