This is NOT an RPG. It's an action game.

The game world is indeed very well done and it feels alive. So I guess you do feel
part of the world. There are no moral choices, there are no sides to take. No idea about quest skipping.

I don't remember how the first Ass Creed worked but gear, in the series, has generally been for "cosmetic" value, as you can finish the game just as easy with the basic armor/weapons as with the upgrades.

Oh and it's nothing alike Thief, no way.

The game has an interesting premise but the execution lacks. It sounds interesting and it is for the first 2-3 assassinations and then it gets frustratingly boring.

As I remember the game works like this, you take one of the assassinations you do 3 out 6 missions that give you advice on the hit (you can do the others for more info) you perform the hit (via backstab or leap stab) you have a cut scene then have to escape the guards and return to base get some story and a new toy or 2.

Optionally you can explore the world, collect flags, kill 50 templars, do side missions to protect the city (this can help in the escape sequences).

Thats about it, it is pretty formulaic like Hitman is but with a lot less options as all the assassinations require the hidden blade or sword. Assassins Creed 2 is much better, but the first one is ok, you should be able to go through the game in a day or 2.

The 'stealth' in Assassin's Creed has very little to do with the traditional definition of 'Stealth Game'... so it's quite different.

In AC games you hide in crowds, they called it 'social stealth' i believe, and if you happen to be detected you run until you break your pursuer's line of sight and then you hide in one of several types of hiding places until they find you, or until they break off their search.

It's *very* action oriented in this way. That's not to say it's 'bad' at all. It's just very different than a Thief game, or a Splinter Cell style of stealth.

Regarding the storyline, avoiding mild spoilers, it's very story-driven and I think does a good job of bringing the Crusades to life in a lot of ways. However, as has been pointed out... this is an action/adventure style open world game with some stealth elements. There is an amount of 'gear upgrade' as you progress, but it's nowhere near being an RPG. If there are choices to be made regarding plotlines or characters, there might be one... I can't remember for sure. The choices in this game are purely in the gameplay. How to approach a target, or how to accomplish a mission... not 'should I kill this guy or should I give him a pie' type stuff ;-P

I personally enjoy the series a great deal, but quite honestly if you're looking for a Thief-style game this game will leave you very disappointed.

Hope that helps...

If you are still on the fence over the game I highly recommend you watch some of this LP (http://lparchive.org/Assassins-Creed/) of the game to help you decide.

There's no gear upgrades in the original Assassin's Creed - those came into play in the sequel. Your health bar gets bigger as you go through the game, but that's simply automatic based on completing objectives.

And no, the storytelling is strictly linear; no choices.

Great game, but no, nothing like Thief.

Making you feel like just one character in a larger world is one of the best parts of the game. The other things you mention though, no - there's a lot of "do these missions in whatever order you like" but otherwise it's all very linear."

The side quests (flags, templars) in the first one are incredibly boring. I suggest ignoring them and just doing the main missions & map exploration. (There's a mechanic where you have to scale specific buildings to reveal the area on your mini-map that works pretty well.) I played that way and enjoyed the game quite a bit.

Good. Yes. No. But part of the story is about it. No. Yes, except the obligatory ones. It's not an RPG. If you mean conversations, it's restricted to the quests you are given. If you mean physical interaction, you do that a lot. Yes, but it's given to you automatically as you progress through the game. You can't remove it nor choose what you want to apply.

Hope that helps.

hmmm i was hoping it was like theif with just a bit more killing.. Guess i'll just pass and save my money for now. thanks everyone..

I apologize for my poor phrasing. When I said 'Gear Upgrades' I really meant it in the 'Metroid' sense where you gain abilities and equipment as you go. But yes, you're correct in that you can't actually *upgrade* any of those abilities or weapons once you've earned them. Upgrade was definitely the wrong word there, my bad.

It's less Thief, more Batman with stabbing people.