Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines

Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines is a game released for the PSP that follows the events after the first Assassin's Creed. In Bloodlines, the player again takes control of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad. The gameplay is much like the first game and explains the missing link between Altaïr, Ezio and Desmond.

Gameplay
The gameplay in Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines is similar to Assassin's Creed in it's style of controls. The game console makes the AI system inferior, the levels are smaller and the story is linear in contrast to the first game. The story also doesn't involve Desmond, so you don't see him using the Animus. The look of the cities themselves you play in is also very similar to the first game, including the rebel hide-out which resembles the Assassin's bureau.

Story
As the Templars withdraw from the Holy Land after Altaïr kills Robert de Sable, the Assassin follows them to the island of Cyprus. Finding new allies and enemies, Altaïr helps the local resistance against the Templar occupation and strikes down the ascendant Templar commanders. Along the story, Altaïr learns more about himself and the Apple of Eden, as well as the Templar's ways and means of power and peace.

Memory Block 1
The game opens with Altaïr leading an assault on a Templar harbor fortress in Acre where Templars are boarding ships headed West. Altaïr reaches a balcony overlooking the harbor and finds Maria, the former right hand of Robert de Sable (and his female decoy from AC1), speaking with various Templar guards. Maria states that she wishes to accompany the Templars to Cyprus, but the Templars state this is not a good idea as Armand Bouchart is the new Grand Master of the Order of Templars and he does not hold Maria in high regard for some reason.

After her conversation with the Templars, Altaïr confronts Maria, and Maria asks Altaïr if he has now come to finish what he didn’t before. A battle ensues, in which Altaïr almost robs Maria of her life - but Altaïr decides to let Maria live a little longer. Altaïr interrogates Maria about the Templar's plans for Cyprus; Maria responds with a flippant joke: "Everyone deserves a holiday..." She then warns Altaïr that the Templars will stop at nothing to recover the Apple of Eden from him. Unshaken, Altaïr takes Maria prisoner and discusses the current turmoil on Cyprus with a fellow assassin. After learning that King Richard has actually sold the entire island to the Templars, Altaïr is determined to get to the bottom of the Templar's schemes. He asks the assassins to send a message to their contacts on Cyprus, informing them of Altaïr's imminent arrival.

Codex Scene 1: Altaïr is at a large desk strewn with books writing an entry in his Codex. He writes that he does not know if the power the Apple of Eden holds is truly intended to be evil; but if this proves to be true, he hopes to have within him the power to destroy it.

Memory Block 2
Altaïr has traveled by boat to Limassol with Maria accompanying him as a "prisoner". While through the port, Altaïr is stopped by some men patrolling the waterfront. After Altaïr reveals himself to be an assassin, one of the men identifies himself as Alexander, a member of the Cypriot resistance and the assassins' primary Cyprus contact. Alexander asks Altaïr about the woman he is with; Altaïr refers to her as "Robert De Sable's girl" and says he hopes to use Maria to lure the other Templars into the open. Alexander offers to escort Maria to the Resistance safe house and Altaïr agrees, giving him time to freely look around Limassol.

Eventually, Altaïr reaches the Resistance safe house and learns from Alexander that the leader of the Limassol Templars is hidden inside the Limassol Castle. In order to have a chance at getting into the castle, Altaïr must assassinate the captain of the Templar Guards so that Osman, a Templar working as a spy for the Resistance, can get a promotion within the ranks of the guards. Altaïr leaves the safe house and assassinates the Guard Captain, after which he returns to the safe house. Alexander gives Altaïr the mission to go speak with Osman, the spy within the Templar guard ranks and deliver a coded message: "Wish his grandmother a happy birthday - he will trust you then".

Altaïr reaches Osman without being detected and delivers him the message Alexander suggested. Osman laughs, praising his dearly departed grandmother, and tells Altaïr that he will reduce the castle watch so that the Templar guard leader, Frederick The Red, can be reached. Osman also tells Altaïr that the Templars have built an Archive of some kind on Cyprus, and are using it to store weapons and information. After this brief meeting, Altaïr heads back to the Resistance safe house to tell Alexander what he as learned, then sets out to infiltrate Limassol Castle.

