Nothing says fun like employee handbooks and file folders full of paperwork. Yes, I can feel the adrenaline creeping up this very moment as I hold a bound stack of letters, sticky notes and paper clips waiting to be sifted through. So many paper clips. It could take days to get through all this data, which would usually be annoying. However, since the paperwork I'm holding is Case File 44412: Arno Dorian and it's actually the cleverly disguised Assassin's Creed Unity art book, I'm not too put out about it.
Okay, so 'cleverly disguised' might not be the best way to put it, since this hardbound, full-color book is packed with the kinds of concept artwork and nifty information that art books tend to have. It's constructed to look like a proper case file though, and most of its neat in-universe tidbits are woven through letters between Abstergo employees or informative company leaflets.
Sticky notes and loose papers clipped/glued into the book give it that extra realistic effect, like you're really working in an office! Plus, it has an intriguing story all its own: you're the employee picking up the Dorian research project after the last guy, Robert Fraser, got too wrapped up in Arno's mind and was 'decommissioned.' Oh jeez.
Sadly, you don't get too much in the way of developer commentary, and the focus on story means that the second half of the book is extra spoilery, so tread lightly until you've finished Unity's main plot. However, the quality of the product more than makes up for both of those things (if they even mattered to you in the first place). The extra care put into giving this book a theme and sticking with it pays off with a really lovely product that's both beautifully done and actually pretty fun to read. It's currently available on Amazon for a little less than $30, and if you're an Assassin's Creed fan, you'll love what it's got tucked away. Like hints at where the next Assassin's Creed's gonna be set. You know, just an example.
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