Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
Encyclopedia
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood is a historical third person, stealth action-adventure
video game developed by Ubisoft
for PlayStation 3
, Xbox 360
, Microsoft Windows
and Mac OS X
. It was released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in November 2010, Microsoft Windows in March 2011 and Mac OS X in May 2011. It is the third major installment in the Assassin's Creed series
and the second chapter in the 'Ezio Trilogy'. The game is a direct sequel to Assassin's Creed II
, with Ezio Auditore da Firenze and Desmond Miles
returning as the main protagonists, and it takes place right after the conclusion of the previous game's story. It is the first game in the main series to feature a multiplayer mode. Assassin's Creed: Revelations
is a sequel to the game, concluding Ezio's story as he travels to Constantinople
.
video game with main emphasis on sandbox style gameplay in an open world
of Rome
. Like the previous installments, the gameplay's core mechanics are based on parkour
movements, crowd-blending stealth, assassinations and melee fighting system. The combat system features several improvements and for the first time in the series, the game offers a multiplayer mode alongside 15+ hours of single-player gameplay.
The game introduces a new management system: the player can recruit new members by destroying any of fifteen "Borgia towers" around Rome where papal troops are stationed, then rescuing disgruntled citizens in their districts from harassing guards. The player, as Ezio, can then send them to assignments around Europe or call them for support during missions (if they are not already occupied). Tasking the novice Assassins makes them gain experience, and the player is able to customize their appearance, skills and weapon training to some degree by spending the skill points they have earned. Assassins can die on missions, from which they will not return. Ezio masters new gadgets, such as Leonardo da Vinci
's parachute, which can be used when jumping from tall buildings, along with poison darts, a faster acting poison, a crossbow, and the ability to hold and throw heavier weapons like axes.
The primary setting is Rome
, which has fallen into ruin due to the corrupt rule of the Borgia papacy and the Templars over the Papal States
and concentrating all the wealth in the Vatican. Just like the town of Monteriggioni
in Assassin's Creed II, the player is able to invest in the city and witness its development and unlock rewards. The player has to conquer and destroy Borgia towers to free city zones from the family's influence. Completing this unlocks new missions and opportunities. Rome is the biggest city ever created after the first two installments (Rome is three times bigger than Florence from Assassin's Creed II) and includes five varied districts: Vatican
, Downtown, Tiber, Country and Antique. Unlike the previous installments, travel between different cities or regions is no longer present, as most of the action in the game takes place around the city of Rome. Instead, a series of tunnel networks throughout the city allow the player to travel to different sectors of the city with ease. However players will be able to explore the entire city of Rome, visit a part of Navarre
, Spain
and Monteriggioni in the present day.
The combat system has been modified. Striking first and offensive actions are more deadly in Brotherhood than previous games where counter-attacks were the most efficient. Before, this made the player wait until the AI
struck, which slowed down the pace of fighting. The AI in this game is thus more aggressive and enemies can attack simultaneously. To dispatch them, Ezio can use melee and ranged weapons at the same time, as well as introducing the hidden pistol in combat. After killing one enemy the player can start an execution streak to dispatch multiple enemies quickly. Ezio can throw heavy weapons (axes, spears, and swords) at his enemies. There are new enemy archetypes in addition to those seen in Assassin's Creed II such as horsemen
, arquebusiers, papal guards
and others.
Horses play a larger role in Brotherhood, not only used as a means of transport (inside the city for the first time), but as a component of acrobatic sequences and advanced combat as well, allowing ranged weapons to be used while riding them. Brotherhood also introduces various types of horse-related assassinations, featuring horse-to-horse assassinations. There are environmental objects like the flower pot in Assassin's Creed II to move faster inside the city (a system of tunnels around the city allow fast travel), as well as new objects such as merchandise lifts to quickly climb up high buildings or structures.
Unlike previous installments, Desmond can leave the Animus at almost any time. This allows Desmond to explore the present-day town of Monteriggioni. The player is also offered virtual training, a mini-game where the player may test their free-running or combat skills.
The multiplayer mode also includes a leveling system, which allows players to unlock rewards by earning experience points during the matches and gaining new levels. Players can then unlock abilities, perks and streaks. Abilities are active skills, which can be used again only after a cool down time. Perks are passive skills, which can be equipped before the match and they are active all the time. Streaks are bonuses awarded for reaching certain number of successful or failed contracts. The multiplayer beta, exclusive to PlayStation 3 users, was announced at E3 2010. It began on 4 October 2010, with early access for PlayStation Plus subscribers from 27 September, and ended on 18 October 2010. Three maps were playable in the beta: Rome, Castel Gandolfo
and Siena
.
In Wanted, at least six players are on a map where they must find and assassinate each other. Each player is given another player as a target. The goal is to find and kill a target without being seen or killed by the player's own pursuer or pursuers. If the player breaks cover, they are more easily spotted by pursuer or target alike, sometimes resulting in a chase. The player with the highest score at the end of the session wins. Players will lose their contract if they kill an NPC, are stunned by their target or their target is killed by another player. A player cannot kill another player who is not the target, but they can stun their hunter. Advanced Wanted mode is a variant of Wanted mode, with differences including an increased amount of NPCs on the map to make it difficult to pick out targets, and a less accurate compass. There is generally more stealth involved in this mode than in basic Wanted.
The Assassinate mode is similar to Wanted, but instead of target contracts being assigned to players, all players are fair game. Players must identify other player characters and lock on before assassinating. Because two players can kill each other, whoever locks on first becomes the hunter and the other becomes the target. The standard compass found in Wanted is replaced by directional arrows based on proximity, that grow to become arcs around the perimeter of the compass as other players near, and will eventually create a full circle when other players are very close. As in other modes, the player with the highest score at the end of the session is the winner.
Co-op
In Alliance, there are three teams, each limited to two players, both of which use the same persona. The point of this mode is to get more points than the other teams, but each team is chased by another and is only allowed to kill one specific team (not the team chasing them, but they will be able to stun the team hunting them). This mode encourages players to work together, as teammates can help each other or they can assassinate their targets simultaneously. The Advanced Alliance mode is a variant of Alliance mode, however the players' compasses as well as target engagement becomes more difficult, similar to the Advanced Wanted mode.
Team
In Manhunt there are two teams of four. One team is the hunters, the other is the hunted. Each team looks like a specific character and takes turns being the hunter and the hunted. Hunters obtain points by assassinations, while the hunted obtain points from escapes, stuns, and remaining hidden. The team with the highest score wins. In Chest Capture there are two teams of four. One team is the hunters, and the other is the hunted who need to steal chests by standing close to them. Each team looks like a specific character and takes turns being the hunter and the hunted. Hunters obtain points by assassinations, while the hunted obtain points from escapes, stuns, and stealing chests. The team with the highest score wins. The Escort mode sees one team of four players protecting a wandering NPC while the other team of four tries to assassinate him. There are two NPCs to protect at a time and they walk through a series of checkpoints, which are visible to both teams. When an escorted NPC is killed, another is synchronized. This mode has two rounds with each team playing once as escort and once as assassins.PULA
The continuing story is set in 2012. After escaping the Templars' attack at the end of Assassin's Creed II
, Desmond Miles
, Lucy Stillman, Rebecca Crane and Shaun Hastings flee to Monteriggioni
, establishing a new hideout in the ruins of the Villa Auditore. After restoring the electricity in the old tunnels under the villa, the player once again takes control of Ezio Auditore through the genetic memory of Desmond Miles using the Animus 2.0 (which is the game's memory interface). Their mission is to find the Apple of Eden, an important and mysterious artifact that could prevent the impending disaster
that is coming in that same year, believed to be perpetrated by the Templars.
