After witnessing Desmond unlock the potential of Animus version 1.28, first through the portable Brahman V.R. and later with the Animus HR-8.5, fans of the series have been eagerly anticipating the moment they could dive into the role of an Assassin in virtual reality. This anticipation has culminated with the release of Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR, now available on the Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest 3 headsets.
This groundbreaking VR title immerses players in the lives of three of the franchise’s most iconic characters: Ezio Auditore, Kassandra, and Ratonhnhaké:ton (Connor). Experience the thrill of leaping from the rooftops of Monteriggioni, Italy, evading Spartan guards in Greece, and stealthily navigating the streets of 18th-century Boston.
Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR carefully interweaves the settings, stories, and characters from three different periods into a mesmerizing narrative, delivering an experience that fans of the series have never encountered before. If you own a Meta Quest 2 or 3 and are curious about this innovative adventure, read on as we delve into our thoughts on Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR.
Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR Review: Immersive Gameplay Awaits
Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR signifies a remarkable evolution within the franchise, redefining the way players experience being an Assassin. This revolutionary title introduces three key features that elevate the engagement level:
- Unmatched Virtual Reality Immersion: Nexus is the franchise’s inaugural title to fully exploit the capabilities of VR, placing players right in the heart of the Assassin’s Creed universe. The game brilliantly combines exhilarating parkour, exhilarating combat, and historical intrigue into a fully immersive VR environment.
- Authentic First-Person Perspective: For the first time in the series, Nexus presents a true first-person perspective, placing players directly in the minds of the Assassins. This heightened gameplay offers an unparalleled sense of urgency and excitement, allowing them to experience the agility and skills of these legendary figures.
- Multiple Assassin Characters: Nexus departs from the conventional single-Assassin storyline, enabling players to take on the roles of various Assassins throughout the franchise’s history. This feature enriches gameplay, offering diverse perspectives and challenges across different historical settings.
With Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR, you can fully embrace the role of a master assassin, maneuvering through perilous paths, executing stealthy takedowns, engaging in exhilarating sword fights, and soaring through the air for breathtaking assassination sequences. The game represents a significant leap forward for the franchise, delivering an extraordinary level of immersion and authenticity. Whether you’re a longtime fan or a newcomer to the series, this exceptional VR experience promises to enthrall you.
The immersive quality of virtual reality brings the Assassin’s Creed universe to unprecedented life. Every stealth move, expertly timed parry, and adrenaline-fueled pace creates an unmatched sense of realism and excitement.
The innovative Meta Quest Touch Plus controllers replicate the essence of the iconic Hidden Blade, allowing players to activate it with a simple wrist motion, reminiscent of the legendary Hidden Ones of Alamut. With these controllers, you will feel the weight of the Hidden Blade in your hand, empowering you to unleash its deadly potential. The intuitive controls facilitate precise movements that mirror the combat prowess of the legendary Assassins.
Narrative Elements
Assassin’s Creed Nexus boldly shifts the franchise’s narrative direction, providing an inventive method to unfold a new story within the Assassin’s Creed universe. The engaging narrative and the innovative story structure are designed to captivate players, immersing them in a realm filled with mystery, intrigue, and action.
The game charts a fresh narrative path, liberating itself from the constraints of previous titles while remaining faithful to the series’ core: the master Assassin’s journey.
Players take on the role of a top hacker associated with Abstergo, a formidable organization that has seemingly come into possession of a significant artifact. Under the guidance of Dominika Wilk, a captivating character voiced by Morena Baccarin, players embark on a fascinating adventure through the genetic memories of three Assassins who have intersected with this mysterious artifact.
This narrative twist intertwines the stories of three Assassins across various time periods, crafting a complex web of historical intrigue and thrilling action. The unraveling of the artifact’s secrets and its connection to Abstergo’s clandestine motives fuels the engaging story.
Employing well-known characters instead of introducing new ones in Assassin’s Creed Nexus is a commendable choice. Considering the constraints of VR technology and the typically shorter length of VR experiences, creating a new protagonist could have been a wasted opportunity.
By utilizing familiar figures, the game avoids the complexities associated with building a new lead character, allowing it to focus on delivering an engaging and immersive VR experience that capitalizes on the strengths of these established characters.
This strategic choice reflects Ubisoft’s understanding of the unique demands of VR gaming and their adaptability in approach. It also suggests an intent to develop more compelling VR experiences as technology continues to advance.
