10 Years Later, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate is Still a Blast

It’s undeniable that the games “Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora” and “Star Wars Outlaws” have struggled commercially. Whether you find these games disappointing or not, they’ve unfortunately become known for delivering generic open-world experiences – beautifully designed worlds marred by mediocre stories and repetitive gameplay mechanics. The upcoming “Assassin’s Creed Shadows” is a crucial release for the developer, given the ongoing layoffs in the gaming industry due to the pandemic. This discussion isn’t about the current situation of the developer, but it’s important to mention this background because many argue that the downfall of the developer began with “Assassin’s Creed Syndicate” in 2015, and things worsened after “Assassin’s Creed Origins” and “Odyssey”.

A little over a year after the criticized yet eventually vindicated “Assassin’s Creed Unity,” I found myself immersed in “Syndicate,” transporting me back to the captivating Victorian London. Though it didn’t revolutionize gameplay compared to its predecessor, it still held a unique charm that appealed to many. However, much like “Frontiers of Pandora” and “Outlaws,” its sales figures were underwhelming. The developers attributed this to “Assassin’s Creed” fatigue – too many games in quick succession. Even those who weren’t tired of the series opted to pass on this one, given the lackluster reception of “Unity.

Reframing events a decade later, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate could be seen as an underestimated addition to the series. Its reputation might have been diminished more by assumptions than actual gameplay. The depiction of London was breathtaking, and its stealth mechanics were top-notch, while its main characters managed to make you care for them, and the shift to period-accurate weaponry was commendable. In essence, it was a thrilling gaming experience. Despite its flaws, which were plentiful, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate served as the catalyst for the developers’ decision to reboot the series. However, attributing the series’ transformation solely to Syndicate is unfair.

In this gaming adventure, I’ve stepped into the gritty heart of 1868 London – a blend of towering industrial structures, shrouded skylines, and muddy corners that echo the real-life city’s charm. The Tower of London, Palace of Westminster, Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, and St Paul’s Cathedral are all here, meticulously recreated to give us a taste of the grandeur that defined the British Empire. It feels like I’m really in London, and these iconic landmarks bring us closer to an authentic replica than any other historical setting I’ve encountered in video games.

The streets are bustling, though not as crowded as Unity’s Paris, perhaps a choice made by the developers to avoid the performance issues that troubled Syndicate’s predecessor. It seems like a wise decision, considering it also enhances gameplay with the introduction of a new traversal gimmick – a grappling hook reminiscent of Batman. This city’s wide streets offer plenty of space for this exciting feature, making my gaming experience all the more thrilling!

Notice that although London offers a captivating backdrop for Assassin’s Creed, its roofscape filled with numerous chimneys doesn’t encourage unrestricted parkour. The grappling hook, paired with the zip line, became crucial in navigating between buildings, gliding over the vast London streets, and preserving the free running style that defines the series in its most dynamic form.

In this city, Syndicate’s twin siblings, Jacob and Evie Frye, take center stage. Jacob, a no-nonsense pragmatist, is focused on liberating London from Templar control through brute force. On the other hand, Evie, his sister, operates as a skilled assassin, preferring to work in the shadows and strategically hunt down their enemies. The game does not fully separate their skills and attributes, but Jacob’s combat-oriented abilities and Evie’s stealthy invisibility cloak are notable differences that set them apart. However, they both perform similarly overall.

Despite having contrasting perspectives, the storyline becomes engaging as you predominantly pursue Jacob’s objectives, which involve unifying his city and dismantling street-level Templar operations. To clarify, the game offers a more satisfying experience when following Jacob’s path. At moments, it seems like Evie was added later in development as an additional character. However, the quest to restore London according to Jacob’s vision – though a familiar video game theme – remains far from monotonous or tedious due to the sibling rivalry and the significance of reclaiming the city streets.

In the game Syndicate, the developer chose to skip swordplay and instead focus on street fighting style combat, which was an interesting choice. However, despite addressing Unity’s issues, the combat in Syndicate felt less engaging compared to Unity. Don’t get me wrong, there’s still a lot of fun to be had with the historically accurate weaponry like brass knuckles, compact revolvers, cane-swords, and Kukri blades from Nepal, as they add a unique twist to close combat.

In addition to a wider range of combat moves, the repeated sequence of 13-combo attacks against gangsters felt monotonous and required excessive button pressing; transforming enemies into durable punching bags wasn’t particularly rewarding in terms of increasing challenge within the combat system of Assassin’s Creed, a component that has occasionally been criticized for being overly simple. The truth is, the hand-to-hand combat in Assassin’s Creed Syndicate could have been more impactful if each punch felt more powerful. However, by choosing to dodge instead of block and parry, the option to align multiple opponents for multi-kill combos and execution animations was a fun experience as long as your twin assassins were well-leveled up.

Moreover, Syndicate stood out for its exceptional stealth capabilities. Indeed, it was a key strength in the genre of action-stealth games, and the brothers and sisters’ covert explorations through the criminal underbelly of Victorian London were significantly enhanced by what might have been the finest stealth mechanics ever featured in an Assassin’s Creed game up to that point – though it’s worth noting that this praise doesn’t necessarily extend to the exceptional Black Flag.

The thrill of stealth lay in the variety of strategies for staying concealed: hiding behind cover, then employing distraction techniques like whistles or knife throws at unaware guards, or eliminating from cover. Voltaic bombs, ingeniously created by NPC Alexander Graham Bell, served as an effective stun weapon for adversaries. An intriguing feature was the option to ‘abduct’ enemies, essentially using them as a disguise by navigating crowded areas with your captive, their presence making you invisible to other hostiles in the vicinity.

In addition, employing our stealth abilities in Syndicate’s black box missions provided continuous enjoyment. Building upon Unity, these linear missions were enhanced significantly with multiple entry points for infiltration, varied ally and adversary locations, and unique assassination techniques tailored for each high-value target. These features made them among the most gratifying missions in any Assassin’s Creed game. Although Jacob’s aggressive approach was generally entertaining, it was more satisfying to play these missions as the strategic Evie when given the choice.

In summary, despite some negative perceptions due to its predecessor, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate remains a standout entry in the stealth action series that’s worth revisiting for its immersive setting, charming characters, and top-notch stealth mechanics. If Assassin’s Creed Shadows brings back dual protagonists and focuses on period-specific weaponry and combat, as well as develops an intriguing dynamic between its playable characters similar to Syndicate, it could mark a positive shift in the developer’s reputation. Whether this will happen remains to be seen.

Please keep in mind that the opinions shared within this article belong solely to the writer. These perspectives may not align with or be endorsed by GamingBolt as a collective entity.

2025-03-05 17:31

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