Ezio's story continues in 1499, where he exits the Vault, confused by what he saw inside. He escapes Rome with his uncle Mario Auditore and arrives at Monteriggioni. Once home, Ezio is comforted by the prospect that his personal vendetta is over and that his days as an Assassin are done; however, Niccolò Machiavelli
challenges Ezio's decision to leave Rodrigo Borgia, now Pope Alexander VI
, alive. The following morning, Monteriggioni is besieged by Cesare Borgia
, son of Rodrigo. Mario is killed at the hands of Cesare himself, and the Apple lost to Cesare and the Templars. Ezio escapes with his family and travels to Rome, the center of the Templar Order in Italy
, once again seeking vengeance against the Borgias. There, he discovers that the Assassins are failing in the fight against corruption. Determined to redeem the Guild, Ezio convinces Machiavelli that he has what it takes to lead while assembling a Brotherhood powerful enough to destroy the Templars and his new arch-nemesis, Cesare Borgia.
During the next four years, Ezio executes tasks meant to cripple the Borgias' hold in the capital, sabotaging Cesare's resources and assassinating key people close to and/or working with him in the process, and slowly restoring Rome to its former glory. Ezio is then made head of the Order and promoted to the rank of Il Mentore.
Cesare, learning of Ezio's actions, confronts his suspicious father and desperately asks for more money and the Apple itself. Rodrigo refuses and attempts to poison his son, realizing that Cesare's lust for power can't be held at bay. Cesare, however, turns the tables on his father and kills him instead. Ezio witnesses this and, after learning of the Apple's location, retrieves it from within St. Peter's Basilica
. Ezio uses it to overwhelm Cesare's forces and withdraw the backing of his supporters; he is finally arrested by Pope Julius II
's Papal Army.
Ezio uses the Apple once again to check on Cesare, who breaks out of prison and has lain siege on a small city in Navarre
, Spain
. He encounters Cesare on the battlements of a crumbling castle and fights him. Cesare claims that he cannot be killed by the hand of man, thus inciting Ezio to "let fate decide" by dropping him off the battlements. Ezio then takes the Apple and hides it in another temple built underneath Santa Maria in Aracoeli
.
Using the coordinates taken from Ezio's memories, Desmond, Lucy, Shaun and Rebecca travel to the temple, intending to use the Apple to locate the remaining temples to keep the other Pieces of Eden out of the Templars' hands. As Desmond makes his way into the temple, he is confronted with holographic apparitions of a being called Juno
, who appears to be of the same race as Minerva
; however, she is neither audible nor visible to Lucy, Shaun, or Rebecca. Most of her comments center around humanity's lack of knowledge. She states that humanity is "innocent and ignorant"; that people were not built to be wise, having been given only five of the six senses: sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing, but lacking knowledge. Her careful cadence then drops as she suddenly becomes angry, yelling "We should have left you as you were!"
As Desmond approaches the Apple and touches it, time freezes around him, though he can still move and speak. Juno cryptically says Desmond is descended from her race and their enemy; she also says there is a woman who is supposed to accompany him through "the gate", but she is not with him. She takes control of Desmond's body and forces him to stab Lucy in the abdomen. Both fall to the ground unconscious, Desmond entering into a coma. As the credits roll, two men are heard discussing whether to put Desmond back in the Animus.
. Montreal also worked on both of the other main Assassin's Creed games in the series and was thus chosen to lead production for the third installment. A new Assassin's Creed episode featuring multiplayer was announced during Ubisoft's 2009 fiscal third quarter results while not revealing its name. In early May 2010, a GameStop employee published on the internet some images of a pre-order box featuring the Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood title while Ubisoft was teasing the game on Facebook
and Twitter
. Ubisoft then confirmed the authenticity of these pictures. Brotherhood has not been numbered unlike Assassin's Creed II because players, and even developers themselves would have expected a new setting and a new ancestor while this is only the continuation of Ezio's story.
The game was developed primarily by Ubisoft Montreal
in Canada
. Production was aided in part by four other Ubisoft developers: Annecy, Singapore, Bucharest and Québec City. The multiplayer mode is mainly developed by Ubisoft Annecy, the studio responsible for creating multiplayer mode in Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
. Ubisoft also announced plans for downloadable content
(DLC) after the game's launch. Two sets of free DLC have already been released under the names "Animus Project Update 1.0" and "Animus Project Update 2.0". The first includes the new map Mont Saint-Michel and one new mode, Advanced Alliance. The "Animus Project Update 2.0" was released in January 2011, was also free, and included another map, mode and the introduction of a player grading system. From the perspective of performance, Ubisoft have commented that they hope the gaps between the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions will be even smaller with Brotherhood.
Additionally, humorist Danny Wallace
and actress Kristen Bell
reprise their roles from Assassin's Creed II.
While still in development, creative director Patrice Désilets left before the game's presentation at the E3 2010. Ubisoft and production manager Jean-Francois Boivin stated that he only took a "creative break" after completing his task on Brotherhood. A teaser trailer of the multiplayer mode was released on the official site before the E3. A cinematic debut trailer was diffused during Ubisoft's E3 2010 press conference along a walkthrough of the game's beginning. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood reached gold status on October 28, 2010. The Microsoft Windows version has Nvidia 3D Vision
and multi screen support through AMD Eyefinity. It also uses Tagès
copy protection, as well as Ubisoft online services plaform, but doesn't require an always-on Internet connection to play. On November 30, 2010, a novelization
of the game was published. The novel is a sequel to the previous novel
.
, who created the scores to previous Assassin's Creed
games. The soundtrack was released digitally on November 16, 2010. A physical release of the soundtrack on audio CD accompanied selected retail editions. However, the track-listing is altered from the digital release - the CD has 22 tracks, including 3 exclusive pieces, but is missing "Apple Chamber" present in the digital release.
PlayStation 3
system as a pre-order bonus. All versions of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood for the PlayStation 3 feature exclusive free additional downloadable content called the Copernicus Conspiracy which became available on the PlayStation Store on November 16, 2010. Players have access to several new missions featuring the famous Renaissance astronomer Copernicus. Extra content includes courier, assassination and protection missions - Ezio will be tasked with foiling the conspiracy against Copernicus and defending his philosophy. The PC version of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood was released by Akella
in Russia
in exclusive Collector's Edition featuring 6 metal figurines of multiplayer characters.
, is located on a rocky tidal island of Normandy
in France
. Its particular topography of narrow streets, high-perched bell-tower and multi-leveled architecture is perfect for hunters and predators alike to surge from out of nowhere to execute their prey. To survive, recruits need to use free-running and narrow roads to their advantage.
