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E3 2008: Next Gen Prince of Persia Trailer

Zach Lott — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:55:58 -0500

E3 2008: Hell's Kitchen: The Video Game

Tim Grube — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 08:29:25 -0500

Ubisoft announced today that it will publish Hell's Kitchen: The Video Game, for Wii, Nintendo DS, PC and Mac this September. The game is currently being developed by Ludia and is said to allow players to experience the show's high-pressure kitchen and dining room challenges as a faithfully rendered 3D Chef Ramsay watches their every move.

"I had a great time doing the voice for my own animation, said Gordon Ramsay. "Being in a video game is a new experience for me and I'm very pleased with the results.

After executing the three phases of an order preparation, cooking and service Chef Gordon Ramsay will score each meal. As they progress through the game, players will be rewarded with access to recipes from Chef Ramsay's own repertoire.

"Hell's Kitchen has everything a great video game needs: pressure, excitement and intense competition, said Tony Key, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Ubisoft North America. "We are very excited to be bringing the intensity of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay and the Hell's Kitchen experience to the virtual world this fall.

Ubisoft Unveils Beyond Good and Evil 2

Zach Lott — Wed, 28 May 2008 14:42:06 -0500

After waiting for five years, fans of Beyond Good and Evil - the much lauded but commercially unsuccessful action-adventure title from Ubisoft - can finally let out a sigh of relief, as a sequel to the game was unveiled today at the UbiDays 2008 conference, according to Kotaku.

Ubisoft didn't disclose information about what platforms the game will be on or when it will be released, but we'll keep you updated if these details become available.

Hit the jump for the trailer shown at the event.

Playstation Store Update: Haze Demo, Rocketman: Axis of Evil

Zach Lott — Fri, 09 May 2008 21:16:38 -0500

The Playstation Store has been updated yet again, with this week's big attraction being Ubisoft's four player co-op/campaign demo for Haze, the upcoming FPS by TimeSplitters developer Free Radical. Other notable downloads include new song packs for both Rock Band and Guitar Hero III as well as Rocketman: Axis of Evil, an arcade-style shooter from Capcom.

Full list of downloads available after the jump.

Downloadable Games

Rocketmen: Axis of Evil ($9.99)

Add-on Game Content

PixelJunk Monsters Encore ($5.99)

Rock Band

Individual Songs

Date with the Night - Yeah Yeah Yeahs ($1.99)
It Hurts - Angels & Airwaves ($1.99)
This Aint A Scene, Its An Arms Race - Fall Out Boy ($1.99)

Song Packs

Scene Pack 01 ($5.49) - Scene Pack 01 includes It Hurts by Angels & Airwaves, This Aint A Scene, Its An Arms Race by Fall Out Boy, and Date with the Night by Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Guitar Hero III

Muse Track Pack ($6.25)

"Exo-Politics"
"Stockholm Syndrome"
"Supermassive Black Hole"

Game Demos (free)

HAZE Demo
The Bourne Conspiracy Demo
GRID Demo

Game Videos (free)

WipEout HD Trailer
PLAYSTATION 3 What You Need Video
Mirrors Edge Gameplay Trailer
Mercenaries 2 Payback Trailer
Overlord Raising Hell Trailer
The Wheelman Trailer
TNA iMPACT! Gamers Day Trailer

Movie and Blu-ray Disc Trailers (free)

Indiana Jones: Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Teaser Trailer
The Love Guru
Iron Man Trailer 2

PS3 Themes (free)

PixelJunk Monsters Theme 3
Sports Theme

PS3 Wallpaper (free)

PixelJunk Monsters Wallpapers (x2)

Ubisoft Announces Haze PS3 Demo

Eric Jonathan Smith — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 14:17:10 -0500

Ubisoft announced today a playable demo for its upcoming FPS, Haze. As the game is a PS3 exclusive, the demo will see release on the PlayStation Network in early May, according to Ubisoft. The demo will contain a portion of the single-player campaign as well as four-person co-op multiplayer.

Haze was developed by Free Radical, the British developers known for their TimeSplitters series but probably more famous for comprising key members of the development team of Rare's N64 opus, Goldeneye 007. The pedigree seems to be in Haze's favor.

Haze releases to retail on May 20, 2008.

New Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 'Limited Edition' Trailer

Shiva Stella — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 23:02:11 -0600

Here's an interesting Ubisoft trailer for the evening, this one for Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 on the PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. The video is advertising the "limited edition" version; you can check out the list of features below to see if it's worth the extra $10. Check out the hot key chain.

