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Normandy is a word familiar to many, especially those who are keen on the events of World War II. Incidentally, it is the place of invasion, for which it is the place where the Allies invaded German-occupied Europe during the second World War. In order to commemorate that fine day of June 6, 1944 (also known as D-Day), this game was created.

Secret Weapons Over Normandy, SWON for short, is a game that circles around an elite squadron of fighter pilots, with the main character, James Chase. Chase is an American pilot working in the RAF during WWII. He was a man with great ambition, one who is determined to stop the German war machine from reigning over the entire European continent. Chase works for an elite squadron of international fighter pilots known as the BattleHawks. This was highly classified information until governments decided to release them. The BattleHawks flew many secret missions that are unknown to the world at that time, including sabotage missions to key location of occupied Europe.

The game brings players to Europe and the Asia Pacific region during the years of WWII. Players would get the opportunity to fly various aircrafts, from the humble British Hurricane to the advanced German jet plane, the ME262. The game consists of fifthteen objective missions that brings the players around the globe to counter the attacks of the Axis powers, mainly Germany and Japan. Players could also have the chance to upgrade their aircrafts and earn, or capture new ones. As history suggests, the main enemy is the German Luftwaffe (German Air Force), especially the ace fighters of the Third Reich, simply known as Nemesis, commanded by Oberst Krieger. Not forgetting the gruesome dogfights over the Pacific, players would also have the opportunity to face off against the Japanese Air Force.

It is a flight simulation action game, where players control the aircraft in real time and engage in challenging battles against the enemy fighter. For those who are not used to how planes fly the actual way, the game is kind enough to offer an arcade way of control, where the directional buttons would reflect directly on how the plane flies such as when one pulls the trottle up, the aircrafts nose is supposed to pitch downwards, but for the player's sake, the plane can be configure to pitch upwards instead. This saves the trouble of many players fumbling over the controls the first time they play the game.

Plane models include the actual fighters as well as prototype planes, added to make the game more interesting by increasing the number of avaliable planes to fly. For example, the German Ju 390 Junkers were used in small amounts and never flew actual combact but for the game, players could still control this plane and play a mission through it. Not all information of the game could be trusted entirely but, it is still largely based on actual historic facts of James Chase and the BattleHawks.

For those who like to play flight simulation games and also action games, Secret Weapons Over Normandy could be your game. However, the limited number of playable missions may make one reconsider about buying the game since the multiplayer function doesn't really work well due to the lack of players.

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This could very well be, the most popular game now. Despite its age, it's still played widely all around the world, inevitably paving its way into the game of the decade. Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos is a sequel to the ever-so popular Warcraft series of games. Together with its expansion pack, The Frozen Throne, Warcraft III follows many gamers throughout their gaming lives, from the early years of its creation, way back in 2002. Even till this date, many are still playing the different game maps that Blizzard has to offer.

Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos consists of 4 races, mainly the Humans, Night Elves, Undeads and Orcs. The standard type of gaming is known as "ladder" matches, where two players or more can pit their skills of strategic warfare against one another, or against AI players whose difficulty can be customised by players, from Computer (Easy) to Computer (Hard). Players could also team up against each other and seriously speaking, for those who are new to this game, I suggest you team up with someone who knows how to play "ladder" games, cause the AIs are very good, so good in fact I lost several of my first few matches against a single Easy bot.

With the expansion pack, more varieties of games are brought to Warcraft III players. The Frozen Throne lets players create their own maps and play them in the game. Map creators can select from a wide variety of game character models and however they may want the game to be played. With the online connection known as Battle.Net, players can go online and play with other people in the same game, tuning their skills and perfecting them for competitions or just to chill out with friends.

Perhaps the most played game map of Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, is the map known as Defence of the Ancients, or DotA for short. DotA is a customised map hosted by many players with the ability to host on Battle.Net. It is the one map that many people link up together, a map that bonds many players together through the teamwork exhibited by players of that game. It is also the only non-official Warcraft III map that is hosted on competitions such as the Asian World Cyber Games. Players from all over the world can play against each other as there is no such thing as language barriers in the world of DotA.