Map provides a free-running playground with wide-open plaza areas, where predators and targets can quickly blend and disappear, surrounded by narrow alleys and multi-story buildings for extra verticality. In the new Chest Capture multiplayer mode, two teams composed of three players compete as Hunters and Protectors; partnered with fellow Templars, Hunters will attempt to steal the contents of the chests scattered around the map as protectors attempt to prevent this. Also included in the update is a Templar Score feature to reward diligent work by Abstergo recruits. Advanced Alliance is also packaged with the new DLC, while the Mont Saint-Michel map is not. Only one DLC can be activated at a time, so players will either be missing the new map from the 1.0 update or the new mode, new map and Templar Scoring from the 2.0 update.
The story revolves around Leonardo Da Vinci's mysterious disappearance. Ezio arrives at Da Vinci's workshop with his assistant Salaì
and finds Leonardo missing. It is soon revealed that Leonardo found a secret vault and his plans were discovered by the Hermetics
, members of the Cult of Hermes. Ezio finds writing on the floor that implies he should seek out five of Da Vinci's paintings once owned by Ezio at Monteriggioni but now missing. The majority of this sequence focuses on the search for and retrieval of these paintings by Ezio. After finding these paintings, Ezio identifies the location of a new subterranean location in Roma and proceeds there, to find Da Vinci imprisoned by Hermetics. After freeing Da Vinci, the two of them find another vault, in which they are revealed the numbers 43 39 19 N and 75 27 42 W. Ezio comments on these numbers "It is not intended for us". At the end of the sequence, two male voices (one is the Assassin, William) are heard commenting that Desmond has fallen into a coma. They also comment "we have a location for the temple" and "then what are you waiting for, let's go."
gave the Xbox 360
version 90.59% and 89/100, the PlayStation 3
version 90.06% and 90/100 and the PC version 88.40% and 88/100. It won best Action Adventure game in the Spike TV Video Game Awards 2010 The game has also been nominated for 7 British Academy Video Games Awards in 2011, including Best Game. It won an award in the Action category, losing to Mass Effect 2
in the category for Best Game.
The multiplayer was heralded by many at E3 2010, where it was showcased for the first time. GameTrailers
lauded it as the Best Multiplayer Game of the show. The multiplayer portion of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood was generally well-received by critics. Game Informer
gave the Brotherhood a 9.25/10, commenting that the ability to raise a group of followers was a significant enhancement to the previous title's gameplay, and praising the new multiplayer mode as something never before seen. The magazine's review also gave very high marks to the graphics, sound effects and voice acting.
Eurogamer
praised everything about Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, giving it a 10/10, and particularly noted the maturity of the story: "One mission sees Ezio disrupting an assassination attempt in the ruins of the Roman Colosseum during a play about the death of Jesus Christ. It demands a developer of poise and compassion to wield such thorny concepts deftly, and it's a measure of Ubisoft Montreal's maturity that it is more than equal to the challenge...Brotherhood builds an intriguing mystery around compelling characters, surrounds them with collectibles and secrets, and encourages play – and nothing feels out of place."
Reviews for the delayed PC version questioned the reason behind the delayed release date as the game was virtually unchanged from the console version albeit with better graphical enhancements and minor bonus content. However most praised Ubisoft
's move to remove the DRM that marred the PC version of Assassin's Creed II
as well as include all DLC free of charge.
was revealed to be the next major installment in the Assassin's Creed franchise. The game will be the second to have three playable characters (Altair, Ezio and Desmond) after Assassin's Creed II
, which focused on Ezio and Desmond while Altair made a brief playable cameo. It will be set in Constantinople
, at the peak of the Ottoman Empire
. Revelations will bring back the multiplayer experience first introduced in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood with "more modes, more maps and more characters" according to the official announcement.It is also the last game featuring Ezio .'
Action-adventure game
An action-adventure game is a video game that combines elements of the adventure game genre with various action game elements. It is perhaps the broadest and most diverse genre in gaming, and can include many games which might better be categorized under narrow genres...
video game developed by Ubisoft
Ubisoft
Ubisoft Entertainment S.A. is a major French video game publisher and developer, with headquarters in Montreuil, France. The company has a worldwide presence with 25 studios in 17 countries and subsidiaries in 26 countries....
for PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
and Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
. It was released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in November 2010, Microsoft Windows in March 2011 and Mac OS X in May 2011. It is the third major installment in the Assassin's Creed series
Assassin's Creed
Assassin's Creed is an award-winning historical third person, stealth action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. The bulk of the game takes place during the Third Crusade, with the plot revolving around a sect known as the Secret Order of...
and the second chapter in the 'Ezio Trilogy'. The game is a direct sequel to Assassin's Creed II
Assassin's Creed II
Assassin's Creed II is a historical third-person action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. It is the second video game installment of the Assassin's Creed series, and is a sequel to the 2007 video...
, with Ezio Auditore da Firenze and Desmond Miles
Desmond Miles
Desmond Miles is the main protagonist of the Assassin's Creed series. He was born March 13th, 1987, which is the 72nd day of the year...
returning as the main protagonists, and it takes place right after the conclusion of the previous game's story. It is the first game in the main series to feature a multiplayer mode. Assassin's Creed: Revelations
Assassin's Creed: Revelations
Assassin's Creed: Revelations is a video game in the Assassin's Creed franchise developed and published by Ubisoft Montreal. The game was released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on November 15, 2011. For Microsoft Windows, the game is delayed until December 2, 2011...
is a sequel to the game, concluding Ezio's story as he travels to Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
.
Gameplay
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood is a third-person action-adventureAction-adventure game
An action-adventure game is a video game that combines elements of the adventure game genre with various action game elements. It is perhaps the broadest and most diverse genre in gaming, and can include many games which might better be categorized under narrow genres...
video game with main emphasis on sandbox style gameplay in an open world
Open world
An open world is a type of video game level design where a player can roam freely through a virtual world and is given considerable freedom in choosing how to approach objectives...
of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. Like the previous installments, the gameplay's core mechanics are based on parkour
Parkour
Parkour is a method of movement focused on moving around obstacles with speed and efficiency. Originally developed in France, the main purpose of the discipline is to teach participants how to move through their environment by vaulting, rolling, running, climbing and jumping...
movements, crowd-blending stealth, assassinations and melee fighting system. The combat system features several improvements and for the first time in the series, the game offers a multiplayer mode alongside 15+ hours of single-player gameplay.
The game introduces a new management system: the player can recruit new members by destroying any of fifteen "Borgia towers" around Rome where papal troops are stationed, then rescuing disgruntled citizens in their districts from harassing guards. The player, as Ezio, can then send them to assignments around Europe or call them for support during missions (if they are not already occupied). Tasking the novice Assassins makes them gain experience, and the player is able to customize their appearance, skills and weapon training to some degree by spending the skill points they have earned. Assassins can die on missions, from which they will not return. Ezio masters new gadgets, such as Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance...
's parachute, which can be used when jumping from tall buildings, along with poison darts, a faster acting poison, a crossbow, and the ability to hold and throw heavier weapons like axes.
