The Hidden Blade Assassin's Creed in Depth

stabguy and I would like to recognize special members at THB. We plan to interview certain members who have contributed significantly to this community, and post "Featured Members" articles on a regular basis. We would like to start off this series with Fly Like An Eagle:

Tell me about the first time you played AC1 and AC2.

Back in 2007 I was still playing games on a PS2 when one night, while watching South Park, I saw several commercials for the first Assassins Creed and immediately knew that it was time to upgrade to the next generation. After purchasing an Xbox 360 I immediately went home and threw in Assassins Creed. I fell in love with it immediately. It was so crisp, so clean, so new, and maybe that was just because I was playing on a much better console, but the experience was unlike anything I had ever had playing a video game.

Fast forward two years later and Assassins Creed II is out, but as many members here know Modern Warfare 2 had broken my Xbox 360. This ruined the experience in a sense but I still enjoyed playing the first hour of the game immensely. Granted, it was nothing like the new world I was thrown into with the original Assassin's Creed, but the game was still magnificent nonetheless.

What do you like most about the games?

Never in my life have I played a game with such room for creativity. The fact that you can approach completing an objective in so many different ways is an absolute seller for me. Depending on the mood I'm in, I can rush in and take out everyone in sight or sneak in undetected like a blade in the crowd. Most games these days have far too much linearity when it comes to completing objectives. Assassin's Creed I and II are both anything but linear, and I for one am extremely happy with that fact.

What is your favorite style of assassination?

There's nothing better than taking out an army of guards unarmed and then beating your target to a bloody pulp. Besides, most of the fist animations are better than the kill ones anyway

What is your favourite quote from the game(s)?

Well, from a serious standpoint? Probably:

Ezio: "Twenty-two years ago, I stood where I stand now - and watched my loved ones die, betrayed by those I had called friends. Vengeance clouded my mind. It would have consumed my, were it not for the wisdom of a few strangers, who taught me to look past my instincts. They never preached answers, but guided me to learn from myself. We don't need anyone to tell us what to do. Not Savonarola, not the Medici. We are free to follow our own path."

From a humorous standpoint, I always get a kick out of:

Desmond: "Is it animuses? Or animi? Lucy... Lucy?"
Lucy: "DESMOND, SHUT THE F*CK UP."

What would you like to change about AC1 or AC2?

Nothing, really. People complain all the time about how AC1 is far too repetitive. I say the gamer makes the game repetitive. You've got to be the most unimaginative person in the world to find repetitiveness and nothing creative in either of the games, especially in AC1. Although I will say this, the ending to AC1 was horrible. Arsuf was a bad idea from the beginning, and I can see why so many people were turned off by it. Don't necessarily change the ending, but change the WAY you ended the game, because it was a pretty big hiccup on such a wonderful masterpiece of a game.

What AC1/AC2 accomplishment are you most proud of?

Beating both games with no weapons, especially Arsuf. Seriously, it took me almost two hours to get all the way to Richard the Lionheart, and during those two hours I wanted to do nothing more than to shut the game off and do something else. That's how committed I am to this game, I guess. That I'm willing to put aside my own happiness for ALL OF YOU

Are there any philosophical aspects of the game that intrigue you?

The whole conspiracy theory aspect has spooked me a bit, but further than that not much else.

Do you listen to music while playing? What kind?

I tried. I really did with AC1, but it kind of takes away from the experience. In my opinion you can't listen to any other kind of music when playing games like Assassin's Creed or Halo, because the creators put so much stress on the music in the game that replacing it with something else takes away from the whole experience. So when AC2 rolled around I burned the soundtrack onto the 360 and played that music while running around in Florence and Venice, that way I could still listen to great music without having to sacrifice a better playing experience. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Is there a question that you would like me to ask the next featured member?

I think a popular question would be whether you prefer Altair or Ezio and why.

Is there anything else you'd like to add or promote?

I wish, but I'm pretty subtle on the internet. All I can hope is that you enjoy the extremely lengthy topics I post (I actually just typed out a whole GI article about ACB, you're welcome) and that you give Ian and Stab the credit that they more than deserve.

Well, that's me. It's an honor to be named a Featured Member, that's one thing to scratch off the bucket list.

Hakunamatata,
FLAE