If this game doesn't bring out the ninja in you, odds are that nothing will. Even though this is not a ninja game, your character sure acts like one.

Interestingly enough, Assassin's Creed is a game whose strengths and weaknesses revolve around the gameplay. If that sounds contradictory and confusing, don't worry; by the end of this section it will make perfect sense.

While Assassin's Creed can be played with keyboard and mouse, honestly I think you're cheating yourself if you don't take advantage of the option and play the game with a game pad. The game was designed for the Xbox and the PS3, thus the game pad system works much more smoothly than a keyboard and mouse combo.

Character movements in Assassin's Creed are just excellent. The controls respond exceptionally well to your commands, so climbing, jumping, and evading is not just a chore; it becomes one of the game's fun features. When it comes to your character and the controls, think of it as a four part system: your legs, head (vision), weapon arm and free arm. A corresponding button activates the desired body part.

Regardless of where you travel, your character is in one of the two available modes: low profile or high profile mode. Depending on which mode is active determines what actions your character can perform with one of the four body parts. For example, sprinting takes place under the high profile mode, and naturally, sprinting around guards raises their suspicion level. As you complete missions, your character gains additional equipment such as throwing knives among several other pieces. The way the controls are designed make this game very original, but as most original things go, there is always room for improvement.

As I've mentioned earlier, for the most part, Assassin's Creed control system is great, but some minor flaws exist. For example, I think that the battle system needs adjustment. Personally, I found the game to be way too easy because of the combat system. Best I can tell, this game was designed as a stealth game, but since hacking and slashing your way to the target is so easy, it really falls under the action category. For the most part, any battle can be won by simply holding the block button and hitting the attack button at the appropriate time, which causes your character to perform a fatal counter. In this manner, a small group of guards placed in your way become just a small delay instead of a ferocious obstacle. You can of course play the game the right way and sneak around like a ninja and dropping like a bolt of lightning on your target, or you can do what I do and just play the game in "everybody dies mode." The choice is yours, either way works.