Autumn is upon us. The nights are drawing in, the air is colder and there are crisp leaves underfoot. It really is quite a lovely time of year. But sod all that because for gamers, the autumn means ‘NEW GAMES!’ and two of the year’s most highly anticipated games are on the verge of release.
But before you all go rushing out to buy Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 – Treyarch’s latest instalment of the record-breaking franchise – allow me to put forward to you the case for Assassin’s Creed III. If, hypothetically speaking, you could only buy one of these games (times are hard after all), let me explain why tactically killing people with a blade on the end of a rope during the American Revolutionary War and generally being a tomahawk-wielding badass will be a great deal more satisfying than repetitively shooting anonymous swarms of bad guys.
And yes, I am aware that some of you will splash the cash and buy both games thus deeming this feature completely redundant, but let’s just go with it shall we.
6. Call of Duty Has Barely Changed In Five Years
Over the last couple of years Call of Duty has gone stale, becoming a disjointed mess with a nonsensical, far-fetched plot (I’m looking in your direction Modern Warfare 2 and 3). It began so well with the utterly superb Modern Warfare, followed up a year later by my personal favourite, World at War, taking you back to the game’s WWII roots. But it all became unstuck when I found myself fighting off invading Russian soldiers in a Virginian suburb from the roof of a fast food restaurant in Modern Warfare 2. The settings and stories might have changed but almost everything else has remained the same; the game-play, the tactics, the guns, everything. It’s become all too familiar and far too cinematic. I’m going to hazard a guess that Black Ops 2 will inevitably feature the same fast-paced no-time-to-catch-your-breath unrelenting action the series has had since 2007. Some might argue why change such a efficient formula but I want more than simply pressing ‘B’ and watching as my character sneaks up on someone, chokes him out then stabs him in the throat while I’m left wondering when I’ll get a go before another cut-scene interferes my enjoyment.
Meanwhile, Assassin’s Creed has gone consistently from strength to strength every year, adding new and exciting features and new settings. 2010’s Brotherhood fixed the problem of repetitiveness, upgraded the multiplayer and added a new management system allowing you to could call upon recruits for help and send them on missions across Europe. It was fun being a boss. And this year, the new instalment has been totally rebuilt from the ground up with everything tweaked and improved making for more natural and fluid game-play.
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19 Comments
Can’t do anything but agree.
I think it’s rather pointless to point out real gamers which of these two are worth buying. COD stopped exists for me right there, where you said. When it was actually historically accurate. Never played Black Ops, so I can’t say anything about the JFK input. Played both Modern Warfare and the only memorable thing for me was mission in the first one, sniping mission in Prypiat. Other than that the series is a utter crap and I don’t even know anybody my age who would enjoy these games. Guess there is some truth to it, that COD is played only teenagers and younger kids, who’s parents have no idea what they bought their small ones.
I did not noticed that error in the article and it’s really not the main point of the article. Right?
I Don’t know, they are two very different games. I agree with most of what is said except the skill needed to play call of duty, maybe in the campaign you can get through the story with very little talent(AI was never very smart) but online it takes a huge amount of skill to match people you going up against anyone from the casual to professional gamers. It takes skill to get a kill chain but it takes mastering the game to make the kills simple and easy. Anyone with a little skill can get a kill streak with a sniper rifle. It takes a master to get a good kill streak by timing it right, to get a kill by running at the enemy with a shotgun time and again, or knifing a whole room of enemies. Don’t get me wrong, I’m gonna be getting Assassin creed first, I love the series. I have enjoyed Ezio the most, Revelations was a bit of a chore but brotherhood was massive amount of fun. I’ve played the series since altair and loved finishing his story in revelations. AC2 was the most engaging but Brotherhood was the most fun. I just felt you were selling call of duty players too short.Great article though better than most that I have read on this site.
Dude go get a life. Are you seriously comparing two games in totally different genres, hell both titles even appeal to mixed markets and are substantially different on all fronts. So even if Assassin’s Creed 3 steals a few fans from Black Ops 2, Black ops 2 will do the same.
Let me ask you something? Are you serious? Do you honestly make a living doing mediocre articles fit for a teenage gossip magazine? Real gamers my ass. Articles like this are what drag down the gaming community to nothing but whiney children. Both games are looking to be top tier in sales this year, both companies will make millions off of their titles and that’s what it’s going to be. Both games look, play, and are substantially different than their previous incarnations. That is fact. So how about the next time you decide on doing something mediocre leave it to the hipsters at IGN.
Someone pee in your Corn Flakes this morning?
Oh look here we go a clever one, Hey guys he’s just clever.
Yep, I did.
