Unleashing the Ultimate Virtual Reality Experience: Assassin's Creed Nexus in Jam-Packed Hands-On Preview!

In 2023, Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed franchise celebrates its 16th anniversary. From Altair's journey to numerous assassins and settings, the franchise has come a long way. The release of Assassin's Creed Mirage is a tribute to this milestone, however, it is not the only game coming out this year. Assassin's Creed Nexus will be launched in November and will be the franchise's first venture into the VR space, specifically for Meta Quest devices.

Assassin's Creed Nexus allows players to assume the role of one of three assassins - Ezio, Connor, or Kassandra. Through new memories, they are connected to a series of sought-after artifacts by Abstergo Industries in the modern day. While the premise of the game remains true to the core of Assassin's Creed, the VR approach is a new and exciting addition. Bringing a movement-heavy franchise to VR requires a leap of faith, but Assassin's Creed Nexus appears ready for the challenge. Our website recently had the opportunity to play a brief demo of the game at Ubisoft Montreal, immersing ourselves into the iconic shoes of Ezio Auditore.

Once the headset is donned and players enter the game, the striking dissimilarity of this presentation becomes readily apparent. This observation might even be considered an understatement, as after indulging in the franchise from a third-person perspective for more than a decade, experiencing Ezio's world through his own eyes is an entirely novel experience. Although the bustling streets of Venice remain familiar, NPC passersby making eye contact with us epitomizes the genuine potential of an Assassin's Creed VR game. Undoubtedly, the game is teeming with activity and abundant motion, yet Ubisoft has taken numerous measures to ensure the accessibility and comfort of this immersive experience.

The NPCs and visuals may not be groundbreaking, but they serve their purpose well at the typical distances players will be from guards and NPCs. Players will generally only get a close look at the NPCs during combat and assassinations, and that's when the texture of the NPCs becomes more noticeable. It wasn't particularly disturbing to see a person with a "Play-Doh" appearance up close, but it will take some adjusting compared to the visuals in other Assassin's Creed games.

Upon starting the game, we instinctively checked our own character's appearance, which resembled Ezio. We were able to smoothly draw out our Hidden Blades, purely for the novelty of it, while our sword remained on our hip and throwing knives were kept on our chest. As we progressed, we unlocked the ability to reach over our shoulder and retrieve a crossbow, as well as reach over the other shoulder to load a bolt into it. The immersion provided by Assassin's Creed Nexus was truly remarkable, making us feel closer to Ezio than ever before. We experienced some confusion with the controls due to their specificity, but we have to remember that this was just a brief demo. With more playtime, it would undoubtedly become second nature, and the precision is definitely a standout feature. Unlike many VR games that focus solely on hand movements, AC Nexus offers a full-body experience, granting players complete control over their hands. We found ourselves not only able to wield weapons and climb, but also even discovered how to make finger guns, simply for the sake of it. This showcases the extensive control options available in the game.

We discovered nearby walls that could be ascended by imitating the movements of a climber. Activating parkour required holding down a specific button. In the game, we would dash in specific ways (not physically, but within the virtual world) and engage in parkour actions that mirrored the agile feats of Ezio. Comparing it to other Assassin's Creed games is challenging due to its distinctiveness, but the parkour in Assassin's Creed Nexus truly embodies a sense of freedom. Initially, climbing is noticeably slower than in the traditional Assassin's Creed games, as it involves individually gripping ledges, pulling ourselves up, reaching, and more. However, this reduced speed does not detract significantly from the experience, as it offers unparalleled immersion in the realm of virtual reality.

Direct combat felt quite simplistic, involving basic sword blocks and swings. However, the real excitement lay in using the throwing knives, which added an element of fun and could swiftly end a fight. Additionally, players had the option to execute assassinations, although it required precise timing and skill to pull off successfully. There was an indescribable feeling when placing an NPC's head in a virtual grip and driving the Hidden Blade into them. To wrap up our demo, we sought out a vantage point within the city, positioned ourselves on a ledge, extended our arms in real life, and observed the immersive Leap of Faith, just as one would experience it in the iconic Assassin's Creed style. While it may not be an obligatory addition to the franchise for many enthusiasts, the sheer immersion it offers makes it a worthwhile endeavor to explore.

The heightened immersion offered by Assassin's Creed Nexus comes with a few important considerations. The game provides comfort settings to address potential drawbacks like motion sickness. The most immersive setting disables all comfort features, while the most comfortable setting offers a simplified gameplay experience. It is worth noting that Assassin's Creed Nexus can be played while fully seated, with the option for teleport-based movement if desired. In the demo we played, we opted for a balanced approach, utilizing the middle road option with "standard" comfort features enabled. Throughout our time playing the game, we never experienced any symptoms of motion sickness.

This is noteworthy for several reasons. Not only does the game allow players to physically climb and jump around a realistic city environment, but Assassin's Creed Nexus also brings the city of Venice (and other locations) to life. Non-playable characters populate the streets, occasionally appearing at the edges of the player's field of view. However, Ubisoft cleverly darkens these peripheries to acknowledge their presence without causing any motion-related issues. Additionally, Assassin's Creed Nexus incorporates a "virtual nose" that subtly guides the player's vision, ensuring their eyes stay oriented correctly and minimizing motion-related problems.