The ninth console generation has been a relatively quiet one. The PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series S/X consoles have seen some major releases — Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Halo Infinite — but the current generation has largely been marked by the conspicuous absence of tentpole exclusive titles. Bigger games are certainly on their way; Sony has announced Ghost of Yotei for 2025, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle launches on Xbox and PC next month. Until then, a string of remakes, remasters and some excellent third-party titles are keeping players busy.
But a lot of older games remain in the limbo of unrealized potential, waiting to utilize the power of current-gen consoles. When the PS5 and Xbox Series S/X launched in 2020, a slew of previous-gen games got free updates that bumped up their performance on new machines to 60fps — the expected standard on the consoles. These patches breathed new life into the games, previously locked to 30fps, bringing new and old players a smoother gameplay experience.
Assassin's Creed Syndicate 60 FPS Console Patch
But in the fourth year of the current console generation, these updates to older titles have thinned out, leading to many excellent games stuck in 30fps hell on modern consoles. On Tuesday, Ubisoft rolled out a free 60fps update for Assassin's Creed Syndicate on PS5 and Xbox Series S/X, nine years after the game launched. I booted up the updated version of the game on the PS5, and the patch has had a transformative effect.
Assassin's Creed Syndicate, the last AC title before the series shed its original identity and embraced an RPG-style approach, now runs at 60fps on PS5 and Xbox Series S/X. And on PS5, PS5 Pro and Xbox Series I installed the game on the PS5 after the patch rolled out late Tuesday and back dove into the game's Victorian London setting. At 4K, 60fps, Syndicate feels fresh, even though its core gameplay loop hasn't really stood the test of time. It was repetitive then; it is repetitive now. But with the improved performance on consoles, it's worth revisiting the setting, characters and story of AC Syndicate.
Assassin's Creed Syndicate Is Worth Revisiting
While it remains a flawed game that still splits opinion among fans of the series, Assassin's Creed Syndicate got a few things right. The game's recreation of London is an immersive open world bursting with period-accurate detail. The Victorian architecture, the wide cobbled streets and familiar landmarks make London a distinct game world to explore. The city especially comes alive during nighttime, when the grey, gloomy color palette takes over. Syndicate also provides players more options to navigate the world, with horse-drawn carriages and the much-maligned grappling hook. Not all the design choices land well, but there's an unmistakable personality to the game that later Assassin's Creed titles failed to capture.
Assassin's Creed Syndicate's London is brimming with period-accurate detail
Photo Credit: Ubisoft/ Screenshot – Manas Mitul
The performance boost, however, shines the brightest light on the game's excellent parkour system — a core Assassin's Creed feature that has been diluted in subsequent games in the franchise. Climbing and jumping around rooftops is now smoother than ever on consoles, and the nifty climb down mechanic, which was borrowed over from Assassin's Creed Unity, feels free flowing.
The game's singular urban setting means that its environments aren't as rich or diverse as newer games in the series, but it also brings concentrated detail to the locations you explore. The visuals hold up fairly well, too, especially the character models and facial animations, considering the game is almost a decade old.
London comes alive during nighttime
Photo Credit: Ubisoft/ Screenshot – Manas Mitul
Assassin's Creed Syndicate was the first — and still the only — game in the series to feature two playable protagonists, a feature that's set to return in Assassin's Creed Shadows. You play as twin assassins, Jacob and Evie Frye, who set foot in London in 1868. The two protagonists are distinct in their personalities and playstyles — Jacob is brash and prefers to tackle the mission head on; Evie, on the other hand, is reserved and takes a stealthier, calculated approach. Despite their contrasting temperaments, they work well together as assassins. Syndicate excels in establishing their playful and competitive chemistry.
Together, the twins chip away bit by bit the city's oppressive structures, freeing London's boroughs from Templar control and establishing an assassin stronghold with the help of their own gang. During the course of the story, you also meet historical figures like Charles Dickens, Florence Nightingale and Karl Marx. Syndicate also sees the return of open-ended “Black Box” assassinations from Assassin's Creed Unity. These large-scale missions, that offer multiple paths to your goal, urge players to make creative decisions, and remain a highlight to this day.
The game features two playable protagonists, twins Jacob and Evie Frye.
Photo Credit: Ubisoft/ Screenshot – Manas Mitul
With the latest 60fps patch, Syndicate has received a new lease on life, on consoles. It's perhaps the best time to return to a game, that despite its many flaws, remains a reminder of the merits of the Assassin's Creed franchise, serving just the right balance of history and fantasy. Following the update, performance is near flawless, and I've been getting consistent framerates in my new playthrough. The patch, however, doesn't iron out the bugs and visual glitches that remain in the game. But the 60fps boost is a welcome upgrade; it's something many other previous-gen games can benefit from. Ubisoft has rolled out similar updates to other Assassin's Creed titles like Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Assassin's Creed Origins. And with Assassin's Creed Syndicate now getting the patch, one can hope for earlier games in the series to get updated, as well.
Besides the patch, Ubisoft also announced that all editions of Assassin's Creed Syndicate will get a 75 percent discount until December 3 as part of its Black Friday sale. The game is available for PS5, PS5 Pro, PS4, Xbox Series S/X, Xbox One, PC (via Ubisoft Connect, Epic Games Store, and Steam), and Amazon Luna. On PlayStation, AC Syndicate is available as part of the Game Catalog with PS Plus Extra and Deluxe/Premium subscription.