Summary
Assassin’s Creed Brotherhoodholds fond memories for many long-time fans of the series. The game continued the arc of the hugely popular protagonist Ezio Auditore da Firenze, introduced the assassin recruit system that we saw re-emerge in Shadows, and also brought forth the cult classic multiplayer component of Assassin’s Creed, which was discontinued after Black Flag.
Assassin’s Creed’s competitive multiplayer component had several modes: Manhunt, Wanted, Alliance, Chest Capture, Advanced Wanted, Advanced Alliance, Escort and Assassinate. These were all spins on the same sort of gameplay: assassinating others while avoiding being assassinated yourself.
There’s no doubt that the multiplayer modes felt tacked-on to Brotherhood. However, they were still a surprisingly refreshing take on competitive multiplayer, completely unlike anything else you could find at the time. In a world of first-person shooters and sports simulators, Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood offered something fresh, even if it wasn’t the kind of thing you’d sink hundreds of hours into.
Ubisoftshut down Brotherhood’s multiplayer services in 2022, rendering the game’s multiplayer unplayable through normal means. That being said, there are still a couple of dedicated players accessing the mode from time to time.
Hunt, or be Hunted
Mimak, a user on YouTube, recently released a video of them playing Manhunt with another player through a private matchmaking server. They have been working on alternate means of reviving the servers for over two years, and they appear to be making commendable progress.
The gameplay is a nostalgic trip; I remember playing the mode back when Brotherhood released, becoming frustrated when experienced players saw through my obvious disguises. Mimak and their opponent play a game of Manhunt; neither is particularly subtle, but it’s still an enjoyable face-off.
Ubisoft likely discontinued multiplayer because it was resource-intensive to develop, and likely didn’t contribute to sales despite being popular among a small cohort of players. It’s always fantastic to see people passionate enough about something to take matters into their own hands.
It seems unlikely in an era of live-service games that we’ll ever see Assassin’s Creed’s multiplayer return in an official capacity, but perhaps one day we’ll get a battle-pass-laden spin-off to recapture some of that magic.