The primary setting is Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, which has fallen into ruin due to the corrupt rule of the Borgia papacy and the Templars over the Papal States
Papal States
The Papal State, State of the Church, or Pontifical States were among the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia .The Papal States comprised territories under...
and concentrating all the wealth in the Vatican. Just like the town of Monteriggioni
Monteriggioni
Monteriggioni is a comune in the Province of Siena in the Italian region Tuscany. It borders on the communes of Casole d'Elsa, Castellina in Chianti, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Colle di Val d'Elsa, Poggibonsi, Siena and Sovicille...
in Assassin's Creed II, the player is able to invest in the city and witness its development and unlock rewards. The player has to conquer and destroy Borgia towers to free city zones from the family's influence. Completing this unlocks new missions and opportunities. Rome is the biggest city ever created after the first two installments (Rome is three times bigger than Florence from Assassin's Creed II) and includes five varied districts: Vatican
Vatican City
Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...
, Downtown, Tiber, Country and Antique. Unlike the previous installments, travel between different cities or regions is no longer present, as most of the action in the game takes place around the city of Rome. Instead, a series of tunnel networks throughout the city allow the player to travel to different sectors of the city with ease. However players will be able to explore the entire city of Rome, visit a part of Navarre
Navarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Monteriggioni in the present day.
The combat system has been modified. Striking first and offensive actions are more deadly in Brotherhood than previous games where counter-attacks were the most efficient. Before, this made the player wait until the AI
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
struck, which slowed down the pace of fighting. The AI in this game is thus more aggressive and enemies can attack simultaneously. To dispatch them, Ezio can use melee and ranged weapons at the same time, as well as introducing the hidden pistol in combat. After killing one enemy the player can start an execution streak to dispatch multiple enemies quickly. Ezio can throw heavy weapons (axes, spears, and swords) at his enemies. There are new enemy archetypes in addition to those seen in Assassin's Creed II such as horsemen
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
, arquebusiers, papal guards
Swiss Guard
Swiss Guards or Schweizergarde is the name given to the Swiss soldiers who have served as bodyguards, ceremonial guards, and palace guards at foreign European courts since the late 15th century. They have had a high reputation for discipline, as well as loyalty to their employers...
and others.
Horses play a larger role in Brotherhood, not only used as a means of transport (inside the city for the first time), but as a component of acrobatic sequences and advanced combat as well, allowing ranged weapons to be used while riding them. Brotherhood also introduces various types of horse-related assassinations, featuring horse-to-horse assassinations. There are environmental objects like the flower pot in Assassin's Creed II to move faster inside the city (a system of tunnels around the city allow fast travel), as well as new objects such as merchandise lifts to quickly climb up high buildings or structures.
Unlike previous installments, Desmond can leave the Animus at almost any time. This allows Desmond to explore the present-day town of Monteriggioni. The player is also offered virtual training, a mini-game where the player may test their free-running or combat skills.
Multiplayer
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood is the first game in the main series to feature a multiplayer mode. The players are Templars in training at the Abstergo facility. They use the animi (plural for animus) seen at the beginning of Assassin's Creed II to access memories of old Templars and to acquire their skills using the "bleeding effect". There are eight game modes (Wanted, Alliance, Manhunt, Chest Capture, Advanced Wanted, Advanced Alliance, Escort and Assassinate) and different maps, including the areas from the second and the third game like Florence, as well as new maps like Rome, Castel Gandolfo, Siena and Mont Saint-Michel. The gameplay in multiplayer mode is similar to the core gameplay of the series, as players are required to use their assassination and stealth skills. The players must hunt down targets while being hunted themselves. Players earn points by performing assassinations, defending against pursuers, attaining bonuses or completing mode-specific objectives.The multiplayer mode also includes a leveling system, which allows players to unlock rewards by earning experience points during the matches and gaining new levels. Players can then unlock abilities, perks and streaks. Abilities are active skills, which can be used again only after a cool down time. Perks are passive skills, which can be equipped before the match and they are active all the time. Streaks are bonuses awarded for reaching certain number of successful or failed contracts. The multiplayer beta, exclusive to PlayStation 3 users, was announced at E3 2010. It began on 4 October 2010, with early access for PlayStation Plus subscribers from 27 September, and ended on 18 October 2010. Three maps were playable in the beta: Rome, Castel Gandolfo
Castel Gandolfo
Castel Gandolfo is a small Italian town or comune in Lazio that occupies a height overlooking Lake Albano about 15 miles south-east of Rome, on the Alban Hills. It is best known as the summer residence of the Pope. It is an Italian town with the population of 8834...
and Siena
Siena
Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008...
.
Game modes
Free-For-AllIn Wanted, at least six players are on a map where they must find and assassinate each other. Each player is given another player as a target. The goal is to find and kill a target without being seen or killed by the player's own pursuer or pursuers. If the player breaks cover, they are more easily spotted by pursuer or target alike, sometimes resulting in a chase. The player with the highest score at the end of the session wins. Players will lose their contract if they kill an NPC, are stunned by their target or their target is killed by another player. A player cannot kill another player who is not the target, but they can stun their hunter. Advanced Wanted mode is a variant of Wanted mode, with differences including an increased amount of NPCs on the map to make it difficult to pick out targets, and a less accurate compass. There is generally more stealth involved in this mode than in basic Wanted.
The Assassinate mode is similar to Wanted, but instead of target contracts being assigned to players, all players are fair game. Players must identify other player characters and lock on before assassinating. Because two players can kill each other, whoever locks on first becomes the hunter and the other becomes the target. The standard compass found in Wanted is replaced by directional arrows based on proximity, that grow to become arcs around the perimeter of the compass as other players near, and will eventually create a full circle when other players are very close. As in other modes, the player with the highest score at the end of the session is the winner.
Co-op
In Alliance, there are three teams, each limited to two players, both of which use the same persona. The point of this mode is to get more points than the other teams, but each team is chased by another and is only allowed to kill one specific team (not the team chasing them, but they will be able to stun the team hunting them). This mode encourages players to work together, as teammates can help each other or they can assassinate their targets simultaneously. The Advanced Alliance mode is a variant of Alliance mode, however the players' compasses as well as target engagement becomes more difficult, similar to the Advanced Wanted mode.
Team
In Manhunt there are two teams of four. One team is the hunters, the other is the hunted. Each team looks like a specific character and takes turns being the hunter and the hunted. Hunters obtain points by assassinations, while the hunted obtain points from escapes, stuns, and remaining hidden. The team with the highest score wins. In Chest Capture there are two teams of four. One team is the hunters, and the other is the hunted who need to steal chests by standing close to them. Each team looks like a specific character and takes turns being the hunter and the hunted. Hunters obtain points by assassinations, while the hunted obtain points from escapes, stuns, and stealing chests. The team with the highest score wins. The Escort mode sees one team of four players protecting a wandering NPC while the other team of four tries to assassinate him. There are two NPCs to protect at a time and they walk through a series of checkpoints, which are visible to both teams. When an escorted NPC is killed, another is synchronized. This mode has two rounds with each team playing once as escort and once as assassins.PULA
Characters
Players are able to choose one of the 21 available characters: Courtesan, Barber, Priest, Noble, Prowler, Executioner, Doctor, Blacksmith, Captain, Smuggler, Engineer, Footpad, Thief, Hellequin (a female Harlequin, which is available through uPlay) and Mercenary. Two special characters were only available in the selected pre-order editions of the game: the Harlequin and the Officer. However, these two pre-order special characters are also included in The Da Vinci Disappearance downloadable content as are the formerly pre-order only Trajan Market and Aqueducts special locations. The pack contains 4 new characters, Dama Rossa, Knight, Marquis, and Pariah. Each character has unique assassination moves and a signature weapon. Characters can be customized as the player levels up. These customization options include changing the color of the outfit, and equipping different gear.Plot
Assassin's Creed II
Assassin's Creed II is a historical third-person action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. It is the second video game installment of the Assassin's Creed series, and is a sequel to the 2007 video...
