Assassin's Creed II

• - A good story mixes elements of historical fiction and a Sci-Fi epic . - Really impressive graphics and first-rate animations , that looks just as good as games like Uncharted 2 on PS3 and Gears of War 2 on 360 . - The game world is even bigger then the last one ( it really rivals games like Fallout 3 ) also IF taking a horse across the land still takes too long some times don't worry there are warp points now as well . - In the first Assassin's Creed there was about 5 different mission types ( chase someone , pickpocket someone , save someone from getting beat up , spy on targets , and then stealth kill , ect ) in Assassin's Creed 2 there is like 15 different mission types now from all out battles , trailing a targets , beating up unfaithful husbands and lots of different types of stealth killing also all the old types in Assassins Creed 1 are here as well . - You have a better opportunity to be a more cunning assassin now due to newer weapons , techniques , and skills . - You can now swim , no more letting water be your foe heck you can even drive gondolas if you wanted . - like the first title this one has great sound track too that mixes music of the era during the clam points of the game and more modern type of music during the chase points of the game . BAD : - Some small problems from the first are still there - although they are a lot more minor now like some times roof top running ( parkour ) can be a tad sloppy in a tense situations and you'll get killed ( small camera problems ) . ( I didn't really see this in my play through but some people have told me it happens so I am letting you know here ) - Losing that cool sword : you have the ability to disarm enemies and kill them with their own weapons now ( this never gets old ) - BUT - you also drop you own original sword in the process making you having to dig among the bodies to find it again and hope it's not lost . : : UPDATE : : I put this wrong it seems , you never lose your weapons when doing a disarm attack ( it yes it never gets old ) ; you only seem to lose your weapon when a stronger enemy ( usually a knight in a suit of armor ) knocks it outta your hand , and this is still a bit rare . Then you would have to find your weapon though or pick up a new one later . - Too much Money ? When you first start the game money is a bit hard to come by and weapons / armor are pretty expensive , while this can be a bit frustrating at first it builds gameplay and gives you goals outside of the missions to work towards . Now after you play for few hours and missions give you better pay and you fully upgrade your villa / town ( this will automatically give you tons of free money ; sorta like owning property in Fable 2 or GTA : Vice City ) money becomes a non issue . Then getting paid at the end of missions seems pointless as well as doing Templar Secret location missions , which while fun , the entire point is to find a treasure room for yet more now pointless money . Anyways a few hours into the game and the in-game economy is broken to the point were you feel they should have done like Assassins Creed 1 and never had in-game money and just give you all your weapons / items based on mission progress . IF IT FITS YOUR TASTE : - A Stealth / action game set during the late 15th century and early 16th Italian Renaissance . You play as a man who becomes an Assassin in order to carry out revenge of his family . - You spend more time in the Animus and less time as Desmond over all . - The control is broken down mainly into two areas of gameplay there is a passive action and an aggressive action to almost everything you can do in the game . For example you can lightly tap people to move out of your way while walking down crowed the street ( hold the B button to do this ) or shove people as you run down that same street ( hold the R button and the B button to do this ) . This duality applies to all your actions and it becomes necessary because during the game you must be able to move freely between these two states ( passive and aggressive ) to run and then hide from people the out to get you as well as to sneak up on and kill your victims . - You can now hire help like as body guards to protect with you might or street-walkers to use their bodies to distract armed guards . - Lot of what you will be doing is climbing and jumping from buildings this plays similar to the Prince of Persia games also made by ubisoft ( the sands of time series ) . Although in this game the controls are more streamlined and user friendly as you can climb way more effectively as well as more realistically ( even more then the first game ) . - In the first game most of the gameplay is not so much assassinating people but gathering Intel on your targets . This game retains some of that but expands on the concept so much you'll never think you're doing busy work ( like the first ) and you have a lot more big kill targets as well . - Combat has been refined by adding things like hammers , clubs , smoke bombs , and the hidden ( now dual ) assassin blades of course , plus you can steal enemies ' weapons and use it against them too . The combat has a bit more over all intelligent flow from the first game , although it builds on that idea . - Mix up you clothing colors by buy buying dyes for you outfit ( in colors like red , green , and black ) as well as unlocking new capes for your character . Also buy things like health potions , poisons , new weapons , new armor , and even treasure maps and famous paintings for your villa . - You even get a villa ( which is basically works like a small personal town ) which you can upgrade by renting out space to local store owners and then getting goods ( the main house seems to be the only place you can swap weapons and armor apparently ) . GAME ITS MOST ASSOCATED TOO : - Assassins Creed ( 360 / PS3 / PC ) - Grand Theft Auto 4 ( 360 / PS3 ) - HitMan : Blood Money ( 360 ) - Prince of Persia ( Xbox / PS2 ) - Metal Gear Solid 4 ( PS3 ) ADDITIONAL NOTES : - Ezio the star of Assassins Creed 2 is related to Altaïr of the first game and Desmond is related to both of them - Assassin's Creed : Lineage , a small set of mini movies ( with real actors and CG effects ) telling the story leading up to Assassins Creed 2 about Ezio's father ( who was also an Assassin ) . These movies are made by Ubisoft and are found on the internet for free - so go see them . - Assassin's Creed : Bloodlines ( starting Altaïr of the first game ) is a PSP game with Connectivity with the PS3 version of this game that can unlock six exclusive and unique weapons in Assassins Creed 2 . - The game skips chapters 12 and 13 - These chapters come in as two downloads for this game . One called The Battle of Forlì and the other called Bonfire of the Vanities . There is also a version of the download Bonfire of the Vanities which comes with the three bonus missions ( more Templar Secret locations ) previously only found on the limited edition version of Assassins Creed 2 . - At the start screen of Assassin Creed 2 ( and also in Splinter Cell : Conviction ) you'll see an option of something called Uplay . Uplay is a systems set up by Ubisoft to give players who unlock achievements / trophies in this game bounces for playing Assassins Creed 2 . Some things you can unlock in Assassins Creed 2 are a theme for your Xbox 360 or PS3 , more throwing knifes for your character , or even unlocking Altaïr's assassins robes from Assassins Creed 1 ( which is really cool ) , and even a new secret assassins tomb under your villa / town .
• 003 4  Assassins Creed 2 - Circa 2009 GOOD : - A good story mixes elements of historical fiction and a Sci-Fi epic . - Really impressive graphics and first-rate animations , that looks just as good as games like Uncharted 2 on PS3 and Gears of War 2 on 360 . - The game world is even bigger then the last one ( it really rivals games like Fallout 3 ) also IF taking a horse across the land still takes too long some times don't worry there are warp points now as well . - In the first Assassin's Creed there was about 5 different mission types ( chase someone , pickpocket someone , save someone from getting beat up , spy on targets , and then stealth kill , ect ) in Assassin's Creed 2 there is like 15 different mission types now from all out battles , trailing a targets , beating up unfaithful husbands and lots of different types of stealth killing also all the old types in Assassins Creed 1 are here as well . - You have a better opportunity to be a more cunning assassin now due to newer weapons , techniques , and skills . - You can now swim , no more letting water be your foe heck you can even drive gondolas if you wanted . - like the first title this one has great sound track too that mixes music of the era during the clam points of the game and more modern type of music during the chase points of the game . BAD : - Some small problems from the first are still there - although they are a lot more minor now like some times roof top running ( parkour ) can be a tad sloppy in a tense situations and you'll get killed ( small camera problems ) . ( I didn't really see this in my play through but some people have told me it happens so I am letting you know here ) - Losing that cool sword : you have the ability to disarm enemies and kill them with their own weapons now ( this never gets old ) - BUT - you also drop you own original sword in the process making you having to dig among the bodies to find it again and hope it's not lost . : : UPDATE : : I put this wrong it seems , you never lose your weapons when doing a disarm attack ( it yes it never gets old ) ; you only seem to lose your weapon when a stronger enemy ( usually a knight in a suit of armor ) knocks it outta your hand , and this is still a bit rare . Then you would have to find your weapon though or pick up a new one later . - Too much Money ? When you first start the game money is a bit hard to come by and weapons / armor are pretty expensive , while this can be a bit frustrating at first it builds gameplay and gives you goals outside of the missions