Warcraft III could be the highest contented game in the world of gaming, with the game currently providing many different languages for gamers to play in. It is a game that would definitely change your personal relations either way, you could be known as a very good player with good attitudes, or someone who swears and curses so much even though you are winning the game. Many people unleashed their true personalities upon encountering the game, as swears become more of a norm in the world of Warcraft III.

All in all, Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos is a game that definitely improves how your mind functions, how it tries to solve the problem creatively and ultimately, the battle of wits between season players.

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Redken is a world-renowned leading brand of professional hair care products and services. The main feature of all Redken products is that it makes use of protein technology and formula developed to complement the natural pH levels of human hair. Its flagship store is located at 5th Avenue New York City, with its ubiquitous hair products in available in countless hair saloons all over the world. Redken has become synonymous with hair care. One Redken product that I'd like to recommend is the Rough Paste 12.

Suitable for both men and ladies, this is a versatile styling wax for short to medium hair lengths. The look that it can provide is said to be of a 'rough, ragged texture and moveable, non-stop separation'. It comes in a paste-like wax form, and squeezed through a nozzle. It has an exquisite design, with a special dispenser shaped like a cylinder. Its light weight and small form means it is portable, easily carried in a handbag. Bring this along for working individuals, and touching up of hair can be done anytime even out at work.

Rough Paste 12 is categorized under Medium control, as it does not offer rock solid hold like other Redken products. What it does is that it offers adequate styling and gives a very gruff texture, perfect for that popular out-of-bed look. I would recommend this more for the guys, since this is medium hold, ideal for shorter hair lengths. Its texture makes application on hair simple. Just spread out a generous amount on the palm and rub to spread the product evenly on both palms, before running through the hair to firm up the shape. Spread some over the fingertips and use fingertips to refine the shape and style of the ends of your hair.

Like in all other Redken products, protein technology is evident in Rough Paste 12. Wheat protein is used as an ingredient and this offers 'heat protection'. Many people makes use of hairdryers as well as flat irons to dry and crimp certain parts of the hair, and prolonged usage actually may result in damage to the hair. Heat protection basically allows more freedom in crimping or blow-drying, as it offers a limited degree of protection against heat-based damage.

Unlike other brands such as Gatsby, this Redken wax is easily removed, even with just water. It rinses off completely, but of course it is recommended to use a shampoo to thoroughly remove the product from the scalp, and advisable to use a conditioner to soften the hair after us.

This product is ideal for male working professionals, when time for self grooming is more of a luxury. Redken Rough Paste 12 is easily applied and a rugged look is easily achieved in a short amount of time. It offers sufficient hold for an entire day, and its small packaging allows it to be easily carried around for touching-up purposes. This would be a very handy accessory for the more fashion-conscious working executives.

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Davidoff is not what one would consider a heavyweight brand in the perfume and cologne industry. Widely popular brands include Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, Chanel and Ralph Lauren, with each of these brands producing numerous lines of fragrances. Calvin Klein Eternity, Hugo Boss In Motion, Dior Addict are all common names that you'll probably have heard of. These fragrances come with considerable price tags as well. Although this is not a recently-launched cologne, I have found a scent I really adore in Davidoff's Cool Water for Men.

In my opinion, a man's fragrance must achieve a right balance of masculinity and sophistication. The scent cannot be too masculine, meaning to say that it cannot be an overpowering scent. Sometimes, wearing a scent that is too strong can be counter-productive; people might think you are trying too hard. Of course, a man's cologne cannot be smelling too flowery, yet retain that refreshing waft that exudes an aura of sophistication and professionalism. Also, for working professionals, one important feature of a good, reliable cologne is that the scent must be lasting. No matter how pleasantly-smelling it might be, it would be totally useless if the fragrance wore off after two hours.

