Tag: Assassin’s Creed

The PlayStation State of Play, Xbox Games Showcase & Nintendo Direct Formerly Known as E3 – 2024 Edition

A few weeks ago, Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo, all held their annual May/June video presentations to show gamers what titles they can get excited about playing in the coming months and/or years. While these late spring announcements used to coincide with the long-running, world-famous Electronics Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, sadly that event is no more. Thankfully, the video game industry remembers and still carries on the long-standing tradition, with or without a central physical venue to do it from; and as long as they continue do so, we will strive to do our part and cover them. Please read on for some of the highlights.

Read more

Sequels Are Hurting The Game Industry.

I don't play as many games as I used to. Part of the reason for this has to do with the fact that I'm just more picky now: often, games only appeal to one of my senses and not all of them. As in, I can be swayed a little by the graphics. Or maybe I hear the soundtrack and I get pulled in by that. Or I watch gameplay and my mind starts considering those ideas.

Another part of the problem - especially when it comes to AAA gaming, has to do with the fact that all AAA studios and publishers know how to do is pump out sequels. It's even written into their language, in how they discuss their games - like they're brands and they're perennial and they have to "re-invigorate" those over and over again.

And it isn't doing the industry any favours. Let me tell you why. Read more

New Steam Store Releases: Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate

Assassin's Creed: Syndicate finally made the leap to the Steam Store this week, nearly a month after it landed on consoles. So far, it seems to be faring quite a bit better than last year's entry, both critically and functionally. The question still remains though, why is this a yearly franchise anyway?

Fans of sports games like to buy yearly releases so that they can play with the most up-to-date rosters and the most realistic graphics possible. Call of Duty fans pick them up to stay competitive in multiplayer and to learn all of the latest maps and weapon loadouts. So, who the hell is continuing to ask for more Assassin's Creed? My guess is, fewer and fewer people every year.

Don't get me wrong though, Syndicate does seem to be a decent title. I just wish Ubisoft had decided to wait a little while before releasing it. Then maybe more people would actually show up to play it.

Also out this week, a game about serving tennis balls directly into people's faces (In the FACE!), a bizarre Japanesey third-person shooter with an emphasis on customization and socialization, and an interesting-looking fast-paced turn-based strategy game. No, seriously, who is asking for it!? Proceed further to see more of this week's new releases.

Read more

New PlayStation Store Releases: Assassin’s Creed 14

So, Assassin's Creed: Syndicate comes to the PlayStation Store this week. Incredibly, this is already the 14th Assassin's Creed game to be released on consoles since the series debuted in '07. That's an average of nearly two releases per year. Not quite as ridiculous as the 15 Guitar Hero games that all came out within a five year span, but I think you get my point. At exactly what point does the market become oversaturated with Assassin's Creed? Also, is that really something that Ubisoft is in a hurry to do?

Activision (wisely) decided to shelve the Guitar Hero franchise for five years after the fans stopped caring about it. But Activision still had Call of Duty, and then Skylanders to fall back on. So what is Ubisoft going to do when they can't milk AC anymore? Personally, I'd be okay with them simply having a yearly rotation between Splinter Cell, Ghost Recon, and Rainbow Six, but they are basically doing that now. I guess when Assassin's Creed finally does die, they'll just have to come up with some other new property that they can beat well past the point of death.

A few other new entries to established franchises that are out this week include Tales of Zestiria, Overlord: Fellowship of Evil, and Just Dance 2016 (that's another Ubi property). Let's just hope that Syndicate won't be as broken as Unity was. Proceed further to see more of this week's new releases.

PlayStation 4

[Image: Ubisoft]