Assassins Creed Syndicate is changing the rules of combat

With so many games under its belt, it's hardly a surprise to learn Assassin's Creed Syndicate is going to be a bloody affair. (Come on it has got the word 'Assassin' in its title, after all.) But with its new entry swaggering into the reserved era of the Victorians (complete with new drivable carriages), Ubisoft Quebec has revealed Syndicate's new setting has not only influenced its take on side-quests but also its approach to combat.

"In the Victorian era, if people were to see you walking with a sword you probably would have been arrested or looked really, really out of place,” says creative director Marc-Alexis Côté in the latest issue of Official Xbox Magazine. "So when you fight with your hands it’s all about breaking bones and disabling your targets. When you fight with kukris it’s easier to dispatch them, but it’s a lethal option – sometimes you have to keep your targets alive, so that’s why you’ll use your fists. We have the cane, as well, which we’ll reveal more about in the future."

The latest issue of Official Xbox Magazine, with Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain on the cover, is out now. Download it here or subscribe to future issues.