Assassin's Creed Syndicate has been out for six years now, and in that time it has stood as a bit of an oddball in the Assassin's Creed franchise. The game follows the classic Assassin's Creed formula while also introducing elements that would influence the current shift in tone of the series.

With all of this in mind, it begs the question of whether or not Assassin's Creed Syndicate is still worth playing when the series has evolved so much since its release. Assassin's Creed Origins, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, and the most recent Assassin's Creed Valhalla have greatly expanded the franchise past what Syndicate provided. Below the surface however, Assassin's Creed Syndicate is a truly worthwhile experience that represents what made the franchise so popular to begin with. The game has so much character and life to it, that even after all this time, there are still reasons to give it a try.

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AAA Game For A Fraction Of The Price

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One of the biggest reasons why Assassin's Creed Syndicate is worth playing today is the fact that the game can be found at some pretty reasonable prices. The game is consistently listed in the $30 range, as opposed to the $60 that it launched at. In addition to this price cut, the game routinely goes on sale for even cheaper, and if it can be found pre-owned at a retailer like GameStop, then that's another deal in its own right. The game's DLC can also be found on sale from time to time, that way players can expand their experience without having to pay full MSRP.

Classic Assassin's Creed Gameplay

Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Altair

Ever since Assassin's Creed Origins released in 2017, the franchise has been much more focused on delivering open-world RPG experiences than previous entries. Assassin's Creed Syndicate stands as the last title in the series to follow the classic Assassin's Creed style of sneaking through city streets in order to take down Templars. While recent installments have been praised for this change in direction, there's still a level of charm to what made the franchise so popular to begin with. The game demonstrates the years of experience that Ubisoft had built up with this formula, showing its progression from the first Assassin's Creed to Syndicate.

Two Playable Characters In Assassin's Creed Syndicate

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Perhaps the most unique thing about Assassin's Creed Syndicate is the fact that players are given control of two distinct Assassins, twins Jacob and Evie Frye. This marks the first time that a mainline Assassin's Creed game has had a playable, female protagonist. Each character was given their own unique combat specialties, with Jacob being more of a brute and Evie relying more on stealth, and they each had their own distinct missions that were interwoven to make up the main narrative. It was certainly an experimental approach at the time, and it's one that has yet to be fully replicated in AC games since.

The Atmosphere Of Victorian London

Out of all of the mainline Assassin's Creed games, Syndicate puts players in the closest era to the present, Victorian London. The world that Ubisoft established with this game is one of the most detailed of any Assassin's Creed installment. The atmosphere of London is fully realized, with bustling city streets and the sounds of industry abound. Some of the most iconic views in London can be explored, including Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and the Tower of London. It's the closest players can get to visiting the historic city without actually booking a flight.

The Industrial Revolution

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In addition to the Victorian setting of the game, Assassin's Creed Syndicate also takes place at the tail end of the Industrial Revolution. This time period was marked by tremendous technological advancement, and a lot of this new technology can be used in the game. The firearms that Jacob and Evie have at their disposal are the most advanced in the Assassin's Creed series, and the base of operations for the twins is on a moving locomotive. It may not be as customizable as the homestead in Valhalla, but it's am excellent representation of the time and really adds to the immersion.

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A Grounded Assassin's Creed Story

The Assassin's Creed series has always blended a bit of historical fiction with the mystical. The story of the Isu and the Great Catastrophe is one that has permeated much of the franchise ever since the first game, and it varies in popularity based on different groups of fans. Much of the consensus seems to be that the storylines can get a little convoluted, and this is where Assassin's Creed Syndicate comes in to address those concerns. Compared to other installments, Syndicate is much more grounded in its story, revolving more around political power struggles rather than ancient beings.

The Gang Mechanic in Assassin's Creed Syndicate

Assassins Creed Syndicate

One of major facets of the more grounded story in Syndicate has to do with Jacob Frye putting together his own street gang in order to combat the Templar controlled gang that serves as the game's regular suite of antagonists. In a style very similar to Assassin's Creed Brotherhood and some later installments, players are given near total control of this gang to use as they like. The more territories a player controls, the more prevalent the appearance of their gang will be, allowing them to call on members from almost every corner of the map to help with certain objectives. It really adds to the feeling of taking over London's streets.

The Rope Launcher

Most Assassin's Creed titles will try to add one gameplay element that's never been seen in the series before, and work it into the game as much as possible. Assassin's Creed Unity had the phantom blade, Assassin's Creed 3 had the rope dart, and Assassin's Creed Syndicate had the rope launcher. Even if it did violate some laws of physics, the rope launcher helped make traversal a more engaging experience with London's increased verticality and wide city streets. Assassinations are also more dynamic thanks to the rope launcher, as players are able to create ziplines and take down enemies in ways that were never possible in past games.

Engaging Combat

AC Syndicate - Victorian setting

The Assassin's Creed franchise shines its brightest in its moments of stealth, but there have been times where active combat gets a little questionable. The trilogy of games focused on Ezio are perhaps the most infamous for this, where players got better results waiting to counter enemies rather than actively attacking them. Assassin's Creed Syndicate demonstrates one of the biggest departures from this yet by providing a robust combat system that's based on aggressive attacks and building up a combo. The suite of weapons available are also some of the most diverse in the Assassin's Creed series, including cane swords and brass knuckles.

Precursor To The Current Assassin's Creed Games

At this point, it's clear there are stark differences between Assassin's Creed Syndicate and the last three games in the franchise. At the same time however, there are so many things from Syndicate that can be found in the current games, showing how Syndicate left its mark on the franchise. The two playable characters of Jacob and Evie served as a precursor to giving players the option between a male or female protagonist in Odyssey and Valhalla. Meanwhile, the free-flowing combat of Syndicate provided the blueprint for the hit-box system that's been in place since Origins.

Assassin's Creed Syndicate may be a far cry from the last few Assassin's Creed games, but that doesn't mean it's not still worth playing today. It truly is one of the most refined classic Assassin's Creed experiences, combining elements of every game before it to make one memorable experience. It's an Assassin's Creed game that doesn't take itself too seriously, while still delivering the same gameplay and parkour action that fans have come to expect. With how successful the last few Assassin's Creed games have been, fans may never get to have a classic Assassin's Creed experience again, making Syndicate the last in a long line of industry-changing games.

Assassin's Creed Syndicate is available now for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.

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