AC: Bloodlines is mainly a scaled-down version of its console counterpart.
---------- Pros and cons ----------
++++ Pros:
[+] Free roaming around a 3D environment: Unlike the DS version (Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicle), in this game you can freely traverse the city. While cruising the streets, you can find Templar (your enemy) guards, rooftop archers,... You can pull out your hidden blade and kill the guards just for satisfaction. Furthermore, there are coins hidden throughout the cities, which you can use to buy upgrades that enhance your power. One of the best aspects of free-roaming is the rooftop jumping. While not as seamless as the console/PC version, rooftop jumping still adds some "fun" element to the game. You can jump from roof to roof, climb on top of castle walls, and many others. It's just a nice way to avoid the road full of pesky guards.
[+] Stealth action combined with platforming: Again, not as good as its console counterpart, but still good nonetheless. Not only do you have to sneak your way through (getting surrounded spells PAIN), you also have to think of a way to make your actions less noticeable. Should you climb over the wall? Or go the long way and kick their back? Or just charge? The game forces you to think your way so you won't get outnumbered. And no, charging is not a good option. It's always better to go the long way, attack the guards that aren't looking, and go on. Plus, the combat is just fun. You can't mash the attack button like in God of War, nor can you chain ZOMG combos like in Soul Calibur, or any other fighting game for the matter. You have to have good timing to counterattack and perform multiple attacks. It's quite good at first, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes so easy it's a bit boring.
------- Cons:
[-] Buggy controls and camera: Sometimes, control just wouldn't work. You want to jump from roof to roof, so you press R+X. But instead, Altair just stand there and look. And in many other occasions, the lock-on system just sucks. This is like Naruto Shippuden, you can only lock-on to one of the 2 nearest enemies. This seriously hinders strategy element since sometimes you might want to take down enemies from far using your throwing knife. And then sometimes, due to the environment, attack just miss and miss, when it is supposed to hit. And there's this time when enemies just go invisible due to a glitch. This is further frustrated by the camera. It's not the controls problem this time. The camera controls are pretty impressive and smart. You press L + X, O, triangle or square to move the camera. It's probably the pest way to rotate the camera (D-pad sucks, look: Monster Hunter). Although sometimes this prevent you from spinning or jumping, it can't be any better (PSP's lack of buttons/2nd analog). But because the developers thought their camera controls are so impressive, so well-thought, they didn't even care how the camera automatically moves. It's just damn lame. When your fighting, the camera just slam itself to the wall, preventing you from seeing where the hell is your enemy. When your running, the camera just stand still, which force you to move the camera yourself (remember, you only have 10 fingers, 2 of which you probably won't use when playing)
[-] Way too short: This game is damn short, it only takes 4 to 8 hours to finish the story. There's this "accomplishment" thing, but you can complete it when you're doing the story. Well, not all of them, you probably won't be able to do the "collect x number of y coins". But why bother? It's just some boring coin fetching that you won't care. Yes there are side quests, but they are boring, repetitive and a waste of time. Yes there are guards to kill (for satisfaction), but they get repetitive shortly). Yes you can replay story events, but why, when you've already finished it. The developers should have either add more story events or add more interesting, unique side quest and a "side quest log" to keep track of what you've done.
[-] AI is a joke: From how the game mechanics works, I expected some uber intense stealth action, but because the enemies are so freaking dumb, the intense action just fly away. Example: Guard A saw Guard B fell down after being "hugged" by Altair (you should expect some "hey damn you wth have you done?") and suprisingly, Guard A kept on "staring" just to get killed by Altair some seconds later. That is enough to remove all the stealth elements of the game. Sure, they will spot you occasionally, and you will expect them to perform some splendid swordsplay but NO, FAIL. What do the guards do when they're about to fight you? They slowly perform their attacks, just to be counter-attacked by Altair, then die miserably. Bosses are a lot smarter, but they're bosses. It's not like you see bosses roaming around the streets. And then there's this problem about the guard's eyesight: Altair wields a blade, approaches Guard #001. In the PC/PS3/360 version, Guard #001 will call his guardmate, uhh, teammates, and gang Altair up, but instead, he just stand their waiting for his epic death. Kinda like Dynasty Warriors, if you ask me.
[-] Game is broken after about 65%: From that point on, stealth = lame. It's too easy. It's not intense enough. So, what's better than "LEEEEEROOOOYYYY", I mean, charging head-on? Charging like that, as I've said before, guarantees some PAIN, but this is when the game just started. ANY strategy element is lost when you're reaching this certain point of the game. Charging makes you surrounded, but makes the game FUN. What is better than stretching your eyes, seeing who out of the 13772615149 (exaggerated) soldiers will attack you (so that you'll counterattack).
------------------ Rating:
[] Difficulty: Medium at the start, easier as you progress.
[] Graphics: 8 (the cities are neat, environments are okay, Altair is very detailed)
[] Sound: 7 (nothing special)
[] Gameplay: 6 (more like a scaled down version of a great game)
[] Unlockables, length, replay value: VERY LOW.
[] Frustration level: 3/10 (the game won't likely get you frustated, it's just some minor camera issues)
[] Overall: 7/10. A fair game
Final comments: I'd say you rent it. It's quite good, but not worth (of course, unless you're a freaking fan, or an Assassin's Creed collector) spending $30 on. Sure, it is fun, but you're better off playing the console version.