You may be forgiven for rolling your eyes at another single player series to bolster on multiplayer, but hold on just a minute. Having worked on the excellent Spies vs Mercenaries for the Splinter Cell series, Ubisoft Annecy are certainly no strangers when it comes to multiplayer and what they have achieved in taking this series online is really quite awesome.
The multiplayer ties in nicely with the single player arc with Abstergo Industries (the modern day Templars) having created multiple animi in order to train their agents. As one of these agents you must learn the arts of the assassin to take down other agents in this playground of death.
The core mechanic in the multiplayer is that of the 'killer loop.' Whereas we've tasted what it's like to be an assassin before in the single player game, here you are also simultaneously the target. Wanted mode sees up to 8 players face off in an arena, each with their own target and each as someone else's target. At the beginning of each round you are presented with a picture of your intended victim in the top right corner of your screen and an indicator on your HUD as to his or her direction and proximity. You must hunt down and assassinate your intended foe while never letting down your guard as to a possible attempt on your own life.
It's this very system that makes the multiplayer so compelling to play. The thrill of stalking your prey is perfectly juxtaposed with the constant sense of dread and paranoia that at any moment your life could come to a quick and bloody end. Ubisoft have cleverly made all the NPCs in the multiplayer look like 1 of the 15 playable characters meaning that death can come from any angle at any time. The sense that you are being watched feels almost uncomfortable as you attempt to carry out your own contract.
Each round becomes a balancing act of hunting down your prey while keeping a careful eye out for potential pursuers. Many times the game had me spinning the camera round to check my six, only to look back and have my throat slit by another player. The fact that every step you take could potentially be your last keeps you constantly on your toes and the edge of your seat.
The fighting mechanic has been scaled back to concentrate on the build-up to each execution as opposed to having players slug it out in melee combat. Assassinating your victim is as easy as getting close and pressing X, focusing the action on hunting your prey then rewarding you with a stunningly animated execution that brings your victim to a satisfyingly bloody end.
If you are successful in your kill you are given another target, however if you are spotted or break your cover, the chase is on. The chase sequences in Assassins Creed: Brotherhood are breathtaking, seeing your character running down narrow streets, pushing crowds aside and souring from rooftop to rooftop in order to break the line of sight. Maps are kitted out with items called 'chase breakers' which help a chasee evade their chaser. Things such as slamming doors or lifts are dotted around the maps in strategic positions to aid escapes and give an advantage to those who have taken the time to learn their whereabouts. There's something instantly gratifying about being pulled to a rooftop the split second before a dagger was going to be plunged into your skull.
In order to level the playing field and keep each round interesting, the game adjusts the difficulty depending on how well you are doing. For instance, if you are top of the leaderboard and running away on points, instead of having one contract on your head you may have three. It's a fantastic system and means that not only will games be more balanced, but if you're dolling out assassinations left right and centre you will have to be even more vigilant as to where the next strike may come from.
Alongside the Wanted mode there is also the Alliance mode which allows for coop play by setting three teams of two assassins against each other. Once again the 'killer loop' is brought into play so that each team is hunting one team while being hunted by the other. In order to succeed you must work together to kill your targets while maintaining a careful eye on each other's backs.
Adding further depth to proceedings, Ubisoft has lavished the player with nearly endless opportunities to customise their characters. This goes beyond the usual visual customisation and delves far deeper into your play-style. Assassins Creed: Brotherhood allows you to choose from a number of upgradeable abilities and perks to refine your character's traits. While your abilities must be triggered and range from instant disguises to smoke bombs, perks are constantly active allowing you to increase your running speed or push through crowds more easily. While the whole thing reeks of Modern Warfare, it absolutely works and allows you to play in a way that best suits you.
Of course, all these cool customisation options aren't available from the off. No, like most multiplayer games of this day and age they must be earned. Here you'll have to rise through the 50 levels to unlock these options, gaining points from each kill or completing challenges. The game encourages stylish kills with bonus points for remaining stealthy or striking from above. Being suddenly pounced on from a rooftop in a moment of apparent safety almost had me leaping out of my chair as the tension and anticipation of each kill is balanced on a knife edge.
To say that I was impressed by the multiplayer in Assassins Creed: Brotherhood is an understatement. While it may struggle to compete with the FPS big dogs of multiplayer, it certainly offers a new online experience unlike anything currently on offer. Watch out for the PS3 beta being released today and a forthcoming review of the complete game in the lead up to its November release.