As sharp as a hidden blade. But something is holding it back.
Sadly, the above statements might be the pinnacle of AC's achievements. the gameplay is exhilirating at times, but only at times. while i will say that stealth kills with the hidden balde never get old, other things do. there are a lot of button mashing situations mixed into the intuitive precision controls that AC brings, but too much of the former and not enough of the latter. counter kills are great and the quick mini cut scene animations that accompany them are satisfying, but sometimes you dont kill an enemy when you counter and sometimes you do - I found that annoying at times. sometimes i got doubled teamed during battle, sometimes not. The combat engine definitely tests your reaction time and reflexes, which is good, but may prove too much for the casual gamer. Dont get me wrong Altair is a bad ass, and I think controling him was a dream at times, but I did have my share of "give-me-a-break-I-pressed-the-right-button" moments.
My other gripe is that the investigations dont offer any real bonus other than drawing your attention to something you may or may not see when it comes time to bring the blade to your targets throat. If doing the investigations gave more of a reward, like a disguise to use (too hitman - i know), or access to a secret passage if you fleshed out every bit of pre-assassination info, then i think there would be more incentive to explore. There is no dancing around the repetition here, and may frustrate an impatient gamer (but not this guy).
the story is well told and i ahve always been a big fan of crusade period fiction/non-fiction and i have to say the story kept me engaged throughout. The dual stories add an interesting twist and i will definitely buy the sequels, because i know that Ubisoft will polish what looks to be a great series for years to come. Overall a really good game, with a few flaws that hold it back from true greatness.