Assassin's Creed II (Xbox 360) Review - PAGE 1

Prior to its release, Assassin’s Creed II was one of the most anticipated games of 2009, riding the success of its predecessor. The first Assassin’s Creed garnered a great deal of attention, thanks to Ubisoft’s innovative take on open world adventuring.  We were introduced to a stoic and arrogant Assassin who made up for all his personal shortcomings with great agility, a firm sword arm, and the coolest outfit imaginable.

In the sequel, Ubisoft addressed just about every flaw gamers found in the original. The combat has become a tad more complex, assassinations are no longer preceded by a repetitive investigation process, and our new Assassin, Ezio Audituerre de Firenzecomes, is armed with a lengthier name and more moves than Altair ibn La-Ahad could have ever hoped for.

If you avoided the first Assassin's Creed and have only just given in to the hype, Assassin's Creed II recaps with a quick synopsis of where we'd left off. Our clueless young hero, Desmond Miles, is back and quickly goes over past events for the player's benefit. Once you're up to speed, Desmond is yours to control once again. 

This lush rendition of 15th century Italy is littered with puzzles, which Desmond decrypts to reveal minute details bit by bit, slowly unraveling a myriad of mysteries. These puzzles unveil the present day plot parallel to Ezio's life story, in a storytelling formula similar to the one used in The Matrix. As Desmond is drawn further into the centuries old secret war between Templars and Assassins, the plot thickens and conspiracies multiply.

The first time we see Ezio, he's just popped out of his madre's womb in one of the stranger playable sequences you'll encounter in a video game. Moving on, shit happens, and the player finally gets to hop back in the Animus after some more plot build-up, setting in motion that familiar pattern of weaving between past and present. 

By the end of the prologue, we already have a pretty good idea of what's going on with Desmond, and Ezio's own little prequel begins. As numerous trailers have already suggested, Assassin's Creed II spends a great deal more time on character development. The hefty tutorial segment also doubles as an adequate introduction to our fallen noble, so that players can bond with Ezio as a character. We are allowed deeper involvement in his becoming an Assassin and bear witness to the climactic events that transform his life. In Assassin's Creed, players were given no insight into Altair's character or intentions beyond his involvement in the plot; with Ezio, we actually understand his motivations for choosing a killer's path.

For a bit more “lore,” the new Database feature acts like a codex, documenting points of interest, historical monuments and people. Alerts pop up on-screen when a new entry is added, and you can access the Database at any time for some extra reading.

Our new star Assassin has a few more things going for him, beyond the good looks that run in Desmond's ancestral bloodline. Gameplay has gotten somewhat less frustrating now that the protagonist can swim and move even when Eagle Vision is activated. And here is a charismatic young man, unlike the brooding Altair, so it stands to reason he'd have close allies. Charm and money buy hired help, like courtesans who act as effective diversions for inconvenient guards, or well-armed mercenaries for some extra muscle. Even the oblivious crowds can be used to your advantage -- blend in with groups or toss out money to incite chaos and keep guards busy.

Money makes the world go 'round in ACII, so a "Loot" action has been added to our Assassin's skill set, and pick pocketing made much easier. All your florins will eventually go toward making new friends, purchasing upgrades and acquiring other necessities. The implementation of a money system adds some welcome complexity to play and an unmistakable RPG feel to this sandbox game; with that extra coin, Ezio can purchase better armor for stat boots, repair or replenish his weaponry, and dye his outfit. These upgrades generally complete specific outfits, which you can actually see on display in the Auditore Villa in Monteriggioni.