


In the year 1190, the wars of the Third Crusade engulfed the Holy Land, and Crusaders clashed with Saracens for the control of the Holy City, Jerusalem. Snakes are present in the game as traps and can be killed with a precise sword strike or by dropping a box on them. Weapons and skills can be upgraded or unlocked by using orbs found throughout the game. Seven different weapons are available: the Hidden Blade, a sword, a crossbow, explosive and smoke bombs, throwing knives, and a grappling hook which can be used to pull enemies' feet from underneath them and to swing across gaps. The game's combat system consists predominantly of weak attacks, strong attacks, and combos of the two, as well tools like bombs and projectile weapons. The Animus-theme menu and HUD, including a DNA-style synchronization bar for health, further supports this. The Abstergo Industries logo that acts as a visibility indicator, which is present in the loading screen, shows that an Abstergo Animus is being used.

The game's main gameplay is primarily a 2.5D platformer, mixed with stealth and combat. 2.2.7 Infiltrating a Templar strongholdĪssassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles takes advantage of the Nintendo DS' features by utilizing the touch-screen for mini-games, like interrogation and pickpocketing, as well as for displaying a map during standard gameplay.
