Ubisoft is testing the waters with a remake of one of Assassin’s Creed most beloved entries, but this stale franchise is too beholden to past glories.

Few games have made an impact through a single trailer like Assassin’s Creed. The CGI clip, shown at E3 2006, promised an evolution of Ubisoft’s Prince Of Persia acrobatics in an open world historical setting. It was a leading showcase of where third person action games were heading at the start of the Xbox 360 era, and graphically it set the world alight.

The original Assassin’s Creed failed to live up to this promise. It was highly repetitive and pretty shoddy despite its visual splendour, while the sci-fi Animus twist largely got in the way of the 12th century hijinks. The series, however, executed on its original promise with Assassin’s Creed 2, which replicated the Italian Renaissance period with a dynamite (and still series’ best) protagonist in Ezio, who led its two sequels Brotherhood and Revelations.

It’s been over 15 years since Assassin’s Creed 2, and while Ubisoft has iterated on the formula with ship battles, role-playing systems, and more varied settings, the series has never achieved the same creative fervor. In many ways, Assassin’s Creed 2 is the series’ equivalent of Activision’s Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, a defining template which was so successful, and worked so well, there’s been little reason to deviate from it since.

Like Call Of Duty, Assassin’s Creed games are now simply part of the furniture in the gaming landscape. They’re consistently solid, and remain a financial bedrock for Ubisoft, but it’s a well-worn, familiar concept which long ago stopped being cutting edge.

Ubisoft’s new strategy for dusting off the cobwebs is trying Capcom’s successful recipe with Resident Evil; in other words, remakes. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced launches in July, but there’s also rumours of additional remakes, including a potential overhaul of the original game from 2007.

The latter, if true, could be an interesting rework because it is a barely playable relic at this point, but based on the conservative improvements seen in the Black Flag Resynced trailer, we don’t have much faith that Ubisoft is looking to meaningfully upgrade anything beyond the obvious.

There are improved visuals, talk of refreshed combat, new parkour animations, and better tailing missions, but you’re still gallivanting through the same V-shaped trees and waiting to parry enemies in an awkward circle.

It’s perhaps unfair to expect a substantial series’ overhaul in a remake, but going back to the bones of a 13 year old game – which doesn’t feel too divorced from last year’s Assassin’s Creed Shadows in terms of gameplay – only reinforces how stagnant and dry the entire series has become.

When you compare it to the player choice seen in Baldur’s Gate 3 or the immersive, layered systems in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Assassin’s Creed feels dated and lifeless.

Ubisoft has little incentive, at least financially, to change anything at this stage but Assassin’s Creed is in dire need of a creative uproot if it wants to continue for the next decade.

Movement-wise, it needs to compete with the slick transitions in Insomniac’s Spider-Man. It could also take some structural cues from Io Interactive’s Hitman, where the sandbox levels are far more dense with assassination opportunities and reactive systems in enclosed scenarios.

Assassin’s Creed games aren’t known for their bold narratives, but maybe a radical, unexpected shift in setting could spark some creative verve. Go more contemporary with a Second World War spy slant, or lean into the sci-fi premise and shoot forwards in time instead. Fundamentally, surprise people with something fresh beyond the swords and sandals.

Ubisoft is promising a ‘very different type of Assassin’s Creed game’ for its next mainline title, codenamed Hexe, which will be a ‘darker, narrative-driven’ experience. It remains to be seen what that means exactly, but based on the studio’s track record over the past decade, it’s hard to imagine it isn’t just another production line sequel with a setting swap.

Assassin’s Creed is one of the biggest franchises in gaming, and was once a creative force in the realm of third person action games, but Ubisoft has allowed it to coast into an outdated and predictable mould. It’s about time it stopped dredging up the past, and gave players an exciting, rejuvenated reason to be excited about its future.

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Diego Simeone was unhappy with Arsenal’s penalty decision after Atletico Madrid’s 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday night.

Viktor Gyokeres put Arsenal in front from the penalty spot late in the first half after he was barged over in the box by Atletico centre-back David Hancko.

Atletico were then awarded a penalty of their own in the second half after the ball struck Ben White’s hand from Marcos Llorente’s shot, and Julian Alvarez stepped up to equalise for Simeone’s side.

Arsenal felt they had a second penalty when Hancko mistimed an interception and stood on Eberechi Eze’s foot, however, Dutch referee Danny Makkelie reversed his initial decision after watching several replays on the VAR screen.

