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Assassin’s Creed Revelations is set to land on Xbox 360 and other platforms in a mighty big way this November, and Ubisoft has been pulling out all the stops recently to make sure fans and newcomers alike are up to date on the back and forth battle between the Assassins and Templars.

Those who haven’t been living under a rock will be aware that Revelations is so much more that a struggle for supremacy between two ancient Orders. The fourth game in the franchise will serve to tie up loose ends and conclude the intertwined stories of both Altair and Ezio, with the latter finally leaving Italy, and journeying to Masyaf (Altair’s home city) to seek out 5 seals left behind by the legendary Assassin. These seals unlock a library hidden beneath the city, in which lies a weapon of great importance, one that can turn the tide of battle greatly in the favour of whichever side wields it. While the Templars are in possession of one of the Seals, the other Four are scattered around the city of Constantinople, and these are accessible to Ezio as Sofia missions (Sofia Sorto being an extremely important part of Ezio’s story, which we won’t spoil for you at this present time.) The Sofia missions are similar to the Romulus and Templar lairs that players encountered in Brotherhood, and will test your free running, platforming and puzzle solving skills like never before.

The demo we got to play featured 3 different memory sequences, all of which take place within the sprawling city of Constantinople. Our first task was to meet up with Yusuf, the wise cracking leader of the Assassins Guild in the city. Yusuf very quickly introduces Ezio to the unique way in which things are done in Istanbul, beginning with the use of the Hookblade. The new weapon immediately opens up a whole new range of possibilities to the player, allowing Ezio navigate the city more effectively via the use of ziplines erected throughout Constantinople. Air assassinations can be performed from these ziplines when the prompt is available. Climbing vertical surfaces is also made considerably easier, and a lot faster with the Hookblade, Ezio can also trapeze between rooftops by using the Hookblade in conjunction with Corner Chasebreakers; a quick tap of the relevant button sees the Assassin hop across the open gap, as opposed to swinging round the corner as normal.

However, when you are not leaping from roof to roof, the Hookblade is just as useful on the ground too, allowing Ezio access to more brutal combat and kill moves, and even the ability to avoid confrontation altogether. If timed right, the Hookblade can be used to flip over enemies using a combat roll, and all without breaking stride. It is a new move that will prove extremely handy, especially when time is of the essence.

During the tutorial sections, Yusuf also takes great pleasure in schooling the aged Assassin in the use of bombs and the art of bombcrafting. Ubisoft have already stated that more than 300 different varieties of bomb can be crafted, and that “experimentation is key” in the new system. Bombs generally fall into 3 main categories; lethal, tactical and diversionary, and collected items can be used across each category to produce varying results. In the demo, we were first introduced to diversionary bombs and how they can be used to reposition guards. The aiming reticule is quite generous, and for as long as the guards are in earshot of a bomb explosion, they will move in unison to check out the disturbance. These can also be used in combat to immobilise or disorientate your assailants. Bombs can also be used to start skirmishes between the Byzantine and Ottoman soldiers patrolling the city; sometimes discretion is indeed the greater part of valour. (The Ottoman guards are, for the most part, tolerant of the Assassins, but won’t hesitate to engage if you so much as look at them funny.)

In order to accommodate Ezio’s new toys, Revelations now features 2 weapon wheels instead of one. This means that Eagle Sense (formerly Eagle Vision) is now activated by clicking one of the thumbsticks, thus leaving a face button free for secondary weapons like Poison darts, the Hidden Gun, throwing knives, and all bombs. Players are still able to assign shortcuts to 4 weapons using the d-pad via the weapon wheel screen. Eagle Sense itself is also now multi tiered. It still functions as the Eagle Vision of old, highlighting friend and foe alike via various colours. However, Eagle Sense can now also be used strategically in battles, and with a little bit of concentration on Ezio’s part, be used to discover disguised enemies and cold trails.

When XGZ last spoke to Darby McDevitt and Falko Poiker, both men confirmed that Ubisoft had worked hard on making the crowds less of a game mechanic and more alive. Revelations takes this idea one step further with the addition of random events within the game environment. Probably the most noticeable of these random events are The Stalkers; disguised Templar agents out for blood who launch surprise attacks on Ezio within the cities. We aren’t sure if these attacks can be countered or defended against, but they certainly left us in a precarious position health-wise. Side missions and added extras can be triggered by talking with city inhabitants. Chance encounters with civilians in need of assistance are optional, and players will not be penalised in any way if they refuse to help a merchant carry his goods to the docks for instance. There are some civilians who will join your Brotherhood if you come to their aid. This usually involves fending off a Templar attack.

While the idea of a Brotherhood of Assassins is not new, the Assassin’s Dens are. When the Dens are in Assassin control, they serve as a base of operations for all Assassin activity in that area. They also allow Ezio to upgrade shops and other amenities to multiple tiers of effectiveness. The Dens can be left in the hands of one of your Brotherhood to look after if you are away, but they would need to be checked regularly, as Dens are always under constant threat of Templar attack. When Ezio is present during a siege of a Den, he will take charge of its defence via a mini game. Assassin leaders, archers, riflemen and barricades are all at your disposal, and can be placed and fortified as required to hold the Den. When a wave of Templars is defeated, the player gains more morale, and this in turn can be used to purchase more units, as well as upgrade existing fortifications.

There are special side missions that are central to the plot development however, and these are the Sofia missions that we mentioned earlier. The prize at the end of the Sofia section we played was one of the 5 Seals of Altair. When Ezio comes into contact with these Seals, you are given the opportunity to relive a pivotal point in the life of the legendary Assassin, during his time in and around Masayaf. Altair is fully playable, and has a full complement of skills, some of which weren’t available to players of the original Assassin’s Creed game. Both Darby and Falko explain why this is the case in the 2 part interview with XGZ here.

It would be fair to say that Assassin’s Creed has been one of the few franchises to have bucked the trend and improved with every new release. Revelations looks set to continue that legacy based on what we have had hands on time with. The game plays extremely smoothly, and the famed Anvil engine performs even more impressively than it did in Brotherhood, especially with lighting and environmental effects. The new gameplay additions and immersive storyline should ensure that players will be immediately hooked to experience every twist, turn and quip from Yusuf in this culmination of storylines. Soon…all will be Revealed.

Be sure to check out the video links below for our short, but informative Preview videos.

Assassin’s Creed Revelations: Single Player Preview – Bombs

Assassin’s Creed Revelations: Single Player Preview – Constantinople

Assassin’s Creed Revelations: Single Player Preview – Dens and Altair

Assassin’s Creed Revelations: Single Player Preview – Hookblade

Assassin’s Creed Revelations: Single Player Preview – Den Attack and Eagle Sense

Assassin’s Creed Revelations: Single Player Preview – Den Defence (Detailed)