Ubisoft ignoring Assassin's Creed 2 audio problems

by Tiberius Jonez

I was very excited to receive Assassin's Creed 2 last night. Unfortunately, after 5 minutes or so of playing, my excitement quickly turned to irritation and finally, complete disappointment. From the first cut-scene on, I experienced audio issues ranging from skipping dialogue to overlapping dialogue to a complete freeze of the game at one point. No, my disc is not scratched and my Xbox 360 Jasper Elite is working perfectly, thank you very much!

I really wanted to enjoy the game, but after an hour or so, the problem was so bad that it was impossible to follow the plot due to all the lost dialogue. The game is simply broken.

I researched around the net today, and sure enough people are complaining about similar issues with both console versions of the game. On Ubisoft's own forums, people are complaining and apparently Ubisoft's response is simply silence. There is no mention of a fix or upcoming patch to fix the problem. You can complete a work ticket on Ubisoft's forums, but no one has reported any progress or even an acknowledgment of the problem from Ubisoft.

The fact that Ubisoft, one of the most respected game developers in the industry, would release a game as big as AC2 with this kind of severe problem is fuel on the fire of gamer's reticence regarding the industry's move toward more PC-centric game development. Five years into this console generation and we still have game companies releasing games that require patches to correct problems that should have been addressed prior to release.

While I'm sure Ubisoft's board of director's will be happy with their stock prices next quarter, they may be whistling a different tune if the next Assassin's Creed is released to disappointing sales due to their complete disregard for their benefactors - namely us, the gamers.

If you've experienced audio issues with AC2, let us know by commenting.

Far Cry 2 - Make your old PC feel cutting edge

Posted by Tiberius Jonez

I think we'd all agree that good gameplay is what ultimately counts in making any great videogame, but there is no doubt that great graphics make any gaming experience that much more immersive. Unfortunately, modern games with directx 10 capabilities and all the bells and whistles are often unplayable for the average PC owner.

With Far Cry 2, the brainwizards at Ubisoft have somehow managed to make one of the most stunning graphics engines without requiring a $3,000 uber-rig to run the game.

The Far Cry 2 video below (recorded from my PC using FRAPS) features the game's opening sequence so you can see just how pretty this game is, even without maxing out every graphics option. While my PC is capable of running Far Cry 2 with maxed out settings, this video demonstrates that even if you don't have the latest tech in your PC, you can still enjoy beautiful graphics.

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Far Cry 2's manual recommends 2GB of ram to run the game with full settings, and as you can see, it runs well. My PC has 2 Gb of OCZ Platinum Rev 2 Ram (800mhz). The game's graphics settings are set to "very high" with 4x antialiasing, "ultra real" trees and lighting.

I am thoroughly impressed with this engine. It runs smoothly while making your eyes burn with glorious graphics splendor. The only downside is, if you weren't a graphics whore before playing this game, you will be after. You've been warned.

Enjoy the video.

Ubisoft working on web-based Might and Magic game

It's already been a good day for Ubisoft and now they have announced work has begun on a new web-based game set in the Heroes of Might and Magic universe. Heroes of Might and Magic Kingdoms, is being developed for a Spring 2008 worldwide launch.

Heroes of Might and Magic Kingdoms is a strategy game set in a persistent version of the heroic-fantasy world of Heroes of Might and Magic. Thousands of players will be able to rule their virtual kingdoms, lead gigantic armies against each other, master the trades or create legendary heroes. The game requires no download or installation, only an Internet connection. In addition, players can play at their own pace; from 10 minutes to multiple-hour sessions.

“This is a new type of game for Ubisoft, one that allows you to jump into a rich and complex universe just with your Web browser,” said Serge Hascoët, Ubisoft's Chief Creative Officer. “Heroes of Might and Magic Kingdoms will open a wide door to the Might and Magic universe, allowing players to immerse themselves within it unlike ever before.”

Read on after the break for ways to get a key to the beta for the game today.