Davidoff's Cool Water has a very light and refreshing scent. The scent itself is very much masculine but it comes across as not being too harsh. This is probably because of that tinge of citrus that balances out Cool Water. The cologne does not sting and make you choke even when you catch a full mist in your face. A few minutes after application, the cologne will fade considerably and remain a lingering scent, sometime what will not hit someone in close proximity straight in the face but slowly meanders to the nostrils.

One thing I also liked about Cool Water is how lasting it is. Previously, using Calvin Klein's Eternity, I found that the scent was significantly faded by my lunch break. Davidoff's Cool Water's two sprays on my neck region could last me late into the hours at night. The fragrance is a lingering presence, even after some physical exertion and perspiring.

However, this would not be something appropriate for formal evening occasions, events that would require a suit and tie. I would classify Cool Water under 'semi-formal' or 'casual smart', but I believe that Cool Water is still too unrefined to make an appearance in fully-formal functions.

Basically Davidoff's Cool Water is everything that I want in a bottle. Economy, scent and quality-wise, Cool Water is top-notch. What I did not appreciate though is how ubiquitous this fragrance is. I have several friends who are currently using this as well, and the unique and striking Cool Water fragrance is so common in workplaces. People ranging from students to working executives are using Cool Water due to its relative affordability. I do not find it endearing to smell identical to the other working man and despite my admiration for this scent, I would stick to something more unique, so that I stand out from the crowd.

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Abercrombie & Fitch (commonly referred to as 'A&F') is an American clothing company that specializes in producing fashionable sporting apparel and is considered an international designer label. It is a globally renowned brand of clothing, featuring their iconic men's polo T-shirts with their trademark moose logo. A&F has a distinct style and cut and has termed their own apparel as 'Casual Luxury'.

The brand operates three flagship stores and a whole multitude of smaller branches. The three flagship megastores are located in Fifth Avenue (New York City), The Grove (Los Angeles) and Savile Row (London). There are plans to open a new international flagship store in Tokyo in early 2009.

The distinctive features of Abercrombie & Fitch clothing is the graphical humour and unabashed jibes at certain parts of the American society. This drew mixed reactions from consumers in America, some being outraged at how sports or minority were being ridiculed; some adored the slapstick humour and blatant insults dished out. As a result of all the hype, A&F was labelled a brand pandering to the 'white, American pretty boys and girls' and is 'all about sex, something this country is so cynical about'.

This generated much criticism for A&F, with many groups such as religious and minority groups boycotting the label. One example occurred in November 2005, when Abercrombie & Fitch launched a T-shirt that read 'Who needs brains when you have these?', in a blatant reference to large breasts and dumb females. The Women and Girls Foundation of Southwest Pennsylvania launched a nation-wide 'girl-cott' of the store in response to the undermining of females. Eventually the company stopped production of the T-shirts, however, it left much negative publicity on the brand.

Gradually, the theme and styles of Abercrombie & Fitch clothing evolved. Less emphasis is put on loud and shocking designs on T-shirts, but rather more focus was put into improving the materials and cuts of their clothing. The iconic Abercrombie polo tees feature their distinctive muscle-fit and trademark stripes, made of high-grade sueded cotton. The moose logo is embroidered in most designs and they come with unique double-layer velvet neck taping.

Most complaints are that the A&F label is grossly overpriced. Also, there were many comments that A&F is racist, not employing minority sales personel and models. Yet, we still do see A&F using black and Asian models and sales staff, especially in New York.

Price, I feel, is a big deterrent for potential consumers. I refer to, not only the retail price, but also the absurb shipping costs A&F levy on overseas shipping. As A&F only have international outlets in London and Canada, most international buyers would have to pay for the item, as well as the shipping fees, which is more expensive than the item in most cases.

