Assassin’s Creed is a well established franchise many have grown to know and love. With all the buzz around Assassin’s Creed Vahalla’s release let’s take a little trip down memory lane and have a look over some previous titles from the franchise. We all know that as a franchise Assassin’s Creed has primarily featured on the big home consoles. But often we overlook the humble handheld gaming device. Are the handheld titles worth a play or are they best left as ancient history?
In order from oldest to newest we have complied the often overlooked handheld Assassin’s Creed titles for you excluding mobile ports.
Assassin’s Creed: Altair’s Chronicles – Nintendo DS 2008
Altair’s Chronicles is the first handheld Assassin’s Creed title on our list. Released in 2008 and developed by Gameloft Bucharest; this game is direct prequel to the first Assassin’s Creed released in 2007. Altair tells the story directly from his perspective as opposed to Desmond’s in the original game. As well as featuring the three original cities from the first game, it also introduces two new cities; Tyre and Aleppo. Set during the Third Crusade in 1190 AD. The Al-Mualim have tasked our assassin Altair to find the Chalice. A powerful artifact that could have the power unite all factions and bring an end to the Third Crusade. Possession would mean victory for whomever obtains it, but the Chalice is too powerful and must be destroyed.
Having a prequel to Assassin’s Creed on Nintendo DS rather than a home console was an interesting choice by Ubisoft. The developers have utilised the Nintendo DS touchscreen capabilities within gameplay however. The game plays similarly to a Prince of Persia game with the addition of a bit of stealth. Mini games such as pickpocketing and interrogation take advantage of the touchscreen capabilities. Then during the majority of gameplay the touchscreen acts as a second screen for the game map.
The game has mixed to positive reviews, unlike Assassin’s Creed there is no free roaming in this game which has frustrated some gamers. However, this is still worth obtaining for fans of Altair or collectors of the franchise.
Assassin’s Creed Bloodlines – PSP 2009
Assassin’s Creed Bloodlines is next on our list; developed by Gryptonite Games for the PSP and released in 2009. Acting as a direct sequel to the events of the first Assassin’s Creed we again take the role of Altair. Set in 1191 AD shortly after the events of the first game, Altair learns of the Templars plan to escape to Cyprus. Following Altair on his journey to the Island of Cyprus in hot pursuit of the remaining Templars and the Apple. Altair again tell the story from his perspective instead of Desmond’s much like Altair’s Chronicles.
The open world environment in Bloodlines gives the player more freedom to explore as well as undertake side missions. Similar to Assassin’s Creed this has a taste of the familiar gameplay to the first game. Albeit with a few modifications to the controls with some features removed to improve controls and due to size the of the game setting. The game had some downgrades in comparison due to the PSP’s limitations. Additionally, there was a connectivity feature between Bloodlines on PSP and the PS3 version of Assassin’s Creed II. Depending on how many Codex pages you found in Assassins Creed II unlocked bonuses in Bloodlines.
Overall Bloodlines has mixed reviews, most of the criticism around this game focused on its repetitive gameplay and camera control. The main issue for some being that the limitations of the PSP resulted in Bloodlines falling a bit short of the bar set by Assassin’s Creed. The game does come under some criticism but you have to admire how they made it feel like a main game on a handheld console. Still, this is something Altair fans and collectors alike would like to see in their collections.
Assassins Creed II: Discovery – Nintendo DS 2009
Back to the Nintendo DS we go this time for Assassins Creed II: Discovery released in 2009. Developed again by Griptonite Games and set between sequence 12 and 13 DLCs of Assassins Creed II. Set in the year 1491, we follow the assassin Ezio Auditore da Firenze in this instalment. The Venetian Thieves Guild leader Antionio de Magianis tasks Ezio with assisting Luis de Santangel during his search for an Apple of Eden.
Taking a step back from the open world of the home console games. Discovery takes on a side scrolling gameplay whilst keeping combat relatively similar to previous Assassin’s Creed instalments. Memories in this game are played out as missions each with objectives that are needed to be met to get to the next synchronisation point. The three categories of missions are Normal, Chase and Stealth. As well as the main story there are also challenge rooms, cheats and collectibles to add a bit more depth to the game.
