Hello ladies, gentlemen and those of a non-binary nature, my name is Daibhi and this is the Gamerhub community. We all love a good Assassin’s Creed game, and I’m a particular fan of Black Flag, but I’d never given the Chronicles series a go until recently. I realise that I’m reviewing these games in the wrong order, but on a personal note, the history of Russia fascinates me, and The Death of Stalin is one of my favourite films of all time. So, armed with my trademark dry humour and a seemingly unlimited amount of patience, I took up my controller and took the digital plunge.
Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Russia takes us for a leap of faith into history, thrusting us into the tumultuous era of the Russian revolution of 1917. As the final instalment in the Chronicles trilogy, this 2.5D platformer attempts to blend the grand historical narrative of the mainline Assassin’s Creed games with a more focused and compact gameplay style, targeted more directly on stealth. In my opinion, this game doesn’t quite meet the heights of the games in the mainline Assassin’s Creed franchise, but it knows that and doesn’t apologize for it. We get to instead play through a unique and visually striking experience for fans of both stealth gaming and history.
A visual feast
I love me a good game where the visuals make me sit up and take notice, and this game is one of them. One of the first things that you notice when you boot up Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Russia is the sheer, breathtaking visual style. Dear Flying Spaghetti Monster, this game is beautiful. The game’s 2.5D style and format allows for exquisite intricately detailed environments that capture the essence of early 20th Century Russia. The use of limited colour palette, primarily consisting of reds and greys, helps create a unique aesthetic that mirrors the social and political turmoil of the period. Each level looks and feels like a piece of art, with the architecture, lighting and character designs contributing to an atmosphere of historical authenticity.
The attention to detail in this game also extends to the character animations as well. For example, the protagonist of this game, Nikolai Orelov, moves extremely gracefully though the levels, seamlessly transitioning between stealthy manoeuvres and deadly assassinations. The guards patrolling the levels exhibit lifelike behaviours, adding to the immersion. There’s one slight flaw with them as they don’t appear to have the best of peripheral eyesight, but that’s more a limitation of the format as opposed to the game’s fault. It’s clear where most of Ubisoft’s budget went in this game, as the visuals are probably this game’s strongest aspect.
Gameplay
The Gameplay in Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Russia revolves around stealth and does this better than a lot of the stealth games I’ve played in the past. Unlike the mainline Assassin’s Creed games, which allows you to be direct, this game will punish you for going directly to get rid of the guards. This game will reward you for staying hidden and avoiding confrontations whenever possible. Sneaking past the guards, using the environments to your advantage and performing takedowns silently are then order of the day. This might seem a bit boring at first, but they really are satisfying when mastered.
The levels are designed with multiple paths and hiding spots with replayability in mind, allowing for a variety of approaches to each scenario. There are different objectives to complete in each level, and achievements for getting through levels with the least amount of assassinations if that’s your sort of thing. Personally, I tried taking the Lance Archer approach in my first playthrough (everybody dies), but this didn’t get me very far.
One of the game’s standout features is the “Helix Vision” ability, which allows our protagonist to see through walls and track the movements of nearby enemies, but a wee word of warning here: the feature has a cooldown function, so being reliant on this ability is likely to make you desynchronise on multiple occasions. However, using this ability adds an extra layer of stealth gameplay, allowing gamers to plan our moves effectively and precisely.
Challenging Puzzles
Intertwined with the stealth elements are various puzzles that us gamers must solve to progress through the game’s plot. These can range from simply pulling the right lever to more complex environmental challenges. They provide quite a nice breather from the fast paced levels and require both lateral thinking and keen observation to complete, and going on to YouTube for the answers is being a scumbag. Think for yourself and you’ll find these fun. Some gamers may find some of these puzzles extremely frustrating, particularly with the difficulty spike in later levels. However, this challenge adds to the sense of accomplishment when you finally solve them. It’s worth noting that there’s very little hand-holding when it comes to these puzzles and this can be both a positive and negative experience dependent on your gaming preferences.
A Tale of Duty and Morality
While Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Russia doesn’t dive as deeply into the historical narrative as the mainline titles, this game tells a captivating story set against the backdrop of the Russian Revolution. The narrative resolves around Nikolai as he’s torn between the Assassins Brotherhood and his sense of duty to protect his family. The internal conflict is keenly represented throughout the game, making Nikolai more than your standard 2.5D protagonist. The game also explores the eternal conflict between the Assassins and the Templars as each secret society vies for control in a world torn by war and burned by revolutions. Whilst the story isn’t as intricate as Assassins Creed Syndicate, nor as sprawling as Assassins Creed Unity, it’s a solid addition to the franchise’s lore and provides a lot of the context behind Nikolai’s actions.
Replayability and scoring.
Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Russia encourages replayability through the scoring system which applies for each level. Gamers are awarded points based on how they complete levels, including factors like speed, stealth, and the number of kills and necessary kills. This system incentivizes gamers to revisit levels and aim for higher scores, adding longevity to what is a relatively short campaign.
For completionists, masochists and those who enjoy mastering the mechanics of this game, the scoring system adds many hours off additional gameplay, but it’s important to note that these are entirely optional. If you prefer a more casual gaming experience, you can always progress through this game without focusing on the high scores.
Conclusion
Assassins Creed Chronicles: Russia offers a unique take to the Assassins Creed universe. The visually striking 2.5D art style and historical setting offer a fresh and exciting perspective on the lore of the series. The emphasis on stealth gameplay, complemented by challenging puzzles makes for an engaging experience for fans of the franchise and the genre.
While it doesn’t reach the same level of depth or scale as the mainline Assassins Creed titles, it succeeds in delivering a concise, self-contained story with complex and compelling characters. The scoring system can add hours of gameplay for those so inclined, and it really does reward you for it.
Ultimately, whether you’ll enjoy this game depends on your preferences. If you appreciate stealth-focused gameplay, historical settings and an exceptional visual experience, then I would encourage you to take this adventure through early 20th century Russia. However, if you’re seeking the epic experience of the mainline games, you might find yourself feeling that this game is a little limited in scope.
Joystick rating 3.8/5
For the Gamerhub, I’ve been Daibhi and you are all legends.