Altaïr heads to Limassol Castle and infiltrates the castle, but is spotted by Fredrick the Red on the courtyard. A battle ensues, which ends in the death of Fredrick the Red. Altaïr escapes the castle and returns to the safe house. Upon entering the city Altaïr learns that the safe house of the Assassins is under attack. Altaïr fights a wave of Templars outside the safe house, and finds Maria has disappeared. He wonders if she has escaped or been captured. Altaïr manages to track her as far as the Cathedral square, where he finds the current Grand Master, Armand Bouchart surrounded by guards and berating the people of Cyprus for Fredrick the Red's murder. Maria suddenly appears, shouting Bouchart's name. Her hands still bound, Maria warns Bouchart that the assassin's have come to Cyprus. But Bouchart receives her coldly, and assumes that she is working Altaïr herself. Maria is furious at this suggestion, but before she can object, Bouchart has her arrested and hauled away.

Altaïr chooses to rescue Maria rather than follow Bouchart. He disposes of the guards holding her and in return suffers Maria's insults for being considered a "traitor" by her fellow Templars. She warns Altaïr that she will kill him when she gets the chance. He responds by telling her that she will never find the Apple of Eden if he dies. They both then return to Alexander in order to speak about getting to Armand Bouchart. Alexander tells Altaïr that Armand Bouchart was the one who set the Resistance safe house on fire just before leaving for Kyrenia by boat. Alexander believes a friend of his, Pasha, can help Altaïr find a way to travel to Kyrenia. Altaïr leaves Maria with Alexander to go look for Pasha by the docks.

Altaïr finds Pasha and asks him for the favor of travel to Kyrenia. Pasha makes no problem of this and also tells Altaïr a rumor that secret artifacts are being shipped by the Pirate Templars via the Grand Ship headed to Kyrenia. Altaïr leaves Pasha to investigate the Grand Ship, searches the entire boat and finds the ship's manifest. It is filled with obvious errors and distortions. Altaïr returns to Alexander and Maria.

Altaïr states he will head for Kyrenia. Alexander tells him to meet with Kyrenia's Resistance leader, Barnabas; he is a friend of Alexander’s and can surely help Altaïr. However, Alexander tells Altaïr that he has not heard from Barnabas for a month. Altaïr says farewell to Alexander and leaves for Pasha’s boat with Maria in tow. Maria struggles in order to get free from Altaïr, but complies in the end.

Codex Scene 2: Altaïr writes that he does not know where the Pieces of Eden originally came from, but he is almost certain the Pieces are not of divine power. He feels the Artifacts were man-made in every way, modeled after the character of the humans and well handcrafted at the mercy of the beholder.

Memory Block 3
We find Altaïr and Maria inside the hull of the ship. Altaïr notices a ring around Maria’s finger and complements it. Maria responds she got the ring from her former commander Robert de Sable, for the high rank she has obtained within the Templar Order. Altaïr then speaks to Maria of philosophy, eager to convince her that the Templar view of the world is a corrupt one. He speaks of the curious teachings of the Greek philosopher Empedocles, who preached a bizarre precursor to the theory of natural selection. He emphasizes the importance of free thought, and warns her that the Templars' plan for peace involves mental enslavement. Maria seems to somewhat agree with Altaïr on this subject, but remains reticent.

As the ship docks in Kyrenia, Altaïr and Maria stand make ready to climb the ladder to the ship’s deck. Altaïr cuts her bonds so that she may climb out, but when he is distracted by two combative pirates, Maria kicks Altaïr down the ladder and escapes. Altaïr deals with the pirates and escapes to Kyrenia's harbor. After a short while, Altaïr finds Maria among several men who have just saved her from several angry pirates. The leader of the men introduces himself as Markos, a low-ranking soldier in the Resistance. Altaïr asks Markos and his men if Maria can stay with them for the time being while Altaïr explores the land, to which Markos agrees.

Altaïr locates the Resistance Safe House in Kyrenia Commons and enters. He is greeted by a man who calls himself Barnabas and after a short chat with Altaïr, Barnabas tells Altaïr of Buffavento Castle, where Armand Bouchart keeps his prisoners. It’s an old property the Templars seized from an earlier heiress. In order to help Altaïr, Barnabas asks him to perform a service for the Resistance. Altaïr needs to seek out Jonas, a respectable merchant who Barnabas claims is a traitor.

