Investigation

Investigations are tasks that must be performed by Altaïr before an assassination can be sanctioned. They allow Altaïr to learn of the sins and atrocities performed within the cities of the Holy Land. Investigating reveals how your targets are taking advantage of their power and influence as the war intensifies. It is while stalking the streets of that particular district most affected, that you gain knowledge upon how the people have been suffering due to the ill and selfish acts carried out by these major public figures. Tied into this is also where and when the targets daily routines and personal selfish habits will leave them most vulnerable to a silent public assassination strike.

After immediately making contact with the Assassin's Bureau you will receive direction and advice on where best to begin and carry out your investigation, however visiting the bureau before the public figure assassination is not necessary, rather using the map to locate the first view point for a district, can save you time when it comes to the cutscene, since you can quickly complete your investigation via syncing each viewpoint and doing the nearby missions that appear on your map before arriving at the Bureau, allowing you to combine two cutscenes into one and make the game flow more smoothly. Though there are 6 Investigation missions, a minimum of 3 are required to be completed before permission to begin the assassination is given by the Bureau Leader is given. Completing all the available investigations, however, increases the ease with which final kills can be made by giving you significant pieces of information that an incomplete investigation will not necessarily give you, as well as grounding the Assassin more fully in the story.

Types of Investigations

• Pickpocketing
• Eavesdropping
• Interrogation
• Informants

The PC version adds additional types of Investigations:

• Archer Assassination
• Rooftop Race
• Merchant Stand Destruction
• Informant Escort