, Desmond Miles
Desmond Miles
Desmond Miles is the main protagonist of the Assassin's Creed series. He was born March 13th, 1987, which is the 72nd day of the year...
, Lucy Stillman, Rebecca Crane and Shaun Hastings flee to Monteriggioni
Monteriggioni
Monteriggioni is a comune in the Province of Siena in the Italian region Tuscany. It borders on the communes of Casole d'Elsa, Castellina in Chianti, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Colle di Val d'Elsa, Poggibonsi, Siena and Sovicille...
, establishing a new hideout in the ruins of the Villa Auditore. After restoring the electricity in the old tunnels under the villa, the player once again takes control of Ezio Auditore through the genetic memory of Desmond Miles using the Animus 2.0 (which is the game's memory interface). Their mission is to find the Apple of Eden, an important and mysterious artifact that could prevent the impending disaster
2012 phenomenon
The 2012 phenomenon comprises a range of eschatological beliefs that cataclysmic or transformative events will occur on December 21, 2012. This date is regarded as the end-date of a 5,125-year-long cycle in the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar...
that is coming in that same year, believed to be perpetrated by the Templars.
Ezio's story continues in 1499, where he exits the Vault, confused by what he saw inside. He escapes Rome with his uncle Mario Auditore and arrives at Monteriggioni. Once home, Ezio is comforted by the prospect that his personal vendetta is over and that his days as an Assassin are done; however, Niccolò Machiavelli
Niccolò Machiavelli
Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli was an Italian historian, philosopher, humanist, and writer based in Florence during the Renaissance. He is one of the main founders of modern political science. He was a diplomat, political philosopher, playwright, and a civil servant of the Florentine Republic...
challenges Ezio's decision to leave Rodrigo Borgia, now Pope Alexander VI
Pope Alexander VI
Pope Alexander VI , born Roderic Llançol i Borja was Pope from 1492 until his death on 18 August 1503. He is one of the most controversial of the Renaissance popes, and his Italianized surname—Borgia—became a byword for the debased standards of the Papacy of that era, most notoriously the Banquet...
, alive. The following morning, Monteriggioni is besieged by Cesare Borgia
Cesare Borgia
Cesare Borgia , Duke of Valentinois, was an Italian condottiero, nobleman, politician, and cardinal. He was the son of Pope Alexander VI and his long-term mistress Vannozza dei Cattanei. He was the brother of Lucrezia Borgia; Giovanni Borgia , Duke of Gandia; and Gioffre Borgia , Prince of Squillace...
, son of Rodrigo. Mario is killed at the hands of Cesare himself, and the Apple lost to Cesare and the Templars. Ezio escapes with his family and travels to Rome, the center of the Templar Order in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, once again seeking vengeance against the Borgias. There, he discovers that the Assassins are failing in the fight against corruption. Determined to redeem the Guild, Ezio convinces Machiavelli that he has what it takes to lead while assembling a Brotherhood powerful enough to destroy the Templars and his new arch-nemesis, Cesare Borgia.
During the next four years, Ezio executes tasks meant to cripple the Borgias' hold in the capital, sabotaging Cesare's resources and assassinating key people close to and/or working with him in the process, and slowly restoring Rome to its former glory. Ezio is then made head of the Order and promoted to the rank of Il Mentore.
Cesare, learning of Ezio's actions, confronts his suspicious father and desperately asks for more money and the Apple itself. Rodrigo refuses and attempts to poison his son, realizing that Cesare's lust for power can't be held at bay. Cesare, however, turns the tables on his father and kills him instead. Ezio witnesses this and, after learning of the Apple's location, retrieves it from within St. Peter's Basilica
St. Peter's Basilica
The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter , officially known in Italian as ' and commonly known as Saint Peter's Basilica, is a Late Renaissance church located within the Vatican City. Saint Peter's Basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world...
. Ezio uses it to overwhelm Cesare's forces and withdraw the backing of his supporters; he is finally arrested by Pope Julius II
Pope Julius II
Pope Julius II , nicknamed "The Fearsome Pope" and "The Warrior Pope" , born Giuliano della Rovere, was Pope from 1503 to 1513...
's Papal Army.
Ezio uses the Apple once again to check on Cesare, who breaks out of prison and has lain siege on a small city in Navarre
Navarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. He encounters Cesare on the battlements of a crumbling castle and fights him. Cesare claims that he cannot be killed by the hand of man, thus inciting Ezio to "let fate decide" by dropping him off the battlements. Ezio then takes the Apple and hides it in another temple built underneath Santa Maria in Aracoeli
Santa Maria in Aracoeli
The Basilica of St. Mary of the Altar of Heaven is a titular basilica in Rome, located on the highest summit of the Campidoglio. It is still the designated Church of the city council of Rome, which uses the ancient title of Senatus Populusque Romanus...
.
Using the coordinates taken from Ezio's memories, Desmond, Lucy, Shaun and Rebecca travel to the temple, intending to use the Apple to locate the remaining temples to keep the other Pieces of Eden out of the Templars' hands. As Desmond makes his way into the temple, he is confronted with holographic apparitions of a being called Juno
Juno
- Astronomy and space exploration :* 3 Juno, an asteroid** Juno clump, a probable asteroid family in the vicinity of 3 Juno* Juno , a NASA mission to Jupiter* Juno I, a satellite launch vehicle* Project Juno, a private British space programme...
, who appears to be of the same race as Minerva
Minerva
Minerva was the Roman goddess whom Romans from the 2nd century BC onwards equated with the Greek goddess Athena. She was the virgin goddess of poetry, medicine, wisdom, commerce, weaving, crafts, magic...
; however, she is neither audible nor visible to Lucy, Shaun, or Rebecca. Most of her comments center around humanity's lack of knowledge. She states that humanity is "innocent and ignorant"; that people were not built to be wise, having been given only five of the six senses: sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing, but lacking knowledge. Her careful cadence then drops as she suddenly becomes angry, yelling "We should have left you as you were!"
As Desmond approaches the Apple and touches it, time freezes around him, though he can still move and speak. Juno cryptically says Desmond is descended from her race and their enemy; she also says there is a woman who is supposed to accompany him through "the gate", but she is not with him. She takes control of Desmond's body and forces him to stab Lucy in the abdomen. Both fall to the ground unconscious, Desmond entering into a coma. As the credits roll, two men are heard discussing whether to put Desmond back in the Animus.
