Reverse: 1999 Hands-on: Our experience with Ezio and the Assassin's Creed crossover
- Stellar voice-overs and gorgeous landscapes
- Evocative narrative and soundtrack
- Plenty of collab content to immerse in
Secret chambers, hidden messages painted in frescoes, and a golden apple said to hold the meaning of life - what's not to love about the Reverse: 1999 x Assassin's Creed collab? Apart from the dramatic narrative to sink your teeth into (sorry, APPLe), there's also the gorgeous art, the stellar voiceovers, and the daring dives of the dashing Ezio himself - and that's just the beginning.
Once upon a time in Florence
You may have been lured by the glint of a florin, or perhaps found your interest piqued by the tales of the Compliners and their relics - whatever the case, Firenze has captured your heart, as you're thrust into a tale of ancient secrets, religious cults, and one golden apple at the centre of it all.
This is how your encounters with the Assassin begin, and boy, it's a doozy. In the latest collab within Reverse: 1999, you'll journey across time (as you often do) to reunite with the aforementioned golden fruit, because everyone from the Templars to the common folk seems to be after it. Even Leonardo da Vinci himself is entangled in this right mess, and it's up to you to untangle everything with the help of your Assassin friend.
Up on the rooftops
Of course, Ezio swoops in at the perfect moment, debonair as can be, to lend you a hand. Thankfully, the collab grants you a free Decatone to use during the A Prophet Guided by Time banner, giving you ten free pulls so you can try and add Ezio to your party. Simply clearing through the collab story rewards you with free resources for more pulls and collab items, but even without the goodies, the narrative itself is enough to make you want to stay.
Titled "La Primavera di Firenze", the collab event takes you through the cobbled streets and breathtaking rooftops of the city from one mission to the next, all embellished with dramatic dialogue, evocative music, and an overall romantic and elegant flair.
What makes everything shine is the incredible voice-acting here - Ezio himself steals the show, but not without a colourful cast surrounding him in the form of the famous Renaissance painter, APPLe in golden garb, and Miss Sotheby (who appropriately brings the RPG's quirky humour along with her). The vocal performances are simply superb, with brilliant writing that highlights the emotional conclusion and perfectly captures the vibe of the franchise.
Reading between the (art) lines
That said, there's a variety of missions you'll need to take on, as it's not just about the battles and the assassination (although there's plenty of that too). Between battles, you'll need to solve puzzles concealed in paintings, such as using Eagle Vision to find hidden clues on a fresco. You can also extend lines to find clues in the artwork, which all makes for a very immersive journey through the culture of that time.
While the Story Event itself should be enough to satiate your Assassin's Creed desires, there's more to explore after taking down the final boss. The "Into the Shadows" content, for instance, lets you move from tile to tile, slaying foes to earn currencies you can use to build Villa Auditore. Unlocked sections then offer buffs for your characters so you can live to assassinate another day.
The bonus stages, on the other hand, test your might and mettle with progressively more difficult foes. The Story Event stages have a manageable difficulty level, but the bonus stages after that pose a real challenge - ideal for tacticians who crave the thrill of combat and the strategic depth Reverse: 1999's battles have.
With the incredibly high-quality artwork, sound design, and vocal performances, it's hard to believe all this is simply Phase I of the crossover. Phase II welcomes Kassandra and Alexios to the fray - and given the gripping narrative from Ezio's tale alone, the next phase will no doubt keep us on the edge of our seats too.
Suffice it to say that if you're a fan of the franchise - or you're simply in the mood for a high-stakes adventure with a side of betrayal (not to mention some surprise cameos along the way), then the Reverse: 1999 x Assassin's Creed collab isn't one to miss.
If you're eager to get started on your time travels with Ezio and the gang, why not download Reverse: 1999 today? You can also head on over to the official Twitter and Discord channels for more info!