An exclusive key for the beta test is hidden in the Heroes of Might and Magic Complete Edition that releases today, you can also register on www.hommkingdoms.com.

Web-based games have historically ranged from utter crap to pretty good. With a developer as talented as Ubisoft entering this space, maybe we can expect Web-based games to reach the next level.

Assassin's Creed is killing at retail

Ubisoft announced that in the month since launch its love-it or hate-it epic Assassin's Creed has sold 2.5 million copies globally, making it the fastest selling new video game IP in US history. The company said the title has "greatly outstripped" its sales forecasts and they now expect to sell a minimum of five million copies of Assassin's Creed before the end of their fiscal year in March '08.

As a result, Ubisoft is raising its income expectation by 12%, increasing fiscal year projections by an extra €15 million to €840 million ($1.2 billion). The company also revealed that Tom Clancy's End War, Brothers in Arms and Far Cry 2 are scheduled for release during its next fiscal year, which begins in April. Ubisoft will lay out its complete games portfolio for 2008 on Jan. 23.

Ubisoft UK Boss says industry "Crying Out" For New IP's

Such is the opinion of Rob Cooper, the man in charge of Ubisoft UK following the debut of Assassin's Creed at the top of the UK charts. The ambitious "hitman in sandles" game became the third-fastest selling Xbox 360 game ever, something Ubisoft sees as confirmation that not everyone wants more lousy licensed games and sub-par sequels. "I think the success worldwide of Assassin's Creed absolutely proves that new IP can live and prosper within the sequel and licensed based competition," said Cooper, speaking to MCV. "The industry is crying out for new and compelling content and we're delighted that AC has lived up to its expectations."

November has been a good month for new IP's with Assassin's Creed, Mass Effect and Uncharted: Drake's Fortune all making big splashes in their respective debuts. Common sense dictates no entertainment industry can sustain long term growth without a constant influx of new properties. Even the best franchises can only sustain sequels for so long before they eventually whither and die. It is exciting to see three new franchises of such high quality arrive on the scene in quick succession. If publishers give developers greater opportunities to capitalize on out-of-the-box thinking -- including spending the marketing dollars necessary to cement new properties in the public consciousness -- we might end up with more classics and less trash.

Assassin's Creed - A Glorious Mess

After last week's early reviews of Assassin's Creed hit the web, I wasn't sure what to make of them. Game Informer gave it a 9.5 and then IGN called it "one of the top five most disappointing games of all time." How do you balance those disparate opinions? These are two media outlets I usually respect, yet clearly they both saw this hugely anticipated title completely differently. Who was right and who was wrong?

Well, now that I've had a few days to play Assassin's Creed myself, I've formed my own opinion of it, and I also have a clearer understanding of where my esteemed colleagues were coming from with their polar opposite views.

Right away I will let you know, I like Assassin's Creed, and yet I am very disappointed by it. The parts of Creed that work well, work very well; like the amazing climbing and free-running. When you scale the heights of cathedrals and various other towers or free-run across rooftops while escaping pursuers, the feeling you get is one of immense power, both the power of lead character Altair (pronounced al-tie-ear), and the power of the Xbox 360. (I have not played the PS3 version of the game, so I will not be commenting on the negativity surrounding it here.) Regarding Altair, Game Informer noted in their review, "Rarely has a character without superpowers or magic been quite so powerful and exciting to vicariously inhabit, whether he’s perching on a high tower of the Acre Cathedral or countering the blows of a Templar knight." As for the Xbox 360, it handles the vistas, combat, hundreds of characters and huge, seamless cities beautifully with hardly a stutter.

I found the game's combat to be very enjoyable. It is definitely not going to be liked by hardcore hack 'n slash fans, but anyone who enjoys a bit more thinking in their swordplay will be very pleased. The combat is also very cinematic, keeping it fresh over time. I never got bored thrashing four or five foes at a time, even the hundredth time I did it.