Graphical Presentation
The advanced Meta Quest 3, with its impressive 3067 GFLOPS SoC, renders immersive and realistic environments on par with current standards in VR gaming. In 5th-century BC Greece, players can ascend citadels, wander through ancient temple ruins, and immerse themselves in the Peloponnesian War. In 16th-century Italy, players can explore the vibrant streets of Venice and sneak into opulent Venetian palaces, directly experiencing the Renaissance. In 18th-century America, players can join the Thirteen Colonies’ fight against Loyalists during the American Revolution and witness the birth of a nation firsthand.
Although the Meta Quest 3’s 3067 GFLOPS is less powerful than the PlayStation 4 Pro’s 4190 GFlops, it surpasses the PlayStation 4’s 1840 GFlops. The environments are intricately detailed and realistic. The developers have invested years into researching and recreating these historical contexts, resulting in highly immersive settings. From the lively streets of ancient Greece to the verdant landscapes of colonial America, each location is rich in detail, making players feel like they’ve journeyed back in time.
The areas available for exploration include:
- Delos, Greece, 405 BCE
- Athens, Greece, 404 BCE – 403 BCE
- Monteriggioni, Italy, 1509
- Venice, Italy, 1509
- Boston, Massachusetts, 1775-1776
- Newport, Rhode Island, 1777
Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR is a must-play for history aficionados and gamers alike. It offers a genuinely immersive experience that allows players to relive pivotal moments in history. If you seek an unforgettable and engaging VR gaming adventure, look no further than Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR.
Gameplay Overview
We will cover three essential gameplay elements:
- Stealth
- Combat
- Parkour
Stealth: The Art of Invisibility
From the very first mission, it becomes evident that stealth is the cornerstone of gameplay as you navigate breathtaking environments, employing real-world movements with the “Touch Plus” controllers and clever tactics to outsmart enemies. In the silent corridors of past civilizations and on the lively streets of iconic periods, stealth transforms into your ultimate weapon. Use your surroundings to vanish seamlessly into the background, avoiding detection by vigilant foes.
Experience smooth stealth actions as you peek around corners with simple grab-and-pull hand movements, observing enemy patterns through cracks and holes in walls for strategic advantages. The thrill of silently taking down unsuspecting guards is unmatched, as the game monitors your every action, creating a distinctive experience compared to traditional 2D gameplay.
As a stealth expert, every object around you becomes a tool. Throw plates, bottles, or any nearby items to create distractions that divert guards’ attention. This creates a visceral connection to the gameplay and gives you the feeling that your actions have a direct impact on the narrative.
You can also utilize the famed Assassin Whistle feature by forming a ring with your hands and raising it to your mouth, calling guards toward your position, allowing for strategic ambush opportunities with your Hidden Blade.
Combat: Mastering the Assassin’s Craft
In the rich world of Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR, engaging in combat involves more than just button mashing or mastering complicated moves; it means embodying the spirit of a professional Assassin. Nexus features a dynamic and immersive combat system catered to players of all experience levels. Whether you are a combat veteran or new to the genre, Nexus accommodates everyone.
Experience the iconic hidden blade in an innovative way. With just a flick of your wrist, the blade reveals itself, allowing you to feel its weight and precision as it extends. For the first time, players can wield Kassandra’s hidden blade, experiencing the weapon’s raw power firsthand.
Combat revolves around motion-controlled dynamics, enabling you to efficiently slash with your sword, block enemy assaults, and dodge with fluid grace, just as a true Assassin would. The game rewards timing and accuracy through its “opportunity windows,” giving you chances to unleash powerful strikes on opponents.
Each Assassin presents a distinct combat style. Connor, for instance, wields his trusty tomahawk, while Ezio and Kassandra showcase their swiftness with swords. Players can use various ranged weapons like bows and crossbows for strategic distance attacks, along with throwing knives and smoke bombs for surprise tactics.
The thrilling air assassination mechanics gain a new dimension in VR, enabling players to leap from high places with a hidden blade poised for action, relishing the exhilaration of taking down enemies mid-flight. The game’s slow-motion effect lets you savor these moments, as you shoot arrows with the precision of a master Assassin.
Variety in Combat Styles
Nexus allows players to control three distinct Assassins—Ezio, Kassandra, and Connor—each introducing their unique combat flavors, ensuring a variety of fresh experiences during encounters. Ezio and Kassandra utilize swifter sword combat, while Connor provides the added option of lethal tomahawk throws.
Strategic Blocking and Parrying
Effective blocking plays a crucial role in combat, enabling you to deflect enemy strikes and shield yourself from harm. Mastering the timing of your blocks creates opportunity windows—moments where you can respond with devastating counterattacks. Parrying is a more advanced technique that necessitates precise timing and directional blocks; successfully executing a parry disrupts the enemy’s attack, leaving them vulnerable for follow-up moves.