Cast
- Roger Craig SmithRoger Craig SmithRoger Craig Smith is an American voice actor. He is also known as Roger C. Smith. He is generally known as the voice behind Chris Redfield in Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles, as Ezio Auditore da Firenze in Assassin's Creed II, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood and...
as Ezio Auditore da Firenze - Kristen BellKristen BellKristen Anne Bell is an American actress. Although her first film role was an uncredited appearance in Polish Wedding, Bell previously acted in stage and musical productions. In 2001, she made her Broadway debut as Becky Thatcher in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer...
as Lucy Stillman - Nolan NorthNolan NorthNolan Ramsey North is an American actor and voice actor born in New Haven, Connecticut. He has been described as "the nearest thing the games industry has to a bona fide leading man."-Biography:...
as Desmond MilesDesmond MilesDesmond Miles is the main protagonist of the Assassin's Creed series. He was born March 13th, 1987, which is the 72nd day of the year... - Fred TatascioreFred TatascioreFrederick "Fred" Tatasciore is an American voice actor who portrays secondary characters as well as monstrous-looking types...
as Mario Auditore - Carlos FerroCarlos FerroCarlos Ferro is an American actor, writer, director, and producer.-Early life:Carlos’ first career in the entertainment industry was as a DJ. Spinning records in San Francisco’s nightclubs, he quickly became one of the city’s prominent DJs, befriending musical acts such as Grace Jones and the...
as Leonardo da VinciLeonardo da VinciLeonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance... - Manuel Tadros as PopePopeThe Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
Alexander VI - Angela GaluppoAngela GaluppoAngela Galuppo is a Canadian film, television, voice actress, and singer/songwriter. She is best known for her role as Tanya in the television series Back to Sherwood as well as providing the voice of Claudia Auditore da Firenze in the Assassin's Creed video games.Galuppo's other voice acting...
as Claudia Auditore da Firenze - Elias Toufexis as Federico Auditore da Firenze
- Alex Ivanovici as Bartolomeo d'AlvianoBartolomeo d'AlvianoBartolomeo d'Alviano was an Italian condottiero and captain who distinguished himself in the defence of the Venetian Republic against the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian.-Biography:...
- Arthur HoldenArthur HoldenArthur Holden is a Canadian voice actor, born in Montreal, Quebec. He voices Baba-Miao in Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat, Mr. Ratburn in Arthur, and Mr...
as BaronBaronBaron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
Octavian de Valois (credited as "Octavien")- Holden also voiced Ercole Massimo
- Liane BalabanLiane BalabanLiane Balaban is a Canadian actress. Her film debut was in New Waterford Girl , playing Agnes-Marie "Moonie" Pottie, and has since appeared in the films Definitely, Maybe , Last Chance Harvey , and the independent drama One Week .-Early life:Balaban was born in North York, Ontario, the daughter of...
as LucreziaLucrezia BorgiaLucrezia Borgia [luˈkrɛtsia ˈbɔrʤa] was the illegitimate daughter of Rodrigo Borgia, the powerful Renaissance Valencian who later became Pope Alexander VI, and Vannozza dei Cattanei. Her brothers included Cesare Borgia, Giovanni Borgia, and Gioffre Borgia...
Borgia - Danny WallaceDanny Wallace (humourist)Daniel Frederick Wallace is a British filmmaker, comedian, writer, actor, and presenter of radio and television. His notable works include the books Join Me, Yes Man, and the TV series How to Start Your Own Country.He lives in London, with his wife, an Australian publicist...
as Shaun Hastings - Eliza SchneiderEliza SchneiderElizabeth Jane "Eliza" Schneider is an American actress, singer-songwriter, playwright, dialect coach and dialectologist, historian, and voice artist.-Early life:...
as Rebecca Crane - Harry StandjofskiHarry StandjofskiHarry Standjofski is a Canadian-born actor and voice actor as well as a theater director and playwright. He has appeared in films such as Guy X, The Aviator, Protection, and Hidden Agenda and has voiced characters in video games such as Assassin's Creed, Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones, Splinter...
as JuanJuan de Borja Lanzol de Romaní, el mayorJuan de Borja Lanzol de Romaní, el mayor was the first of ten cardinal-nephews elevated by Pope Alexander VI, the cousin of his father, Galcerán de Borja y Moncada....
Borgia the Elder - Vito DeFilippo as La Volpe
- Andreas Apergis as CesareCesare BorgiaCesare Borgia , Duke of Valentinois, was an Italian condottiero, nobleman, politician, and cardinal. He was the son of Pope Alexander VI and his long-term mistress Vannozza dei Cattanei. He was the brother of Lucrezia Borgia; Giovanni Borgia , Duke of Gandia; and Gioffre Borgia , Prince of Squillace...
Borgia - Jenifer Seguin as Animus
- Cristina RosatoCristina RosatoCristina Rosato is a Canadian actress. She featured in films Let the Game Begin and One Hot Rotting, Zombie Love Song...
as CaterinaCaterina SforzaCaterina Sforza, Countess of Forlì was an Italian noblewoman, the illegitimate daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan and Lucrezia Landriani, the wife of the courtier Gian Piero Landriani, a close friend of the Duke...
SforzaHouse of SforzaSforza was a ruling family of Renaissance Italy, based in Milan.-History:The dynasty was founded by Muzio Attendolo , called Sforza , a condottiero from Romagna serving the Angevin kings of Naples... - Shawn Baichoo as Niccolò MachiavelliNiccolò MachiavelliNiccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli was an Italian historian, philosopher, humanist, and writer based in Florence during the Renaissance. He is one of the main founders of modern political science. He was a diplomat, political philosopher, playwright, and a civil servant of the Florentine Republic...
- Amber Goldfarb (credited as "Amber Mullin") as Cristina Vespucci
- Cam ClarkeCam ClarkeCameron Arthur "Cam" Clarke is a prolific American voice actor and singer, well known for his work in animation and video games. Clarke is well known for providing the voices of Leonardo in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Shotaro Kaneda in the 1989 original English-dub of Akira. He often voices...
as Subject 16 - Nadia Verrucci as JunoJuno (mythology)Juno is an ancient Roman goddess, the protector and special counselor of the state. She is a daughter of Saturn and sister of the chief god Jupiter and the mother of Mars and Vulcan. Juno also looked after the women of Rome. Her Greek equivalent is Hera...
- Phil Proctor as Warren Vidic
Development
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood was developed by Ubisoft MontrealUbisoft Montreal
Ubisoft Montreal is a Canadian video game developer owned by French publisher Ubisoft.Ubisoft's North American studio is located in Montreal, Quebec...
. Montreal also worked on both of the other main Assassin's Creed games in the series and was thus chosen to lead production for the third installment. A new Assassin's Creed episode featuring multiplayer was announced during Ubisoft's 2009 fiscal third quarter results while not revealing its name. In early May 2010, a GameStop employee published on the internet some images of a pre-order box featuring the Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood title while Ubisoft was teasing the game on Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
and Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
. Ubisoft then confirmed the authenticity of these pictures. Brotherhood has not been numbered unlike Assassin's Creed II because players, and even developers themselves would have expected a new setting and a new ancestor while this is only the continuation of Ezio's story.
The game was developed primarily by Ubisoft Montreal
Ubisoft Montreal
Ubisoft Montreal is a Canadian video game developer owned by French publisher Ubisoft.Ubisoft's North American studio is located in Montreal, Quebec...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Production was aided in part by four other Ubisoft developers: Annecy, Singapore, Bucharest and Québec City. The multiplayer mode is mainly developed by Ubisoft Annecy, the studio responsible for creating multiplayer mode in Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory is a critically acclaimed action-adventure stealth game, developed and published by Ubisoft. Chaos Theory is the third game in the Splinter Cell series endorsed by writer Tom Clancy....