The vistas you see from those previously-mentioned high perches, as well as Altair's movements and pretty much all the other graphics in the game, fully demonstrate Ubisoft's ability to develop a great game from the code up. For the most part, Assassin's Creed looks really good! Consequently, the parts where the game falls flat are even more baffling to me.

The voice work in Assassin's Creed, at least that of the actor playing Altair, is absolutely abysmal. Very surprising considering this is almost universally a strong point in Ubisoft games. Just look at the Splinter Cell or Ghost Recon franchises. Making Altair's voice even more grating is the fact that most of the other voice work in the game is actually quite enjoyable. While virtually all the ancillary characters have mostly-accurate accents of various middle-eastern origins, Altair sounds like he was born and bred in Indiana. Topping off this vocal crap sandwich is the fact that his lines are delivered with all the flair and emotion of a narcoleptic spelling bee judge reading the dictionary. Therefore the blame falls squarely on the shoulders of the person responsible for casting the game's actors.

The gameplay is far from perfect. As great as the combat and climbing are, the investigative aspects of the game are tedious and overly repetitive. When you save various citizens from a beating or kidnapping at the hands of ruthless town cops, you're thanked by having to hear the same three lines of canned dialogue over and over again. Boring with a capital WTF!?! Same for the "eavesdropping" and "pickpocketing" mini games...they are overly simplistic and occur far too often.

As far as the writing in the game is concerned, I found it largely forgettable. Without spoiling it for those who've yet to play it, Creed's "hook" is cliched at best and just plain lazy at worst. The story is further gimped by the fact that the story's one major plot twist is revealed before you even actually play the game. Someone needs to take a "Fiction 101" class.

As bad as all that sounds, it didn't stop me from playing Assassin's Creed. I would take a break from it only to find myself thinking about the swordplay or climbing another tower. It also helps that the Xbox 360 version has achievements tied to it. I seriously doubt I would've finished this game if not for the opportunity to fatten my gamerscore. Even though I dreaded playing parts of the game later, my achievements addiction brought me back for more.

As you can see, Assassin's Creed is a somewhat frustrating game to review. It's an enigma, wrapped in a riddle, sprinkled with some wonderfulness and nearly ruined with some craptastic design choices. If I have to give it a numeric score (which I loathe), I'll give it an overall score of 7 out of 10. I actually enjoyed the climbing and fighting aspects the more I played it, but the other stumbles in game design and casting really hurt the overall experience. On the bright side, I see the potential for an absolutely fantastic sequel.

Haze on schedule for a December release

You may have noticed that shooters are very popular. Despite a wealth of excellent ones having already been released this year, there is one more that's been flying somewhat under the radar; Haze.

Gamasutra is reporting that Officials from Ubisoft have confirmed that Free Radical’s forthcoming PS3-exclusive action title will be released on December 14. While they didn't confirm a specific date for the North American release, several online retailers are indicating it will be available December 4th. The announcement follows widespread speculation that the title had been delayed into 2008.

The game has undergone a series of shifts in platform during its development. Originally announced for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC, the game became a PlayStation 3 exclusive in September. Further rumors that the game was only a timed exclusive have never been definitively addressed by either Ubisoft or Free Radical, with the companies only definitively stating that the game is planned for the PlayStation 3. Reading between the lines, I would be shocked if it didn't land on the Xbox 360 at some point. After all, with the high cost of game production, what developer can afford to leave money on the table right now?

If it makes a December release, Haze will be the last notable shooter releasing this year. Let's just hope it can find a following among the crowd of impressive shooters already battling for a piece of your gaming time.

Assassin's Creed Goes Gold

One of the most anticipated titles of 2007, Assassin's Creed has gone gold and will be released November 13th. November is shaping up as a wallet busting month for gamers, with Super Mario Galaxy, Call of Duty 4, Mass Effect and now Assassin's Creed all vying for your entertainment dollars before Thanksgiving. The game will come out simultaneously on both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 priced at $59.99 with a limited edition version made available at the usual $69.99. If you order either version from GameStop you'll also receive a glorious art book.