to work towards . Now after you play for few hours and missions give you better pay and you fully upgrade your villa / town ( this will automatically give you tons of free money ; sorta like owning property in Fable 2 or GTA : Vice City ) money becomes a non issue . Then getting paid at the end of missions seems pointless as well as doing Templar Secret location missions , which while fun , the entire point is to find a treasure room for yet more now pointless money . Anyways a few hours into the game and the in-game economy is broken to the point were you feel they should have done like Assassins Creed 1 and never had in-game money and just give you all your weapons / items based on mission progress . IF IT FITS YOUR TASTE : - A Stealth / action game set during the late 15th century and early 16th Italian Renaissance . You play as a man who becomes an Assassin in order to carry out revenge of his family . - You spend more time in the Animus and less time as Desmond over all . - The control is broken down mainly into two areas of gameplay there is a passive action and an aggressive action to almost everything you can do in the game . For example you can lightly tap people to move out of your way while walking down crowed the street ( hold the B button to do this ) or shove people as you run down that same street ( hold the R button and the B button to do this ) . This duality applies to all your actions and it becomes necessary because during the game you must be able to move freely between these two states ( passive and aggressive ) to run and then hide from people the out to get you as well as to sneak up on and kill your victims . - You can now hire help like as body guards to protect with you might or street-walkers to use their bodies to distract armed guards . - Lot of what you will be doing is climbing and jumping from buildings this plays similar to the Prince of Persia games also made by ubisoft ( the sands of time series ) . Although in this game the controls are more streamlined and user friendly as you can climb way more effectively as well as more realistically ( even more then the first game ) . - In the first game most of the gameplay is not so much assassinating people but gathering Intel on your targets . This game retains some of that but expands on the concept so much you'll never think you're doing busy work ( like the first ) and you have a lot more big kill targets as well . - Combat has been refined by adding things like hammers , clubs , smoke bombs , and the hidden ( now dual ) assassin blades of course , plus you can steal enemies ' weapons and use it against them too . The combat has a bit more over all intelligent flow from the first game , although it builds on that idea . - Mix up you clothing colors by buy buying dyes for you outfit ( in colors like red , green , and black ) as well as unlocking new capes for your character . Also buy things like health potions , poisons , new weapons , new armor , and even treasure maps and famous paintings for your villa . - You even get a villa ( which is basically works like a small personal town ) which you can upgrade by renting out space to local store owners and then getting goods ( the main house seems to be the only place you can swap weapons and armor apparently ) . GAME ITS MOST ASSOCATED TOO : - Assassins Creed ( 360 / PS3 / PC ) - Grand Theft Auto 4 ( 360 / PS3 ) - HitMan : Blood Money ( 360 ) - Prince of Persia ( Xbox / PS2 ) - Metal Gear Solid 4 ( PS3 ) ADDITIONAL NOTES : - Ezio the star of Assassins Creed 2 is related to Altaïr of the first game and Desmond is related to both of them - Assassin's Creed : Lineage , a small set of mini movies ( with real actors and CG effects ) telling the story leading up to Assassins Creed 2 about Ezio's father ( who was also an Assassin ) . These movies are made by Ubisoft and are found on the internet for free - so go see them . - Assassin's Creed : Bloodlines ( starting Altaïr of the first game ) is a PSP game with Connectivity with the PS3 version of this game that can unlock six exclusive and unique weapons in Assassins Creed 2 . - The game skips chapters 12 and 13 - These chapters come in as two downloads for this game . One called The Battle of Forlì and the other called Bonfire of the Vanities . There is also a version of the download Bonfire of the Vanities which comes with the three bonus missions ( more Templar Secret locations ) previously only found on the limited edition version of Assassins Creed 2 . - At the start screen of Assassin Creed 2 ( and also in Splinter Cell : Conviction ) you'll see an option of something called Uplay . Uplay is a systems set up by Ubisoft to give players who unlock achievements / trophies in this game bounces for playing Assassins Creed 2 . Some things you can unlock in Assassins Creed 2 are a theme for your Xbox 360 or PS3 , more throwing knifes for your character , or even unlocking Altaïr's assassins robes from Assassins Creed 1 ( which is really cool ) , and even a new secret assassins tomb under your villa / town .