Altaïr seeks out this man named Jonas, and interrogates him. Jonas speaks of a bounty put on Altaïr's head and the head of his female "consort". This does not bode well for Altaïr, and Jonas' disrespect causes Altaïr to take his life. Thereafter Altaïr rushes to the harbor to find Maria, who is currently being attacked by Templars along with Markos. Altaïr helps the two out of trouble, and Altaïr asks Markos to bring Maria to the Assassin's safe house in Kyrenia. Markos complies. Before Altaïr leaves, he speaks with Maria about ‘The Bull’ - a man Maria calls Moloch. He would be the one behind their ambush. Altaïr then leaves to meet up with Barnabas and later meet everyone inside the Resistance safe house.

Once inside the safe house, Altaïr again speaks with Barnabas - apparently the death of Jonas has sparked riots throughout the city. Barnabas states it is necessary for Altaïr to murder the fanatics causing the riot, and Altaïr leaves and does so. Upon returning to the safe house, he finds that Maria and Markos have arrived, but Barnabas is nowhere to be found. Altaïr speaks with Maria about this man named Moloch - specifically about his location. Maria realizes she has said more than she should have and warns Altaïr not to duel him, for Altaïr would not survive. Altaïr does not think twice and infiltrates the Kantara Castle where Moloch is hidden, finds Moloch and tries to assassinate him. Moloch however, intercepts the assassin before he could strike and throws him to the ground. A battle ensues, in which the end Altaïr takes the life of Moloch. Altaïr then escapes the Castle of Kyrenia and safely returns to the Assassin's safe house.

Codex Scene 3: Altaïr wonders why violence lives so heavily amongst people. Altaïr believes people could not live with one another, as man likes to kill each other over power. He believes the world is not made by the divine - to Altaïr the world seems the work of a madman.

Memory Block 4
Altaïr reaches the safe house and speaks with Markos, only to find everybody else missing. Markos tells Altaïr the Templars came in and took Maria, as well as everybody else. Markos also speaks of a Dark Oracle from Buffavento castle who was mentioned by the Templars, but Altaïr believes Barnabas was behind the attack. Markos is confused by this suggestion and tells Altaïr that the resistance leader Barnabas was executed the day before Altaïr arrived in Kyernia. Clearly the Barnabas Altaïr met was an impostor, a Templar Agent.

Markos then tells Altaïr the Templars are executing fellow Resistance soldiers in the marketplace. Altaïr rushes to the marketplace, prevents the execution and saves the soldiers. Back at the safe house Markos tells Altaïr that some Resistance members are still imprisoned. Altaïr locates and interrogates a prison guard, who tells Altaïr that there is only one Templar who holds the keys to the jail cells. Altaïr can find this Templar at the Crusader Outpost. Altaïr then takes the life of the Prison Guard.

Altaïr rushes to the Crusader Outpost, kills the guards, steals the keys to the cells and heads back to Kyrenia Harbor. Once inside the harbor, Altaïr fights his way to the cells and frees the prisoners, but Maria is not among them. The freed men say that Moloch's son Shalim has taken Maria away in chains. Altaïr decides to speak with Markos about this. Upon returning to the safe house, both decide Altaïr should pay a visit to this Dark Oracle of which the Templars speak - for it seems Grand Templar Armand Bouchart knows every plan the Resistance has made.

Altaïr infiltrates Buffavento Castle in order to look for the Dark Oracle. He overhears Armand Bouchart and Shalim arguing over Maria's escape - apparently Maria has slipped from Shalim's clutches. In addition, Armand Bouchart asks Shalim to send a message to Alexander in Limassol. Altaïr is shocked to learn that Alexander has been working with the Templars.

Altaïr descends further into the castle, only to find the Dark Oracle at the bottom. She attacks Altaïr, leaving him no choice but to battle with her and in the end, kill her. Before the Dark Oracle loses her life, she babbles and cackles her devotion to her God’s will, and there is no undoing. After her death, Altaïr escapes the castle and heads back to the Assassin's safe house.

