With Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate finally officially revealed after months of speculation and leaks, it’s good to see what this year’s entry in Ubisoft’s series is shaping up like. Can it repair the damage done by last year’s Unity though? Take a look at what we think were the most important elements to take away from today’s official reveal. 

Rope launcher

Sometimes, you’ve just had enough of climbing in Assassin’s Creed, especially when Arno decides he needs to pause for a second or two with no explanation other than he actually wants to be spotted by that guard with the never-miss rifle. Thanks to the new rope-launcher, such issues could become a thing of the past as we see Jacob do a very tidy Batman impression throughout the demo by flying up to rooftops with ease. You can even use it to set up zip lines between buildings, with the option to drop off along the way for an aerial takedown on guards. This sounds like a fantastic method of getting through the larger spaces in some of Assassin’s Creed’s arenas.

Whistling is back

How ridiculous was it not being able to whistle in Unity in order to get enemies attention? And no, fire crackers were not a suitable replacement. Jacob may already be climbing the list of punchable gaming leads, but at least the fella can whistle.

Horse and carriage, sir?

For the first time in the series, you’ll be able to move around the environment via a form of on-land transport. In line with the 1868 setting, you’ll have your very own horse and carriage to navigate London at speed. Well, relative speed at least. Naturally, because um, video games, you’ll be able to steal someone else’s carriage should it be in better condition than yours. And considering some of the aggressive chase scenes we saw, you’re going to be smashing a fair few to tinder. Fingers crossed they handle better than they look in the demo though.

Jacob likes a good brawl

Swords will not feature as much this time as the focus is on knives and knuckle-duster brawling. Unlike the older settings in past games, you’d be arrested for walking around London with a sword in 1868. So the capital’s crooks favoured shorter and sneakier knives, along with the odd revolver. We see Jacob wield the exotic looking Kukri blade a few times too. Aside from the CGI opening, most of the fights we saw today were hand-to-hand and the speed was seriously quick, especially compared to past AC titles. Jacob can certainly handle himself and we’re hoping it handles just as well via a control pad.

Gang Warfare is a thing

Early cutscene samples show Jacob’s ambitions to take control of London by gaining the support/or destroying gangs loyal to the Templars. Smaller missions will see him accumulate numbers for his gang, before they can take on a rival gang in a huge brawl. It would seem GTA: San Andreas has just been released in Quebec. We’re presuming Jacob will develop a conscience in the last third of the game to help the people of London overcoming his desire for personal gain. And they say originality is dead.

But what say you, savvy Dealspwn reader? Has the latest reveal rebuilt your faith in the series after the extremely disappointing Unity? Or does this look like a reskin of the same game you’ve played many times before, but with a grapnel hook included? We’ll be keeping our eyes peeled for further updates for you right until and beyond release.We still have a few questions about the game though, so you might want to read: Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate and Ubisoft need to answer these questions.