5. Stop With The Frigging Stylised Scenes
Games are becoming more cinematic at a meteoric rate. It used to be trailers would be made specifically on a more advanced engine, but as GTA V showed we're at a point graphically and creatively where entirely in-game content can be used to sell your game. But just because you can do things in a more creative way doesn't necessarily mean you should. Assassins Creed IV would be wise to not make the same mistakes as its predecessor and axe the stylised scenes that punctuated AC3's gameplay. The first time this becomes painfully obvious is the culmination of Sequence 8. After Connor waits a little too long to call his Assassins in to stop his execution the game suddenly moves into slow motion. At first I was convinced the game was glitching (again), but it sadly turns out to be a purposeful inclusion (although I still cant work out if it was for effect or a lazy way of showing Connor was affected by his hanging). Worse was the games climax, where youre forced to fight Haytham injured, then got to hunt Charles Lee down in the same state. Being forced to limp everywhere with a flashing red screen in an attempt from the game to show youre injured doesn't actually get me any more involved in the game. Thats ignoring that doing this highlights the characters otherwise invulnerability; you can survive falls from great heights and countless sword blows, but a couple of rocks have you limping for the next few hours.