Assassin's Creed Brotherhood

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Assassin's Creed Brotherhood continues the story of Ezio Auditore da Firenze, as he seeks to restore the Assassin order and bring down the Borgia family in Rome. The game introduces a multiplayer mode, allowing players to compete in assassination-based challenges. Players can also recruit and train assassins to aid them in their quest, and rebuild the Brotherhood's headquarters in Rome.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 7,170 reviews

story1,170 positive mentions

stability138 negative mentions

story
4,068 mentions
29 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The story of "Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" continues directly from "Assassin's Creed II," following Ezio Auditore as he battles the Borgia family in Renaissance Rome. While the narrative is engaging and features strong character development, many players feel it lacks the depth and impact of its predecessor, often citing a reliance on repetitive missions and a somewhat rushed conclusion. Despite these criticisms, the game is praised for its rich historical context and the introduction of the Brotherhood mechanic, which allows players to recruit and manage assassins, adding a strategic layer to the gameplay.
- “Good story, nice continuation to Ezio's story after AC2.”
- “The story is filled with shocking twists and turns, like a rollercoaster ride of emotions.”
- “The game seamlessly continues the story of Ezio Auditore as he builds and leads a brotherhood of assassins in his quest for vengeance against the Templar order.”
- “The story is pretty lame; it has a lot of classic Ubisoft padding, and as a result, the game feels bloated at times. Ezio is a great protagonist, but his character arc was nicely concluded by the end of the previous game, so there's not much room for development.”
- “The story seems forced; you don't even get to 'hate' the villains. The ending is rushed, and there is too much to do for nothing, so the only incentive to collect everything or do the guild quests is to silence the obsessive completionist within you.”
- “The main story is so forgettable and uneventful compared to AC II. The story is literally my favorite after AC II; the only problem is with the rushed ending in modern day, so because of that, it's 8.5/10.”
gameplay
1,270 mentions
33 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" is largely an evolution of its predecessor, "Assassin's Creed II," featuring refined mechanics, improved combat, and the introduction of the "brotherhood" system that allows players to recruit and manage assassins. While many players appreciate the fluid parkour and combat systems, some criticize the repetitive mission design and the frustrating "full synchronization" mechanic that imposes specific conditions for mission completion. Overall, the game is praised for its engaging gameplay and rich historical setting, though it retains some of the series' traditional flaws.
- “Good gameplay, the parkour is nice, the combat is miles better than AC2 (for me at least) and killstreaks are fun.”
- “The added game mechanics are a nice addition and make the gameplay way more exciting than AC2.”
- “The gameplay is very fun and simple, and the graphics are okay.”
- “The full synchronization mechanic is really bad and forces you to play a certain way instead of how you want, not get hit by some BS mechanics (looking at you tank level)/not take damage (which is fun when Ezio decides not to grab a ledge you jumped to so you take damage and fail the full sync), or complete something in a time limit (these time limits can vary between easy to ridiculous and make no sense why they set that time).”
- “The gameplay started to feel repetitive after a while, with too many missions involving tailing or eavesdropping.”
- “The mechanics added to this installment fall into one of two categories: tools that just make the game directly easier, and entire mini-games totally separate from the main game.”
graphics
606 mentions
41 % positive mentions
55 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Assassin's Creed Brotherhood" are generally praised as a significant improvement over its predecessor, "Assassin's Creed II," with many reviewers noting the enhanced detail, vibrant colors, and overall visual fidelity that still holds up well for a game released in 2010. While some players acknowledge that the graphics may appear dated compared to modern standards, they appreciate the game's artistic style and the immersive recreation of Renaissance Rome. However, technical issues such as frame drops and graphical glitches have been reported, particularly on PC, which can detract from the experience.
- “Visually, Assassin's Creed Brotherhood is a feast for the senses, boasting breathtaking graphics and meticulous attention to detail.”
- “The graphics are stunning, the improvement between this and the version I have of AC2 is insane, it's a nice continuation to Ezio's story.”
- “The graphics have been seriously upgraded since AC2, with excellent character models and color palettes.”
- “Another disappointing aspect was the graphics.”
- “The graphics have not aged well.”
- “The graphics are starting to be tolerable since this game in the series.”
music
242 mentions
52 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The music in "Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" is generally praised for its immersive and atmospheric qualities, with many reviewers highlighting the exceptional soundtrack composed by Jesper Kyd. While some fans feel it doesn't quite reach the heights of its predecessor, "Assassin's Creed II," the blend of new and reused tracks effectively enhances the game's setting and emotional moments. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant asset to the game's experience, contributing to its rich historical ambiance.
