A truly heartbreaking masterpiece (8/10)

Assassin's Creed Unity is what Assassin's Creed should strive to be. It is the most ambitious entry into the franchise, introducing revolutionary mechanics, while simultaneously celebrating its rich history and lore. However it is unfortunately held down by bugs and is quite unpolished. It is the victim of egregious scheduling and a rushed development.

STORY (7/10)
The game follows the experiences of Arno Victor Dorian, a twice-orphaned Assassin who strives to continue his godfather's legacy and unite the Assassins and Templars during the French Revolution. One of the focal points of his initiative is his relationship with Elise, a Templar.

The story starts off in a very powerful way, following the fall of Jacques de Molay, subverting and enticing the players expectations. Then introduces the protagonist, Arno, in a way that feels very welcoming and familiar, while simultaneously flexing the graphical fidelity of the new engine. However, this masterful start did not remain consistent and went downhill following the introduction of Elise. Suddenly, the narrative became fixated upon her and certain missions felt out of place and disjointed. Oddly, I found myself sympathising with the antagonists rather than Arno and Elise, as they are portayed as naive and arrogant, placing their dogma solely on passion. However the story redeems it self through the character arc of Arno while demonstrating the ideas of consequence and repercussion and the conflict between solidarity and extremism.

Unfortunately, modern day segments, which were initially an integral tenant of the franchises are absent and replaced by expository dialogue.

SOUNDTRACK (7/10)
The game actually has a rich and enticing soundtrack but for some reason, but play-through felt mostly dull and was absent of many tunes. Of course there were pivotal moments, where the score is at its peak and truly immerses you.

GAMEPLAY (10/10)
With the final patch being released, and major bugs being ironed out by the development team, Unity is at its prime in game-play. It has placed a surreal effort in revolutionising the parkour, stealth and combat of the franchise and it is so disappointing the newer games do not follow suite.

// Parkour: Exploring and traversing Paris truly feels alive with the new movement system. Arno can fluidly and smoothly alternate between running across rooftops, climbing across battlements, sliding under obstacles and leaping into windows.

// Combat: Unlike the predecessors, Unity places emphasis on a realistic deadly form of combat; Arno is much more vulnerable leading to high-risk confrontations and tense situations. I found out by following a distinct rhythm, can you truly master the combat and go with the flow.

// Stealth: The best aspect of Unity is the emphasis on stealth and mission design. The player given a distinct task but must discover their own way to fulfill the objective within a whole playground of secret entrances, enemies, hiding spots and opportunities. The player is given a variety of tools and mechanics including: smoke bombs, cherry bombs, stun grenades, disguises, phantom and berserk blades, dynamic cover system, high and low profile assassinations and firearms and incentivised to make strategies and explore.

Ultimately, Unity is what Assassin's Creed should be: A linear game with the narrative and gameplay that drive the franchise forward; a narrative that is unique and diverse, while at the same time respect and celebrate its rich lore; a game that places emphasis on the tenants of Assassin's Creed: combat, parkour, stealth and social interactions.