I’ve been using Facebook for the past two or three years now, logging around a couple of hours a day through both PC and mobile. In all this time I had only played two or maybe three of the game applications available, with Farmville being one of them (if a ten minute session counts) before I started plugging myself into Ubisoft’s ‘Assassin’s Creed: Project Legacy.’ It’s not your average social gaming experience; in fact it’s very hard to classify Legacy as a game at all despite the mechanics it employs. Launching Project Legacy is as simple as logging into Facebook and then clicking on the application; you still get notifications and can chat with your mates while playing.
You assume the role of an Abstergo employee who uses a device similar to the Animus called the ‘DDS’ (data dump scanner.) It allows agents to relive the memories of any hosts without having to be blood-related to them, unlike the bond shared between Desmond, Altair and Ezio. Abstergo wants you to delve into the memories of several figures of importance who will then in turn provide the company with vital information about the Assassin Brotherhood.
Project Legacy can be quite overwhelming at first because there are so many menus to pour over. The first chapter takes place during the Italian Wars and is broken into four individual sections, the first being dedicated to the fall of Bartolomeo d’Alviano. Assassin’s Creed boffins will recognise him as the short-tempered mercenary leader present in both of Ezio’s adventures. The chapter begins with you struck down in a skirmish against the French and thought to be dead.
Within chapters are events and in those are smaller actions and missions which must be completed in order to unlock new memories. Each mission has a progress bar which fills as certain actions are completed e.g. bribing guards and townsfolk or barricading a wall. To perform an action you need to have the correct amount of AP (Action Points) as well as any other required materials such as personnel (assassins, thugs, and workman) or items. If you meet the correct criteria, you can simply click the “Execute” button and the mission progress bar will fill slightly. Not only will you come closer to completing the objective, but you are also awarded with Florins (money) and experience points along the way.
This formula is used through the entirety of Project Legacy, and though it will seem like a slog to some, those who adore the AC fiction won’t be able to get enough of it. Legacy ties up some of the loose ends as well as bridging narrative gaps in the series. In my opinion the best time to start Legacy would be three chapters into Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood (if you intend to play the two in tandem,) as there are potential spoilers, as well as features which enhance the Brotherhood experience.
As mentioned before, AP is needed to do just about anything in Project Legacy; however it is restored to the player over time, which isn’t a problem, especially for Facebook regulars. As you level up, the maximum number of AP stored is increased and you will be rewarded with Skill Points which can be used to rank up the four in-game skills. Conflict boosts the number of AP awarded, Intrigue and Shadow increase the chances of gaining more florins or getting item drops, and Knowledge awards players with more Skill Points when they next rank up.
Aside from playing through memory sequences, PvP and territory management are available, allowing you to claim some bonus XP and revenue. If you own a copy of Brotherhood for either the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360, you can also sync your game account with Project Legacy to unlock several extra features as well as unlock Uplay achievements. After recruiting assassins into Ezio’s guild, you can manage their contracts via Legacy, and every four hours you will be awarded with 75 experience points to upgrade them, without having to switch your console on.
Assassin’s Creed: Project Legacy is an ideal application for anyone interested in the series’ rich fiction, though it will no doubt appeal to other audiences too. Ubisoft continue to update it with new content, with more planned in the coming months. My only qualm with the app is that the publisher haven’t capitalised on Project Legacy further and released it for smartphones.
gazzagb
Been using it since it came out, completed all of it. Both packs had good story-lines, although I think Italian Wars was better. I liked buying territories although once you’ve bought all of them several times you just end up with too much money to even use.
Upgrading your Brotherhood guys is good, but 75xp is nothing. Still, credit to Ubisoft for doing it, its kept me entertained for many hours!
l C0D3 M0NK3Y l
Hmmm… sounds bueno. I’ll have to check it out next time I slog around FB. :)
hunterstryfe
I’ve been playing this for about 10 days now, got almost all achievements and unlocked all contracts, got two memories left to complete in last section
Erroneus
Just started playing it, fun stuff.
I could need some friends in it though, for one of the uplay awards, getting five friends :P
If anyone are looking for friends in it, add me on Facebook and then invite me in the “game”. Make sure your facebook request, mentions Project Legacy.
My FB site: http://www.facebook.com/Erroneus