Unlike the previous two handheld instalments, Discovery has received mostly positive reviews. Many praising the developer’s translation of the game into a 2D platformer whilst remaining faithful to the story. Not a revolutionary title as such but a vast improvement on the previous Nintendo DS instalment. Something fans of Ezio will love to help fill in a few gaps in the story and add to their collections.
Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation – PS Vita 2012
Developed by Ubisoft Sofia and released in 2012 for the PS Vita our next title Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation is our first venture into the PS Vita. This spin off title has a very interesting concept. Essentially this is a game within a game, where you the player are playing a game called Liberation. Developed by the fictional Abstergo Entertainment, you the player are playing their first major release. As you play you undertake the role of Aveline de Grandpré, an African-French assassin exploring their life. You get the feeling something is amiss as you are contacted by the hacker group Erudito. They make you aware that the game is heavily censoring information on the war between the Assassins and Templars.
Players who enjoy the open world aspect of the home console games will be pleased to know that with the PS Vita’s capabilities this has been retained in this game. As well as utilizing features from the PS Vita including the touchscreen, rear touch pad, gyroscope and cameras during gameplay. One exciting aspect that surrounded this games release was that it was able to use the same engine that ran Assassin’s Creed III. A great example of how powerful the PS Vita was in its prime.
The game received mixed to positive reviews on release. Generally praised as being a great counterpart to Assassin’s Creed III, while remaining faithful to the feel and gameplay expected of an Assassin’s Creed title. Criticism focused on the plot falling short with little connection to Assassin’s Creed III. Some also criticized that the additional features didn’t fit, finding some issues with the overall performance of the game on the Vita. Still a worthy instalment for Assassin’s Creed fans who want to try something a little different.
Assassin’s Creed Chronicles – PS Vita 2016
Assassin’s Creed: Chronicles on PS Vita is our final title for the handheld installments that are usually overlooked. Developed by Climax Studios the games featured were originally home console releases on Xbox One, Ps4 and PC. The compilation was released shortly after the final game of the trilogy was brought out for home console . The first installment in the trilogy; Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China was released as part of the Season Pass for Assassin’s Creed Unity back in 2015. Of which lead onto the announcement of the trilogy. The further installments, India and Russia, were subsequently released on home consoles in 2016. Each of the games follow their respective assassins Shao Jun, Arbaaz Mir and Nikolai Orelov in their fight against the Templars.
The games’ designs follow a 2.5D world that is artistically inspired by traditional brush paintings. Bringing in an aesthetic not seen in previous games, each stylistically matching it’s cultural settings. Unlike the previous PS Vita title, this isn’t an open world Assassin’s Creed title that fans of the franchise have come to love. Instead opting for a side scrolling platformer game format where players navigate the environment. Although you can fight enemies a big focus for the games is the use of stealth to hide from enemies.
Overall this games trilogy is a mixed bag of reviews. Whilst the overall consensus is that the game design is beautiful and a platformer that technically plays well. The story is the main criticism of these titles. Fans say that it is lackluster compared to other titles in the series. As well as some aspects of gameplay not living up to the franchise’s name. Still a worthy addition to your collection if you enjoy games with beautiful aesthetics. However some hardcore fans of the franchise may wish to give this a miss.
Should we discount the handheld installments as flops?
Overall for the franchise of Assassin’s Creed the fan base has pretty high expectations of its titles. I mean who can blame them? From the intricate history and lore weaved into the franchise, to the rich diversity of characters there is just so much to love! For collectors of the franchise and fans I would say it’s still worth picking ups these previous installments for their collections if the price is right. While the handheld iterations have their flaws, they also help to flesh out a already rich world. Like Marmite, whether you love them or hate them there’s no denying their place in the history of Assassin’s Creed and how far it has come to this day.
If you would like to check out more Assassins Creed content from our wonderful writers here at Gamerhub. Check out Ultan Kenny’s Assassins Creed Valhalla Review or take a dive into past assassins with Grahame Singleton’s debut article. You can also visit the official Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla website if you wish.
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