Assassin's Creed Syndicate Review
Crossing two Templars off your hit-list before the opening title sequence, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate wastes no time diving into action. Set in Victorian London, the story follows the Frye twins, Evie and Jacob, as they work to take back the city from corrupt industry owner Crawford Starrick. Jacob, the headstrong tank, raises his gang, the Rooks, to overpower Templar control by directly attacking Starrick’s factories. Evie prefers the calculating, stealthy approach by pursuing the Piece of Eden, which has fallen into the hands of Starrick and his followers.
While two story lines may see overwhelming, Syndicate entwines them beautifully, with excellent pacing to keep players focused and intrigued. Similar to its previous installment, the modern day element is a strictly passive experience, existing only in the form of cutscenes. This absence allows players to become fully immersed in the gorgeous re-creation of Victorian London. From its sprawling skylines, posh parks, and gritty slums, Syndicate never lacks in atmosphere. As with prior games, Syndicate doesn’t shy away from seamlessly incorporating historical figures into the narrative. Their interactions with the protagonists is natural and continues the element that has always been unique to the world of Assassin’s Creed. How many games allow you to investigate ghost stories with Charles Dickens?
Along with the compelling story, the Frye twin’s charisma make them easily likable. Jacob’s lovable brashness sparring with Evie’s sarcasm creates believable and entertaining sibling rivalry. Starrick is an intriguing villain, only revealed through brief glimpses throughout the story, keeping him shrouded in a sinister mystery until the end. While the main story missions correlate strictly to a single character, players are allowed to switch freely between Evie and Jacob in the open world to complete side missions. This keeps the gameplay fresh and allows players to act on each character’s different strengths.
Another element that provides countless hours of entertainment are side missions. These include taking over gang strongholds, freeing child laborers, train heists, and hijacking carriages for a GTA styled chase through the streets of London. Unlike in previous games, side missions are more relevant to the main story and directly impact gameplay. By freeing Boroughs, you are able to increase the strength of your gang.
Having more gang members helps you get out of scraps in the streets and gain crafting materials to increase your skill set.
While not perfect, the technical aspects have greatly improved. Combat is more responsive and offers variety with the use of multiple weapons and multi-kill finishers. The free-running issues that have plagued the series have been eased with the introduction of the rope-launcher, allowing places to quickly cross wide streets, scale buildings, and carry out precise assassinations that were previously muddled by free-running mishaps. A customized experience is the main element that makes Syndicate great. Along with choosing from a variety of outfits and weapons, players are given multiple options on how to complete assassinations, with each decision impacting the final outcome. Assassin’s Creed Syndicate is a step in the right direction for the franchise. It maintains the recognizable elements unique to the series, while introducing fresh gameplay with a compelling story that makes players eager to explore the vast historical landscape.
Video by Savanna Blackerby. Reviewed on a PS4 copy sent by the Ubisoft PR Team