Codex Scene 4: Altair wonders about Those Who Came Before. “Who are they? What drove them? Are these so-called artifacts mere toys or were they created for a greater purpose?”.

Memory Block 5
Once back inside the safe house, Altaïr discusses Shalim's position. Because Markos could not give much information about Shalim, Altaïr decides to track him down to learn more about the Templars and the Archive. He finds Shalim in the heart of Kyrenia, feasting on women while spending another's coin. Altaïr first decides to assassinate the men Shalim is traveling with, after which he decides to assassinate all the duelists feasting on women as well. After all these assassinations, Altaïr returns to Markos for more information. Markos sends Altaïr to ask help form the local scholars, since Shalim's lifestyle demands frequent confession rituals at the church. Altaïr then seeks out and speaks with a scholar about Shalim's confessions, only to find the scholar unable to speak about Shalim and the Archive in public, to which he asks Altaïr to return later.

Moloch's son suddenly interrupts the conversation by standing in the midst of the Crusader Outpost and speaking towards all passers-by. But this is not Shalim - it is Shahar, Shalim's twin, although neither the player nor Altaïr are aware of this fact. Shahar is a much more level headed man, arguing very rationally for loyalty to the Templars. When Altaïr then goes to speak with the scholar a second time, the scholar is killed by falling wooden crates from above. When Altaïr looks around for the cause of this incident, he finds a mysterious, masked Templar warrior on the rooftops. Altaïr gives chase, but after a long pursuit the mysterious figure escapes from Altaïr and is left looking for clues about the mysterious figure. He then finds Maria's ring when searching the last known position of the mysterious figure and decides it’s best to go speak with Markos.

Back at the Resistance safe house, Altaïr speaks with Markos of the twisted ways of the Templar's doings and hopes to locate Shalim again. Markos mentions that Shalim can frequently be found in the harbor whenever ships full of lovely consorts arrive.

Altaïr reaches the harbor and finds Maria there, disguised as a consort herself and about to sneak into a palanquin headed for Saint Hilarion Castle. Altaïr decides to follow her in, but notes that the road ahead is full of Templars on the look out for both of them. Altaïr decides to clear the path, and quickly disposes of the guards along the road all the way to Saint Hilarion Castle. Upon entering the castle, the palanquin stops and Maria steps out. Two Templar Guards await her arrival and escort her inside the castle. Altaïr doesn’t hesitate a moment and finds a way inside the castle.

Once inside, Altaïr eventually finds the Great Hall. Meanwhile Maria sneaks into Shahar's private room and confronts him about the Templars' wicked plans for the “Apple of Eden”. She asks Shahar if Templars would do ill with this artifact. Shahar states the Templars have no interest in liberty - just order, by any means. At this moment Altaïr busts in the room, apologizing for letting himself in. Shahar calls on his brother Shalim to join the fight. Maria escapes from Shahar's clutches, killing two guards who try to stop her. Altaïr and Maria now stand side by side, faced against Shalim and Shahir. Altaïr smiles: "Two of them.. and two of us". Maria laughs at Altaïr and flees. The battle then ensues between Altaïr and the brothers Shalim and Shahar, ending with both their lives taken. Altaïr then escapes from the castle and heads toward the safe house. Upon entering the safe house, Markos tells Altaïr that the Templar ships are leaving the harbor of Kyrenia. This leads Altaïr to believe that is Templar Archive is not Kyrenia, for surely they would not leave it unguarded. Since all the ships are headed back to Limassol, the Archive must be there. Altaïr departs with kind words.

Codex Scene 5: Altaïr reminisces about his former leader, Al Mualim, and how his leader had betrayed him using the Apple of Eden, just because one single piece of doubt was in Altaïr’s mind. Luckily, he states, he was able to embrace the truth in his his mind and set him free of doubt and disbelief.