Includes Collectible Poker Chip Key Chain
Limited Edition Bonus Disk
Exclusive Strategy Video: With insider tips and secrets from the developers, pro gamers, and Frag Dolls you won't get anywhere else.
Pro Gamer Interview: Get an exclusive look at the life of a pro gamer with MLG player FinestX.
MLG Pro Circuit '07 Season Highlights: Watch the pros take on the most heated matches of '07.
Tom Clancy's EndWar(TM) Sneak Peek: Join the Frag Dolls for a hands-on look at the latest thrilling game in the Tom Clancy arsenal.

Since when do "insider tips" and commentary from the "Frag Dolls" make something a "special" edition?

Rainbow Six is Done With Vegas, Says Dev

Aaron Dunlap — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 16:06:29 -0600

Don't expect to see highly trained counter-terrorist agents lobbing flashbangs over craps tables after Rainbow Six: Vegas 2. According to a developer for Ubisoft, they're done with the Vegas locale.

"We really feel that the story of Vegas is done," designer Philippe Therien told Eurogamer. "We've explored as much of Vegas as we wanted. For now, we're pretty much covered with Vegas."

He says they haven't decided on a location for future Rainbow Six titles, but notes that the setting might not always be the selling point.

I think setting a game in Washington D.C. might be cool, perhaps clearing hostiles from the Capital Building, the Smithsonian, and the White House, and maybe picking off a sniper from atop the Washington Monument. All of those things are within spitting distance of each other, so the frantic mission-to-mission pace could be maintained. Or would that be tacky?

Vegas 2 releases March 21st.

New Prince of Persia Confirmed, Haze Delayed (again)

Shiva Stella — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 13:19:17 -0600

Maybe I'll see you in 2008. Just maybe...

Following Ubisoft's announcement of its 2008 schedule, the company also confirmed that a new Prince of Persia game is in the works and should ship "within the next fiscal year" - that's April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009. Don't be surprised if some of the awe-inspiring mechanics from Assassin's Creed pop up in that one, only this time we might get a real, complete game with a real, complete ending.

As for Haze, which has suffered various delays, delay-rumors, and delay-hints, the game has again been officially delayed and could release during the company's 2008 fiscal year. In other words, it's possible that Haze won't see store shelves until 2009, though when it does launch it could be a major hit for the PlayStation 3, something the console desperately needs.

Fingers crossed.

Ubisoft Unveils New Far Cry 2 Footage, 'full trailer' coming soon

Shiva Stella — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 13:00:01 -0600

In more Ubisoft news, the company has unveiled a new trailer for its Far Cry 2, this one showcasing the game's engine. Take a peek below. The game is set to release for the PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360, with the PC launch dated for March.

Ubisoft's Early 2008 Release Schedule

Tim Grube — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 12:53:07 -0600

Way down deep in the recent press release showing the 2007 earnings for Ubisoft, they unveiled their 2008 title release schedule which includes a few notable titles. Peep the full list below.

Fourth Quarter (January March 2008)

Anno 1701
Assassin's Creed
Brain Challenge
Petz® : Bunnyz
Chessmaster® The Art Of Learning
Csi: Crime Scene Investigation: Hard Evidence
Dark Messiah Of Might And Magic: Elements
Dragonquest® Monster: Joker
Imagine(Tm) : Figure Skater
Final Fantasy Revenant Wings
Final Fantasy Crytal Chronicles® : Ring Of Fates
Lost(Tm): Via Domus
Maths Play
Miami Nights: Singles In The City
Nitrobike
No More Heroes
Puppy Palace
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six® Vegas 2
Real Soccer 2008
Settlers 6 Add On
Silent Hunter®: Wolves Of The Pacific U-boat Missions Add On
Petz®: Wild Animals: Tigerz
The Dog Island
Totally Spies Totally Party
Victorious Boxers Challenge

First Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles Screenshots

Shiva Stella — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 12:22:20 -0600

If you've played through Assassin's Creed you might have been wondering how Ubisoft could shrink that entire visual package to the Nintendo DS and pass go.

Well, wonder no more. Here are some interesting shots of Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles on the DS. It looks like many of the game's mechanics will be present - pickpocketing, eavesdropping, roof-top leaping, etc - but apparently cut-and-pasted icons have been added to the GPS. At the very least, the game should prove entertaining.

View media at the jump.

More R6: Vegas 2 Screens Released. They Have Bloom.

