Difficult - Blog Posts

Yesterday I was so tired from studying, that I fell asleep on my books...

Assassin’s Creed Unity: After the Fact

I just finished “Assassin’s Creed: Unity” a few days ago. By the gods, it was way too hard.

Let me explain.

I waited some time before buying it so that I would get it for less money and more patches repairing the problems of the game. The game still had a lot of problems, including the difficulty.

Maybe I was used to much to some of the easier mechanics of the other Assassin’s Creed games but let me list some of my Gripes.

  SPOILERS AHEAD!

·      Why did so many chests need locks with different levels of difficulty to open them? It was tedious to let so many unopened until you got enough Sync points to unlock the required abilities.

·      The lack of an instant kill-counter made combat rather tedious after a while. The counter could have at least taken some health from the enemy.

·      Stealth-Sections got frustrating because the enemies were sometimes too easily alarmed.

·      The Non-Lethal takedowns took too long. I like to take out my enemies without killing them but this made it way to often very risky.

·      Free-Running could be very problematic especially if fine-manoeuvres were needed. Arno seemed to love to get stuck on certain objects or did things he wasn’t supposed to be. It needed more fine-tuning.

·      The story had potential but the game didn’t use this potential to its fullest. An Assassin-Templar Alliance during the Revolution against a third party would have been really interesting. But that didn’t happen. Instead we got an Assassin working together with a lone Templar Lady who wasn’t a part of the stronger Templar Faction.

·      Also the fact that the Templars were behind the French revolution was a bad idea. The entire event was too great and complex to reduce it too “Templars stole away some food and made all the French people hungry and mad”. I would have preferred to see Templars and Assassins trying to get the upper hand in all the chaos caused by the Revolution or something like that which could have lead to the mentioned alliance.

·       The commanding Templars weren’t that interesting. We got a lot of information and characterization out of the Templars from “Assassin’s Creed II” for example but almost nothing in this game. Even the Big Bad, François-Thomas Germain was not all that developed despite the fact that he was a Sage.

·       The Death of Elise. Was that really necessary?! We don’t need more women in the fridge in Assassin’s Creed Ubisoft!

But biggest problem of the game is a different and simple one: It plays to slow and feels like it. In the other games if you got into combat it was faster solved in battle or it was easier to escape the enemy. Both are more difficult in this game than it should be. The combat isn’t all that difficult to master but the tedious nature of the fights made them annoying after a while. The stealth sequences fared a little better even if the whistle ability was missed and the cherry bombs were a bad substitute. After finishing “Unity” I started to play “Assassin’s Creed: Rogue” and I noticed how much faster the pace was and how much more fun the gameplay. Having the command over a ship again did also help because the gameplay with the ship is as engaging and fun like it was in “Assassin’s Creed III” and “Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag”. If a game feels to much like a chore, there is no fun in it. Other Assassin’s Creed games felt like a chore at times, but it was never as bad as in “Unity”. It felt like “Fake Difficulty” at times. Making the gameplay mechanics more difficult to use to give the player a greater challenge. A very cheap tactic to increase the challenge in my opinion and not a good one. In short: I think “Assassin’s Creed: Unity” is to slow.

It's so easy to forgive what someone said to you but it's so difficult to forgive what they say about the people you love the most...

So make sure you don't say anything wrong about someone in front of their loved ones because they might eventually forgive but they would never ever forget.

She is my constant

To my dear crush

I miss all the adrenaline rush

Each moment spent beside you was special

For you I was ready to wrestle

You were a friend first

And thankfully not a boy who always used to walk by

I always loved how you used to sit beside me when my friend was not around

I remember the look you gave to those gossipers on the ground

I felt special when you told me those secrets

I felt safe when you waited for me on the way

There was a time when I used to think about you all day

From hiding my feelings

To behaving indifferently I did it all

I was crazy over you for sure

Nothing between us was official

But you were a secret I was ready to tell none

Choosing the same subjects

And making study plans was somehow the future I was looking for

I liked you even after your ego

I was so happy when you used to say sorry and was ready to let things go

But I also remember that truth and dare game

I remember how you took my name

I was elated for sure

But something at that time needed a cure

I remember her crying

And that was the time I was trying

To not think

Because thinking meant choosing something

She was my best friend

And she had a lot unsaid

I had guessed before

But I was so over you that I decided to keep a close door

I liked you

And she liked you too was the case somehow

But now I had a choice to make anyhow

It was time to wake

And let the dream break

So I thought for long

It was not easy and I was definitely not strong

She had seen me cry more times

Than you had seen me smile

You were special

But what we had didn't promise me miles

The idea of losing her was unimaginable

Reading my mind was a skill in which you weren't able

She had seen my ups and downs

She was the one who never let me hit the ground

She was true to say we were telepaths

We were always the best pair of psychopaths

I had thought about all the possible scenarios

And unfortunately in neither of them

You were there till the end

But she was always around

So I decided to choose her over you

And I definitely miss you

But never have I ever regretted my decision

Although I would love to have an accidental collision

Because I want to tell you

That you were my crush indeed

But she was the friend of my need

I am happy to have her beside me

Even though she doesn't make me feel the same glee

It's been years I know

But she is still my constant tho

Stone Heart - Chapter One (Intro)

(TW: Remus being Remus, threats, swears)

The kingdom of Briston all fell into sorrow the moment they lost their crowned prince. A prince who took time to listen to those that needed to be aided. One who would visit the city with a warm smile. He was absolutely perfect and was loved by all. Yet, too dangerously by one he used to call his true love.

