1. Venice
You knew this would be it: it was the centrepiece of the trailers and pictures, the nerve centre of the games later stages and the site of the some major quests and assassinations. The unique and globally famed city of canals is the heart and soul of the game, and a magnum opus on the part of the creators. Its only natural that it take the top spot. From the moment I stepped off the boat, I leapt up onto the rooftops and wanted to weep with joy. The city is the centrepiece of the title and it is delightfully and affectionately recreated. If there is a dictionary definition of Scenery Porn, this must surely be included: every street, every canal, every alley and every island feels hypnotically authentic, and is the ultimate playground. Some may claim other favourites, and they would be justified in doing so, but Venice just feels so very singular and wondrous that its hard to dismiss it. Whether day or night, the city maintains its allure and atmosphere through masterful incidental music and the sights and sounds of the urban masses; every untouched rooftop or unexplored canal is an adventure, and even just gently taking a gondola through the serene waters of the republic whilst relaxing to Kyds magical score is cathartic and doesnt feel like a waste of time. In short, its one of the greatest environments to grace this generation of gaming. It is, in a word, perfect. So there you have it; my five reasons why a game I and a fair few other people rather like is one of the greatest of recent times. I shant ask you to be gentle in the comments, good reader, but I do at least hope you had an enjoyable time.