Ranged Options and Combat Dash
When your foes are at a distance, feel free to resort to ranged weapons. Let arrows fly from your bow or launch throwing knives for temporary disorientation. The combat dash, a versatile maneuver, assists in bridging the gap to confront adversaries while knocking them off balance for follow-up attacks.
Hidden Blade Lunge: A Decisive Takedown
When enemies are weakened, unleash the Hidden Blade Lunge, delivering a lethal finishing blow. Watch for cues above an enemy’s head, indicating their vulnerability, and execute a thrusting motion with the blade to ensure a swift elimination.
Enemy Types and AI Behavior
Nexus presents players with four distinct enemy categories, each exhibiting unique strengths and strategies. Soldiers constitute the core enemy force and become more formidable in groups. Agiles move with remarkable swiftness, demanding quick reflexes. Commanders are experienced leaders who can summon reinforcements, while Brutes are strong warriors capable of overpowering opponents with brute force.
The AI behavior of enemies is intelligent; they cooperate strategically to coordinate attacks and can support their allies in combat. Prolonged conflicts increase their aggressiveness, as they become more frequent and coordinated in their assaults.
Difficulty Settings for All Players
Nexus accommodates varying skill levels with three difficulty settings: Casual, Normal, and Hard. Casual mode eases enemy aggressiveness and extends reaction times, perfect for newcomers. Normal balance offers a satisfying challenge for most players, while Hard mode ramps up the intensity, necessitating precise timing and strategic execution for those seeking a serious test. Additionally, a combat visibility option enhances user engagement by providing visual cues for enemy movements.
Overall, Nexus crafts a combat system that is engaging yet approachable, ensuring an enjoyable experience for players of all skill levels. The combination of distinct Assassins, tactical combat mechanics, and intelligent enemy AI contributes to a captivating and dynamic gameplay experience.
Parkour: The Assassin’s Flow
Parkour is a defining aspect of the Assassin’s Creed franchise, and Nexus takes this gameplay to new heights with its impressive VR enhancements. Players can truly relish the sensation of sprinting across rooftops, climbing walls, and leaping from impressive heights with astonishing immersion.
The development team has put immense effort into crafting open-world environments that are visually stunning and seamlessly integrate with parkour mechanics. From the energetic streets of Italy to the sunlit vistas of Greece, players can explore these spaces in a manner that highlights their agility and skill.
One of Nexus’s standout elements is its intuitive parkour system, allowing players to instinctively recognize handholds and climbing points throughout the environment. Every ledge, climbable wall, or structure flows naturally into the next movement, ensuring continuity in gameplay.
The integration of VR technology elevates the parkour experience significantly. Players can genuinely perceive their body weight, and the depth perception contrasts sharply with traditional gameplay. It feels like you’re actually perched on a rooftop or launching off a ledge.
Nexus also introduces exciting new mechanics, such as dynamic 180-degree jumps and swing bars, adding extra layers of thrill and challenge to the parkour experience, showcasing the team’s creativity and innovation.
Overall, Assassin’s Creed Nexus sets a new benchmark for parkour in VR. The game’s intuitive gameplay, breathtaking environments, and pioneering features make it a must-experience title for fans of both the Assassin’s Creed franchise and the VR gaming medium.
Final Verdict on Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR
Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR embodies a significant achievement in the realm of virtual reality gaming, flawlessly interlacing intuitive parkour mechanics, stunning visuals, and innovative gameplay elements to create an enthralling and memorable experience. The game allows players to step into the role of an Assassin, embarking on an exhilarating journey through ancient cities filled with dexterous parkour, demanding combat, thrilling stealth, and a gripping narrative set against beautifully crafted historical contexts.
Pros:
- Intuitive and immersive parkour mechanics
- Stunning open-world environments
- Innovative new parkour movements
- A profound sense of presence and spatial awareness
- Opportunity to play as three different Assassins from the franchise’s past
- A captivating story that delves into the origins of the Assassins
Cons:
- Minor motion sickness could occur for players unfamiliar with VR
- The gameplay duration may feel short for some
- The combat mechanics may require further refinement
Overall Assessment:
Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR stands out as an essential experience for anyone intrigued by VR gaming or the Assassin’s Creed series. Its groundbreaking mechanics, visual splendor, and engaging narrative solidify its place as a truly unforgettable experience.
Score: 8/10
Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR provides an immersive and exhilarating gaming experience on Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 2. It’s important to note that the Meta Quest 3 is better equipped to handle the game’s demanding visual prowess compared to the Meta Quest 2. Nevertheless, even on a Meta Quest 2, this is an essential VR adventure that will change how you perceive parkour in future gaming.