Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate - 10 Crucial Things It Must Learn From Unity

5. Fix The Animations

There's a gulf of Khaleesi-to-King's Landing proportions going on with Assassin's Creed's animations right now. On the one hand, in Unity the development team sought to refine everything "from the ground up" (although that phrase is as old as hooded assassins in itself) although that amounted to holding forward with A/X, and watching your character expertly mantle upwards towards any respective rooftop. However, the complete flip-side is anything happening in combat, as blows connected with the power of a dandelion in a light breeze, sound effects rarely happened on time, and the general 'feel' or weight of movement was just way off. Back in AC's II and Brotherhood you were actively happy when a group of guards descended on your position, knowing that the ensuing mishmash of disarms, long-range throws, gadgets and floor-kills would most likely have you standing victorious. It had the perfect sense of challenge, risk and reward - something that The Witcher 3 proves can be incredibly fun when it doesn't resort to Dark Souls-levels of punishment. In future it can't just be vertical movement that feels perfected and laboured over - every stab, counter and combo should hit with the force of a trained assassin too.
Gaming Editor
Gaming Editor

WhatCulture's Head of Gaming.