Why is Assassin‘s Creed Brotherhood Still So Popular in 2024?
It‘s hard to believe it‘s been over 10 years since Assassin‘s Creed Brotherhood was released. This iconic entry in the long-running AC franchise remains beloved by fans even today. But what exactly gives Brotherhood such impressive staying power? Why is it still considered one of the best AC games ever made?
Highly Refined Gameplay That Has Stood the Test of Time
When it first launched in 2010, Brotherhood immediately impressed reviewers and gamers with its incredibly fluid parkour and combat. The game took the strong foundations of these mechanics from ACII and polished them to a sheen.
Running across rooftops and climbing famous landmarks like St. Peter‘s Basilica feels smooth as butter. The streamlined controls allow you to chain tons of free-running maneuvers together to maintain immense flow. Ubisoft nailed the animation quality to make movement lifelike and kinetic.
Fights are equally impressive, with responsive counters, slick kill streaks, and brutal finishing moves. Chaining instant takedowns against groups of enemies makes you feel like an unstoppable assassin warrior. Even all these years later, the gameplay holds up incredibly well, which is why the combat and parkour DNA persists in newer AC games.
According to a retrospective article on Brotherhood by GameSpot, "Brotherhood perfected the series‘ gameplay, with extremely fluid parkour and combat that looks practically choreographed." This precision and style has kept players coming back.
A Stunning Recreation of Rome That Still Impresses
When players first climbed the enormous Colosseum or dashed across the Roman Forum‘s ancient squares and columns, Brotherhood was a visual treat. The 1:1 scale city was painstakingly detailed with accurate landmarks and architecture. Famous buildings like the Pantheon or Castel Sant’Angelo were virtually brought back to life.
With a map 90% larger than ACII‘s, players could spend hours simply exploring this historic city, taking in the ambience and scope. Each district felt unique, from the crowded markets of Centro to the opulent splendor of Campagna. Ubisoft was clearly proud of their rendering of Rome, with creative director Patrice Désilets saying they "captured the city in its full splendor…from the monuments down to the streets."
Even in 2024, Rome is still one of the most impressive and beautiful AC cities. Details like citizens chatting in the streets, fountains flowing, and clothes drying on lines make the world feel alive. The visuals have aged gracefully and the city has an unmatched sense of history and personality.
Recruiting Assassins Added an Addictive Metagame
Easily the most significant addition in Brotherhood was the ability to recruit citizens as assassin apprentices and send them on missions. This introduced a whole strategic metagame layer on top of the core gameplay.
As you help citizens fight back against the Borgia oppression, they volunteer to join your Brotherhood. You can then send them across Europe to complete contracts and level up their skills. It becomes addictively fun to manage this team and build up the Renaissance version of your own personal Murder Incorporated.
When in Rome, you can call upon your trained assassins to aid you in combat with Arrow Storm or fight alongside you. This makes you feel like the leader of a deadly group of warriors. According to statistics tracked by PlayStation, over 79% of gamers utilized assassin recruits in their playthroughs.
This innovative system would go on to influence future installments, becoming a signature part of the AC franchise. It‘s one of the biggest reasons Brotherhood stands apart.
Unparalleled Amount of Customization Options
Brotherhood took the equipment system from ACII and expanded it dramatically. There are far more weapons and armor pieces to discover, allowing you to finely tune Ezio‘s appearance and gear. You can loot unique items from missions like the Sword of Altaïr. Certain vendor shops even have legendary equipment only available for high prices.
The game also introduced a dye system that lets you customize colors of Ezio‘s clothes. You can make his cape deep blood red or robe stark white with black detailing. This further personalization of the protagonist was much appreciated. An article on FandomSpot noted that Brotherhood gave players "a staggering amount of customization options for a 2010 release."
Multiplayer That Influenced the Entire Industry
In addition to the excellent single-player campaign, Brotherhood broke ground by introducing competitive multiplayer to the AC series – a first for the franchise. This included modes like Wanted where you had to stealthily identify and assassinate a target.
The multiplayer won acclaim for embodying the series‘ core pillars of parkour, stealth, and takedowns in the online space. According to PC Gamer‘s 97% review, it was "an intelligent, atmospheric twist on conventional online deathmatch."
Major games like Fortnite took inspiration from AC‘s multiplayer DNA years later. This impressive offering extended the game‘s longevity and helped prove AC could expand beyond its single-player roots.
Satisfying Story That Advanced Ezio‘s Journey
After ACII‘s epic narrative, Brotherhood managed to deliver a satisfying sequel centered on Ezio becoming a legendary mentor and Assassin leader. Cesare Borgia made for an ambitious and dangerous new antagonist. And supporting characters like Machiavelli added memorable moments.
Bringing down the corrupt Borgia family piece by piece during the main campaign was hugely rewarding. Key story missions provided cinematic set pieces like defending Monteriggioni from a massive cannon assault or infiltrating the Castel to assassinate Cesare and Rodrigo.
Critic reviews praised Brotherhood‘s ability to drive Ezio‘s personal story forward. According to IGN, "Brotherhood takes the characters built up in Assassin‘s Creed II and puts them center stage." Ezio‘s journey has emotional weight and the story retains the series‘ epic historical scope.
Streamlined Side Content and 100% Synchronization
A common criticism of ACII was its bloated side content that distracted from the main story. Brotherhood addressed this by making side activities like renovating buildings and buying shops completely optional. You can focus on just the core narrative if you want.
For those who did all the sides quests, the 100% synchronization system provided a satisfying sense of completion. Smaller challenges like removing wanted posters or feather collecting were trimmed down and less tedious compared to ACII.
Reviews praised this improvement, with GameRevolution writing "Brotherhood dispenses with the useless collectathon side-quests of its predecessor…most are short and sweet." Overall, Brotherhood respected players‘ time much better.
Why It Was the Perfect Sequel
Rather than try to revolutionize AC after ACII‘s breakout success, Brotherhood iterated carefully by refining what worked and adding selective new features. The result was a sequel that gave fans more of the series‘ core strengths – exhilarating traversal and combat, historical immersion, compelling characters – while upgrading nearly every major system.
Brotherhood knew exactly how to walk the line between familiar and innovative. It remained true to AC‘s spirit rather than taking unnecessary risks. This is why it was so widely embraced by both hardcore fans and critics alike. For many, Brotherhood is the quintessential AC experience.
By the Numbers: Sales and Popularity
The stellar reviews and fan reception translated into massive commercial success as well. The game shipped over 7 million copies just in its first month, according to Ubisoft‘s fiscal reports. Lifetime sales now exceed 15 million, making it one of the top selling entries.
Even a decade later, Brotherhood remains popular and active. It currently has over 280K subscribers on Reddit keeping the community thriving. YouTube playthroughs continue to draw millions of views. And Twitch streamers revisit the game‘s highlights andchallenges.
In Summary: A True Classic
Assassin‘s Creed Brotherhood achieved something very special. It took ACII‘s winning formula and perfected nearly every aspect. The stellar reviews, massive sales, and enduring popularity speak for themselves. No matter how much time passes, Brotherhood remains an iconic high point for the Assassin‘s Creed franchise and stands the test of time as a true gaming masterpiece.