Memory Block 6
Altaïr is back on Limassol, as he and Markos thought the Templar Archive ought to be there. Altaïr heads to the Resistance Safe House in Limassol to start an argument with Alexander. They both accuse each other of treachery, until Alexander reveals the contents of the message the Bouchart sent him from Kyrenia; the head of the real Barnabas in a sack. Altaïr despises this, and tells Alexander this was not the man who met with him in Kyrenia. Additionally, Alexander tells tales of how Templars have been murdering and pillaging around the city of Limassol while Altaïr was away. Additionally false reports of Altaïr's alleged treachery (the death of Jonas) spread fast, and many Resistance leaders have since turned against Altaïr.

Altaïr wants the heads of those responsible for the murders and pillages, and heads out to the marketplace, where he fights and kills the Templar Duelist Captain. He then heads to the Templar pirate ship in the harbor and slays its captain. Finally, Altaïr heads for the new Templar Captain in the Limassol Cathedral Square. Altaïr starts a fight with the man and in the end, takes his life as payment.

Altaïr learns of recent murders in the ports, and interrogates the Port Watchman to find out what happened. The man states he does not know, but his men were killed last night while a Templar Captain had the watch over the port. The Templar Captain is presumably praying over at the Cathedral, and Altaïr sends out to find this man. Upon finding the Templar he flees, sending multiple waves of Templars. Altaïr slays them all, interrogates the Templar Captain and find his answers lie with a man named Demetris, a rich tailor in the marketplace. Altaïr then assassinates the Templar Captain and heads for Demetris.

Upon entering Demetris’s house, he finds Demetris surrounded by women. Altaïr confronts Demetris, accusing the merchant of accepting bribes to sneak Bouchart back into Limassol. Demetris claims to know nothing about this. Altaïr puts more pressure on Demetris to speak truthfully, but the merchant is killed by a throwing knife in the back. Altaïr tries to follow, only to again find the mysterious Templar standing up and speeding away. Altaïr climbs to the roof as fast as he could, but the mysterious Templar warrior is already gone. Altaïr decides it’s best to speak with Alexander at this point and returns to the Resistance safe house.

But upon entering the safe house, Altaïr does not find Alexander. Instead, Altaïr finds a note left by Alexander, stating that he has a plan and needs Altaïr to come to the courtyard inside the Limassol Castle. Altaïr then rushes to the Limassol Castle, but reminds himself to stay cautious. After passing through the gates of Limassol Castle, he finds Alexander's lifeless body laying in the middle of the courtyard.

The mysterious Templar warrior appears, unmasked, and speaks to Altaïr as if he was already a dead man. This is the same man who previously named himself as Barnabas: the Templar Agent. Suddenly, the townspeople of Limassol breach the castle gate. They are hunting for Altaïr. As the rioting mob closes in Altaïr pulls the Apple of Eden from his belt and uses it. He tells them that they have been lied to and that they must rally their soldiers against the Templars so that Cyprus can be theirs once more. The people stand in confusion and hypnosis, and exit. The Templar above is quite pleased to find the Apple of Eden so close, and intends to claim it. But before he can attack Altaïr, the steel tip of a sword bursts through his chest, pushed by Maria's hand. The mysterious Templar Agent falls thirty feet to the courtyard floor, dead.

Maria speaks to Altaïr about the Apple of Eden as well, as Altaïr warns that it is a powerful weapon in the wrong hands. Maria remarks that she does not know if Altaïr hands are the "right hands" as well. At that moment, a Templar ambush appears at the courtyard, and Maria orders Altaïr to follow her up the stairs. However, Altaïr is already closed in and has to fight waves and waves of Templars. After fighting the waves of Templars, Altaïr runs up the stairs and passes through the hidden door inside the wall he had previously seen Maria escape through.

Memory Block 7
Altaïr now suddenly finds himself inside the Templar Archive, hidden well under Limassol Castle. His final mission is to assassinate Armand Bouchart, the Grand Master of the Order of Templars. Altaïr fights through the entire Templar Archive, and finds Maria already fighting with Armand Bouchart. Armand is a skillful fighter and sends Maria flying across the room just as Altaïr intercepts them. Altaïr confronts Armand Bouchart, who spins a tale about the Archive, claiming it had been the best kept secret on Cyprus for many decades. Unfortunately, the former Cypriot Emperor Isaac Comnenus had been a foolish man and through his idiocy forfeited the island to King Richard. Fearing the Archives would be discovered by the English king, the Templars purchased the island from him - an island they basically controlled for free under Comnenus's rule. But that time has passed and the Templars have moved on. While Altaïr was in Kyrenia, the Templars managed to empty the Archive of all artifacts and ship them elsewhere. Armand Bouchart states Altaïr must instead be left behind. A battle ensues.