. Ubisoft also announced plans for downloadable content
Downloadable content
Downloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...
(DLC) after the game's launch. Two sets of free DLC have already been released under the names "Animus Project Update 1.0" and "Animus Project Update 2.0". The first includes the new map Mont Saint-Michel and one new mode, Advanced Alliance. The "Animus Project Update 2.0" was released in January 2011, was also free, and included another map, mode and the introduction of a player grading system. From the perspective of performance, Ubisoft have commented that they hope the gaps between the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions will be even smaller with Brotherhood.
Additionally, humorist Danny Wallace
Danny Wallace (humourist)
Daniel Frederick Wallace is a British filmmaker, comedian, writer, actor, and presenter of radio and television. His notable works include the books Join Me, Yes Man, and the TV series How to Start Your Own Country.He lives in London, with his wife, an Australian publicist...
and actress Kristen Bell
Kristen Bell
Kristen Anne Bell is an American actress. Although her first film role was an uncredited appearance in Polish Wedding, Bell previously acted in stage and musical productions. In 2001, she made her Broadway debut as Becky Thatcher in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer...
reprise their roles from Assassin's Creed II.
While still in development, creative director Patrice Désilets left before the game's presentation at the E3 2010. Ubisoft and production manager Jean-Francois Boivin stated that he only took a "creative break" after completing his task on Brotherhood. A teaser trailer of the multiplayer mode was released on the official site before the E3. A cinematic debut trailer was diffused during Ubisoft's E3 2010 press conference along a walkthrough of the game's beginning. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood reached gold status on October 28, 2010. The Microsoft Windows version has Nvidia 3D Vision
Nvidia 3D Vision
3D Vision is a stereoscopic gaming kit from Nvidia which consists of LC shutter glasses and driver software which enables stereoscopic vision for any Direct3D game, with various degrees of compatibility...
and multi screen support through AMD Eyefinity. It also uses Tagès
Tages
Tages was a founding prophet of Etruscan religion who is known from reports by Latin authors of the late Roman republic and Roman empire. He revealed a cosmic view of divinity and correct methods of ascertaining divine will concerning events of public interest. Divination was undertaken in Roman...
copy protection, as well as Ubisoft online services plaform, but doesn't require an always-on Internet connection to play. On November 30, 2010, a novelization
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (novel)
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood is a 2010 historical fiction novel by Oliver Bowden. Brotherhood is the sequel to Assassin's Creed: Renaissance...
of the game was published. The novel is a sequel to the previous novel
Assassin's Creed: Renaissance
Assassin's Creed: Renaissance is a 2009 historical fantasy novel by Oliver Bowden based on the Assassin's Creed series written by and published by Penguin Books. It is a novelisation of the video game Assassin's Creed II...
.
Music
The music in the game was composed by Jesper KydJesper Kyd
Jesper Jakobson Kyd is a Danish video game and film score composer.Kyd combines sounds of dark ambient, electronic and symphonic music and has won many awards. He is also notable for his early work in the Amiga demoscene, where he composed a large amount of music in his teenage years, in...
, who created the scores to previous Assassin's Creed
Assassin's Creed
Assassin's Creed is an award-winning historical third person, stealth action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. The bulk of the game takes place during the Third Crusade, with the plot revolving around a sect known as the Secret Order of...
games. The soundtrack was released digitally on November 16, 2010. A physical release of the soundtrack on audio CD accompanied selected retail editions. However, the track-listing is altered from the digital release - the CD has 22 tracks, including 3 exclusive pieces, but is missing "Apple Chamber" present in the digital release.
Retail editions
There are different special retail editions of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. Different editions are available in different regions. There is also a certain number of pre-order bonuses, which may vary, depending on the retailer. Some retailers also offered the access to the multiplayer beta on the SonySony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
system as a pre-order bonus. All versions of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood for the PlayStation 3 feature exclusive free additional downloadable content called the Copernicus Conspiracy which became available on the PlayStation Store on November 16, 2010. Players have access to several new missions featuring the famous Renaissance astronomer Copernicus. Extra content includes courier, assassination and protection missions - Ezio will be tasked with foiling the conspiracy against Copernicus and defending his philosophy. The PC version of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood was released by Akella
Akella
Akella is a Russian software company specializing in the development, publishing and distribution of computer games and multimedia products. The founders of Akella met in 1993 and decided to start a company together, and in 1995 formed Akella...
in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
in exclusive Collector's Edition featuring 6 metal figurines of multiplayer characters.
| Features | Standard (consoles & PC) |
Special Edition (consoles & PC) |
Auditore Edition (consoles & PC) |
Collector's Edition (consoles only) |
Limited Codex Edition (consoles & PC) |
Digital Deluxe Edition (PC only) |
Da Vinci Edition (consoles only) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game disc | (Digital) | ||||||
| Bonus Disc with making of and game's soundtrack | (Digital) | ||||||
| Multiplayer character cards | (Digital) | ||||||
| Assassin's Creed: Lineage Assassin's Creed: Lineage Assassin's Creed: Lineage is a series of three short films based on the Assassin's Creed II video game. The films are made by Ubisoft and the first episode was released on October 26, 2009 on YouTube... DVD |
(Europe Only) | (Digital) | |||||
| Single-player maps | (Templar Lairs: Trajan Market and Aqueduct. Bonus Locations: The Temple of Pythagoras and Belriguardo Palazzo) | (Trajan Market and Aqueduct) | (Aqueduct) | (Trajan Market and Aqueduct) | (Trajan Market and Aqueduct) | (Trajan Market and Aqueduct) | (Templar Lairs: Trajan Market and Aqueduct. Bonus Locations: The Temple of Pythagoras and Belriguardo Palazzo) |
| Multi-player characters | (Officer , Harlequin , Dama Rossa , Knight , Marquis and Pariah) | (Officer or Harlequin) | (Officer) | (Officer and Harlequin) | (Officer and Harlequin) | (Officer , Harlequin , Dama Rossa , Knight , Marquis and Pariah) | |
| Exclusive package | (transparency box with 3D thermoformed portrait of Ezio and "Animus" effect) | (Black, fold-out cardboard box) | (collector's chest packaging) | ||||
| Helmschmied Helmschmied The Helmschmieds of Augsburg were one of late medieval Europe's foremost families of armourers. Their name, sometimes also spelled Helmschmid, translates to helmet smith... Drachen armor for Ezio |
(included with DLC) | (only as pre-order bonus in Amazon) | |||||
| Map of in-game Rome | (Digital) | ||||||
| Jack-in-the-box | (The Doctor or The Harlequin) | ||||||
| Art book | |||||||
| Codex | (Digital) |
Uplay
Ubisoft's Uplay system enables further in-game enhancements which can be redeemed by points that are given when playing the game. The available awards are an AC Brotherhood Theme or Wallpaper for PC, Florentine Noble Attire, Armor of Altaïr, Altaïr’s Robes, Gun Capacity Upgrade and Hellequin character.Animus Project Update 1.0
The Animus Project Update 1.0 included a new game mode and new map. The game mode, Advanced Alliance, is a version of the Alliance mode, with target identification and engagement more difficult than in the original, thus providing a more challenging experience for players. With three teams of two players each, Advanced Alliance is a tougher test for players and rewards teams that work together. The new map, Mont Saint-MichelMont Saint-Michel
Mont Saint-Michel is a rocky tidal island and a commune in Normandy, France. It is located approximately one kilometre off the country's north-western coast, at the mouth of the Couesnon River near Avranches...
