Assassin’s Creed® Chronicles: Russia Reviews

[h1] Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Russia – A beautiful mess of missed potential [/h1] Of the three Chronicles titles, Russia might be the most visually striking but mechanically the most frustrating. It feels like a game with so much potential and such a bold visual identity—only to be undercut by design decisions that limit player agency and drain the stealth-puzzle magic that made China so satisfying. [h2] The Good [/h2] [h3] Protagonist: Nicolai [/h3] I actually like Nicolai’s character—a kind Slavic man with a good mustache. He comes across as hardened but not heartless, and thankfully, his “got it” syndrome (like Arbaaz in India) is kept to a minimum. I would've liked to spend more time playing as him. [h2] The bad [/h2] [h3] Voice Acting [/h3] The voice acting doesn’t always match the gravity of what’s happening. Major betrayals are delivered with the energy of someone reading a grocery list. It saps a lot of the narrative weight from what should be emotional scenes. [h3] Visuals [/h3] The art direction here is incredible—Soviet propaganda poster vibes in motion. The red accent color against the mostly gray backdrop channels Soviet socialist realism beautifully. It’s easily the most distinct visual identity in the trilogy and fits the setting perfectly. [h3] Gameplay: Disjointed and Rigid [/h3] Swapping between Nicolai and Anastasia sounds good on paper, but in practice it feels like I’m getting half the time I want with Nicolai. His kit was the most interesting to me, especially compared to Arbaaz’s clunky combat focus. Unfortunately, the game feels over-scripted. Most rooms have one correct solution, and you’re just waiting for the patrols to line up. There’s very little experimentation or problem-solving, just execution. Worse still, the few chase/timed sequences Russia does include feel extremely tight and unforgiving. I sighed “bruh” out loud more times than I care to admit. It's less about strategy and more about trial-and-error. You know what you need to do, but you need pixel-perfect timing and a lot of patience. [h3] Rigid Design & Forced Helix Abilities [/h3] Adding to the problem is the forced use of Helix abilities, which almost entirely belong to Anastasia. These abilities are rarely optional. Instead, the game will drop a Helix fragment right before a puzzle room or chase sequence, basically shouting “You’re gonna need this to proceed.” And sure enough, you’re then locked into using a Helix power in exactly one specific way. Rather than enhancing gameplay, this makes it feel scripted and restrictive. There’s no experimentation or clever tool use, just following the one solution the game demands. If the goal was to add supernatural flair, it might’ve worked better if the abilities were earned or optional, but here, they feel more like cheat codes meant to bypass actual design work. Though I don't like super natural abilities in AC games. And the “just don’t use them if you don’t like them” argument doesn’t hold up, because in these cases, you have no choice. [h3] Story: Incomplete and Disconnected [/h3] There’s so much missed potential in the narrative. Nicolai is introduced as a father trying to flee with his family to America, but suddenly drops everything to help Anastasia—whom he just met. Why not take his family with him? That inconsistency really bothered me. Then there's Shao Jun, who was the protagonist and hero in China, now appearing as an almost antagonistic voice in Anastasia's head. It’s never explained how or why she’s possessing Anastasia, and it’s jarring to see such a drastic shift with no context unless you’ve read the external comics, which frankly, you shouldn't have to do. As for the box, the mysterious artifact that’s been chased across all three games it still isn’t explained. Not even the secret ending gives us clarity. It just shows the Templars experimenting on it in the modern day. That's it. After three games, the central mystery ends in a whimper. I also felt the story ends too abruptly. Anastasia supposedly becomes more resilient by the end, but she was already ice-cold throughout 90% of the game. Aside from one scene of fear early on, she instantly becomes a killing machine. There's no satisfying arc. Just... credits. Lastly, the game teases internal conflict among the Assassins Nicolai being excommunicated, Shao Jun’s presence, Anastasia being used as an experiment but none of it is explored. No payoff. No clear villain to face. It’s like a story outline was followed halfway and then abandoned. [h3] Final Thoughts [/h3] Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Russia has a bold look, a decent lead, and occasional sparks of brilliance but it often feels like the soul of the series was lost somewhere between restrictive design and forced mechanics. The Helix powers, in particular, do more harm than good, and the conclusion to the trilogy leaves too many questions unanswered. I hope we can get more chronicle games one day where they return to their roots and do more like they did in China. If China was the peak, Russia is the cold, confused afterthought and we don't talk about India.

[Omniarch TV] Ubisoft’s Shocking New Policy – Can They Legally Make You Do This? https://youtu.be/dBaxkZsoshE

Best Chronicles game and an ok platformer. Stealth is more fluid than the previous games