When asked about Gyokeres’ penalty decision in the first half, Simeone said: ‘In my opinion, the first penalty involved contact from behind, the player anticipated the contact and went down.

‘In Champions League semi-finals, you need a penalty that is truly a penalty.

‘The referee understood that it was. On the other occasion, thanks to VAR, he understood that it was a penalty because initially it wasn’t a handball, and then, in the second instance, also thanks to VAR, it wasn’t a penalty.

‘VAR sometimes gives you the benefit of the doubt and sometimes it takes it away.’

Arteta, meanwhile, admitted Arsenal were ‘fuming’ with the decision to overturn Eze’s penalty claim in the second half.

‘The decision and then what happens for a period of time. The referee has to watch it 13 times, it’s clearer than that,’ Arteta said.

‘It’s impossible, and yeah, we are all fuming about it.

Asked if Atletico’s supporters and animated coaching staff had an impact on the decision, Arteta replied: ‘That has nothing to do with that.

‘I’m sure they are very well aware of what the reaction is going to be. It’s normal, that reaction, we need to apply the rules.

‘The same thing that I’m saying, that they applied the rules on Ben White’s penalty, that is difficult to accept, but it is a penalty with a handbook.

‘And what they said at the beginning of the season, Ebs is a clear and very obvious penalty. That’s it.’

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Conversations with the monarch are normally kept private, but the president told a white-tie state banquet: “We have militarily defeated that particular opponent, and we’re never going to let that opponent ever – Charles agrees with me, even more than I do – we’re never going to let that opponent have a nuclear weapon.”

Stephen Phillips has been a resident of Navigation Road for more than 20 years but says the outdoor space he shares with other residents has “never looked this bad”.

The property’s front gardens are overgrown, he said, with knee-high weeds and shrubbery, despite some residents paying a service charge for the council to maintain the space.

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Speaking about this, Stephen said: “Over the past couple of years, the standard of upkeep has noticeably declined.”

Stephen Phillips said the weeds have not been maintained by the council since late last year (Image: Newsquest)

He added: “The condition of these spaces has now reached a point where they are becoming an eyesore for residents.

“On Navigation Road, for example, ivy is left to grow unchecked up the walls year after year.

“The grass is often left to grow excessively long before being cut, and when it is eventually maintained, the result is untidy, with cuttings left scattered across footpaths.

“These are not cleared away, leading to grass being walked into nearby flats.”

The grass is left to grow “excessively” long before being cut in areas around Walmgate, Stephen said (Image: Supplied)

Stephen said the council had not cut the communal grass areas at the front and back of his block of flats since late last year.

He said: “I have ongoing concerns about the poor maintenance of public garden areas in York, particularly in the Walmgate area.

“There is a significant issue with weeds. They are growing up to window frames and pushing through cracks in pavements, further contributing to the neglected appearance of the area.

“This situation is disappointing and impacts the overall environment and quality of life for residents.

“I would appreciate it if the council could address these issues and provide information on how and when regular maintenance will be improved.”

City of York Council has been approached for comment and we’ll add it here when we hear back.

The Thursday letters page is frustrated at an increasingly online-only future for digital game downloads, as a reader gets hold of Saros a day early.

Games Inbox is a collection of our readers’ letters, comments, and opinions. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk

New hero
I see that Insomanic are talking about showing off more of Marvel’s Wolverine ‘this spring’. But does that mean just the usual not-E3 event, which Sony has taken to doing in late May, which is still technically spring, or do they mean a separate event before that?

I know no-one knows but I would be happy if it got its own one because not only do I want to know more about the game but I kind of want to get it out of the way so Sony can announce more new stuff and show off Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.

I’m not convinced that Wolverine is going to be as good or as popular as Spider-Man 2. For a start Wolverine doesn’t have any cool movement system of his own, like web-swinging, and he doesn’t have the same kind of rogue’s gallery as Spidey. I also think the game is going to be too gory for casual gamers, especially as giant robots and magic powers don’t really mix with tons of blood and guts.

Maybe I’m wrong, because I’ve never read any of the comics, but I’m just not sure there’s much he can really do that would be all that interesting for a video game. Especially as you know he can’t be killed.
Polar

Specialist audience
I’m not sure I really understand who the Steam Machine is for. If you’re a Steam fan already then you’ve got a PC and don’t need a console version of one, especially as it likely won’t even be that powerful.

