The beta, which is exclusive to PlayStation 3 owners, showcases some of the ideas and principles behind creating a stealth orientated multiplayer game. Brotherhood is unique in the respect that, with the exception of Splinter Cell: Double Agent, there really hasn't been a clever sneak fest to enjoy with your friends. Multiplayer is comprised of two modes, Wanted and Alliance, although we have only been given access to the former. Before sinking your blade into that unsuspecting foe, something is clear straight away; the most enjoyable aspect of Assassin's Creed has translated brilliantly - free running. Although that's only the beginning, there's plenty more to talk about.
You don't want to get on the wrong side of this doctor.
Wanted is essentially a free-for-all deathmatch where six players are presented with the task of killing an opponent. You'll be given the choice of selecting a variety of different characters, ranging from a doctor to an executioner. These characters aren't distinct classes, but we'll touch on that later. From here, you'll be dropped into the maze and receive details on who you need to kill. However, the details are minimal. The only assists given to you are a picture and some sort of radar/compass tool which provides a general sense of direction. The main problem (apart from the person trying to kill you), is that each map is populated with clones. It's your job to decide which model is the real enemy. If they're running around or jumping across a roof then it becomes easy, but sometimes the opposition can be slightly more subtle.
Throughout the course of ten minutes, you'll always be in search of a target but you'll also need to watch your back. Blending in with the crowd is vital if you want to succeed, and there are various ways to do this. A feature introduced in Assassin's Creed II allowed Ezio to mingle with the locals and hide within a group of chatty women. The same idea applies here. For instance, if you're playing as a doctor and decide to walk around with two clones, it means that the person following you will be far less likely to kill you. Behave normally and you have a great chance of survival, run around like a drunken idiot and you'll be dead within seconds. Other techniques from previous outings return, including sitting on benches and hiding in stacks of hay, but these aren't quite as effective when you're dealing with humans.
It's the crrrrraw!
Without question, the most intelligent part of Brotherhood's multiplayer is its scoring system. Instead of being a simple case of running around trying to kill as many people as possible, you're rewarded for patience and precision. Killing your target without them spotting you, pouncing down from a roof, flanking them - there are several different ways to earn points. Just because you have the highest number of kills doesn't necessarily mean that you're going to win the round, Brotherhood demands a bit more tactical awareness. Thankfully the servers are running very well and there hasn't been a single case of lag induced anger. In fact, the whole presentation has been handled with extreme care. Brotherhood looks just as gorgeous as its predecessors and controls even better. You'll be traversing buildings and clinging onto brand new vertical lifts in a matter of minutes. There's no need to worry, this clearly hasn't been rushed.
Much like every other competitive multiplayer game out there, Brotherhood utilizes a basic rank system. As you progress, you can unlock new perks and bonuses in a similar fashion to Modern Warfare, and you can even create specific combinations and classes. Even though the beta is quite restricted, there's clearly a decent level of depth if you enjoy customisation. On paper this is an obvious inclusion, but in practice it can lead to some frustrating moments. In particular, the gun does nothing to balance the gameplay. You could be in the process of tracking down your target, only to be shot in the back from the roof of a different building. Considering how the developers have been trying to make this scoring system fair and rewarding, the inclusion of this weapon seems utterly pointless. Fortunately, the cloaking device goes some way towards compensating and adds a whole new element to the gameplay. For a short period of time, you'll be able to resemble one of the other players on the map. The person following you will be thrown off guard and in the end, you really don't know who to trust.
Agent 47's unofficial return.
There are a couple of other small complaints. Firstly, all of your hard work can go to waste if somebody else kills your target. It wouldn't be too much of a problem if you could get some sort of bonus for eliminating the person who did it, but they just walk free and start again. In Ubisoft's defence, it could cause more harm than good, but that doesn't stop it being a real annoyance. Also, if the person following you is silly enough to give away their position and attack, there really isn't any way to counteract this. Assuming you're quick enough, the enemy will have to chase you down, but as soon as he gets close enough to hit the kill button - that's it. The odds are obviously against you in a scenario like that, but to leave you with no chance whatsoever is a little harsh. Of course you could always escape and earn a points bonus, but that's the only way of defending yourself, and even then it's a fifty-fifty situation.
Overall though, the multiplayer side of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood is shaping up very nicely indeed. The minor niggles are more a case of adjusting to this type of stealth gameplay rather than a technical flaw, so there's a good possibility of them becoming irrelevant when the finished version reaches us. Whether it can sustain a healthy community is another issue entirely, and the release date couldn't be any worse. Brotherhood is hitting the shelves just after another popular multiplayer game, Call of Duty: Black Ops. Recent years have shown that full blown shooters tend to survive a lot longer in the online world, but hopefully this fascinating experiment turns out to be something worth playing into next year.
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