Basically, Abercrombie & Fitch is your trendy, upscale teen store but its successful branding sets it apart from others. You will definitely find the clothes to be of good quality, with exceptional materials and workmanship. The styles appeal greatly to the mainstream consumers, my personal favourite are the Muscle-fit and Classic-fit for men's polo T-shirts. The trademark sueded material from A&F makes their clothing supremely comfortable to wear, even in the humid conditions in Asia. Even without physically entering the Asian market, it has already successfully carved out a niche for itself. Thus is the success of the branding of the label. Price aside, I do hope that Abercrombie & Fitch would expand further into Asia, as the styles are exceptionally trendy and fashionable, and spare me the agony of paying for shipping.

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Cabal Online is a Massively-Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) that is built upon the legend of the ancient world. Players are taken into the world of Cabal, understanding the storyline and their purpose of existence. In the world of Cabal Online, players can choose among 6 character classes (known as Authentic Six), namely Warrior, Blader, Mage, Force Shielder, Force Archer and Force Blader. The first 3 are the 'basic' characters but without the power of the force, the latter three are the 'advanced' jobs, incorporated with the power of the force. Although the latter may all sound fanciful, there isn't really much difference in those characters in terms of capabilities, it rather, depends on how one plays the character.

Currency: In Cabal Online, the currency used is known as Alz, and it is the most basic form of trade, unlike other games that depend a lot of jewels or other rare materials gotten from monsters. Also, Alz can be 'earned', like any other games, from monsters and selling items to shops.

Equipment: Each job has their own set of armoury. Although 2 characters would share the same type of equipment, the armour would require different stats to equip for each character. There are Martial armours, worn by Bladers and Mages, Battle armours for Force Bladers and Force Archers, and also Armour suits worn by Warriors and Force Shielders. There are several advantages for it being set this way. It makes it a lot easier to sell off your armours, since there is a large demand for it. However, this advantage brings about some obvious problems - it is awfully difficult to buy your items since there are others out there requiring the same items. It is up to the players themselves to get the best deals and become the strongest character.

Mission: The unique thing that differentiates Cabal Online from many other MMORPG games has to be the fact that the missions tend to be overwhelming and never-ending. The missions are linked to one another, with main missions and other side quests. The storyline is split into several main missions which will bring the player through different worlds and maps, leading them to exploration and the hunt on stronger monsters. This allows players to experience the storyline of Cabal Online, to understand truly what made Cabal possible. The earlier maps are Bloody Ice, Desert Scream and Green Despair. As players progress through the quests, they would be brought to other towns and areas such as Port Lux, Fort Ruina, Forgotten Ruin, Lake Side and Undead Ground. They would have to battle monsters that never tested their strength to such an extent, difficult battles await as the players explore the towns of Cabal.

Battle: In battles, Cabal Online follows the idea of 3D hunting. Players can move their characters in a 3D manner and engage monsters as they please. Although the levels of players determine the aggressiveness of monsters, some monsters would still be provoked once a player gets into its line of sight. There are combos for the players to throw out with their skills. By throwing in combos, players get skill experience at a faster rate and hence, skill up faster. Cabal allows PvP (Player Versus Player) combat, which means that players could be easily pit against one another to determine who's the better of the two.

Skill: Cabal is similar to World of Warcraft (WoW) in the sense that skills have to be learnt. The experience level of a character matters lesser as compared to the skill level. A level 60 character with a very high skill rank could defeat a level 100 character who is much weaker in terms of skills. Skills are the basic form of offence. The skill is split into 2 parts, namely Sword and Magic skills.

All in all, for those who want a totally new experience in MMORPG but hate to grill for one single level, Cabal Online is the game for you.

For more information, log onto www.cabalonline.com
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Headshot! Bet that's what many of you can achieve, or at least heard of this term before. Sounds familar, welcome to the world of Counter-Strike (CS). With this newest instalment, Counter-Strike: Source brings the world of CS to a whole new realm, with enhanced graphics as well as perhaps more realistic equipment as compared to its predessesor, Condition Zero.