So it’s for people that want a gaming PC but haven’t got one, but do have £600+ hanging around that they’re willing to spend on one. That doesn’t sound like it’d be a very big group of people to me.

It’s no skin off my back what they do but whenever there’s a flop that always means taking money away from something else to make up for it. I don’t want Steam sales to suck for the next couple of years or Half-Life 3 to get cancelled after all.
Uther

Different games
I was dismayed to read on the Eurogamer site that a slew of movies from the Nintendo Cinematic Universe are in the pipeline. While intrigued at the prospect of a live action Metroid, we can be sure that these movies will be more generic and critically slated than even those of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Worse, they’ll make a ton of money for Nintendo.

What’s good for Nintendo isn’t necessarily good for gaming. With the challenges the video game industry faces, there’ll be a strong temptation to pivot the business further in this direction and focus on monetising their IP in ways unrelated to actual video games, including theme parks, merchandise, shops, and so forth.

It may have been better for gamers if the Super Mario Galaxy movie had bombed.
Ciara
PS: Despite the trigger warning I really thought the news about XCOM would be game related, a remaster or something. I would say then that your warning was insufficient. Admittedly, I didn’t get on with the Marvel spin-off at all. Apart from anything else, too much dialogue to trawl though. I did at least purchase it.

GC: It was game related, just not video games. A Donkey Kong spin-off movie was mooted some time ago; it’s why he’s only a cameo in the Galaxy movie.

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In the wild
Just scooped up Saros, from CeX of all places, where every title is second-hand and it’s literally impossible to even consider buying a game before it releases. Unlike Amazon or even GAME, you can’t think of pre-ordering any game, you need to wait until it arrives at the store. But somehow it was sitting in a store in Essex, of all places. Two copies were available. I picked up the first copy and before you know it, it’s sold out immediately. Used two vouchers to reduce the cost and I only had to pay £28.95. £34 shaved off the total price.

Speaking of Saros, GC’s review already sold me on the game, but the talk of difficulty modifiers sealed it for me. The fact is that as brilliant as Returnal is, the fact is that the game has a low completion rate unfortunately. At least on PlayStation 5. I can’t speak for PC players. But the fact that Housemarque took the feedback on board and made changes is a promising sign.

Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely know I’ll be slaughtered time and time again when playing this. Every player will be eventually. But it’s a boon when a title like Hades and Hades 2 don’t offer traditional difficulty settings, but instead offer alternatives to make the difficulty manageable, which I absolutely wish Black Myth: Wukong took in stride. Wukong needed difficulty settings if it wanted to compare itself to God Of War, which always has had difficulty settings. But Wukong didn’t even feature a shield, parry or even block. Even Saros has a shield for defence. Lies Of P has a parry system. Wukong has a skill tied to parrying, which is just very questionable.

Elden Ring used the open world to make traversing The Lands Between a more enjoyable experience. If you found yourself under-levelled for an area, explore elsewhere and come back more equipped. I don’t ask to be mollycoddled by the developers when it comes to such action titles, though I always do appreciate it greatly. But it absolutely is titles such as Hades, Elden Ring, and Saros that I appreciate for their approach to difficulty.

Not every gamer has the time to spend hours on bosses or difficult enemies. So I can safely say that I am looking very forward to Saros and I hope it is easier than Returnal. Because I would like to see Arjun Devraj’s story through to the end and appreciate the world of Carcosa, without giving up in frustration. Because a developer like Housemarque deserves that opportunity.

As for what is coming throughout May, when it comes to gaming releases, I’m not entirely sold on 007 First Light and Lego Batman: Legacy Of The Dark Knight. As far as mainstream titles are concerned I’ll be waiting for the reviews, because Crimson Desert taught me to do so.
Shahzaib Sadiq

Take two games
Rockstar Games returning to some of their older franchises is interesting but a) I don’t really believe them and b) I don’t think a lot of them really hold up anymore. L.A. Noire was sold on its graphics when it first came out and nowadays I don’t think there’s any way to update it without totally changing the gameplay. More realistic looking faces just isn’t enough.

What I’d much prefer is if Rockstar was going to make new IP instead. Considering the position they’re in they haven’t used the freedom they have almost at all. There is literally nothing they could want to do next that Take-Two wouldn’t agree to, and yet I have a nasty feeling the only thing they’ll make next is Red Dead Redemption 3.
Campbell

Live service lite
Apparently the PlayStation DRM thing is to close an exploit where people were buying games digitally, taking their console offline and then refunding the game (or something along those lines). Basically, people were abusing the returns system to play a game for free. The DRM is allegedly time-limited and lifts after the return window is closed. Not elegant, but I guess people can’t have nice things.