, is located on a rocky tidal island of Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Its particular topography of narrow streets, high-perched bell-tower and multi-leveled architecture is perfect for hunters and predators alike to surge from out of nowhere to execute their prey. To survive, recruits need to use free-running and narrow roads to their advantage.
Animus Project Update 2.0
The Animus Project Update 2.0, which is available now, includes a new game mode and map. The PienzaPienza
Pienza, a town and comune in the province of Siena, in the Val d'Orcia in Tuscany , between the towns of Montepulciano and Montalcino, is the "touchstone of Renaissance urbanism."...
Map provides a free-running playground with wide-open plaza areas, where predators and targets can quickly blend and disappear, surrounded by narrow alleys and multi-story buildings for extra verticality. In the new Chest Capture multiplayer mode, two teams composed of three players compete as Hunters and Protectors; partnered with fellow Templars, Hunters will attempt to steal the contents of the chests scattered around the map as protectors attempt to prevent this. Also included in the update is a Templar Score feature to reward diligent work by Abstergo recruits. Advanced Alliance is also packaged with the new DLC, while the Mont Saint-Michel map is not. Only one DLC can be activated at a time, so players will either be missing the new map from the 1.0 update or the new mode, new map and Templar Scoring from the 2.0 update.
The Da Vinci Disappearance
The Da Vinci Disappearance, available March 8, 2011 on Xbox LIVE and PlayStation Network, features new content for both single player and multiplayer modes. For the single player game, this downloadable content includes 8 new missions, 2 new locations, and 10 achievements. The multiplayer content includes two new game modes, new map and four new characters. The PC version includes DLC for free (it must be activated through Uplay) along with both Animus Project Updates. In March, the "Da Vinci Edition" of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, was released for consoles. This version includes the Da Vinci Disappearance DLC.The story revolves around Leonardo Da Vinci's mysterious disappearance. Ezio arrives at Da Vinci's workshop with his assistant Salaì
Salaì
Gian Giacomo Caprotti da Oreno, better known as Salaì , was an Italian artist and pupil of Leonardo da Vinci from 1490 to 1518. He created several paintings under the name of Andrea Salai...
and finds Leonardo missing. It is soon revealed that Leonardo found a secret vault and his plans were discovered by the Hermetics
Hermeticism
Hermeticism or the Western Hermetic Tradition is a set of philosophical and religious beliefs based primarily upon the pseudepigraphical writings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus...
, members of the Cult of Hermes. Ezio finds writing on the floor that implies he should seek out five of Da Vinci's paintings once owned by Ezio at Monteriggioni but now missing. The majority of this sequence focuses on the search for and retrieval of these paintings by Ezio. After finding these paintings, Ezio identifies the location of a new subterranean location in Roma and proceeds there, to find Da Vinci imprisoned by Hermetics. After freeing Da Vinci, the two of them find another vault, in which they are revealed the numbers 43 39 19 N and 75 27 42 W. Ezio comments on these numbers "It is not intended for us". At the end of the sequence, two male voices (one is the Assassin, William) are heard commenting that Desmond has fallen into a coma. They also comment "we have a location for the temple" and "then what are you waiting for, let's go."
Reception
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood has been very well-received by critics. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
gave the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
version 90.59% and 89/100, the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
version 90.06% and 90/100 and the PC version 88.40% and 88/100. It won best Action Adventure game in the Spike TV Video Game Awards 2010 The game has also been nominated for 7 British Academy Video Games Awards in 2011, including Best Game. It won an award in the Action category, losing to Mass Effect 2
Mass Effect 2
Mass Effect 2 is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The game was released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 on January 26, 2010 and for PlayStation 3 on January 18, 2011...
in the category for Best Game.
The multiplayer was heralded by many at E3 2010, where it was showcased for the first time. GameTrailers
GameTrailers
GameTrailers is a media website that specializes in video game related content. It provides free access to original programming , game trailers and recorded game play. Along with standard definition , many of the video clips are offered in a higher resolution .Users can upload videos, create...
lauded it as the Best Multiplayer Game of the show. The multiplayer portion of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood was generally well-received by critics. Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
gave the Brotherhood a 9.25/10, commenting that the ability to raise a group of followers was a significant enhancement to the previous title's gameplay, and praising the new multiplayer mode as something never before seen. The magazine's review also gave very high marks to the graphics, sound effects and voice acting.
Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
praised everything about Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, giving it a 10/10, and particularly noted the maturity of the story: "One mission sees Ezio disrupting an assassination attempt in the ruins of the Roman Colosseum during a play about the death of Jesus Christ. It demands a developer of poise and compassion to wield such thorny concepts deftly, and it's a measure of Ubisoft Montreal's maturity that it is more than equal to the challenge...Brotherhood builds an intriguing mystery around compelling characters, surrounds them with collectibles and secrets, and encourages play – and nothing feels out of place."
Reviews for the delayed PC version questioned the reason behind the delayed release date as the game was virtually unchanged from the console version albeit with better graphical enhancements and minor bonus content. However most praised Ubisoft
Ubisoft
Ubisoft Entertainment S.A. is a major French video game publisher and developer, with headquarters in Montreuil, France. The company has a worldwide presence with 25 studios in 17 countries and subsidiaries in 26 countries....
's move to remove the DRM that marred the PC version of Assassin's Creed II
Assassin's Creed II
Assassin's Creed II is a historical third-person action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. It is the second video game installment of the Assassin's Creed series, and is a sequel to the 2007 video...
as well as include all DLC free of charge.
Sales
The game passed the one million sales mark in less than a week after its release. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood has become Ubisoft's fastest-selling European title ever. It also had the best Ubisoft's launch in Europe and is the best-selling launch title ever as of November 2010. As of May 2011, Ubisoft announced the game had shipped 8 million copies and helped the entire Assassin's Creed series to achieve over 28 million units sold.Sequel
On May 5, 2011 Assassin's Creed: RevelationsAssassin's Creed: Revelations
Assassin's Creed: Revelations is a video game in the Assassin's Creed franchise developed and published by Ubisoft Montreal. The game was released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on November 15, 2011. For Microsoft Windows, the game is delayed until December 2, 2011...
was revealed to be the next major installment in the Assassin's Creed franchise. The game will be the second to have three playable characters (Altair, Ezio and Desmond) after Assassin's Creed II
Assassin's Creed II
Assassin's Creed II is a historical third-person action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. It is the second video game installment of the Assassin's Creed series, and is a sequel to the 2007 video...
, which focused on Ezio and Desmond while Altair made a brief playable cameo. It will be set in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, at the peak of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. Revelations will bring back the multiplayer experience first introduced in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood with "more modes, more maps and more characters" according to the official announcement.It is also the last game featuring Ezio .'