Aaron Dunlap — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 13:47:03 -0600

If we're still to believe Ubisoft, Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 ("Vegas Harder," I like to call it) is coming out in 3 months (to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the Rainbow Six franchise in March). For that, you'd expect that we'd have more than the 10-or so screenshots we've gotten so far.

This newest batch, over at TeamXbox, don't show off a lot. The biggest feature of the screenshots seem to be the bloom lighting. Bloom lighting is great and all, but I'd prefer some actual confirmation that this game is actually coming out in March.

Far Cry 2 Confirmed

Solomon Lee — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 16:48:54 -0600

Ubisoft has announced that Far Cry 2 is being developed for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. The game will be managed by Ubisoft Montreal and is slated to be released sometime in 2008-2009.

Quoth directly from the press release:

More than just a visual and technological achievement, Far Cry 2 immerses players in an entirely new kind of gaming experience, featuring a custom-made video game engine built from the ground up. Players will discover a true open world gameplay set in one of the most beautiful environments in the world, Africa, brought to life by high-definition next-gen technology.

Haze Releasing in August 2008 for PlayStation 3?

Shiva Stella — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 11:20:00 -0600

Here's a little something interesting if you've been watching Ubisoft's development of Haze for the PlayStation 3.

While other sources (including GameStop) list Haze as shipping on January 15, 2008, Ubi's own shop listing has the game set for launch sometime in August 2008 - quite a leap ahead from January. No word from Ubisoft on the possible delay.

Rainbow Six Vegas 2 "Trailer" Released, Graphics Look So Real!

Aaron Dunlap — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 22:30:19 -0600

You can't blame Ubisoft for trying to raise some hype for their upcoming sequel to Rainbow Six Vegas, but geez.. a screenshot, pre-rendered "target video," something having to do with the actual game would be nice.

That is, unless my eyes are mistaking me and those are really CGI people getting CGI lapdances from CGI strippers. The cheezy cinematography and voice-overs could be CGI too.

Video after the jump.

Ubisoft to Patch Assassin's Creed (PS3) Soon

Shiva Stella — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 10:20:01 -0600

If you've been playing Assassin's Creed on your PlayStation 3 and experiencing freezes and other errors that make the game unplayable then you might be pleased to know that Ubisoft is aware of the problem and addressing it.

Your level of pleasure, of course, entirely depends upon whether or not you kept the game after experiencing the issues. Here's the info from a Ubisoft forum post:

Following our recent statement regarding the freeze issues that some consumers are facing with Assassins Creed on PlayStation 3, we can confirm that we are actively working on a game update. This update will help improve the stability of the game and will be released as soon as possible. In the meantime thank you for your ongoing feedback and patience.

Note that the problem-and-fix being addressed is for the UK version, but PS3 gamers stateside have already acknowledged that they're getting some of the same errors - and I see no reason why the fix wouldn't be released over here.

Assassin's Creed Ending Explained: Be Confused No More

Shiva Stella — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 20:31:14 -0600

If you've already completed Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed and are at a loss as to what the ending means, Xbox World 360 has posted a detailed explanation regarding all the freaky symbols, emails, ancient deities, and dates given for the gamer to ponder.

Here's an excerpt (spoiler):

Q. Okay, so why can I not see it (the writing) until the end of the game?
A. Abstergo washed the messages off of the walls and the floor, but Desmond is able to spot the messages by using his Eagle Vision.

Q. Wait a second. You said that Desmond wasn't Altair! What gives?
A. He's not, at least, not yet... Read through Vidic's emails and you'll stumble across one that mentions 'The Bleeding Effect.' Vidic reports that, after using the Animus for a given length of time, some previous subjects were unable to distinguish between their ancestors' lives and their own. Their genetic and real-time memories have literally 'bled' into one another, which is why Desmond is able to use the Eagle Vision power at the end of the game.

Click the link for the full post. You can also find our own review of the title here.

This Just In: Ubisoft Makes The Money for Q3

Shiva Stella — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 12:00:00 -0600

Ubisoft has announced its results for the first half of the 2007-2008 fiscal year, claiming that sales are up 52% mostly due to the release of high-profile games, including Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 and Assassin's Creed.

The company also posted a little update on its release schedule following a third-quarter review, all provided at the jump.

Third-quarter business review

The third quarter of fiscal 2007-08 got off to a good start with a number of new games released in November including Assassin's Creed, Rayman Raving Rabbids 2, Naruto: Rise of a Ninja, Beowulf, and the range of casual games. Assassins Creed has already notched up record sell-through sales of more than a million units, a positive sign that the brand will be successful and that Ubisoft has created another long-term franchise. The casual games including the Imagine, Petz and My Coach brands have also recorded a solid early performance.

