Assassin’s Creed multiplayer: It’s all in the mind

One of the most important parts about Assassin’s Creed multiplayer is the psychology with which you approach every match. Frustrations at your earlier failures must remain in the past, and you have to know that every round is separate, both in mentality and result. And while it’s certainly easy to say “every match is its own beast,” it’s something else entirely to actually experience it. Here are some tips on how to make this theory into a reality.

Die every day

The first thing new players should know about AC multiplayer is this: while the Kill/Death ratio is a measure of how good you are at surviving, it is by no means a guarantee of victory. If you die more than you kill, but every kill nets you a ton of points, take every death in stride. Assassin’s Creed is about adding finesse and care to your murderous deeds, not so much about the volume of bodies you add to the pile.

Quality over quality, then, is the order of the day. Granted, the player who gets twelve kills probably has more points than the player who has six, but that’s not always the case. A dozen Reckless, Basic kills only nets 1800 points, and I’ve gotten almost half that with the Greater Variety, Incognito, and Hidden bonuses. That’s not counting Focus, Stuns, Aerial Kills and Poison, to name a few. Like I showed in my “Best Round Yet” video, an almost 1:1 K/D means nothing if your kills are worth at least 300 points.

All that being said, you’ll want to minimize your deaths if possible. The fewer times you die, the fewer chances other players have to gain points off you. While you can’t control how utterly shit everyone else in the lobby is, staying alive minimizes your own mark on your opponents’ scores. It also allows you to control how you move about the map rather than letting the respawn algorithm determine flow. Your chosen hotspot will remain under your control, and you can manipulate the match how you wish.

Calm yourself, son

One of my biggest failings is my impatience. I’m so used to fast paced, twitchy gameplay that I don’t take the time to plan my kills like I should. Slow your game down and play like you’re just taking a windy walk, murder in your heart. Understand that the whispers might give away your position, but play it cool, like you’re just another NPC.

Speed will grant you few favors, so keep sprinting to a minimum. Everyone on the server instantly knows where you are, and your target/pursuer has a bead on you from across the map. Fast walking is usually the fastest pace you should keep, and use that sparingly too. The highest level players have the standard walking pace memorized, and they watch the NPCs to see if anyone’s moving just that little bit quicker. Of course, if you have victory well in hand, a little recklessness won’t hurt, or at least, it won’t hurt you. Others in the lobby will see you and think either “What an idiot,” or “Now the leader’s just showing off.” Both responses are worthwhile, though the latter has longer lasting effects.

Moral of the story? Take as much time as you think you need, then strike when the opportune moment presents itself. Apply a little pressure if you need to, but never move too fast. A well planned Silent, Hidden kill is more rewarding, both in points and in morale, than a frustrated Reckless could ever be.

Walk like a computer

I mentioned earlier how the best players have walk speeds memorized, and I’ll repeat it here: they have that shit down to a science. While you won’t be an instant master with the following tips, you will learn plenty about how different paces affect your overall strategy.

If you want to know how fast NPCs walk on a consistent basis, go into a private match solo or with a few buddies. Don’t kill anyone or do anything. Just watch the AI walk around. Try to commit their walking pace to your memory, and once you think you have it, join a blend group and walk with them. Watch how the scenery passes, and how quickly. Then go into fast walk and time how long it takes to separate completely from the group. Find another blend group, or even a single NPC, and try to fast walk up to them. Again, make a mental note of how long the process takes. If you have some friends with you, practice your tailing skills. Try not to kill each other too much, instead focusing how obvious you are to everyone else.

Keep in mind that a lot of this training falls away in the heat of a match, and remember that victory is often based on your response to the context of each individual round.