Assassin’s Creed: The Rebel Collection by Ubisoft is far more than I expected it to be and I enjoyed every second of the selection of content included. While I was at first apprehensive at playing not only a ported game, but two ported games, there was also the fear of playing these titles on a handheld system that made me question the game’s stability. Fortunately, my expectations have not only been exceeded, but the port has also gone out of its way to make this feel like it was made for the Switch all along.
Gameplay & Mechanics
Forgetting that this is a port of a major AAA title, it is amazing how seamless and fluid both Assassin’s Creed Black Flag and Assassin’s Creed Rogue run on the nintendo switch. Combat is flashy, seamless, and makes you feel like a powerful assassin. The ship battles in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag are incredibly intense and, accompanied by the rumble feature provided by the Nintendo Switch, gives you a powerful feeling as dive and dodge out of the way of cannon fire! Also what impressed me: No loading screens between land and naval gameplay!
The game that stands out the most for me has to be Assassin’s Creed Black Flag. Along with the various types of classic mission types such as tailing targets or leaping off tall buildings for an aerial assassination, the sheer freedom of the naval battles is something I’ve never experienced before in a game. Sail a ship close to an enemy ship and let loose the cannons! Are there cannons bigger than yours? No problem! Just jump overboard, swim to their ship, and engage in the age-old art of Bladed Fisticuffs. After making short work of the enemy crew, its just a meter long swim back to your own ship where you can then begin to sink or plunder your enemy’s vessel! Can’t get much better than that.
That being said, when it comes to the actual combat of the games, the style takes on more of a dodge/counter system where you spend the majority of combat pressing a single button to counter enemy attacks. This style of combat is, by no means, a detriment to the game. It is a system that is easy to learn, but difficult to master, and as difficulty slowly ramps up, creates moments where you are forced to perfectly fend off several enemies at once with the skills you’ve learned leading to this very encounter. One amazing thing the Nintendo Switch allows for are Motion Controls. Giving the player the ability meticulously aim projectile weapons by tilting the Switch or Joycons is a well-welcomed addition to the gameplay.
Aesthetics & Sound
Both Assassin’s Creed Rogue and Assassin’s Creed Black Flag take on the traditional Open World template most games of the decade incorporate. There are massive open spaces to be explored, populated cities & towns rich in lore, and a spectacular scenic cruise across the Caribbean. In handheld mode, Both Assassin’s Creed Rogue and Assassin’s Creed Black Flag look visually amazing. While locked at 30 frames per second might make some PC Master Race gamer’s skin crawl, it serves itself well here on the Switch and still delivers an incredibly smooth playback. Minor visual tears may occur once docked however, which all depend on the screen size of the television being used. Small bits of aliasing can be seen but only if being sought out by a critical eye. On my Samsung 55 inch, I did notice a few minor frame drops during some navel run throughs on Assassin’s Creed Black Flag, but nothing gamebreaking ever happened during either of my playthroughs. When it comes to sound I was honestly amazed. Whether it was the ambiance of the towns and cities in Assassin’s Creed Rogue, the rolling sea waves of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag, or even the fine details given to the firearms to make them each feel unique when in use, what Ubisoft did with these titles is truly remarkable and the teams who worked together to bring this to the Switch should be commended for their hard work.
Summary
If you’ve never played an Assassin’s Creed game before, and you own a Nintendo Switch, you know what I’m about to tell you: Get yourself Assassin’s Creed: The Rebel Collection and experience what you’re missing. A Huge bonus to picking up this is that the game includes all the DLC, allowing you to fully experience everything that was meant to be seen, heard, and felt when the games first released. Assassin’s Creed: The Rebel Collection has been a massive joy to experience and a welcome addition to my Nintendo Switch Collection.
Easily, 9/10
Check Out the ASSASSIN’S CREED: The Rebel Collection Trailer:
For the latest on Assassin’s Creed: The Rebel Collection visit the dedicated page: https://www.ubisoft.com/en-us/game/assassins-creed-rebel-collection/
Nintendo Switch Review
As the (self-proclaimed) King of Casuals, I'm always seeking out new titles to play and experience across all platforms. Eventually, I have ambitions to take the many different styles of this medium to create titles that will wow the masses in fresh, innovative ways.
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