I agree with the article on PlayStation’s live service approach, i.e. that they basically have live service lite games in their catalogue now, that were ostensibly single-player games, that are more successful than their targeted efforts. I’d include things like Ghost Of Yōtei in that, which has had multiple large content updates to add new multiplayer options since launch.

It seems like a less risky approach and had they tested the waters on small-scale multiplayer modes for The Last Of Us and God Of War maybe they’d have had something to show for the effort expended, instead of cumulative decades of work going in the bin. Going straight to ‘This is the new Star Wars and will make us billions’ was madness. Ho hum, I’m sure they’ve learned their lesson though…
Magnumstache

Culture bomb
That Take-Two boss has always seemed like he knows what’s going on but he’s definitely right when it comes to people taking time off for GTA 6. We’ve had a few people talking about it lately, but that game is going to be like a bomb going off in pop culture. Not only are you going to hear about it everywhere but everyone’s going to be talking about it all the time.

I don’t think movies really have that kind of impact nowadays, but GTA 6 will absolutely be the one thing everyone will be talking about this winter and for months and months afterwards.
Scooter

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Always online
I’m on my second PlayStation 5. I got a disc version 18 months after it launched but I had to travel for my job for most of 2024, so I sold it and got a digital version so that I wouldn’t have to carry discs with me.

None of the games will work if I’m not connected to the internet when I power it on. They require this check a lot more often than every 30 days.

Sony customer service told me that I need to nominate it as my main console. The way they told me to do this was by reading the serial number under my first PlayStation 4, which I sold to get a PS4 Pro years before.

The thing is, I had a small handful of digital games on my disc PlayStation 5 and never had this issue.

It feels like Sony think I’ve shared my account password with someone else to use my digital library. Despite never having had more than one PlayStation console at any one time. Another factor may be that I’ve never registered a card on my PlayStation account, only ever redeem gift cards. So there is nothing like ID attached to it.

It isn’t fun. I exclusively connect to the internet via my phone’s hot spot now, in case my internet connection goes wonky and I won’t be able to play any of the games I paid for fair and square.
Tom Twice

GC: It’s bad and we fear it’s going to get worse over time, for all consoles, as companies try to squeeze out both physical games and any possibility of piracy. The likelihood that Sony, or anyone else, will care about an edge case like this is sadly quite low.

Inbox also-rans
I see Marathon’s player numbers are getting close to under 10,000. That is not good. I really don’t think Bungie is going to last the year at this rate. Should’ve made a game with a story instead.
Casper

I was convinced that there was an Umbrella reference in Dino Crisis, on one of the boxes or something, but now I can’t find any evidence of it. Mandela effect?
Keyts

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Labor prosecutors in Brazil filed a lawsuit Wednesday against meatpacking giant JBS, accusing the company of buying cattle from farms where workers were held in slavery-like conditions.

The civil action suit before a labor court in the northern Brazilian state of Para seeks nearly 119 million reais (about $24 million) in compensation, an amount prosecutors say reflects the total value of transactions between JBS and the suppliers.

According to the filing, 53 workers were rescued from properties owned by seven ranchers who supplied the meatpacking company between 2014 and 2025. Those employers were listed in Brazil’s official public registry of companies found to have subjected workers to conditions that are similar to slavery, prosecutors said.

JBS showed “a systematic pattern of negligence,” the prosecutors said. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Brazil is the world’s largest beef producer, accounting for about 20% of global production. The South American nation recently surpassed the United States, which now accounts for about 19% of the global beef production, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

A statement from Brazil’s labor prosecutors noted that cattle ranching accounts for the highest number of rescued workers nationwide and has also been a major driver of deforestation in the Amazon. Para state is part of the Amazon region.

In March, the Office of the United States Trade Representative included Brazil on a list of 60 countries under investigation for forced labor.

JBS is the world’s largest meatpacking company, with a market capitalization of about $17 billion. It operates plants in the U.S., including in Colorado, where workers staged a three-week strike earlier this year.

___

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Three family members were charged for allegedly assaulting a journalist who writes for a conservative organization during a protest against immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota, according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday.

Christopher and DeYanna Ostroushko and their daughter, Paige, were each indicted by a federal grand jury. Christopher and Paige will also be charged with interfering with a federally protected activity.