Valve created a much better version of CS and personally I feel that it's much closer to reality. An example would be the HE Grenade. (For those who don't know what HE means, neither do I. All I know that it's a grenade that can blast anyone sky high.) Previously, in Condition Zero, the HE grenade is awfully weak, more than often dealing less than 30% of the target's health on a direct hit from in-between his legs. However, it has been revamped in Counter-Strike: Source. The damage from it could kill anyone with full health from a direct hit. (Trust me, I've experienced it before and you wouldn't know what hit you until you look up to the top left corner of the screen and see that you've been killed by a grenade.)

I almost forgot. For those who still have no idea what CS is about, it is actually a First-Person Shooting (FPS) game. The game allows players to choose from a wide variety of arms, from the Semi-Automatic Machines Guns (SMGs) to rifles and even the shotguns. Common weapons found in the real world could also be found in the game, such as the M4A1 Carbine and the favourites of terrorists, the infamous AK47.

The game's split into two teams, one being the terrorists and the other, the counter-terrorists. There are several game modes out there. One being the standard "Bomb" maps, where the terrorists have to go to one of the 2 bomb sites out there, set up a C4 charge, and prevent the good guys from defusing it. The second map type is the less-often played "Save the Hostage" maps. This time, it will be the terrorists that are camping at the sites where the hostages are held at. The counter-terrorists would have to move in and rescue the hostages, bring them to the save zone. But, there's a catch. The hostages are not invulnerable, hence the extensive use of HE grenades to soften the hostage-held sites is not going to work. You'll most probably end up killing all the hostages. The last map type is the "Eradicate the Other Team" type of maps. As the map type says so, the main objective of teams is not to plant bombs, nor rescue hostages, but shoot the other team to smitereens.

For those who have access to steam, you should be aware that some game modes are modified. For example, in a standard map, deathmatch is enabled. Meaning that you don't have to wait for the round to end to restart if you're already dead. Instead, you spawn almost right after you die, and could spawn at points spread across the entire map, making it impossible for someone to camp safely without being backstabbed.

Counter-Strike Source is a game that is actually featured in major competitive gaming events, such as the World Cyber Games (WCG) and the Championship Gaming Series (CGS). It is definite worth buying if you have been playing CS for quite a while. With a well-established online network already, one could play against players from many places at home, as longer as there's access to steam.

All in all, it is a game that shifts the already massive population of Counter-Strike gamers to a new height, with the improved effects and all. Try not to get addicted though, this game is seriously addictive.

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No serious discussion of role-playing video games can possibly exist without any mention of the Final Fantasy series. Virtually no other game series has perpetuated so many consoles and lived such a long life. In its many manifestations, the Final Fantasy series is recognised as fantasy role-playing at its best (table-top classics such as Dungeons & Dragons notwithstanding, of course).

In any case, the Final Fantasy series is everywhere. The most popular instalment of the series, Final Fantasy VII, has even churned out a mini-series of its own. Known as the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, the mini-series tells the complete story of the characters in the original Final Fantasy VII. This mini-series spans over many different consoles, and Crisis Core is its representation for the Playstation Portable console.

Crisis Core is in my opinion one of the best PSP games I have ever played. For starters, it is the only PSP game I have ever played to completion. In terms of gameplay, it is highly interactive with numerous mini-games and side quests to freshen you up whenever you need some relief from the central plot. The missions, accessible from any Save Point, are an excellent source of items and materia (which are basically orbs that enable your character to use certain skills) that help to make questing much easier. In fact, the missions sometimes provide valuable items that can save you from otherwise highly damaging attacks (hint).

Especially notable in Crisis Core is the rehaul of the combat system. Combat occurs in real-time, unlike in most FF games; the interface during battle is, in fact, especially convenient for real-time battles. The L and R buttons are used to browse between the possible materia and attacks you can use (which are shown as a row of orbs in the bottom-right corner of the screen). This allows quick selection of actions so you can respond immediately to what occurs on the battle-screen. The only issue with the system is the auto-locking target system which makes it difficult to control which enemy to attack. This especially causes problems in boss battles when you are trying to focus on the boss but the system automatically focuses your attack on a minion instead. Still, avoiding this issue is possible and overall, the auto-locking target system proves to be a rather minor problem.

