Assassins Creed 2 may be one of the best sequels ever
Where Assassins Creed started you off in the shoes of an assassin, its sequel puts you in the shoes of a nobleman instead, and follows his rise as he becomes the deadliest assassin of his era. AC2 continues on the vastly interesting story of Assassins Creed and takes everything to a whole new era of the Italian Renaissance, where things are just about stirring up politically. You are pushed into the age-old war between the Templar and the Assassins.
For people who are familiar with the last game, AC2 has changed a lot, and definitely for the better. The storytelling is much more focused now and the game ends up being more cinematic and well-defined than ever before. It moves at a steady pace without much monotony, and there are so many things to do this time around that you never end up getting bored. The opening sequence is one of the best and most unexpected. There’s also a well made introductory video at the beginning that clearly sums up the first game.
Hidden Blades
To help you in your war, you have fantastic allies like Leonardo Da Vinci himself, who deciphers documents called codexes and designs fancy new gadgets and weapons for you to use. This time around, the game takes a very RPG shade, as you can buy new weapons and gadgets as well as change your costume from stalls around the cities. You even get a small village under your command and upgrading it with money helps generate income that you can collect.
Even though you’re playing city builder and stuff, you are primarily an assassin; you will kill, kill and kill a lot. But, all assassinations are very drastically different, ranging from the cause of the assassination to the whole setting and the way you are supposed to do it; thus, forcing you to improvise and think like an assassin. You still talk to your victims while they lie dying. You will also learn different things from different people; a prostitute teaches you to blend with the crowd and pickpocket, while a thief teaches you to climb faster. The level of detailing in this game is amazing and small things make all the difference. The cities you roam in, from Florence to Venice, are beautiful with magnificent architecture. Crowds are lifelike and the whole city bustles and thrives as if real, something never seen to this detail in any game.
The music, a blend of ancient and futuristic, picks up pace every time you’re in danger and really turns it on in moments like, when you’re testing Da Vinci’s flying machine.
The Bigger Picture
AC2 is everything its predecessor could not be - starting with your bigger sense of purpose to the fact that everything seems more wholesome, logical and real - this could be a movie you’re interacting with as much as it is a game. And, there’s a whole sense of completion around the world that has been created that greatly adds to your suspension of disbelief. Once you are in the game, you’re the assassin Ezio and no one else. This immersion feels amazing. Ezio is not only physically superior to Altair and moves more fluidly, but he’s also a master of combat. Fighting is one of the best parts of the game, and Ezio is fast and brutal. This game sees a lot of blood fly around. The animations and body movements are incredible, controls are all about reflexes and timing. But nothing is unfairly tough. This game is friendly and waits for you if you’re slow on the move. Kudos to Ubisoft for making such a masterpiece.
Sure, there are problems (mostly bugs), but they’re just about minor enough to make you forget them completely. On the whole, even if you just like assassins because you think they’re cool and don’t give a damn about the story, this game still manages to please. Set and match!
