Well...in single player mode there is a story involving 3 characters, you switch between the 3 of them at different times, they all have different skills and missions. Two of them know each other from ages ago. It's an ok story line, and fun in places, with some great characters, one liners and missions. You can, of course, just drive/ fly/ run/ swim around like a loon being hunted by the police etc.
Online is full of twats who will kill you at a moments notice. There are script cheaters. The net code is dumb. It is exactly the same as the single player apart from less traffic and litter etc etc...
But...
There are missions, races (home made or Rockstar created), the map is huge, you can go anywhere, climb anything, steal what you want, own houses and garages, customise cars, vans etc, race against mates, strangers, or just wander around in your customised car showing off. There are loads of other gaming modes including storming a luxury yacht (you can buy one if you have enough cash, customise it, drink with a prossie in the bar, get drunk and pass out), deathmatches, raids, heists (including planning the whole thing) etc etc
Assassins Creed isn't open world as it has barriers stopping you from seeing parts of the map until it's opened up by playing missions. This is completely open. Want to steal a push bike and take it to the top of the mountain and then ride over the edge before parachuting to safety? Want to fly a helicopter around the map? Want to steal a mini sub? Want to ride the subway? Want to join a clan who just drive around as Policemen? Or just race at high speeds...off you go.
If you have a decent pc it looks beautiful. Put some of your music in a folder and the radio station finds it and plays it. Nothing finer than driving up the west coast road with your tunes playing out of the speakers whilst the sun sets over the hills until it's ruined by you crashing into some npc who gets annoyed, tries to fist fight you and then runs off as you pull out a pistol...
Moments, gaming moments...