• 019 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) When the first Assassin's Creed was released , it was preceded by a mountain of hype and high promises that proclaimed that this was to be the game to revolutionize everything that followed . After all the tech demos and previews of the game that were shown , I certainly had no room to disagree . It look absolutely marvelous . And when it was released , it still looked marvelous , but it played too much like the tech demo that we'd all seen . After a few hours of a convoluted story , repetitive missions , gameplay hindered by lack of polish ( not to mention the middle-eastern protagonist speaking with an American accent . . . somehow ! ) I put the game down and never picked it up again . I am very glad it was only a rental . Two years and an onslaught of mediocre reviews later , ASSASSIN'S CREED 2 is unleashed upon the masses . Needless to say , even though I am a big fan of the Renaissance Era , I waited for the first volley of reviews before I went out and bought this game . ASSASSIN'S CREED 2 not only redeems its predecessor's many follies , but it is most definitely one of the best games of the year . You are once again playing as Desmond Miles playing through the memories of his ancestors . This particular ancestor is Ezio Auditore da Firenze , a citizen of Italy during the Renaissance Era . After members of his family are executed by way of betrayal , Ezio takes up his birthright and begins to walk the path of his father in becoming an Assassin . The STORY , after everything is said and done , is amazing . It's thick with superb characterization , surprising plot-twists , and a conspiracy that's so intricate and spans so many centuries , it would probably give LOST a run for it's money . I came to love Ezio's character ( as opposed to loathing Altair ) and how he changes so much from the time he takes his first life , to when his story comes to an end . And since you are learning many techniques along with him , you will feel as though you are growing as he grows . The WORLD through which Ezio skips through is probably one of the best sandbox-type worlds I've seen ; rivaling OBLIVION , FALLOUT 3 , and GTA IV in both scale and design . Just from what I know , everything is as close to historically accurate as it can get . Buildings such as Il Duomo look and feel as big as they should be . There are five different cities ( including the one you come to own ) and each feels so grand in scale that it's hard to believe that there are others just as big in one game . Renaissance Italy has never looked so good . The GAMEPLAY is better than it ever was . You are given an array of weapons to use against your targets , including : a sword , dagger , throwing knives , smoke bombs , poisons , and even money . And since the world is so organic , you aren't limited to just chopping your way through each mission . Whether it be stealth , brute force , or distraction , you will have many ways to accomplish each mission and side-mission . And with the much-praised freerunning system , even more ways are opened up . On top of this , you are given control of your own city . Yeah ! All of the weapons , paintings ( keep in mind , these are Renaissance paintings ) and armor pieces that you buy are put on display here in brilliant fashion . You can also restore shops and certain locations within this city , which will bring in more foot-traffic that will add to the wealth of your town . It won't be long before the gloomy and boarded-up mansion that you take over becomes something more akin to a palace . The COMBAT is fairly simple , if that can be called a detriment . There's one button to attack and one to counter . It seems like it could get boring really fast , but I've been playing the game for nearly 30 hours now and I've yet to sigh out of frustration over an encounter with the guards . It feels fresh every time , and the kill sequences are brutal and bloody to behold . It will definitely not get old , unlike other games like Star Wars : The Force Unleashed . If I had to say anything CRITICAL , it would be that the game is slightly too easy . Once you're done with the game , you should breeze through any achievements that you have left over , which leaves you with very little to do after the game is finished . Of course , there are a multitude of different side-missions ( such as assassination missions , races , events where your goal is to beat the crap out of someone ) but once you finish the game and upgrade your villa , there is little reason to actually go through and finish any of them . They all just equate to more money , which you will have more than enough of by the end of the game . And while the cities are