- “The immersive soundtrack in Brotherhood enhances the game's atmosphere, blending renaissance-inspired compositions with dynamic action themes.”
- “The evocative music enhances the emotional impact of key moments, creating an unforgettable gaming experience.”
- “The soundtrack reuses some of the music from AC II and adds plenty of new tracks that are as good, if not better.”
- “The music has always been important in AC games, especially when we started with Ezio’s adventures. Every tune fits perfectly the diverse situations that we face in every mission, but in my opinion, this game has the weakest soundtrack from the series. Save for some tracks, it is quite repetitive.”
- “The soundtrack just didn't hit for me like it did in the last game. Even with the hard similarity, aside from a few notable pieces that popped up through the game, for the most part, it wasn't boring but it was overused and repetitive.”
- “This game is good but sadly I could not experience it fully... the environment, the background music during missions... all I have to focus on is the ticking time counter.”
stability
146 mentions
5 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
95 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous players reporting a plethora of bugs and glitches that significantly detract from the experience. While some users note that these issues can be minor or occasional, many others describe the game as "unplayable" due to game-breaking bugs, particularly during critical missions. Overall, the consensus is that the game suffers from severe stability problems, especially on PC, making it a frustrating experience for many players.
- “It's the best Assassin's Creed game in the franchise, runs great on PC, highly recommend.”
- “Best Assassin's Creed game out there, massive world to explore, no glitches and has a perfect storyline.”
- “Runs great on recent hardware and with high FPS even at 1440p/ultrawide.”
- “Unfortunately, the game is so buggy that it is unplayable.”
- “The amount of glitches and general issues with the game is bad.”
- “This game is glitchy, buggy, and runs like garbage, even on machines that exceed its meager system requirements.”
grinding
91 mentions
3 % positive mentions
15 % neutral mentions
81 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, particularly in side missions and synchronization challenges. While some appreciate the expansive world and the opportunity for exploration, others feel that the excessive grinding detracts from the overall enjoyment, often leading to frustration with long, drawn-out tasks and unskippable cutscenes. Overall, players suggest that a significant time investment is required to fully engage with the game, making it feel like a grind for completionists.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The combat is really easy in this game, but at least it's not tedious like in AC 2.”
- “A bit grindy sometimes.”
- “The combat is very simple and easy; just tap some buttons, the exploration is a bit tedious, and side quests are boring.”
- “The faction challenge system is interesting, but grinding them is an absolute chore.”
- “The chase quests and jump puzzles were pretty tedious, and the story was dull compared with AC2.”
optimization
89 mentions
21 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
46 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with players reporting significant issues such as stuttering, frame rate drops, and poor performance on modern systems. Many users noted that the game struggles to maintain a smooth experience, often requiring manual adjustments to CPU affinity or settings to mitigate these problems. Overall, while the gameplay and graphics are appreciated, the technical shortcomings severely detract from the overall experience, leading to a consensus that the PC port is poorly optimized.
- “To summarize, AC: Brotherhood is one of the best AC games ever, with great optimization and even better graphics fidelity.”
- “Title beautifully optimized, even for lower performance machines - and even that does not take away from the beauty of the graphics in it.”
- “For me, it was a great title that fixed most of the issues, like more challenging tower climbing, better combat and economy system, maps with collectibles, and mostly optimization.”
- “The game can't even run a smooth 60 fps anyway... what with all the stuttering that tends to go on.”
- “Not a single performance fix works with this abomination of a PC port.”
- “The game is not properly optimized for Windows 10 and modern systems.”
atmosphere
65 mentions
49 % positive mentions
46 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" is widely praised for its immersive depiction of Renaissance Rome, enhanced by a captivating soundtrack that complements the vibrant city life. Reviewers highlight the game's stunning visuals, dynamic day-night cycle, and the rich historical ambiance, although some feel it lacks the depth and exploration of its predecessor, "Assassin's Creed II." Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a significant strength, contributing to a compelling and engaging experience.
- “The city comes alive with its diverse districts, architectural marvels, and dynamic day-night cycle, creating an immersive and atmospheric backdrop for Ezio's adventures.”
- “The graphics and sound design were also top-notch, bringing the city of Rome to life with stunning detail and atmospheric music.”
- “Enchanting music, consuming atmosphere, a wonderful story, and a blitz of nearly perfect mechanics show themselves off with a surprising amount of polish.”
