GameSided Game of the Year 2015 | Rebekah’s Picks

Rebekah’s Game of the Year – #7: Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate

Assassin’s Creed was the series that broke me out of my preoccupation with solely cute, fuzzy handheld games and pointed me toward more “serious” titles. For the last few years, I’ve deeply missed my old friends Altair and Ezio. Connor was a poor substitute, and no matter how fun the ship battles were, Edward Kenway’s story simply did not match the splendor of theirs. While Jacob and Evie are no Ezios, I have to admit they reignited my excitement over the Assassins.

Taking place in Victorian London, Jacob and Evie Frye use their influence with the city’s criminals and gangs to regain control of the city from the Templars. Though you’re stuck playing as one or the other of them for certain missions, the open world content is fair game for either, and each is better suited for certain tasks. Together, the two carry a storyline full of pseudo-historical figures, quick-witted dialogue, and several plot twists. On the down side, the combat is still boring once you’re used to it, the carriage sequences are hectic and clunky, and the London storyline is oddly disjointed from the sequences outside the Animus. Thankfully, the stealth and freerunning continue to improve, and I’ve experienced no weird glitches as so many feared after Unity.

Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate echoes much of what I loved about the first few Assassin’s Creed games. If inevitable future installments can meet this standard or better, I will likely stay a fan for awhile yet.

Next: 6 - Rocketing to victory