Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines continues Altaïr’s pursuit of the Templars on Cyprus, following the trail of the Apple of Eden as a direct sequel to the first game. The PSP entry completes quickly, with every memory finished in just under four hours and side missions adding an hour or more on top.
The game was expected to bridge the gap between the first two console instalments, but it expands the series rather than connecting it. The story adds little beyond the continuing relationship between Altaïr and Maria.
Assassination is the standout activity, allowing targets to be thrown before being finished with the hidden blade. Enemies are notably weak, which suits the loop because encounters stay quick, forgiving and satisfying to dispatch.
Combat counters are never lethal, simply knocking opponents down, so there is little reason to engage with them. Traversal is the main frustration because the character falls from ledges far more easily than in the original game.
The presentation cleans up well for a PSP title, with textures that do not look great but open areas that are surprising for the hardware. Objective icons are not entirely accurate, and the running animation looks goofy.
Side activities such as assassinations, deliveries and interrogations do not count toward completion, so the main missions alone reach a full hundred percent. Guards draw their weapons whenever anyone sprints, making running itself suspicious, and the controls feel a little odd throughout.
Overall, assassination and the short length make Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines a mild entry rather than an essential one. The easy kill loop and the passable presentation keep it a watchable distraction for series fans.