Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India, review: 'A fairly generic platformer boosted by superb art'

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

If you hadn’t heard (as I hadn’t) Assassin’s Creed Chronicles is a three part spin-off of the original franchise, each set in a different historical location – 16th century China; Colonial India; and Russia just after the communist revolution.

With these settings already chosen, it would be almost impossible to take the stories anywhere that wasn’t fantastical and thrilling. AC Chronicles India didn’t disappoint.

There’s a conspiracy afoot, a beautiful lover and very large diamond. Actually, the Koh-I-Noor, a diamond that sets in the crown jewels. Mix yourself in with the stealthy world of assassin’s, hiding in shadows and murdering from the silence darkness.

Where in the original games, if you slip up, it’s fairly easy to just fight your way out, Chronicles takes that more-or-less out of being an option – yes, you can fight but more than one opponent and you’ll probably receive the two or three hits it takes to kill you (I might not be great at video games but I’m not that bad).

It’s a pretty generic platformer, with gameplay centred around the stealth motions – it has fun puzzles, some you need to work out slowly, others you need to go at again and again until you get it just right.

Where Chronicles India really excels is the aesthetic. The Mughal artistry and mandala screen wipes make the whole game feel more exotic, they add a simple, pastel beauty that make the game a treat.

The “2.5D” layout works well too, like a stage background that moves forward and backwards, the lack of physical depth gives a new focus to the warming background colours.

The game itself is fine but it was the art I loved the most, it made the experience more than a same-y platformer, which this game very nearly could have been.