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When Smaller Outshines Bigger

When Smaller Outshines Bigger

There’s been a trend over the past few years where big publishers are allowing development studios to release smaller, scaled-down titles that exist in some of their larger universes. While there have been a few missteps along the way, we’ve been treated to several really interesting, diverse titles that have added to the larger franchises that they’re a part of.

What brought all of this up is how let down by AC: Unity I was last year. Like many players and reviewers, I was amazed by the game’s visual presentation, but underwhelmed by its many glitches and control issues, as well as how average the story and missions were. The most compelling part of that game was the murder mystery side-missions.

Heading into 2015, I was unsure how I felt about Assassin’s Creed as a franchise. Enter AC Chronicles: China . The game, released recently, feels like a breath of fresh air for the series. AC Chronicles: China is the first of three planned side-stories presented in a 2.5D format that remains true to the Creed series while at the same time allowing for unique gamplay you don’t see in the regular titles. The game feels like an evolution of Mark Of The Ninja , and that’s definitely high praise.

While mainstream Assassin’s Creed titles have been weighed down by increased “social integration” and loads of bugs, AC Chronicles: China is a well-made side scroller that has a major emphasis on stealth. Sure, you can fight your way through the Templars and their cronies, but you’re penalized by the game for doing so mindlessly.  It’s far more interesting and fun to sneak around, perform clever assassinations, and explore the levels. There are even multiple pathways and possibilities through many of the game’s areas. In many ways, it’s more true to the original spirit of Assassin’s Creed than Unity .

When Smaller Outshines Bigger

The thing about smaller titles like this is that they’re often allowed to take more risks and chances than their big brother counterparts. Need a few examples? The Lara Croft overhead dungeon crawlers have been great fun, and a much-welcomed deviation from the Tomb Raider formula. The Warioware series perfected minigame collections, and became its own respected brand. Call Of Juarez Gunslinger added an arcade-scoring element to the FPS formula, and delivered a fast-paced enjoyable short story with interesting narrative tricks. These are just a few examples off the top of my head- there have been many other titles that have provided unique experiences like these outside of the core series they’re spun off from.

The next time a spin-off title like these are announced, don’t be quick to disregard it – you may be surprised how much it has to offer in comparison to it’s bigger brothers and sisters. You might even find that you prefer the little guys to the AAA games that spawned them.

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