Christopher Ostroushko also faces state charges of misdemeanor assault, according to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.

Community members have continued to protest in opposition to immigration enforcement efforts by President Donald Trump’s administration in the weeks since federal officers’ presence in the Twin Cities was dramatically scaled back. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has used the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building at Fort Snelling as a short-term holding facility, and the area out front has become a hub of anti-ICE activity.

Widely shared video taken by Turning Point USA contributor Savanah Hernandez outside the Whipple building on April 11 begins with Paige blowing a whistle close to Hernandez’s face. Video from other vantage points shows Hernandez with her hand protecting her face, sometimes pushing back against Paige. The two then tussle.

Hernandez says, “Get away from me.”

Paige pushes Hernandez, who falls back against a fence.

In the moments after, DeYanna and Christopher separately confront Hernandez, as does Paige again.

Christopher Ostroushko “forcefully shoved the victim in the back, head first to the ground,” the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office said in its statement that there was insufficient evidence to bring state charges against the others involved.

Throughout, others on the scene tried to de-escalate and separate them.

After the April 11 incident, Hernandez said her glasses were broken, she was concussed with a sore neck and back, and her legs were scraped, according to posts on the social platform X. She wrote that she was talking with police about pressing charges.

James Cook, an attorney representing the family, said the videos that have circulated don’t show everything, and he believes the family will be able to provide a “vigorous defense.”

“We think that there’s a lot of things in the videos that provide a means to exonerate,” he said.

The family was regular protesters at the Whipple building to provide “a voice and a demonstration against Metro Surge,” Cook said. He added the Ostroushkos have since been threatened online, and DeYanna and Christopher have both lost their jobs.

“They wish they could turn back the clock,” Cook said. “They wish that things didn’t turn out how they did.”

The Ostroushkos were summoned to appear before a federal judge on May 12.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement Wednesday that the Department of Justice will always “punish unhinged acts of political violence.”

“Hernandez was allegedly surrounded, physically assaulted, and shoved to the ground — simply because she was identified by the defendants as a conservative journalist,” Blanche said. “That is NOT ‘peaceful protest.’”

Hernandez said in a post that she was “incredibly grateful to see our justice system at work.” Hernandez did not immediately reply to a request for comment via email or direct message.

ITV’s new crime drama A Taste For Murder made its debut on Monday (April 29) night, but some viewers were left divided

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A Taste For Murder viewers were swift to identify a problem just minutes into the new series.

The fresh ITV crime drama, adapted from Matt Baker’s novel of the same name, premiered on Monday (April 29) evening, yet audiences complained that the plot was “predictable”.

The programme centres on unsuspecting Met police detective DCI Joe Mottram (Warren Brown), who is grappling with his own anguish following the unexpected death of his wife, Sofia.

Travelling to Italy with his daughter Angelica to see his in-laws, he seeks to work through his bereavement but is confronted instead with a succession of baffling cases.

While trying to mend fractured family relationships with his in-laws Chef Gennaro and Elena Da Vinale, who operate a coastal restaurant, Joe becomes embroiled when his nephew and sous-chef Luca is detained for murder after a local man’s body is discovered on the beach, reports the Mirror.

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Participating in the inquiry, Joe conflicts with local Inspector Lara Sarrancino, although the duo ultimately establish a hesitant partnership to uncover the truth behind the mysterious crimes plaguing the apparently perfect island.

Nevertheless, within minutes of the programme beginning, viewers at home were quick to share their responses as they claimed that the storyline was “predictable.”

One viewer posted on X: “Single parent, stroppy teenager. A bit predictable so far. #atasteformurder.”

Another commented: “#atasteformurder Oh god, is it one of those that we will be able to write the script to ourselves.” A third commented: “Always has to be a stroppy teen child in everything #ATasteforMurder.”

A fourth remarked: “So single dad will meet a single female police detective and will hate each other at first but eventually fall in love. #atasteformurder.”

Nevertheless, other viewers appear to be thoroughly enjoying the programme, with one stating: “I am hooked! I really enjoyed Episodes 2 and 3. The family drama is just as good as the mystery. Great show! Love the story line and characters!!”

Another enthused: “I absolutely LOVED the first season! Please renew for a second season!!!”

Meanwhile, another viewer added: “LOVE the episodes so far. Beautifully filmed, fantastically acted, tight plot twists. Please make Season 2 (at least!).”

You can catch up on A Taste for Murder on ITVX