Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia

48%
Game Brain Score Based on 551 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia Game Cover
Though it doesn't stand up to the franchise's grander releases, Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia is a fun and thoughtful stealth experience, easily the best to bear the Chronicles name.
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Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia is a 2.5D stealth-action game set in 1918. Players control Anastasia, a Russian Assassin, as she uncovers secrets and navigates through Tsarist Russia. The game features fast-paced combat, parkour, and stealth mechanics in a setting inspired by traditional Russian art.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station Vita
  • Uplay
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

48%
Audience ScoreBased on 551 reviews
story82 positive mentions
stability16 negative mentions
  • The game features a compelling story and engaging characters, particularly Nikolai Orelov and Anastasia.
  • The art style is unique and visually striking, reminiscent of Soviet propaganda, which enhances the atmosphere.
  • The introduction of new gadgets and mechanics, such as sniper sections and the use of rifles, adds variety to the gameplay.
  • The gameplay is excessively difficult, often requiring pixel-perfect timing and leading to frustrating trial-and-error experiences.
  • Controls are clunky and unresponsive, making it hard to navigate and execute actions smoothly.
  • Many levels feel overly scripted, leaving little room for player creativity and resulting in frequent instant failures.
  • story241 mentions

    The story of "Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia" is often regarded as the most engaging of the trilogy, featuring well-developed characters like Nikolai Orelov and Anastasia Romanov, and a plot that attempts to diverge from the typical templar-assassin conflict. However, many players feel that the narrative is undermined by frustrating gameplay mechanics and a lack of connection to the previous installments, leading to a mixed reception where the story is appreciated but overshadowed by gameplay issues. Overall, while the story has its merits, it is often recommended to experience it through other means, such as watching a summary online, due to the challenging gameplay.

    • “The story is a well-written one and will certainly keep you interested from start to finish.”
    • “Nikolai and Anastasia's story is genuinely gripping--and most importantly, it foregoes the common AC trope of sending you after a set number of assassination targets in a linear fashion until the inevitable confrontation with another generic evil villain.”
    • “What Ubisoft mucked up in terms of story in the previous two (especially India) they did quite well here.”
    • “As before, despite being called a 'trilogy', the story connections between the games are very loose as all they share is the hunt for the same macguffin (a small box, initially given to Shao Jun by fan favorite Ezio Auditore da Firenze).”
    • “It felt like they ran out of ideas for the story and just wanted to wrap up the series as quickly as possible.”
    • “Overall, just watch the story on YouTube.”
  • gameplay186 mentions

    The gameplay in "Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia" has received mixed to negative feedback, with many players finding it frustratingly difficult and plagued by inconsistent mechanics and controls. While some appreciated the introduction of new weapons and character dynamics, the overall experience is marred by strict timing challenges, bugs, and a lack of improvement over previous installments, leading to a sense of trial and error rather than rewarding gameplay. Despite a compelling story and artistic elements, the gameplay often detracts from the overall enjoyment, making it hard to recommend for those sensitive to challenging mechanics.

    • “While previous installments featured weapons like daggers and chakrams tailored to each setting, this installment introduces new equipment such as rifles and mechanical wrenches, as well as sniper points, providing a fresh feel not seen in previous Assassin's Creed games.”
    • “The world and gameplay within all have a strong oppressive feeling to them which goes really well with the plot; you're on the run, everyone has betrayed you, the whole game is a mad dash to escape Russia as everything goes to hell.”
    • “The gameplay is a relentless test of skill and patience, with a frustratingly unforgiving health system that'll have you on the edge of your seat with every step.”
    • “But as the predetermined path can be extremely frustrating to follow due to unnecessarily strict timing, bad controls or the usual bugs (wrong hitboxes, sightlines, cover that doesn’t prevent bullets, etc.), Chronicles: Russia easily earns the title of worst game in the trilogy when it comes to gameplay, offering not a single improvement but rather doubling down on previous mistakes instead.”
    • “But other than that, gameplay is such a horrible frustrating mess that I cannot with sane mind recommend this monstrosity to anyone.”
  • graphics96 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the unique art style and beautiful visuals, particularly the 2.5D layout and comic book aesthetic. However, some players noted that the graphics engine feels outdated and criticized the execution, stating that while the visuals are appealing, they do not compensate for gameplay flaws and difficulty. Overall, the art style is appreciated, but there are concerns about the graphics not meeting modern standards.

    • “The graphics are inspired by the duality of the events (thus expect lots of red and grey) which give the title a beautiful atmosphere; the graphics are also complemented by the music score.”
    • “The stealth is good and has been polished, the combat is great and also has been polished and the graphics are beautiful again.”
    • “Absolutely brilliant game, the art style was fantastic, some later levels were a little frustrating and difficult but on the whole, excellent game.”
    • “Game tries to make you forget all the mistakes it has with that art style and shady graphics.”
    • “There are only 2 major criticisms I have, apart from the poor graphics effort: 1) no saving whenever you want, which should be possible given the difficulty (expect to start quite a few times from certain checkpoints).”
    • “Graphics: 4/10”
  • music22 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and complement the graphics, while others criticize it for being mismatched with the game's tone. Many players appreciate the powerful and evocative score, particularly in relation to the story's themes, but there are also complaints about certain tracks being unsuitable for the game's context. Overall, the music is highlighted as one of the stronger aspects of the game, despite some dissenting opinions.