near-perfect in their construction , the countrysides , while still gorgeous , are absolutely dull to walk through . There's nothing to really interact with and it all feels more like a background than anything else . I would've liked to see an environment more like in OBLIVION , where I didn't care that I had to walk clear across the map . In the third game , I would definitely like more of a challenge that would equate to some really good rewards and some very difficult achievements to complete . Collecting feathers is not difficult , just time-consuming . I hope that this is changed in the third game . In the end , ASSASSIN'S CREED 2 managed to fulfill every promise that it's predecessor put forth , and improved on those promises tenfold . This is a fun and beautiful game that should not be passed up . I've never played a sequel ( besides maybe Fallout 3 : Game of The Year Edition ) that changed up its own formula so much for the better . When studios like Ubisoft make so much money from one game , there is usually very little reason to go in a new direction with their IP ( I'm looking at you , HALO 3 ) , but so much has changed in this world inside the head of Desmond Miles , and it's changed for the better . I'm already eagerly awaiting ASSASSIN'S CREED 3 to see what age we'll be visiting next , but hopefully this isn't the last we'll hear from Ezio Auditore da Firenze . It'sa me ! Mario ! Bless them for that little homage . xD
• 020 4  When the first Assassin's Creed was released , it was preceded by a mountain of hype and high promises that proclaimed that this was to be the game to revolutionize everything that followed . After all the tech demos and previews of the game that were shown , I certainly had no room to disagree . It look absolutely marvelous . And when it was released , it still looked marvelous , but it played too much like the tech demo that we'd all seen . After a few hours of a convoluted story , repetitive missions , gameplay hindered by lack of polish ( not to mention the middle-eastern protagonist speaking with an American accent . . . somehow ! ) I put the game down and never picked it up again . I am very glad it was only a rental . Two years and an onslaught of mediocre reviews later , ASSASSIN'S CREED 2 is unleashed upon the masses . Needless to say , even though I am a big fan of the Renaissance Era , I waited for the first volley of reviews before I went out and bought this game . ASSASSIN'S CREED 2 not only redeems its predecessor's many follies , but it is most definitely one of the best games of the year . You are once again playing as Desmond Miles playing through the memories of his ancestors . This particular ancestor is Ezio Auditore da Firenze , a citizen of Italy during the Renaissance Era . After members of his family are executed by way of betrayal , Ezio takes up his birthright and begins to walk the path of his father in becoming an Assassin . The STORY , after everything is said and done , is amazing . It's thick with superb characterization , surprising plot-twists , and a conspiracy that's so intricate and spans so many centuries , it would probably give LOST a run for it's money . I came to love Ezio's character ( as opposed to loathing Altair ) and how he changes so much from the time he takes his first life , to when his story comes to an end . And since you are learning many techniques along with him , you will feel as though you are growing as he grows . The WORLD through which Ezio skips through is probably one of the best sandbox-type worlds I've seen ; rivaling OBLIVION , FALLOUT 3 , and GTA IV in both scale and design . Just from what I know , everything is as close to historically accurate as it can get . Buildings such as Il Duomo look and feel as big as they should be . There are five different cities ( including the one you come to own ) and each feels so grand in scale that it's hard to believe that there are others just as big in one game . Renaissance Italy has never looked so good . The GAMEPLAY is better than it ever was . You are given an array of weapons to use against your targets , including : a sword , dagger , throwing knives , smoke bombs , poisons , and even money . And since the world is so organic , you aren't limited to just chopping your way through each mission . Whether it be stealth , brute force , or distraction , you will have many ways to accomplish each mission and side-mission . And with the much-praised freerunning system , even more ways are opened up . On top of this , you are given control of your own city . Yeah ! All of the weapons , paintings ( keep in mind , these are Renaissance paintings ) and armor pieces that you buy are put on display here in brilliant fashion . You can also