User blog comment:The Grand Llama/Losing Luster/@comment-1153722-20131113164647

In recent years? The series isn't that old, it has only existed for six-seven years now. It only just recently started. I think the series will have to grow a little older before we can reflect on its 'good old days'. ;)

Assassin's Creed III was the first Assassin's Creed title I could not get to playing through a second time. The gamplay and mission structures really hold the game back, in my opinion. Assassin's Creed: Revelations was the first game that really showed how the time pressure had a negative influence on the final product. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood was already noticeably shorter than the previous games, and at least now the game length is back to what it used to be. I don't think it was fair to charge as much for Brotherhood and Revelations as the other games when they had less content. But that's corporate business.

I'm a bit conflicted on the yearly releases thing. Surely that is the reason why some gamers are starting to lose interest in the series; they're barely done with AC3 when AC4 and even its DLC is already being promoted. People want diversity in their games, and not play through the same kind of game all the time. The time and financial pressure on the employees does not seem to be much of an issue anymore, now that different teams work on different games with different schedules.

I was not very excited for AC3 and AC4 after they were announced and up until release. I was just done with the previous games and I wanted to shift my focus to other things. Other games and other ways of spending my time. But admittedly I've loved playing through both of them when I got my hands on them, and AC4 gave me the same feeling I did when playing AC2, and I have not had that since. Much as I don't like it, they've caught me with their marketing and business schedule. I know I'll enjoy each Assassin's Creed game they'll come out with every year, and I'll keep buying them. I'm already looking forward to seeing what new game we will get next year. Thankfully we don't seem to be getting multiple games with the same character anymore, so every game will feel fresh.

But I do have that feeling in between the release of the next game and when I get my hands on it. AC4 gives me faith that the series will head back in the right direction, regardless of yearly releases.