- “Set in Renaissance Rome almost exclusively, I found I missed different cities, atmospheres, etc. from the previous game set in different Italian cities.”
- “I also felt the game didn't have the same atmosphere and character as the previous two games, and exploring Rome wasn't as much fun with there being so much area to cover and so many things to do all at once.”
- “The game also lacks the atmosphere and details of the previous games; it feels like a copy-paste of AC2 and somehow the essence got lost.”
replayability
55 mentions
35 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed, with some players praising its high replay value due to optional missions and multiplayer modes, while others find limited replayability in the single-player campaign. Features like synchronization challenges and mission replayability enhance the experience for completionists, but some feel that the core gameplay lacks the depth needed for repeated playthroughs. While many enjoy revisiting the game, opinions vary on its long-term appeal.
- “This mode adds significant replay value and offers a fresh experience distinct from the single-player campaign.”
- “I thought the full-sync / half-sync mission completion was a genius way to encourage the replayability of every mission and side quests.”
- “Riding through town, fast-travel points within the city, kill streaks, brutal new animations and mission-replayability are some of its many improvements, fixing a few negativities I found in the previous game.”
- “Final verdict: good to play as a continuation of AC2, but don't see much replayability on its own.”
- “The feature of synchronization seems to be a tedious attempt at offering replay value.”
- “This and the repetitive missions killed most of the replay value.”
humor
44 mentions
95 % positive mentions
2 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding it genuinely funny due to clever dialogue and amusing character interactions, while others feel that certain jokes fall flat or become repetitive. The game's art style and quirky bugs also contribute to its comedic moments, though long cutscenes can detract from the overall experience. Overall, while there are highlights of humor, opinions vary on its consistency and effectiveness throughout the game.
- “You can also recruit junior assassins and have them kill whoever you don't feel like killing yourself, which is pretty funny.”
- “It's brilliant and the dialogue between characters is brilliant and had me genuinely laughing at parts.”
- “There's a good amount of humor in it too, which saves it from being yet another game about a man with facial hair frowning from a distance.”
- “There's lots of banter which is not funny at all, and the whiny guy becomes annoying real fast.”
emotional
32 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" is highlighted by its well-developed characters and poignant moments, particularly in Ezio's journey, which evokes a deep connection with players. While some found the emotional impact less profound than in previous titles, the game's evocative music and key story moments still resonate strongly, leading to heartfelt reactions. Overall, the blend of action, strategy, and emotional depth creates a memorable experience, though some players felt the romance elements were diluted by Ezio's flirtations.
- “Some moments from the story, to be honest, felt heartbreaking when [spoiler] villa is attacked by Cesare and in that mission ... he killed Mario for real. I loved that guy, why???”
- “The evocative music enhances the emotional impact of key moments, creating an unforgettable gaming experience.”
- “The characters are well-developed and memorable, with Ezio's journey taking on new emotional depth as he grapples with his own mortality and the weight of his responsibilities as a leader.”
character development
23 mentions
30 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is notably strong, particularly with Ezio, whose transformation from a vengeful assassin to a wise mentor is well-explored and engaging. While the main narrative and character arcs are compelling, some side characters lack depth, leaving their stories feeling incomplete. Overall, the game successfully enhances character development compared to newer installments, maintaining player interest throughout.
- “The game delves deeper into Ezio's character, exploring his growth from a vengeful assassin to a wise mentor.”
- “Ezio's continued story is engaging and well-told, with strong character development and historical intrigue.”
- “It was a well-made compelling experience with memorable character development arcs.”
- “He seriously has the worst character development out of any character I've seen in AC.”
- “However, horse riding is clunky, parkour can be miserable, and absolutely no character development or arcs to witness.”
- “My only gripe is lack of character development for side characters later in the game - Claudia, Maria, and Leonardo all suffer from this, leaving their stories a bit incomplete.”
monetization
8 mentions
13 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
88 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is criticized as a blatant cash grab, with players feeling that it prioritizes profit over quality storytelling and gameplay. Many reviews highlight the presence of microtransactions and a lack of innovation in subsequent titles, suggesting that the series has suffered from rushed releases and numerous bugs as a result of this focus on monetization.
- “This game will help you remember how it was to play a game with good storytelling without endless grind or microtransactions.”
- “Proving that this specific game was a cash grab.”
- “Pure crystallized cash grab.”
- “Sadly after playing all AC titles after this, they all suffered greatly from the cash grab syndrome, being released with numerous bugs, glitches, and sound desync issues, otherwise known as rush jobs.”