There’s a lot to like about Assassin’s Creed, but the series also has a host of long-running annoyances, chief among them the infuriating way you’ve had to “tail” people from the shadows. So thank the heads of various religious faiths and beliefs that the way you do this is changing for the upcoming Assassin’s Creed: Unity.
This IGN video says that the frustrating tail sequences and instant failstates which accompany them and that have plagued the series, especially in the last two games, are being modified. The ways they’re being changed are a little vague – there’s mention of alternate means of getting the same information – but I don’t care what it is so long as I never have to enter another “magical glowing realm of whispers” ever again.
Comments
38 responses to “Oh Good, They’re Fixing The Worst Thing About Assassin’s Creed”
Thank GOD.
This was the worst thing about Black Flag.
Wait, THAT was a problem? I thought it was the best way to handle tailing in videogames. You merely follow them from the rooftops and have a 10 second window of opportunity to re-acquire line of sight if you move the camera.
I was more annoyed by the lack of “down” parkour as normally you have to slowly tap the B button to tap the ledges, or hurl yourself off the roof and lose a chunk of health.
In the video, they’re talking about the eavesdropping missions, which were a bit annoying: you had to stay a lot closer to the target(s) than with the tailing missions and it wasn’t always obvious where the next cover was or when to move to it: too early and you’d be spotted by the targets, too late and you’d be out of the circle for too long and fail.
I didn’t have a problem with them.
Doesn’t matter, lots of people did.
I know, that’s what I was saying in my initial comment. I wasn’t aware people had complaints about it.
What you described in your initial comment was a different mission type though. The eavesdropping missions in AC3 were distinct from the tailing missions they’ve had since forever.
These were a lot more frustrating than simply hiding behind a crate while keeping line of sight. This is the kind of mission they’re talking about: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDHMVEUjb3o
I know, I didn’t really find them to be that much different.
This in AC3 made me give up on the game. It was just too annoying. Loved previous games and Black Flag but this in AC3 made me go, nope.
Yea I know right. Was a bit skeptical when the heading said “fixed the WORST thing”.
The tailing missions is definitely NOT the worst thing about AC3. Are they ever going to fix the boring combat system. Its such a chore to hold a single button and watch 15 kill animations before I can continue my game. 😛
I thought after Arkham City came out with multiple attacks during a counter that AC would be inspired to do the same thing.
Instead, they made it that some counters have a special animation that kills multiple people.
Maybe the can also fix the fact that only one guy is attacking you at the same time.
This sums it up quite well: http://www.cad-comic.com/cad/20100326
They can attack two or three at a time in the past couple of games.
Doesn’t make much of a difference in difficulty, but it’s there.
I watched a friend play Black Flag – facing 3 enemies wasn’t any different to facing 1 enemy: 1 was attacking and getting stabbed while the rest was patiently waiting to get served. In a smart game, 1 would be attacking, 2 flank you and stab you from behind.
Had that happen to me plenty on ship-boarding. Maybe they were playing on easy difficulty or something? I didn’t even know there was a difficulty setting…
They actually can attack at the same time, swinging in unison etc. but it’s still really easy to counter.
Sounds like The Witcher 2 has the exact combat you’re looking for, but fair warning: it’s tough.
Did you really have to link to CAD?
Couldn’t post a picture, else I would have.
They said they are changing combat and making it harder.
I know what you mean. AC3 was really bad for it. However I didn’t really have a problem in Black Flag with it. Even though I played Black Flag a lot and AC3 for only a few hours.
I thought this was going to mention how the demo has assassins crouching behind cover!
Oh you must have missed the the news. There is actually a crouch button now
I’m pretty sure I remember crouching in AC3 by pressing one of the analogue sticks or something.
Not even close to the worst thing, the jerky controls, the camera, the fact that every character apart from Ezio has been as exciting as a brick.
Fixed camera + puzzle platforming with timer + WSAD = broken keyboard and screen
I quite liked Edward Kenway!
Full disclosure i haven’t gotten to Black Flag yet, im forcing my way through AC3 atm.
Oh. Well yeah. Definitely agree then. Up until that scoundrel Edward, probably my favourite character was Haytham. Altair, Connor, not so much. Ezio? Got better as he aged. Aveline… kinda.
Haytham was best in AC3 character wise imo (from what ive seen so far).
Ezio i just liked from the go, cocky, egotistical ladies man, and yes got better over the span of the 3 games as well.
I like the tail missions, its one of the only parts of the game where it feels like you have to work for your kill, even though it is still a easy enough to use the ‘sight’ to keep the target in view. Just picked up Blag flag last week and loved it but it felt a bit too easy, I tried to be 100% stealth where possible but other than failing a side objective for being spotted (reload checkpoint!) the game doesn’t punish you for open combat, just counter, kill, combo, combo, combo, counter, kill, combo, combo, break defence, kill, combo, combo, use human shield, counter, kill, combo… and on and on. Becomes a rhythm game after awhile. Also, fucking treasure chests on tiny islands was too much grind for my patience.
yeah totally, I’ve never had a problem with them really. I’d be much happier if they fixed the combat – i’m especially sick of 15 goons all standing around taking turns attacking. I mean, why the hell do they not just stab you in the back while you’re countering one of their mate’s attacks?
Agreed, stupid collectibles are stupid and is only added in to bloat up the game. Worst thing is to do really have to go out of your way to collect most of them.
Sure, it was one of the least enjoyable parts of the game – but the inclusion of a crouch button at any point would’ve done wonders..
I still think that the worst thing about the Assassin’s Creed series is the plot.
The whole thing began with a good concept based around conspiracy theories and a shadow war between two factions. Now it’s all about space magic and justifying rampant and unsubtle murder sprees while the drunken college fraternities that are the Templars and Assassin’s have a punch up in the car park.
Bring back subtlety!
I just that’s what happens when you force the writer to push Ezio’s story across three games instead of one and then kill off any loose ends after he leaves because you have no idea how he planned to continue the series.
This was the only detraction in Black Flag and it annoyed me going from open worldy, shooty, stabby assasin to *whisper whisper whisper* OH GOD THE CIRCLE MOVED… fail.
and then they went and basically made you do it in a ship -_-
How about less tailing in general and while we’re at it, maybe less enemies with grenades in games. That would be cool too. Here’s looking at you recent Watch_Dogs…
I’m wondering if they will make the it so if you fail the mission you don’t restart. It just becomes part of the story. So if the target sees you, you are forced to flee then interrogate him or her later. This is a mechanic that a lot of developers overlook.I know it would take a bit more work than just having the player try again but if you don’t die I don’t think you should have to restart. Just like life.
AC2 was great in that regard, you only had to maintain a line of sight.
The part of AC3 i remember the most is failing that eavesdropping mission in the loyalist camp over 50 times. Where was the save point!?