The most major renovation in the battle system is the introduction of the Digital Mind Wave reel, or the DMW. The DMW is a reel that appears in the top-left corner of the battle screen and which churns out random combinations of pictures that you acquire as you progress through the game. The DMW provides certain benefits depending on how the numbers match up; sometimes there is no MP cost for using materia, sometimes you are invincible and cannot be damaged, and sometimes, two images match up at the side and the DMW pops up and fills the entire screen. At this point, if all three reels match, Zack (the character you play) will be able to perform a special attack, depending on what image shows up on all three reels. Occasionally, the reel changes and you get a chance of using a summon. It feels like a pity that you can't use special attacks at will sometimes, but generally, the DMW makes combat feel a lot more exciting and can even save your life when things seem to be taking a turn for the worse.

In terms of the storyline, Crisis Core thankfully takes on the depth and complexity of most Final Fantasy plots. For those who have played FFVII before, Crisis Core provides a very powerful backstory (and tells you all about a character who barely appears in FFVII and makes a cameo appearance at the end of the Advent Children). For those who have not, the plot is intriguing and intricate enough to stand on its own. Of course, once you've finished the game, you can't help but be fascinated at how the plot continues in the rest of the Compilation of FFVII series. In a way, Crisis Core then also functions as an excellent way to introduce yourself to the series, and to the Final Fantasy meta-series in general. In fact, with the way Crisis Core ends, you can't help but stop thinking about the story, and finding out more about Final Fantasy VII (if you haven't already played it) is an irresistible next step. But that, of course, is another story altogether so I shall not spoil it any further.

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(PRODUCT)RED is an initiative started by singer Bono (from popular band U2) and Bobby Shriver to raise both awareness as well as funds for Debt AIDS Trade in Africa (DATA) to combat proliferating diseases like AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. It has now become an established brand with partners like Apple, Gap, Motorola and numerous others.

The crux of this whole (PRODUCT)RED idea is for partner companies like Apple and Motorola to design and manufacture their own products, but in a bright crimson shade, thus RED. These products would be manufactured but in controlled quantities, instantly producing items of limited edition. These RED products are unique and are designed to appeal to the masses as something out of the ordinary. These products are then marketed extensively, with emphasis on helping fight AIDS in Africa, and are usually sold at a higher retail price than the same products not of RED origin. A certain percentage of revenue earned from selling these products would be returned to DATA to fund the AIDS campaign in Africa. The first country identified to receive benefits from (PRODUCT)RED is Rwanda.

Thus far, some RED products include the American Express RED Card, the iPod Nano RED and the Motorola RAZR RED. Some of these products are especially popular with consumers as the red hue gives these products a refreshingly new dimension. Also, many perceive the notion of owning something from (PRODUCT)RED as cool and chic, and it counts as doing a good deed as they would be helping the needy in Africa.

However, many people (inclusive of this author) have questioned the efficacy of the (PRODUCT)RED campaign. Sure enough, it has generated enormous volumes of hype and publicity, but is this publicity about the products being launched or for the beneficiaries of this campaign in Africa? Also I personally question the sincerity of partner companies. Is this partnership built purely on altruistic ideals or is there a profit-driven agenda? I believe that they have gained much monetary as well as intangible benefits from (PRODUCT)RED (massive publicity). Although a share of profits are donated, RED products are usually priced much higher than their non-RED counterparts (close to 30% more for the iPod Nano RED).

Despite its various shortcomings, it is impossible and unfair to ignore the level of awareness (PRODUCT)RED has brought about. Beneath the sensationalism, I feel more people now do recognize the plight of Africans. Moreover, I personally applaud the efforts of Bono in advancing the (PRODUCT)RED cause. He has traveled all over Africa, experiencing the suffering of the needy. He funds many events from his own pocket and urges his fans to help in any way they can.