Now, a single tear trickled down the stone features of the prince. His petrified form lay abandoned amidst the overgrown foliage of the castle’s garden, as if nature itself had rejected him. The flowers and vines refused to touch him as if he were to turn the rest to stone. The sky was duller, and gloomier than it once was. The air was thick with the scent of dying roses, their petals littering the ground like blood-red snowflakes. The castle's workers, although heartbroken, sensed something amiss, kept their distance from the cursed statue. Their eyes filled with a mixture of fear and sorrow. It had been just a few months since the day the prince's jealous lover had turned him to stone, not wanting him to find love in another's arms.

Prince Roman of Briston was loved by many, and they lost hope bringing back the one who held their kingdom together.

~~~

What others seemed to forget, that under Roman’s unforgettable light, that his twin brother was just his shadow. Yes, Remus could care less about his royal heritage. He didn’t mind Roman as the face of the kingdom. The brothers had a mutual understanding that it’s just how their roles played out. Yes, they argued constantly, sillishly so. Remus knew that if he had an opportunity to leave the kingdom, he would. It wasn’t his forte. Now, his royally idiotic brother decided that turning into stone was a fantastic idea. That meant leaving Remus to be ambushed by people he hardly remembered talking to.

“What will you do now that you’re filling in Prince Roman’s shoes as the crowned prince, as the heir to the throne.”

“You have to get your act together now, Prince Remus. As this kingdom will fall into you now.”

Just shit like that. Remus wanted to scream, and rip his hair out. And not in a fun way. This was the most overwhelming feeling he felt. The most scared he felt. He isn't even responsible. He would run across the corridors, slide down the stair rails. He would knock things down without a care and carry on his day. He couldn’t just fill the role of Roman now! It was Roman’s job!

Of course, now that annoying Logan and his need for him getting things done didn’t help at the moment. It wasn’t just normal paperwork stuff. It was planning to say goodbye that Remus had to plan. Finally, he snapped. “ARGH!!! Just stop! I don’t want to do this! Fuck you! Fuck this!” Remus boiled over. All the other castle workers moved their attention to the prince, watching this breakdown.

With a heavy sigh, Logan looked down at Remus firmly. “Prince Remus, I understand your frustrations. This is just a matter you cannot refuse any further. You must come with me to—“

“No!” Without any warning, Remus sprinted off down the halls of the castle. He didn’t want to do it. He didn’t want to prepare for a funeral for his brother like he was gone forever. He wasn’t. He could come back. He had to come back. Remus skidded into a stop, his boots making a harsh squeak against the polished floor. He glared down at a set of guards that were next to the door that led to the castle's garden. “Move.” He hissed out harshly. A bit freaked out, both guards opened the door for Remus.

The young boy stepped outside, feeling the huge change of atmosphere the second he breathed the air in. Remus felt his legs grow heavy, having to force his way toward where his brother stood frozen. Running his fingers through his hair, Remus let out a shaky laugh. “You just had to do this, didn’t you?” He sneered. “Leaving me with all your shit for me to do, huh?!” Remus didn’t realize that his tears were spilt out. He felt his knees grow weak and collapsed onto the grass. “I hate you Roman. I hate that you fell in love with some prick we can’t even find.” He gripped the grass underneath his hand and pulled it out. “When I find him, I swear, I’m going to make him want to be dead. I’ll shove his own cut off hand up his ass so far down that—“ Usually, Roman would be scrunching up his face in disgust and to tell Remus to cut it out.

These two had a complicated relationship. They could be talking for weeks, and then the next they would avoid anything by being near each other. At the end of the day, no matter who viewed it. Remus loved his brother, as disgusting that would sound coming from his mouth but still… he did. Remus stared into Roman’s empty eyes. His expression was left with sorrow. No fear, no anger. Roman’s last feeling was being heartbroken. Remus hated that. Remus hated all of this. “I can’t do this without you, Roman. Come back. Fucking come back.”

~~~

Virgil’s heart felt like it was going to burst. This was a bad idea. Such a bad idea. How did he get himself into this and not out of this? Remember, your sister. Swallowing back his anxieties he stared at the castle's walls from a distance. Gripping the strap to his satchel, he breathed in and continued on to his destination.

Never in his life he would find himself sneaking inside the castle to help steal someone so valuable. Yet, when a guy shows up demanding Virgil to go in and threaten his little sister's life, there was little control he could do in this situation. He had to be desperate. He had to be careful and get this guy what he wanted. Just go in there, and help find an opening. The thing was, he was told it would take a few hands to move this thing. Which caused Virgil to be weary if this was ever going to succeed or not. How would they sneak this thing out? What would they do if someone questioned if they haven’t seen him before. What would he say? What would you do without your sister?

Once again, Virgil took a deep breath and stopped in front of the castle's gate. “And you are?” A guard asks, questioning the boy who approached. “Uh, I’m… I was sent to start working here? I, here-“ Virgil fumbled through his satchel. A bit slower realizing that the guards were just being cautious of what Virgil would pull out. He took out an un-forged paper, addressing the permission for work. What a way to screw up a dream too, Virgil.

“Ah.” The guard glanced at the paper and back and Virgil. “A new gardener, ey? I’m sure there’s a reason they decided to do that considering.. er… Well, welcome in, kid. You’ll find someone to escort you where you need to go. Go ahead.”

Virgil moved past the gate, and onward into the castle. There was no backing out now. There couldn’t be any mistakes. He had to get this done.