    • “The graphics are inspired by the duality of the events (thus expect lots of red and grey) which give the title a beautiful atmosphere; the graphics are also complemented by the music score.”
    • “The music sounds very powerful, like it’s ready to take you down.”
    • “The grey and bleak backgrounds and the depressing music really set the tone of a man trying to protect the people he loves.”
    • “The soundtrack is horrible and doesn't go with the game's atmosphere and different situations.”
    • “Only good thing I can say about the game is the music.”
  • stability16 mentions

    The game suffers from significant stability issues, with frequent crashes, freezes, and numerous bugs that hinder gameplay. Players report frustrating glitches that affect level completion and mechanics, making it difficult to progress without repeated attempts. Overall, the game's stability is a major drawback, detracting from the overall experience.

    • “Besides being one of the worst games I've ever played, it also constantly crashes and freezes.”
    • “Also, out of the whole series, this one felt a bit hard as some levels required repeated attempts to clear due to glitches in the levels.”
    • “Although it didn't have as many bugs and glitches, this game still had some moments where the execution of promised mechanics didn't line up with what happened, or it was just outright buggy.”
  • grinding12 mentions

    The reviews highlight a pervasive sense of tedium and frustration associated with grinding in the game, with many players finding the trial-and-error missions and lengthy processes to be boring and overly difficult. While some acknowledge moments of action, the overall sentiment leans towards disappointment, particularly for those familiar with other titles in the series.

    • “A boring, tedious, frustrating, and insanely difficult game that's barely worth the price of the sale.”
    • “Acc: Russia arrives devoid of any compelling characters, and repeatedly subjects you to tedious trial-and-error missions.”
    • “After being utterly disappointed by the tediousness of Assassin's Creed II, a game revered by many, the series as a whole lost my interest.”
  • atmosphere10 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is heavily influenced by socialist propaganda, featuring a striking palette of black, red, and grey that evokes a sense of the red revolution. While the graphics create a compelling and immersive environment, the soundtrack has been criticized for failing to complement the overall mood, detracting from the otherwise powerful atmosphere.

    • “The graphics are inspired by the duality of the events (thus expect lots of red and grey) which give the title a beautiful atmosphere; the graphics are also complemented by the music score.”
    • “The background of Russia is very unique, with an atmosphere of red revolution and a unique flavor.”
    • “You literally feel the atmosphere.”
    • “The soundtrack is horrible and doesn't go with the game's atmosphere and different situations.”
    • “Cutscenes and stages are mostly composed of rigid straight lines and black and red colors, reminiscent of the intense atmosphere found in socialist propaganda.”
  • character development8 mentions

    Character development in the game is mixed; while some players appreciate the depth and consistency of the protagonist and certain characters, others feel that overall character development is lacking, particularly with specific characters like Anastasia. The narrative is generally engaging, with choices that feel authentic, but there are criticisms regarding the limited development of some characters compared to others.

    • “The story is nice, there is enough character development to make the story interesting; none of the choices the characters make feel strange or forced for the sake of the plot.”
    • “The protagonist felt well-developed, the character development was good, and the story kept me engaged throughout the game. I enjoyed this game more than the previous ones.”
    • “On one hand, the writing lacks significant character development, especially with Anastasia, but on the other hand, there is decent characterization for Orelov, who is one of the few assassins that still respect the three tenets of the brotherhood and does not sell his creed for an irrelevant discovery for his order.”
    • “Little story and character development.”
    • “On one hand, it's writing without too much character development, especially with Anastasia, but on the other hand, there is decent characterization for Orelov, who is one of the few assassins that still respect the three tenets of the brotherhood and does not sell his creed for something irrelevant to his order.”
    • “Little story and character development.”
  • emotional4 mentions

    The game features a heartfelt narrative that explores themes of possession and control, particularly through the character of Anastasia as she grapples with the influence of Shao Jun. While the emotional depth is enhanced by a beautiful 2.5D art style, some reviewers note that the overall execution has its flaws.

    • “The game offers a decent and heartfelt story along with a beautiful 2.5D art style.”
    • “Upon touching it, she is possessed by Shao Jun, the assassin from the first title in the trilogy, and proceeds to kill her attackers and nearly turns on Nikolai before Anastasia regains control.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the game's optimization is frustrating, with players feeling penalized for engaging in combat and facing overly strict requirements in timed missions. Additionally, the necessity for exceptional performance to unlock upgrades adds to the sense of punitive design, detracting from the overall experience.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

56% average critic score

Buy Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia

Play time

13hMedian play time
10hAverage play time
5-15hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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