Assassins Creed III - A Credit Sequence to kill your enjoyment...

I don’t often rant about games, as I like to think that there is someone out there who enjoys every title in existence, even if I don’t. However, I feel this gripe is something that affects us all and my heart goes out to anyone playing through Assassin’s Creed III.

 

For those of you still playing the game stop reading now – there be spoiler ahead.

 

I must have failed the last mission around 10 times before finally nailing it as the direction of the chase is confusing and badly put together. As frustrating as it was, though, I have to disagree that it’s the worst thing about Assassin’s Creed III. The worst thing comes shortly afterwards.

 

I’m talking about the game’s credit sequence.

 

If you want to know what it looks like when over two billion are involved in making a video game, look no further than the end of Assassin’s Creed III. You are going to find out each individual person that worked on the game, everyone they thanks for support and all the babies that were born during the production time.

 

The credits sequence goes for nearly 20 minutes which would be a moot point if you could skip them, but you can’t. You’re left sitting there wondering if there’s going to be any story revelations during the credits – perhaps that’s why the 20 point achievement comes after sitting through the blasted things.

 

Actually that’s not entirely correct as I managed to play a few android games, start up my PC, make a sarnie and a coffee before the thing even came a close. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the credit given to the employees - credits are important - it’s just that you shouldn’t force me to endure them.

 

This is especially prominent as every cutscene in the game, which I am interested in watching, has a “PRESS B TO SKIP” prompt hovering over the screen.

 

(On a side note it also irked me that Connor is always dressed in the standard garment during these segments, even if you change the colour of his costume – breaking the immersion)

 

The reason I’m picking on this, and not some of the game’s more obvious shortcomings, is that it perfectly encapsulates the disregard the game has for the player’s time. It has a tutorial that spans five chapters totalling 4-6 hours, which pissed me off so much that I stopped playing the damn thing several time. And then there is a conclusion that’s padded to the extent you feel genuinely exhausted by the game’s end, rather than jubilant for your success. How many people enjoy taking 3 minutes to walk 100 yards due to injuries?

 

Most people either, take an interest in the credit (and therefore choose to watch them) or couldn’t give a damn (and therefore skip them at the earliest opportunity). I for one am a bit blasé about the whole credit sequences but find myself annoyed that the option to skip them isn’t there at all. It feels shitty to have to say that the most symbolic failure of a game, which itself is far from perfect, is the part where hundreds of people are being thanked for their hard work.

 

It’s a sad irony that, for a series that should be about open-ended design and expression in play-style is held back but a large quantity of short comings and some completely unplayable sections. If Black Flags is marred by the same problems then I won’t be touching the next title – which is even more of a shame when I loved the previous entries so much.