restore shops and certain locations within this city , which will bring in more foot-traffic that will add to the wealth of your town . It won't be long before the gloomy and boarded-up mansion that you take over becomes something more akin to a palace . The COMBAT is fairly simple , if that can be called a detriment . There's one button to attack and one to counter . It seems like it could get boring really fast , but I've been playing the game for nearly 30 hours now and I've yet to sigh out of frustration over an encounter with the guards . It feels fresh every time , and the kill sequences are brutal and bloody to behold . It will definitely not get old , unlike other games like Star Wars : The Force Unleashed . If I had to say anything CRITICAL , it would be that the game is slightly too easy . Once you're done with the game , you should breeze through any achievements that you have left over , which leaves you with very little to do after the game is finished . Of course , there are a multitude of different side-missions ( such as assassination missions , races , events where your goal is to beat the crap out of someone ) but once you finish the game and upgrade your villa , there is little reason to actually go through and finish any of them . They all just equate to more money , which you will have more than enough of by the end of the game . And while the cities are near-perfect in their construction , the countrysides , while still gorgeous , are absolutely dull to walk through . There's nothing to really interact with and it all feels more like a background than anything else . I would've liked to see an environment more like in OBLIVION , where I didn't care that I had to walk clear across the map . In the third game , I would definitely like more of a challenge that would equate to some really good rewards and some very difficult achievements to complete . Collecting feathers is not difficult , just time-consuming . I hope that this is changed in the third game . In the end , ASSASSIN'S CREED 2 managed to fulfill every promise that it's predecessor put forth , and improved on those promises tenfold . This is a fun and beautiful game that should not be passed up . I've never played a sequel ( besides maybe Fallout 3 : Game of The Year Edition ) that changed up its own formula so much for the better . When studios like Ubisoft make so much money from one game , there is usually very little reason to go in a new direction with their IP ( I'm looking at you , HALO 3 ) , but so much has changed in this world inside the head of Desmond Miles , and it's changed for the better . I'm already eagerly awaiting ASSASSIN'S CREED 3 to see what age we'll be visiting next , but hopefully this isn't the last we'll hear from Ezio Auditore da Firenze . It'sa me ! Mario ! Bless them for that little homage . xD
• 058 4  This game has greatly improved since the first one . My top 3 things I love about this game : 1 ) You can actually swim in this one ! It was so frustrating that in the first Assassin's Creed that you can assassinate all these people in amazing ways but , somehow water is your kryptonite . I was so relieved that you can actually swim in this sequel . You can even use canals , or dive deep into the water to escape guards . 2 ) Greatly improved combat skills and weapons . I love the dual-blade assassination technique ! I wish there was an assigned button so that it would happen no matter what but as long as you walk between two people and then press X there's a great chance it'll happen . I also love how you can pull a guard off a building if you are hanging on a ledge . Another technique is that if you are on a ledge / box / beam and you are able to lock onto a guard that is on the ground , all you have to do is press X ( after locking onto him ) and you will immediately leap down to the ground and perform an instant assassination . Also another tidbit , there are different types of weapon you can purchase and upgrade . Three note-worthy additions are the pistol that Leonardo DaVinci builds you , the smoke bombs ( WHAT A LIFESAVER ) , and poison . 3 ) This game isn't actually bogged down by collection achievements and focuses more on the story . There were so many flags you needed to collect in the first Assassin's Creed , and templars you needed to kill that it was just bothersome . The most you need to collect in this one is 100 feathers and there's about 9 / 10 in each city . It's really not that difficult or time-consuming . Definitely a must-buy especially if you enjoyed the first one . It's as if they took everything wrong in AC and corrected it in AC2 . Being able to play while the credits were rolling at the end of the game was a nice touch too . Great Game !
