Assassin's Creed: Liberation HD review

Hello there, I'm Accel and this is my review on the newly released Assassin's Creed: Liberation HD. This game is originally released as an exclusive to PS Vita and released on October 2012 except 15 November 2012 for Japan. Due to its increasingly popularity, Ubisoft has re-released this HD remake of this game across all platform except for the 'new gens' consoles on January 15 2014 world-wide. This game was developed by Ubisoft Sofia and published by Ubisoft.

Game link: http://assassinscreed.ubi.com/en-au/games/assassins-creed-liberation-hd/index.aspx
Steam link: http://store.steampowered.com/app/260210/

well its hard to find any AC pictures

It isn’t unreasonable to consider the original Liberation a part of the main series, the release of Black Flag in November made it seven Assassin’s Creed games in six years. Few games would be able to stand up to such repeated examination in such a short space of time, let alone a franchise that has proven resistant to meaningful mechanical change since its second instalment. Black Flag remedied that somewhat by taking to the high seas, leaving its old ideas floundering and gasping like dying fish on the shoreline. A return to 2012’s Vita game, then, feels like a step back in time in more ways than one. Just over a year since its release, Liberation is already beginning to show its age.

From the technical perspective, as that is sure to be on your mind given the nature of this release. In short, technically, it works.Given that the original made minimal use of the handheld's supplementary inputs (touch screens, camera, gyroscopic motion etc) there's little that has had to be done to make the game fully-functional with a control pad.In fact, given the bigger analogue sticks at your disposal, it's easy to argue that movement and interaction is improved in this edition.Those of you with experience of recent Assassin's Creed releases will find little to quibble about in relation to the mechanics of being protagonist Aveline de Grandpre, and that is no small victory for Ubisoft given the horrific state some ports find themselves in upon release.

As usual, it sets a fictional character against the backdrop of a historic conflict – in this case, the French and Indian War. Aveline de Grandpré, daughter of a French merchant and an African slave, has already been recruited as an Assassin, and the game follows her attempts to find her mother, while liberating slaves in New Orleans, and uncovering the identity of a high-ranking Templar in the region. The opportunity to play as a mixed-race female lead is a rare one, and worth celebrating, though de Grandpré as a character is arguably less interesting than what she represents. Her backstory is lightly sketched, and while the flighty plot allows her by turn to be stoic and heroic, by the end we know little more of her that isn’t made clear from the opening scenes.

While this high-definition update benefits from more visual tweaks than simply an increased resolution, its handheld origins are clearly apparent. Liberation’s framerate may be smoother in a general sense, but at times it is prone to alarming dips, juddering noticeably during busier scenes. It’s a problem that seems to worsen as the game goes on, while minor glitches appear too frequently to dismiss. The environments remain artistically interesting – particularly the vibrant colours of Chichen Itza – yet the game’s technical woes are distracting. The novelty of playing it on a handheld device was sufficient compensation in 2012, the smaller screen disguising many of the flaws. On a TV screen, the frequent pop-in is hard to ignore.

At least there’s an increased focus on stealth. Assassin’s Creed III and Black Flag have all but abandoned the early reliance on completing a mission undetected, becoming swashbuckling action extravaganzas. Sneaking may be occasionally enforced here, but the game isn’t punishing enough to make its moments of prescriptive design too problematic. There’s a sadistic pleasure in taking out a trio of guards from the shadows with three well-aimed darts from a blowpipe, silently watching them writhe in confusion and pain before limply collapsing. Aveline’s Lady disguise offers plenty of darkly humorous moments, too, as you lure weak-minded guards into alcoves and around corners to choke them unconscious before elegantly striding away.

After playing Black Flag on next gen or PC, discovering Assassin's Creed Liberation HD on Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 is very close to a retro gaming experience. The technical issues of the console versions make it a bit difficult to soak in the game's atmosphere, but Aveline is an interesting character overall. The main problem is that the missions were built with a handheld in mind, which means they are short and easy. Narratively speaking, the game also falls short, not because the plot itself is disappointing, but because the voice acting is rather poor and the pace doesn't do the story justice. It's still a rather fun game to play for 5 to 6 hours (provided you only focus on the main campaign) free running in New Orleans and the bayou works well, but only the hardcore fans who haven't already given the Vita version a chance should give it a go.So in the end I would give this game a score 7 out of 10.What about you guys,why don't you share your thoughts in the comment section below.