Altair returns for this middling pocket assignment
Format: PSP Dev: Griptonite Games Pub: Ubisoft Out: 20/11/09 Players: 1
Such a colossal task of cramming such a massive Assassin’s Creed adventure in your pocket hasn’t really worked up till recently. We’ve had a poor DS translation and a sub-par iPhone attempt. So, it would be fair to say that Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines for PSP really does have its work cut out.
Picking up Altair’s story where the original game left off, you continue your hunt for the Templars and face twists you’ve come to expect from a free-form, yet story driven, title. And that is the unspoken beauty of Bloodlines. Most of what you expect from the console iteration remains intact for the portable venture. The gameplay is based around various free-roaming areas and the tasks are near-identical. It truly is a tantalising prospect from this angle, as opportunities are opened up exponentially compared to the previous attempts to make Assassin’s Creed portable.
Although, there are some things that are compromised and do show the cracks of the game’s structure. For example, the assassinations themselves are translated into simple boss fights instead of being the intrinsic tasks built in the home console iterations.
Visuals are crisp and deeply textured for a PSP game. The audio is (musically) of a high quality, except for the sometimes robotic voice acting. Presentation wise, this game feels competent in some areas and dated in others.
However, this does pose a problem of sorts, and it can be channelled into two questions. Do the limited controls of the PSP complement or hinder the experience? And does the game actually ‘work’ in a portable context?
The simple answer to this is: yes and no.
Griptonite Games have somehow managed to map everything (including some new moves over Assassin’s Creed II) onto the control scheme, so all is there and safe. But, to activate certain moves, you have to hold down awkward combinations (even to pan the camera). You could complain about the PSP itself, but Ubisoft should have had plenty of chance to realise straightforward controls work best on portables.
Portability has been taken into account while developing Bloodlines. Missions are a smaller to allow five-minute blitzes through levels on the morning commute. But dialogue-laden cutscenes are still elongated for a portable game. It doesn’t ruin the experience, but the reason why you have a portable game is to get straight to the point and enjoy it. Don’t waste our time with cutscenes!
That’s not to say this game doesn’t work. Considering what you’re getting for your money is a near-faithful representation of one of the most complete home video game experiences of this generation… with some of the essential trimmings cut down. It’s nowhere near perfect, but it is getting there. Good effort.
Jason England
Tags: adventure, assassins creed, ubisoft
