There was a lot of hype around the original Assassin’s Creed and so naturally I went out to buy it. The premise was very good but not as well executed as it could have been. It also seemed to get very repetitive with a list of people to assassinate. So when the second instalment was released, I wasn’t in such a hurry to buy it. Then earlier this year I found myself in a game store with a few pounds to spend and I saw it sitting there on the shelf. I decided I would give the series another chance. And I am so glad I did. This game is brilliant. Ubisoft took what worked from the first game, fixed up all the other stuff and crammed in hundreds of new features.
You begin by playing as protagonist Desmond Miles in the year 2012. With the help of a fellow assassin, Lucy, he breaks out of Abstergo Industries before getting back in the animus machine so he can live out more memories of his ancestors and search for a mythical ‘Piece of Eden’. This time around you do not play in the past as Altair from the first game; instead you play as a new character, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, who is seeking revenge for the death of several family members.
The climbing and free-running make a return from the previous game and it feels like a far more refined and accurate technique than it was before. Set in renaissance Italy, we also have some beautiful cities in this game, Florence and Venice are probably the best of which, and both are playgrounds for Ezio to do a lot of fighting and looting. Looting is a new addition for AC2 and adds to a money system of Florins. After completing missions or tasks Ezio receives a certain amount of these gold coins to spend on armour, weapons, treasure maps or even some antique paintings. He can also get his clothes dyed. All of these things enhance the experience of the game greatly and really make the setting feel authentic.
The story line is very good and you will meet some real historical figures along the way such as inventor and artist, Leonardo Da Vinci. At the end of the game there are many surprises from an unexpected encounter with foreshadowing of what is to come in future instalments. The style of this prophecy is chilling for the gamer and brings some of the key story elements into focus so we know what the series is really about.
The game isn’t perfect and there were a few small things that annoyed me slightly. Firstly I found swimming to be a slow, laborious task and it is a shame considering that half the game takes place in Venice. I wish that swimming felt smoother and quicker like the free running. Secondly, the climbing can still act up and sometimes you may try to jump to the next ledge only to find that Ezio jumps backwards and off of the building, meaning you have to start again from the bottom. However I’m sure that the climbing will continue to evolve and improve slowly over each game.
Overall, I give Assassin’s Creed 2 a 93/100 score. The story is slow but full of rewards by the end of the game. And although some of the climbing and swimming is yet to be perfected it never gets old running across the rooftops of the amazingly recreated Italian cities. It was especially interesting as I am going to Venice myself next week!
Thanks for reading this review.
-Sam.
The climbing and free-running make a return from the previous game and it feels like a far more refined and accurate technique than it was before. Set in renaissance Italy, we also have some beautiful cities in this game, Florence and Venice are probably the best of which, and both are playgrounds for Ezio to do a lot of fighting and looting. Looting is a new addition for AC2 and adds to a money system of Florins. After completing missions or tasks Ezio receives a certain amount of these gold coins to spend on armour, weapons, treasure maps or even some antique paintings. He can also get his clothes dyed. All of these things enhance the experience of the game greatly and really make the setting feel authentic.
The story line is very good and you will meet some real historical figures along the way such as inventor and artist, Leonardo Da Vinci. At the end of the game there are many surprises from an unexpected encounter with foreshadowing of what is to come in future instalments. The style of this prophecy is chilling for the gamer and brings some of the key story elements into focus so we know what the series is really about.
The game isn’t perfect and there were a few small things that annoyed me slightly. Firstly I found swimming to be a slow, laborious task and it is a shame considering that half the game takes place in Venice. I wish that swimming felt smoother and quicker like the free running. Secondly, the climbing can still act up and sometimes you may try to jump to the next ledge only to find that Ezio jumps backwards and off of the building, meaning you have to start again from the bottom. However I’m sure that the climbing will continue to evolve and improve slowly over each game.
Overall, I give Assassin’s Creed 2 a 93/100 score. The story is slow but full of rewards by the end of the game. And although some of the climbing and swimming is yet to be perfected it never gets old running across the rooftops of the amazingly recreated Italian cities. It was especially interesting as I am going to Venice myself next week!
Thanks for reading this review.
-Sam.
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