Games review: Assassin's Creed - Rogue

THE two new Assassin's Creed games might remind you of siblings competing for attention.

If 'Unity' is the brash, overconfident big brother then 'Rogue' is the bright and promising but ultimately overshadowed little brother.

The two games were released on the same day for the new and old generation consoles respectively – presumably in a bid to maximise sales across the board before Christmas.

But while 'Unity' picked up all the headlines and fan rants (for its reported glitches and frame rate issues), 'Rogue' slipped under the radar (perhaps appropriate for a game about assassins).

That is a shame because, although lacking in the originality of some of the early games, this is a thoroughly entertaining entry in the part historical re-enactment/part violent action series.

Rogue is set in the mid 18th century during the Seven Years' War and you play as Shay Patrick Cormac (complete with dodgy Irish accent).

It is a sequel to 2013's 'Black Flag' and borrows heavily from it in terms of the seafaring combat and missions that see you journey across the waves in a vast game world.

What is engaging about Assassin's Creed games is that they always make you question your motives with alternate viewpoints offered by your enemies, the Templars, when they draw their last breath.

This has never been more so than in Rogue because, after an awesome mission which sees Lisbon almost crumble to dust, you switch your allegiance from 'Assassin' to 'Templar'.

This could have been the game's big moment – the chance to play the enemy you have fought in the previous six Assassin's Creed titles but in truth it is an anticlimax.

Beyond a few tweaks to the gameplay nothing really changes. You still wear the hood and fight with retractable blades.

Your arsenal does expand though with a grenade launcher and an air rifle which can fire the likes of sleep darts and firecrackers which cause a distraction.

You also use a rope dart that can be used to brutally hang enemies from trees.

Some of the foes in Rogue are lookouts which offers a new dynamic. They give you a taste of your own medicine by sneaking up on you which can be challenging or annoying depending on what mood you are in.

Meanwhile, Shay's ship, Morrígan, controls very much like Black Flag's Jackdaw but with added extras as you progress like the puckle gun, mortar and flaming oil slicks.

Essentially, Assassin's Creed is still as fun as it has ever been.

Leaping down to assassinate someone from above or battling six or seven men in a clash of swords never fails to entertain.

But while Rogue will be just the thing for fans and even newcomers, casual followers of the series could probably give it a miss as it is really just an expansion of the Black Flag experience.

DAVID MORGAN