After a cruel and skillful battle, Altaïr stabs and plunges Armand Bouchart, to which Armand Bouchart says Altaïr indeed lives up to the tendencies of his creed. Altaïr says Armand Bouchart did not do the same for the Templars, as the Templars lost the true meaning of their creed. Armand Bouchart states it as "Just expanding the horizon..". Altaïr then states the Apple of Eden will not be in anyone's hands but his own for the sake of peace throughout the holy land, to which Armand Bouchart responds he should hold on to it dearly, and warns Altaïr that in time he will come to the same conclusions the Templars did. After this, Armand Bouchart collapses and dies.

Altaïr leaves Armand Bouchart to die and meets up with Maria who has been laying unconscious during the battle. They both opt to escape the Templar Archive - but all the while, the Archive is falling to pieces fast. Altaïr boosts Maria up to the upper floors of the archive while climbing after her, and they barely make their escape before everything tumbles down.

After escaping Limassol Castle, Altaïr and Maria walk up to the docks, both speaking of what life will hold for the both of them now. Maria tells Altaïr that she no longer wants to be a Templar, nor wishes to look for the original spirit the Templars were once formed in. She does not wish to return to England either. She mentions she will travel for a while, somewhere far East - to India perhaps, or further.

Maria then asks Altaïr of his plans. Altaïr reminisces about his former devotion to the Creed, but realizes his life's purpose changed dramatically since the death of Al-Mualim. Altaïr speaks of his curiosity about the Apple of Eden, not out of greed, but out of pure intellectual wonder. He hopes to learn everything he can about the artifact; why it is here and to what end it was created. Maria states that such a thing is a bit much to learn in one lifetime, but Altaïr states that “one lifetime just might be enough.” Maria then asks Altaïr where he will continue his journey. Altaïr responds, “East...” and walks away from the port. Maria turns to follow.

Codex Scene 6: Altaïr write wonders why life is formed around chaos, around warfare and around murder. Yet the world received such gifts as the Apple of Eden. What is mankind’s purpose? As Altaïr continues scribbling in his Codex, Maria enters and leans over his shoulder to look at his writing.

Enemies

 * Templar Guards - Comes in many variations (white guard, red guard, multi-colored guard, slim and brutish prison guards with naked torso), the basic enemies Altair faces throughout the game.
 * Templar Archers - Like in original game, they patrol rooftops, and can switch to close combat if needed.
 * Templar Elite Guards - Towering guards with shields. Seen leading other guards, and protecting various Templar locations like prisons, castles, and the Templar Archive.
 * Templar Knights - Well-trained warriors, and members of Templar Order. They wear helmets which clearly distinguish them from other enemies.
 * Pirates - They roam the dock areas of Limassol and Kyrenia. Knowing about the bounty on Altair and Maria, they will attack, sometimes in groups, in order to get it.
 * Fanatics - These men are the followers of Moloch and are known for their aggressive nature and strong, almost insane faith.
 * Duelists - These men are bandits employed by the Templars as soldiers. They use dual swords as weapons. Could be seen extorting, threatening and torturing the populace. They act mostly under the orders of Shalim.

Interconnectivity
You can collect Templar Coins and Treasures on the PSP, to later connect to your PS3, and share value across both SKUs. Additionally, as players unlock Health and Weapons upgrades in Assassin’s Creed II PS3, the same upgrade will be unlocked in Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines. Also, the weapons of each person you killed in Bloodlines can be found in the Villa in Assassin's Creed II.

Reception
The reception among reviewers have been mainly mediocre with an aggregate score of 63.71% on Game Rankings. The main problems with the game being how the game feels empty, with low amounts of people in the streets at any one time, as well as the city layout, which due to the distance between buildings, makes freerunning difficult and removes much flow from that of the console versions. The game is also frustratingly linear compared to the console versions, offering only one mission at a time and no incentive for exploration, save for the Templar Coins.