2007-08 games release schedule updated

Ubisoft today announced that Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 will be released during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2007-08. This release will capitalize on the success of the first episode. In addition, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Conviction, previously scheduled for release in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2007-08, will now form part of a stronger line-up for fiscal 2008-09. Lastly, Haze which was due for release during the third quarter of fiscal 2007-08 will now be launched in the fourth fiscal quarter. The targets previously announced by Ubisoft remain unchanged as they already took into account the possible impact of these delays as a preventive measure.

As if Unexpected, Ubisoft Announces Rainbow 6: Vegas Sequel

Aaron Dunlap — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 11:56:47 -0600

According to the linked IGN article, Ubisoft Montreal (hot off of their release of Assassin's Creed) has announced that they're working on a sequel to last year's Rainbow Six Vegas.

I really loved R6 Vegas on the Xbox 360, in fact it was my favorite shooter on the console until Call of Duty 4 came around. I'm glad there's going to be another one, but does it really have to be in Las Vegas again? There have been oodles of Rainbow Six games before it, but when one game finally gets good reviews and sales they need to emulate it exactly? They couldn't just take the excellent controls and pacing and translate it over to, I don't know, Detroit or something? Rainbow Six is supposed to be a hyper-elite international counter-terrorism force, they can't just hang around Vegas from now on because the drinks are cheap.

The game is set for a March 2008 release to coincide with the tenth anniversary of the series. That's darling, but it conflicts with the video gaming common-law that any good game must release in November.

Enough harshing. I'm excited about more automated door-busting, flash-banging, rapel-lining action. Check out the linked article for some ambiguous feature descriptions.

GB Review: Assassin's Creed (360)

Shiva Stella — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:52:04 -0600

Assassin's Creed: a veritable leap of faith?

Ubisoft Montreal's Assassin's Creed is one of the most ambitious, interactive, seamless, and intriguing titles in the next-generation lineup to date, boasting absolutely stunning visuals, superb voice acting, amazing historical thrills with a firm basis in an accurate presentation of this alternative past, and a curious storyline that will pull you in if you know what you're looking for. The game is beautiful and enjoyable, an experience you won't forget, and a gem for anyone with an appreciation of this era of history or gameplay style.

However, ambitious and astounding as it is, there are elements that feel forced, gameplay that becomes redundant, and bits of the plot that fail to make sense to the average player. The combat does become a chore (especially toward the end), a save-anywhere option is missing, and some variety is sorely needed (how come a third of all the civilians I save say exactly the same thing, be it in a different accent?), but while the gameplay does have its faults it's still impressive and well-done as far as mechanics go, plus you play an assassin - that's an automatic bonus in cool points. If Ubisoft Montreal had made some adjustments - switched up the missions, tossed in some variety in investigation objectives, upped the enemy AI some, and freshened the combat - this would have been a stellar title for the general public.

As it stands, its amazing qualities are somewhat overshadowed by gameplay design that failed to implement everything Assassin's Creed exceeds at as well as it should have, and while a five star game isn't perfect this failure knocks it down a notch. For those who appreciate its finer details, however, the game is worth its weight in gold and will be something you return to over the years and look back on and say, "I played that game and loved every minute of it" with pride.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

There are two things that game critics hate when it comes to writing actual reviews, these being RPGs (devastating time-suckers) and really amazing games (trust me when I say that reviewing a piece of crap is always easier than something so good it inspires you and tugs at your heart). There is also a secret third item that critics hate to pin-down to a definite numerical figure, and this is the open-ended, highly ambitious interactive experience. Anything that doesn't amount to a functioning targeting system, an online mode, or saving the world from invading aliens/nuclear bombs is a lot more subtle and difficult to translate into a mathematical recommendation. I'm going to be blunt: Creed is not like the vast majority of games on the market, no matter the genre, and I think that explains at least some of the outlier scores (both negative and positive).

But I am not here to lecture on the reviewer's standard rating system or explain every intricacy and every moment of Creed that reminded me of why I'm a gamer or what I'm looking for (or not) in a game. I am here to address what I enjoyed and what I didn't quite so much, what the game excels at and what Ubisoft should have spent more time on, delays or not.

A sword and you. Classic.

