Assassin's Creed: Syndicate, scheduled to launch this fall on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One($200.00 at eBay), and PC platforms, is the newest installment in the historic fantasy-action series. Set in Victorian London, Syndicate tells the story of a pair of assassin siblings, Jacob and Evie, who try to break the Templar's stronghold over the city.
Industry and British Imperialism
London's urban setting is a decidedly more modern setting for Assassin's Creed than any other game in the series. Many commodities we associate with the modern era were popularized during this time period. Trains connected London to the rest of Europe and Asia, telegraphs opened communication world wide, and Britain had a tremendous amount of influence across the world during this time.
This was also a time of great disparity between the wealthy and poor. Workhouses, child labor, and tragically short lives were commonplace among the working class and poor in England, as Charles Dickens describes in his novels. This civil unrest and turmoil are the focus of Syndicate. Assassins Jacob and Evie do their best to thwart and undermine the Templar influence in London by conquering Templar boroughs within the city and persuading street gangs to their cause.
Similar Products
Bloodborne (for PlayStation 4)
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (for PlayStation 4)
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (for PlayStation 4)
Grand Theft Auto V (for PlayStation 4)
Final Fantasy XV (for PlayStation 4)
Destiny (for PlayStation 4)
Until Dawn (for PlayStation 4)
FIFA 16 (for PlayStation 4)
Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition Starter Pack (for PlayStation 4)
This concept is similar to Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood's district seizing. You sneak into Templar or enemy gang territory to assassinate the leader of the area, while also freeing any allies or hostages. Doing so makes that borough your territory and gives you greater influence and manpower.
Aesthetically, Syndicate looks like Assassin's Creed: Unity($48.00 at Amazon). Character models are highly detailed and expressive, and the environments are filled with interesting details and landmarks. For example, city buildings plastered with bold, time-appropriate advertisements, and the streets are littered with pedestrians and carriages. Should you climb to a vantage point, you can look off into the Thames River, or nearby construction of the London railway.
As mentioned, Assassin's Creed: Syndicate features two protagonists: Jacob and his sister Evie. Both are accomplished assassins and the story shifts between the two as the plot unfolds. However, you can complete side content and activities with whichever character you want. Both assassins have their own skill trees, with Jacob's favoring melee combat, and Evie's focusing on stealth. The demo I was guided through focused on Jacob's gameplay, but Evie was present in a few story scenes.
An Assassin's Tools
Combat and stealth have been tightened considerably in Syndicate, and the game is much more engaging as a result. Ubisoft is focusing more on concealed weaponry this time around, with Jacob and Evie making use of brass knuckles, cane swords, and kukri daggers in melee encounters. Regardless of your preference, combat revolves around attacks, grabs, and counters. Basic attacks deal quick damage, but can be blocked and countered easily. Grabs open your opponent's defense, but don't do much damage on their own. Counters reverse an enemy's attack and give you some breathing room. Melee encounters are not much different from those in Assassin's Creed Unity, but the combat is much more responsive in Syndicate, and is snappier and easier to control.
Stealth has been reworked, and can now be toggled on or off with the press of a button. The assassins slip hoods over their head and crouch automatically, so you no longer have to fight with the awkward stealth controls. Your movement speed is limited while in stealth mode, but you can hide more easily and silently take out unsuspecting targets to make up for it.
Stealth also sees great improvements with the introduction of the rope launcher. While a Zelda-style hookshot is not historically accurate for Victorian Era London, the handy device makes scaling buildings so convenient that it's a wonder Ubisoft didn't introduce the mechanic sooner. On the ground, the rope launcher can be used on virtually any wall or vertical structure to quickly ascend to the rooftop. From rooftops, you can manually aim the device and create zip lines to chimneys, ledges, and other rooftops.
This opens some great avenues for sneaking and assassinations. Dropping down to kill a target and slinging back up to the rooftop like a British Spider-Man feels fantastic. It also enables quick getaways should you miss your mark, or attract unwanted attention. But beyond assassination, the rope launcher makes for a thrilling way to get around London. Stowing away on a freight ship, zipping up onto the Hungerford Bridge, and then jumping aboard a passing train is surreal, yet feels surprisingly natural.
Victorian Assassin
Combat is also made more interesting thanks to the inclusion of carriages and vehicles. Syndicate marks the first time in the Assassin's Creed series that players can steal and drive around with carriages. You can use these to get around London, but you can also fight and jump between carriages, creating interesting and dynamic battles.
Trains play a major role in the world of Syndicate. Railroads were the most valuable and popular method of long-range ground transportation at the time, and they have significant presence in the game. Syndicate lets you stow away on trains to get around London, fight on top of trains, or hijack and even unhinge train cars. As the story progresses, Jacob and Evie make a train their personal headquarters, which they use to travel around the city and plot their next move. Their train doubles as a mobile trophy room, housing whatever collectibles and files you've found in the game. That you can jump off it and kick start your next mission makes it all the more remarkable.
Classic Assassin's Creed NPC interactions are present in some form or another, but they are tailored to the setting and time period. You can pay a child to distract a policeman, for example, and create a diversion that lets you slip by unnoticed. You can whistle to attract attention to yourself, or throw items to make noise and create distractions. These are all useful tricks to employ as you sneak around in areas you're not supposed to be in. They are also gameplay elements that were missing in Assassin's Creed: Unity, and are satisfying to see restored.
A New Focus
Assassin's Creed Syndicate is being developed as a single-player game, so there will be no multiplayer options. After the messy release that was Assassin's Creed: Unity, it seems Ubisoft has dropped all multiplayer development in favor of focusing on the single-player experience. With the modern setting, dual protagonists, and stealth framework laid out by Unity, Assassin's Creed: Syndicate has plenty of potential. Let's hope Ubisoft makes good use of it.
Syndicate takes and improves the framework laid out by Unity to create an interesting and potentially great Assassin's Creed game.
Like What You're Reading?
Sign up for Lab Report to get the latest reviews and top product advice delivered right to your inbox.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
Thanks for signing up!
Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox!
Sign up for other newsletters
