In an interview published today with Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines producer Frederic Lefrancois, the connection between the PSP adaptation of the blockbuster series and the upcoming PS3 and Xbox 360 sequel was further defined.  Bloodlines will take place immediately following the events of Assassin’s Creed, as Altair tracks down the remaining Templars after the fall of their leader. The PSP version will stick very closely to the gameplay of AC1, with all of the mission types from the original being paired with eight new ones to offer far more variety than its predecessor.

Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines will also link the adventures of Altair to AC2 hero Ezio in more ways than one. Not only will players be able to connect their PSP to their PS3 to share content between the two games, but Bloodlines’ story will also show us the birth of Ezio and how that relates to Altair. Gamers will be able to explore several new locations, including two cities in Cyprus and a Mediterranean Island. No matter which area you are exploring, expect to see plenty of usefully-placed haystacks near every building.

Considering how many PSP ports are toned down to the point where the source material is unrecognizable, Bloodlines looks to deliver a current-gen quality experience on Sony’s aging handheld. It contains all of the gameplay of its bigger brother, and actually improves upon the formula of the original Assassin’s Creed in many ways. Plus, you still get to kill dudes using your finger blade, which is all that needs to be said.

Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines ships this Fall, exclusively for the PSP. A special PSP bundle will also be available, and you can check out a video of the game in action here.