Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China Reviews
Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China is a decent change of pace for the franchise. The goals are more focused and deliver some great stealth gameplay across the approximately five hours it takes to complete. With all the open world distractions stripped away I felt like I was playing a proper assassin-based title, with the only focus being to take out the target. The issues with the combat, as well as a story that feels shallow, combined with lackluster delivery, detract from the overall experience.
However, the game's main problem is that it's just rather dull overall. Perhaps it's the push to avoid enemy contact or the lackluster sound design or the droning music, but Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China never really comes to life. It's a different take on side-scrolling gameplay, but the added depth doesn't save it from feeling flat.
Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China has the makings of a good 2D Prince of Persia re-awakening, but it lacks a lot of character both aesthetically and mechanically. Still, there's very little actually wrong with it if you're looking for another platformer to add to your pile. Hopefully future iterations of the Chronicles subseries can build upon the foundation that China has provided.
Still, I think of how The Devil Inside essentially is a film with no third act. By the same token, ACC: China never really lets the itself soar. Everything feels deliberately muted. And that leads Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China being ultimately just as forgettable as The Devil Inside.
Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China features some great stealth gameplay reminiscent of Klei Entertainment's Mark of the Ninja. Unfortunately, the mechanics lack more depth and grow tired by time you reach the end of your quest. Ubisoft also misses the opportunity to tell a bigger story. Worth playing, but Shao Jun deserves better.
An entertaining if perosnality-light translation of Assassin's Creed from open-world 3D to linear 2D.
It is the most sumptuous and stealth-focused Assassin's Creed yet, but Chronicles: China doesn't assemble its pieces into a gratifying whole.
Chronicles: China is the smartest twist on the Assassin's Creed formula yet
This spin-off starts strong, yet loses steam the further you progress
Though it sheds many of the series' best elements, Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China has its own charm, and is worth a play for those in search of a simple stealth experience.
As a 2D interpretation of Assassin's Creed this works perfectly well, but the workmanlike design and bland atmosphere makes it hard to get excited about.
A stripped down stealth offering that reinvigorates Assassin's Creed by putting attention back on the sneaky stuff.
Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China does a lot of the hard stuff well, but can't convey the rush of being an assassin.