Assassin’s Creed 2 Review

In 2007 Ubisoft released the highly popular Assassin’s Creed that had tons of potential, but because of repetitious missions and a broken combat system it just didn’t reach what it could have been. Ubisoft listened to the complaints and released Assassin’s Creed 2 which towers over the previous title in terms of gameplay, mission variety, and story.

Assassin’s Creed 2
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Price: $59.99
Platform: PS3 (reviewed)

Without spoiling much, the story picks up exactly where we left our friend Desmond in the previous game who is quickly rescued by the present day assassins and taken to their hideout. After jumping into the Animus 2.0 we are introduced to Ezio Audituerre in 15th century Italy who gets tangled in a revenge story thick with conspiracies. Ezio is much more relaxed and fun loving than his ancestor Altaïr and you can’t help but like him. The story is thick with humor but keeps it down enough to keep the revenge/conspiracy plot serious.

Just like in the first game, the main mode of travel is the free running system. Ezio can traverse the numerous cities like modern day parkour and climb practically anything you can see. The animations are once again top notch and have even gotten better with Ezio reacting realistically when swinging from plants or climbing up church bells. I should add that Ezio is a bit faster than Altaïr which might seem like a small thing to add but it is quite noticeable and is very appreciated. My only gripe with free running is that unless you recognize that types of buildings and what sort of structure they have you will fall to the ground many times in this game by thinking you’ll make that jump when in fact you’ll be making a quick trip to the doctor’s office.

Assassin’s Creed was plagued with repetitive side missions and overall dull main quest. This time around the variety of side missions will have you wanting to complete them all and aren’t required to do like the previous game to unlock a story mission. These side missions can be done whenever you want and can be accepted or denied if you don’t feel like completing them. There are also Assassin Tombs hidden within each of the cities that hold an expansive puzzle filled platforming segment that Prince of Persia fans will feel right at home in. Flags this time are replaced by feathers that you can collect and deposit in a chest at the villa, and fans of previous game will be happy to know that collecting feathers will yield worthwhile rewards this time around. Codex pages are locked in chests guarded by 3-4 guards scattered throughout the cities that when collected can be placed on a wall in your villa and after taking some time will show a map. This is the only collecting game that is actually required to further the storyline but isn’t a big hassle. There are also hidden glyphs hidden throughout the cities that when scanned will give you a puzzle that unlocks parts of a video that when put together will show a clip that helps make some sense of the ending.

Stealth returns once again but this time you have other options besides the piles of hay and benches. This time around you can blend in with groups of people or even toss some coins on the ground to cause a horde of civilians to flock to a spot all fighting for the gold. A new system is the ability to hire thieves or whores to go distract guards from their positions allowing you a chance to slip by without a fight. Assassin’s Creed 2 also follows the tradition of adding the ability to swim in the sequel. You can quickly dive into the river and hide momentarily from guards or hijack a gondola for a quick getaway.

In Assassin’s Creed the combat reverted to simply waiting for the enemy to attack and hitting the counter button for an instant kill. Assassin’s Creed 2 changes things with counters not always being an instant kill, multiple weapon types with their own feel, and various sub-moves. Your main weapon will be the sword but you can acquire new weapons off fallen foes or even trade in your sword to purchase new ones from the blacksmith. You’re given a much slicker weapon wheel this time around where you can instantly change to your dagger, smoke bombs, hidden blade, throwing knives, poison, or even your pistol. Besides your usual weapons Ezio can also preform various special moves that help add tons of variety to the combat that include tossing sand to blind enemies, sweeping multiple foes, and grapples.

Cash is a new addition to Assassin’s Creed 2 and plays a heavy role in how you play the game. You acquire Florins by pickpocketing people, finding hidden treasure, or simply completing quests. These can then be used to buy new weapons, items, armor, or health vials. Other items can be purchased as a simple makeover to Ezio’s clothing by purchasing new colors for his armor or buying paintings for your villa. The Villa is a small area that is basically your safe haven you can go to whenever you want via fast travel to check on your progress in the game. Investing money in various businesses in your villa will eventually help you since you get a set amount of florins every so often and increases with the more you invest. For example you can invest in the blacksmith for a discount with each investment or simply reopen the pub. Your mansion at the top of the villa is also where you can keep track of all your collectibles like feathers, weapons, armor, paintings, or Assassin Tomb seals.

The Final Word
Assassin’s Creed 2 is the perfect example of how you take a mediocre game and create a sequel that trumps it in all ways possible. With the improved combat system, unique missions, hidden collectibles/tombs, cities full of life, and a length that will take you around 15-18 hours for completion Assassin’s Creed 2 is one of those games that everyone needs to get their hands on and play.

– MonsterVine Rating: 5 out of 5 – Excellent