And I'm going to start with the title's amazingly beautiful visual experience. Creed's presentation is superb and its graphics will boggle your mind; every fine aspect, from the movement of Altair's robe in the wind as he rests atop the highest steeple to the whole of a city that is viewable from a distance as the player trots up on horseback, Creed astounds. The lighting is amazing and you can clearly see the patchwork of light filtering through a lattice structure casting shadows upon a wall. Horses are perfectly mimicked and feel more realistic than any animal I've encountered in any of my virtual wanderings. Buildings are rendered incredibly sharp with every decorative item - from window bars and other convenient climbing protrusions to gorgeous mosaics and the golden sheen of the Dome of the Rock - catching the eye and inviting the player to explore.

Character models are next-generation quality, with every texture and style of pattern viewable in each person's clothing in impressive detail. Character movements are, dare I say it, natural, and this amounts to a seamless quality that almost convinces the player that he's walking the streets of a real world. Characters step aside for Altair as he gently pushes them away, drop objects they're carrying if he walks by carelessly, reacquaint Altair with the ground if he runs through too many civilians, or take no notice of him at all as he slyly slips through a large crowd, terminates a target, and inconspicuously melts into another batch of civilians before the body even hits the ground. This is the sheer genius of Creed, this smooth interaction that pulls the player into an assassin's life rather than having her assume a character's mere role.

The acoustic elements add to this inviting ambiance just as impressively, marked by your horse's hoof beats as you gallop across the countryside, the clatter of soldiers in their mess of gear, the bustling of the local marketplace, and so on. Creed's voice acting is what you'd expect from a big-budget title, with some very entertaining and intriguing performances from the primary cast, all nicely accented and featuring correct, realistic pronunciation. The linguistics might not seem like much, but they're vital for convincing the player that Altair's world is a living, breathing, and distinctly different thing, for which I give Ubisoft credit. It would have been even more persuading if civilians didn't quip the same lines all the time.

My friend, I think it's time you step away.

The immersion continues as the player explores the environs of Damascus, Acre, Masayaf, Jerusalem, and their surrounding grasslands, cliff-sides, small ruins and villages. While walking amongst the people is always a "socially acceptable" option, it's much faster and much more fun to take to the rooftops, where you can climb said amazingly detailed buildings, leap across giant chasms, dispatch foes away from the throng beneath your feet, and speedily maneuver from ledge to ledge, ladder to pole, synagogue to haystack at your leisure. The actual height of these obstacles is magnificent and damn near awe-inspiring as you activate view points and the camera spins around your perch. This life-like and free maneuvering off the ground is another aspect of the game's genius that invites the player to spend hours investigating every inch of Altair's world.

As much fun as exploring and rooftop-leaping are, the bulk of the gameplay is centered around performing successful assassinations, but these target assassinations can't be triggered without completing investigations first. Investigations are comprised of eavesdropping, pick-pocketing, killing the targets of fellow (lazy) assassins, interrogating propagandists, and collecting flags (the locked content is only reachable via collecting the flags of various cities/sects and killing knights templar). This is where part of that redundancy seeps through and breaks some of the game's immersion, as the investigation objectives become more like a chore to unlock the whole picture than a fun and varied assignment that progresses the plot. Ubisoft should have spent some time on increasing the mission variety and implementing that seamless interaction that makes Altair's universe so appealing; it's as if the team abandoned the natural feeling of the gameplay by having you routinely collect flags and pick-pocket letters. The only objectives that get interesting are the target assassinations, which - while entertaining and great fun - can't mask the redundancy of the typical mission. The "bonus" objectives - save the civilian and get to the view point - are nice inclusions - nice being that they're entirely optional - but don't add to the gameplay experience at all. They're just as redundant and will be skipped by players rushing through, making the core missions more difficult and frustrating.

Combat is another double-edged blade for Creed. The system is functional and beautiful in its bloody, seamless presentation if you perform the correct maneuvers at the right time, again convincing you that you've stepped into Altair's world and are fending off bad guys harassing harmless old men and damsels, but it gets repetitive when civilians scurrying from the scene attract the attention of additional guards who join the fray. Counter-killing foes, grabbing and pushing them into their allies, or exchanging swipes and blocking maneuvers is a treat, but it can be slow and tiresome when you're surrounded by ten guards with five more on the way and all you want to do is scale a building and hide in a bush. Or rather, a haystack/shady retreat/bench/group of scholars, as these are your only hiding or blending options. Again, the repetitiveness breaks the immersion level; Ubisoft Montreal definitely needed to increase hiding spots as well as variety between them.

