AC Brotherhood of Venice: End of Campaign Feedback

After several years of hiatus, we finally completed the base campaign of Assassin's Creed Brotherhood of Venice (ACBV). One of the original players quit, mentioning he didn't like the game enough, and we went almost three years without finding a replacement! We finally decided to continue with three humans, sharing the fourth character between us. I would like to share a few thoughts about the game, thoughts that probably don't qualify as a full review. I will try to keep spoilers to a minimum.

Simple and effective rule

If you are used to complex games, ACBV might seem simple. There are few quirks in the rules, but I think the campaign format should allow every group to master them quickly. Especially considering many of them are slowly introduced in the first few scenarios. This allowed us to jump straight back into the game after three years without much issue. This, however, leads to the next point...

The game isn't particularly challenging

ACBV definitely falls into the easier game category. It's more family-friendly than his brother, V Commando. Things can go south if you're not careful; for example, if you charge enemies without being stealthy, but experienced players should be able to elaborate effective strategies and win most scenarios without much worry. Experienced players should also easily identify the more powerful powers to take each level. I could see some groups having a bit more difficulty by having sub-optimal builds.

Unfortunately, there are also a few weak points in the rules, ripe to be exploited by experienced players. Without going into details, a late enemy type in the campaign cannot enter buildings and doesn't have a ranged attack. This means assassins can simply ranged attack them without consequence.

Strong theme and power fantasy

From the beginning to the end, ACBV is very thematic. You are assassins, dealing in the shadows, with several tools to dispose of enemies without retaliation. If you are spotted, the alarm is rung and you will be in trouble. More guards spawn each turn, and you lose access to all your stealth-based tools. This is how the Assassins Creed games play out, at least the older ones; kudos to the designers for capturing the feeling.

The game also has an interesting character progression. You might not think much of it at first, seeing there are only four levels, but each level comes with stronger skills. The campaign also unlocks progressively stronger gear. Characters are definitely stronger by the end of the campaign than at the beginning. Fortunately, the enemies also ramp up nicely. Fitting the fantasy, the still stay behind the players a bit... until you face a boss. These are strong badasses that could easily one-shot a player in the last scenarios. That's where players should remember they can split incoming damage if they are on the same square.

The story is a classic struggle between the Assassins and the Templars over an artifact. I didn't pay particular attention to the details, but it definitely fit the theme. Do not expect to have branching choices in the campaign; that's not this type of game.

Quality of materials

My friend has the original Kickstarter box; therefore, I can't comment on any change made to a smaller print for retail. The minis are well made with a fair amount of detail. Anything in cardboard (map tiles, player board, etc.) seemed durable. Cards, small and large, are of good quality.

Moving forward

We had a ton of fun and are looking to play the first expansion campaign, called Roma, after a short break. We probably won't begin until the new year. We know the story continues with new characters, starting over at level two (level one is your apprenticeship), and are curious to see how it plays out. We are discussing raising the difficulty with the help of an unlockable after completing the first campaign: new, stronger basic enemies. This seems appropriate for experienced gamers, and I wish they were available from the start of the original box. No decision has been made yet; playing a less difficult game can be very fun too. Not every game has to be a Souls-like.

If you are interested in the video game series, ACBV could be a game for you. It's a well-made and thematic co-op campaign game. You might have to look at second-hand options; the print was limited even for the retail version, and the company has now closed its doors.