I really couldn’t agree more. This article was totally biased as the author REFUSED to see that the A.C series, regardless of some of its amazing features, shares many like-minded flaws as the rest of the community out there. Don’t get me wrong; I love the hell out of A.C (My very favorite continuity out there), but I think that the author went way too hard commando in trying to one-up on the C.O.D franchise and failed as the publisher in doing so.
I noticed that the author referenced the war in the game as the “American Civil War”. I don’t know if it’s a cultural thing in the UK, but in the US it was called the Revolutionay War or the War of Independence. Our American Civil War took place in the mid 1860′s. Just trying to clarify.
KingSettsuo, for something that you yourself have described as a ‘mediocre article fit for a teenage gossip magazine’ why are you getting so worked up about it? It’s just a bit of harmless fun.
“Articles like this are what drag down the gaming community to nothing but whiney children.”
Hey, you did read this right? If your going to compare make sure they at least look good comparing. Never would I have compared AC with CoD it’s just not a good look. Maybe against Dishonored, but even then it’s still a stretch for me. You purposely compared two of the hottest games to get views to your gossip rag. Spurring anyone who’d read. It’s pure troll fodder and you know it.
‘Pure troll fodder’ huh? Well you’ve clearly fallen for it then because it seems it’s really wound you up. Look man, it’s a simple, light-hearted, fun article taking a sideways look at two of the biggest games coming out in the next month. I seriously think you’re reading too far into it.
How are you reading my posts, I bet you have a frown and are talking really seriously while reading. I could have sworn I didn’t add exclamation marks…
‘Pure troll fodder’ huh? Well you’ve clearly fallen for it then because it seems it’s really wound you up.
Fallen for what? I talking to a writer about the quality of his writing. Falling for it would have went like this. AGH CALL OF DUTY IS THE BEST GAIZ!! or AC3 BIOTCHES!!11!!1!! I did neither in any way, shape, or form. I gave both games their proper due unlike a certain writer. Yea, Call of Duty is rehashed crap re-re-released every year, but hey so was the AC2 trilogy. After AC2 each added great features, but a bit worse in quality as well.
“simple, light-hearted, fun article taking a sideways look at two of the biggest games coming out in the next month”
my response.
“You purposely compared two of the hottest games to get views to your gossip rag. Spurring anyone who’d read. It’s pure troll fodder and you know it.”
It’s a difference especially when you throw one under the bus.
Your points are valid. CoD hasnt really evolved and is getting outdated.
But although i am a huge fan of Assassin creed- especisally the story and the freerunning- Neither game are the best in it’s respective genre.
I think Arkham City can fairly be compared to Assassin Creed Brotherhood
While Halo Reach/ BF3 can be compared to CoD.
Agreed. But imma buy GTA V
Annoyed at myself for such a silly error. I’ve corrected it now though. Thanks to you guys for spotting it!
KingSettsuo, Call of Duty hasn’t released a worthy title SINCE COD4. I had the Playstation 2 games. The writer has a very valid point that it was accurate. Probably not to historical textbook, but it was accurate. You could play those Playstation 2 COD games, and come away with what the war was really like. All the games after were like that. You knew how the war was fought. You saw the unfairness that plagued whatever side you were fighting for. I remember the WWII game, I had little ammo, and had to fight the war all uphill. COD4 gave light into how a modern war was really fought.
Then, you got the COD games like Black Ops. Accurate, yeah right. Modern Warefare 2 and 3. Yep. Suuure. Activison and Treyarch have both given up on making a real game, and now just make arcade games worthy of greasy pizza shops in the back corner with huge bulky plastic ‘guns’ that you pay 1.00 for each play. COD isn’t that great. There’s no invation. There’s no unique-ness. The graphics are all the same. The gameplay is all the same, and sure, you can say “NEW WEAPONS!!1!” but really? Now we’re getting into science-fiction, someone COD was never apart of.
Awesome Article, Assassin’s Creed owns in my oppinion. But now there is the new one coming in ten days its gonna own Black Ops for sure.
The only assassins creed i have played was assassins creed brotherhood and it was AMAZING!! And the only COD games i have played were black ops, mw3 and black ops 2. MW3 was kick @ss but probably because i didnt play mw1 or mw2. But anyways i wish i read this article before getting Black Ops 2 because it sucks so bad, i mean the campaign was alright (mainly the end because it was HILARIOUS!!) but the multiplayer couldnt suck more, i mean the weapons suck the maps are small as all hell and it just feels, i dont know off? at 12 midnight tonight im taking black ops 2 to gamestop to trade it in what i can to get Assassins Creed 3. like i said if only i had read this article 1st