Assassin’s Creed is a gaming franchise that needs no introduction, but for the first time ever Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR brings the series into the delightfully-thematic medium of Virtual Reality. No longer is the Animus a mere side-piece to the story; in Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR the concept feels closer to reality than ever; 16 years in the making! And whilst Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR treads familiar territory in terms of the ancestors you embody, Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR is both a welcome innovation and a surprising return to form.
Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR’ story is driven by familiar faces from the franchise returning; from Ezio, Ratonhnhaké:ton and Casandra back in the saddle to Shaun and Rebecca in your ear. Whilst the latter pairing is an entertaining piece of continuity, the return to embodying familiar characters makes Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR quickly feel like home for long-term AC fans. Kicking things off with Ezio in particular, it has rarely been so exciting in recent years to wield the hidden blades. And in the unfamiliar but high-potential medium of VR, the blades have never felt so sweet to unsheathe.
After a brief Mixed Reality-lite intro to the story and key concepts, Ezio’s tutorial starts with a brief tour of a palazzo in Hunt of your sword before developing at the Auditore family home. I have to admit that going in, I was sceptical about how the dynamics of Assassin’s Creed could effectively translate to sitting on the sofa or standing in your living room using a VR setup. Quicker than I could possibly have expected, I was all-in on the experience.
From exploring cupboards to throwing cups, to popping the blades and climbing the architecture, all of the normal AC staples which you would expect feel right at home in Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR. The climbing in particular felt super immersive, even when playing seated. Granted, some classic cases of AC “not climbing where I want him to” moments did arise as I learned, but within an hour of playing I felt comfortable scaling buildings and freerunning the rooftops like the cheeky, bearded, Italian assassin I was meant to be.
What doesn’t translate to the VR format? Well, combat feels a little slower and lighter than you might anticipate, especially in the more recent games, and occasionally the headset itself felt like the limiting factor with tracking and boundary missteps. In truth, the execution of Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR as a transformative game for one of gaming’s most popular franchises is exceptionally good. And that doesn’t just stop at the mechanics – the story itself feels like a natural part of the series as opposed to a cheap VR departure like others have settled for. Kudos to you, Ubisoft, for doing it properly for your fans.
Whilst the story does fit into the mix, and indeed the return to playing our favourite assassins once more in first person is truly sweet as anything, the story does feel slippery in that recent classic AC way. For one, it is unfortunately comparable to a recent Hollywood movie release in terms of its central objective (no spoilers here!). Beyond that, however, the formula of magic artifacts sought by Templars and Brotherhood alike for either control and order or to ensure free will respectively is now a little bit too overdone by the franchise.
That being said, the story is executed as well as could be hoped and the action surrounding it sells the experience as a whole package well. As VR games go, in terms of both dynamic action and story execution, Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR does rise towards the top of the stack.
Accessibility was a surprisingly strong suit of Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR. Beyond the simple ability to play a dynamic, parkour-heavy title seated if preferable (and truly, it did not break the experience for me one bit!), Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR allows you to fine-tune the settings you choose to play with in order to make the experience as comfortable as possible. Guidance for players who experience VR nausea will be welcome to many, and a fair array of difficulty and comfort settings made Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR feel comfortable to dive into knowing that I could play in whatever way best worked for me.
Compared with other VR titles I have tried, Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR sets a strong standard for how to execute these features correctly for your players.
Perhaps the best way to summarise Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR is that it is a solid offering in all camps. It is a firm entry in the AC series, a very good example of a fully-fledged VR game, and an exceptional mechanical execution of its source material in a way that truly exceeded my expectations. It is not the greatest adventure in its franchise, but its throwbacks to those fantastic memories and the opportunity to embody their protagonists once more is a dream come true for many a series fan.
I, for one, was thoroughly impressed with the game and most sincerely enjoyed the climbing mechanics which I went in doubting and came out impressed. If you are all in on AC, you won’t be disappointed by Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR. Equally, if you are on the fence as either a fan or a newcomer, Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR presents an offering which is thoroughly worth going in on. In the greater picture of VR games on the market, this is unique and exceptional – a title truly deserving of your fully immersed time.
Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR Trailer
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