Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles

Although some slight problems exist, Altair’s latest adventure is more of the same while offering new challenges and innovative segments.

It's not very long (probably about three hours give or take), and by the time you earn all the cool Assassin abilities, there aren't a whole lot of opportunities to use them...Even with the issues, I had a good time playing through Assassin's Creed multiple times.

It's okay, but hardly a killer effort for the franchise.

Exhilarating. Exasperating. Joyous. Torturous. Assassin’s Creed: Altair’s Chronicles is a lot of things. Perfection isn’t one of them.

Altair's Chronicles occasional control speed, framerate, and camera issues make us think that this would have been a superior game in 2D, but no one's returning our calls about making classically-influenced 2D platformers for the DS.

A fun platformer that ends up feeling more like Prince of Persia DS than Assassin’s Creed. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as the DS could use more action games like this. Sadly, the adventure lasts about a weekend, and there are no real unlockables after beating the game aside from an extra difficulty mode.

While we wished Altair had packed a stylus instead of a sword, we're delighted he's returned to us so soon. Still, don't play Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles if you're looking to build on the console experience. You'll be disappointed if you do.

Assassin’s Creed: Altaïrs’s Chronicles is one of the best Nintendo 64 games I have ever played. No, that is not a typo, it is just the feeling I had while playing the game. The game is about as suited for the Nintendo DS as a pair of boots is for a slug, and nearly every feature of the game that takes advantage of its “unique” abilities comes off as insanely heavy handed.

After ruthlessly playing the game without mercy, we’d say that it’s a worthy addition to the franchise. However, we think that it’s a shame that you’re not given greater rewards for skillful stealth kills as opposed to stumbling into fights and mashing your way to victory.

Impressive in some places, but downright clumsy and unpolished in others. Proof that trying to squeez a 'big' console game onto the DS isn't always gonig to work. [Apr 2008, p.91]

An average handheld experience. It has about eight hours of gameplay that is very conducive to the pick-up-and-play experience. Most mobile gamers looking for a portable experience will probably enjoy the fun hack n' slash gameplay along with the fun mini-games. But as a fan of the original console version, I just feel that this game lacked a little of the prowess of its predecessor.

Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles has its share of issues, but in the end, it's actually a pretty good conversion; especially when you think of the scope of the console version having to be adapted to the DS hardware.

Unless you are a gymnastic puzzles enthusiast with sharp reflexes it's hardly worth the bother, but it beats playing on your mobile whilst sitting in a waiting room.

Quotation forthcoming. [May 2008]

Altair's handheld adventure has some enjoyable moments, but it's hindered by loose controls and other irritations.

It's short, clocking in at around four to six hours long, but this isn't a slapdash effort - the plot might be lame, but the action, level design and graphics are all pretty impressive for a DS title.

The three-dimensional game world is basically linear, but a brave attempt to add verticality adds some scope.

It’s definitely worth a rental; especially if you have enjoyed the original game as it tells the story of how the characters got to that point, and frustrations and limitations aside, the time spent playing the game is enjoyable – it’s just over way too soon.

Filled with flaws, underwhelming action and lack of staying power, Assassin's Creed composes a chronicle of mediocrity.

In a genre as densely (and impressively) populated as the platform game on DS, a short, prickly adventure that makes tokenistic use of the stylus strikes us as a bit disappointing.

Nothing to see here. [May 2008, p.65]

The kind of thing you'd regret downloading to your mobile. But more expensive. [June 2008, p.71]

Seems like it is just trying to be a fancy 3-D version of an early-90’s platformer and that just doesn’t cut it today. Too many traps and too much repetitive combat with not enough challenge and fun in the mix do not make a great game.

Even though there were some issues in the execution of the game, it was still an enjoyable ride, albeit short.

With technical problems that could retroactively plague any Crusade, Altaïr's Chronicles are best left forgotten.

But ultimately, the point is that if you’re looking for a portable recreation of Assassin’s Creed, this isn’t it.

Altair's Chronicles is a stale, uninventive rendition of the universe of our favorite wall-jumping assassin, Altair and should be avoided at all costs.

With juddering 3D that loses all of Altair's beautiful and intuitive movement, and inflicting a multitude of cheap deaths, this crude chapter neither comes close to emulating original's successes nor utilises the hardware's specific capabilities. [June 2008, p.95]