The enemy AI, though appropriate and again, functional for the basic gameplay mechanics, also could have used some improvement. It's a tad unrealistic and less challenging when Altair can dispatch a civilian and stand there in blend mode while guard after guard approaches the body and speculates before meeting his doom. Again and again. At some point there should be a guard who determines that he is definitely not approaching the giant heap of bodies without significant backup. Maybe he's perpetually off-duty?

As an aside, elements of the gameplay that tend to frustrate players (those redundancy issues again) become more upsetting due to the lack of a save-anywhere system. You're entirely at the mercy of checkpoints and the good doctors who pull you from the animus (usually right when all you'd rather do is play). A save-anywhere system is sorely needed as well as an option to skip the dialogue you've heard before (as when you fail an informer's mission and have to hear the full assassin song and dance before you're told what you already know, again). Some gamers are also questioning why Altair and anyone else can't swim (there you go, Michael Smith).

I could write countless paragraphs on Creed's historical accuracy, twisting storyline, or all the amazing little subtle details that made me unable to put it down from beginning to end, or warn against rushing through it - this is a game in which your level of enjoyment directly correlates to time you're willing to spend doing things other than the primary missions. I could also go on and on about Ubisoft's failure to fully incorporate everything the game does well (and what it does well it does astoundingly so) into the actual gameplay mechanics, or remind you that there are portions that needed some additional work. Instead I'll end with a simple summation. Assassin's Creed is a rewarding, thought-provoking, amazing experience, fun in aspects utilized to their full potential, but the redundancy, the lack of variety in some of the smallest aspects, and forced segments may push some gamers away. If you're on the fence, spend some time with Altair and he'll "persuade" you that Creed is one of the most unique games you'll play all year, even with some caveats. Here's hoping Ubisoft hears the criticism and corrects the issues for the next one.

Also available on: PS3 | 360 | DS
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Release: Nov 14, 2007
MSRP: $59.99
Mature
Winner of GameBump's Best Action Game of 2007

Edit: if you've played through and are just as confused by the ending as the rest of us were, here's a detailed explanation.

Assassin's Creed Available Now, Scores In and Video Reviews Going Up

Shiva Stella — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 10:06:30 -0600

Altair + you = happy

If you've been carefully observing Ubisoft's development and release details for its very hotly anticipated Assassin's Creed then you'll be pleased to know that today is the game's official ship date; copies of the title for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 should be available at local retailers by tonight or tomorrow morning (you might even be able to get it earlier depending on your mad shopping skills and/or annoying persistence/begging).

Here's a score roundup that I'll update tomorrow with the title's "official release" statement. The average for the Xbox 360version is currently at 84, followed by an 84 for the PlayStation 3counterpart. At least the scores are in the same range.

100 - GamePro: "It's hard to put the sheer size and brilliance of Assassin's Creed into words."
100 - GamesRadar: "With its riveting story, beautiful visuals and surprisingly lifelike world, Assassin's Creed is an incredibly deep, enjoyablegame..."
96 - XboxAddict: "A masterpiece; a true gem."
95 - Game Informer: "It's a game people will still be talking about five years from now."
91 - GameTrailers (video review here)
90 - GameSpot (video review here)
87 - Computer and Videogames
79 - TeamXbox
77 - IGN
75 - Worthplaying
70 - Eurogamer
70- 1UP: "It attempts a lot of ambitious things and it almost succeeds at every one."
67 - Planet Xbox 360: "After the first level I thought I had a winner on my hands for sure but as I played more... the game became more repetitive."

Have a link to the

New Assassin's Creed Trailer, Same Groovy Music, Oh and Screenshots

Shiva Stella — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 09:48:44 -0600

Ubisoft has published another official trailer for its Assassin's Creed, set to launch on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on November 13 (available Nov. 14). Scores are beginning to trickle in, but at this point there are only two of them as follows:

100 - GamesRadar: "With its riveting story, beautiful visuals and surprisingly lifelike world, Assassin's Creed is an incredibly deep, enjoyable game that kept us addicted from beginning to bizarre end."
95 - Game Informer: "Its stunning visual style, high concept story, and wildly open level design are like nothing else, even if too much repetition begins to frustrate in the later hours. Its a game people will still be talking about five years from now."

Check out the trailer at the jump. It's got the same groovy music you should be used to by now.

[Update] New screenshots are also available, viewable here.

New Beowulf Imagery

Shiva Stella — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 14:11:28 -0500

Check out some new imagery on Ubisoft's Beowulf at the link. The title is being developed for the PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 units, with a launch for all three set for November 13.