One of my biggest disappointments in video game history was when Ubisoft released the first Assassin’s Creed on Xbox 360; that game could have been the epic title gamers were waiting for. Unfortunately it was plagued by a number of unforgivable issues, including repetitive gameplay, unforgiving bugs, and even some major story problems. Because of that my anticipation for the sequel was not nearly what it should have been, allowing me to go into this review with a jaded perception of the series. By the time I was a couple hours into the game I knew the development team had taken our complaints to heart, and created one of the best games of 2009 – in Assassin’s Creed II for the Xbox 360. There are moments that telling the CG story movies and in-game graphics apart is literally impossible, jaw-dropping. Featuring one of the most immersive settings I have ever had the pleasure of visiting (14th century Italy) in a virtual environment and new gameplay mechanics that will literally knock your socks off; Assassin’s II is epic, in every single way. I usually wait til the end of a review to make a final recommendation but this time I’m making an exception - go get this game right now, play it for fifteen hours or so, then come back here and read the rest.
The story revolves around the same character from the first game, Desmond, who travels back in time to assassinate bad guys and attempt to figure out the universe’s ultimate secrets. Last time we got to take control of Altair, this time around the 14th century assassin goes by the name Ezio – and we get to connect with him on a much more personal level. You will only travel back to present time twice throughout the very long (around 15 hours with no side missions completed) singe-player story and even those trips are entertaining. This time around though you have escaped from the Templar-controlled corporation and are working with a team of rebels who’s ultimate mission is unclear. I found myself time and time again waiting for the same issues from the first Assassin’s Creed to pop-up in this one, they never did. The story is superbly written, and will grab you swiftly like some of the Oscar-winning movies we all love to watch time and time again. There are multiple locations throughout Italy that Ezio will visit during the stories progression, and once unlocked you may revisit all of them (Venice, etc.) to complete side-missions or just get into trouble roughing up the citizens.
Gamers who played the previous Assassin’s Creed will remember the horrible horse-riding sequences; even though there is a small amount of horseplay in the sequel - it’s a very miniscule amount and can be skipped using the “quick travel” shops located in each city. The writers made sure to include a good amount of betrayal, plot twists, and general confusion to keep the player on his toes throughout the main quest. Never once did I find myself wanting to skip a cut-scene, or thinking about something else during the review period; Assassin’s Creed II hooked me from the very beginning to the end. The controls are similar, and still present some of the same issues they did last time. This game is more about exploration and picking the correct pathway than it is about violence (although there is plenty of it included), because of this factor success in the game relies heavily on precise movement between objects. All that would be fine but for the fact that many times throughout the gameplay experience Ezio will leap the opposite direction of the one pushed on the controller. This misstep can result in a long-distance death fall or alarming the target just moments before his assassination.
Gone are the troubled pickpocket, rough-up, and other required missions from the first game; Assassin’s Creed II is all about the main quest, and every single mission that must be done to progress through the story is interesting (see non-repetitive). All those classic objectives are still available, but are 100% optional; and only earn Ezio extra spending cash if completed. As if that’s not enough there are hidden feathers, statues, and symbols that if found will unlock everything from achievement points, to a usable Altair costume, to mini-plot elements explaining some other aspects of the game’s story. Most gamers could easily put 40 hours into this game, if they wanted to find each and every unlockable or extra; that’s more than enough to warrant a purchase and too us felt just right in terms of length. In terms of graphics Assassin’s Creed II is as solid as they come, the entire world is beautifully crafted which helps bring the player into the epic story; something all great video games accomplish. It’s easily one of the best looking games of 2009 and has me dropping my jaw more than once, especially the level where you fly Leonardo DaVinci’s flying machine through the city of Venice.
Everything about Assassin’s Creed II screams believability, from the real life characters that you interact with to the conflict – it plays out as though direct from the history books. More than once while playing this game did I get that feeling of “this is why I love to play video games” and “it’s one of the best titles of 2009.” The soundtrack and star-studded cast of characters only helps the game, pushing it past low budget and into Hollywood movie. Assassin’s Creed II is everything I wanted the first one to be, with one of the single best written stories of this generation. There are a few moments of frustration but for every one there is ten times the amount of memorable great moments. Each year I recommend a couple Xbox 360 games to my friends and family, Assassin’s Creed II will be one of those epic games that make the list. Only time will tell if Ubisoft will follow-up with an even better game the third time around. I need everyone to go out and purchase a copy of AC2 just to be sure; time for me to rewrite Italian history – a second play-through.