On a lighter note, (PRODUCT)RED has created its own trend and created a following. (PRODUCT)RED is a must-have for the fashion-conscious youths of the generation. For the more pragmatic (let's not use 'old-fashioned' shall we?), (PRODUCT)RED is a waste of hard-earned cash and entirely superfluous. I would feel better donating directly to the Red Cross Society.

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With much anticipation, I installed the PC version of the highly-rated Assassin’s Creed into my computer, after weeks of watching my friends play on the Xbox 360 console. My first impression was that Assassin’s Creed was a very brilliantly-detailed game but the impression I got after hours of game time is that it lacks the muscle in gameplay and content to compete with the very best of its genre.

The storyline revolves around a bartender called Desmond who was kidnapped by a shadowy high-tech organization who forces him to make use of a device called Animus to relive his ancestor’s ‘genetic memory’. Desmond’s ancestor is Altair, a skillful assassin of the time of the Crusades and players will assume control of Altair in the ancient cities of Damascus, Jerusalem and Acre. Altair will receive orders from the leader of his order, the enigmatic Al Mualim and, over the course of the game, plan and escape from numerous assassinations. Along the way, you will occasionally assume control of Desmond during his breaks from the Animus and gradually you will learn about the agenda of the organization and what they intend to do with Desmond’s memories.

In the first city of Damascus, you will undoubtedly have plenty of fun, performing pre-assassination preparatory tasks. Prior to any assassination attempts, you will have to gather some intelligence about the target, location, escape routes and so on. These can be obtained through interrogation of civilians, pickpocketing information and maps or performing tasks for informers in exchange for information. After these are completed, Altair will proceed with the assassination.

This is where the flaws of this game start to be apparent. Despite having an assortment of weapons like the short blade, sword, throwing knifes and a hidden wrist-blade, players will find themselves often using only the wrist-blade for assassination as it guarantees a kill. The assassinations become much of a chore after the first few as majority are routine. Blend into the crowd, gather information, assassinate target, run away. It is horrendously routine and repetitive, so much so that gameplay becomes hopelessly boring.

The most fun and creative aspect of the game is actually the escape from the guards after the assassination. The in-game dynamics and physics are very well modeled; in fact, it is one of the best thus far. The free-running Altair can be commanded to leap across rooftops, run and scale walls, jump from a foothold to another and even dive across merchant stalls in the marketplace. Soldiers will climb after you, throw rocks and shoot arrows at you. Yet even for its most original aspect, Assassin’s Creed falls short again, as there are only three fixed ways to totally elude capture – that is to seek refuge in either a stack of hay, rooftop terrace or to sit innocuously between civilians on a bench.

Fight scenes are decent, with the traditional swordfights being very engaging. However, players might lapse into a repetitive combination as there is a direct counter for sword attacks which could kill enemies in a single hit. Other than this, the set of fighting moves for Altair is really restricted. I often find myself killing the random civilian or guard scattered around in the city just for the sake of picking a fight.

One major inconvenience of Assassin’s Creed is the system requirements. If you thought that Crysis had some killer minimum requirements, Assassin’s Creed’s requirements would be considered mammoth. A dual-core computer setup is mandatory and preferably 512MB of graphic memory coupled with 2GB of RAM memory. All these are the bare minimum for playing and I believe that the demanding requirements would exclude many from enjoying this game.

I would have loved to see elements of Hitman or Crysis in Assassin’s Creed. I would very much prefer to see an improved version of stealth kills, allowing players to execute assassinations in more ways than just the old-fashioned walk-up-and-stab. Perhaps introduce disguises or long-ranged executions or even help of an accomplice. One thing that Assassin’s Creed can adapt from Crysis is the open-ended nature of both the story and environment. Enemies can be dispatched in countless ways and that would definitely add loads of fun to the game.

Do not expect much from Assassin’s Creed. It has a commendable gameplay concept, but the actual gameplay falls rather short of the expectations. This game would provide you maybe two hours of thrilling gameplay before proceeding to bore the living daylights out of you.

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