• 128 4  Fans of the previous game will be very impressed with Assassin's Creed II . I must say that the previous game was quite disappointing . I felt it had a lot of potential as a game but the repetitive gameplay and frame-rate issues made it a big let down . This time though things have changed drastically for the good . I have yet to complete the game but have played enough to formulate a review . The first thing you'll notice is that the game has a very cinematic feel . The cutscenes are a bit lengthy and drive the story very well . The voice acting is pretty good and the lip syncing is almost spot on . Graphically the game is stunnning . The first Assassians creed looked very pretty but this one seems a notch above it . There is no denying the beauty of it all . The gameplay has a very GTA style feel to it . You go from place to place to do a variety of different things . Unlike the last game where the gameplay was very reptitive where each section of the game required you to gather information in order to assassinate your victim ( which only consisted of 3 or 4 different ways ) . Ubisoft have completely revamped that flawed style into a more enjoyable experience . Basically , think GTA but in the 15th century . The freestyle movement is well done and easy to use . Although sometimes I had difficulty jumping up walls , Pressing the X button sometimes makes Ezio jump outwards rather than up . Having said that , its still an enjoyable experience , very much like the last game . Its also quite easy to navigate around your map . The combat system hasn't changed that much . There are a few minor modifications . Ezio can do a few different things this time round like snatch enemy weopons while fighting and thrusting them down there body . The combat is a lot of fun and quite easy to learn . Also Ubisoft have added a currency system in the game . You can steal money from passing citizens or search enemies for money or earn money by doing errands and missions . The money can be spent on buying weopons and armor or upgrading current items . It makes the game much more enjoyable and interactive . One thing of note is that this game is not for kids . There is a lot of sexuality in this game . Ezio can hire whores to distract gaurds and there is a bit of dirty talk . Its fun but some might feel it to be offensive . The ESRB does rate it at 17 + , young children should stay away from this game . There are a few minor glitches in the game but nothing major . I had a problem picking up boxes in the beginning of the game but nothing major so far . Hopefully these issues will be fixed with a patch . Overall this game is a lot of fun . Its way better than the previous game . Anyone who enjoyed Assassins Creed should pick this one up . They will not be disappointed .
• 140 4  I'll say I was not a HUGE fan of the original Assassin's Creed . It had beautiful graphics , a great open-world environment and a fun gameplay engine , but was hampered by level repetition and a horrid use of a dual story . Thankfully this sequel not only fixes these issues but surpasses expectations as a game itself . Like the original , AC2 begins in the future with an escape from the first game's institution . Thankfully this segment is acton-packed . . . and short . Within minutes you're back in the game world in late 1400 ' s Italy . This ( like the first game ) is where AC2 mostly takes place . If you're like me and absolutely HATED the bits in the future of AC1 , don't worry . You spend maybe 10 minutes a piece split up into three segments ( though the middle one seemed a bit longer ) in the future world . I still hate that you have to leave the game world proper at all but at least it's only for 30 - 40 minutes in an otherwise 30 + hour game . Yes the game's THAT LONG ! Your hero in this game is Ezio . He's an Italian noble and has alot more personality and is alot more fun than Altair from Assasin's Creed 1 . He's sort of cross between Nathan Drake , Casanova , and Batman . The story ( ignoring the future bits ) is a great revenge-conspiracy plot set through 30 years of Ezio's life . While I won't pretend all the character's are memorable , they're all played with personality and wit and the voice actors never strike a false note ( you can even switch to playing the gamein Italian with english subtitles ! ) . The gameplay is also MUCH more fun and more varied than AC1 . They leave out all the investigation bits of an assasination but add more story-based , action-packed missions for you to work through up to your assassinations . These again are VERY fun and each mission you go on feels completely unique to the one before it . Even the optional assassinations have more rules an complexities as you work through them . Speaking of varied , aside from the basic story missions which will see you fighting , flying , riding horses , piloting boats and escorting / protecting characters there's also a villa you can upgrade to get discounts on weapons / armor / clothing / medicine etc . I've never played a game that gives you so much to do in so many different ways . While none of the custimization and mission structure is new to games I don't think all of these elements have been brought together so seemlessly before which is the big reason I like it so much ! Also , if this isn't the best game of the year it has one of the best soundtracks . The music is not only original and cool it changes perfectly to match the action in the game ( chase scenes , flying , hiding etc ) . The developers really went out of their way with this one . Aside from a slow first few ( story based ) hours Assassin's Creed 2 will hook you and never let go . I still think the Animus is an intersting but failed idea , but it doesn't even remotly take away from the awesome things you can do in this game . There's still time before the end of the year but I can't think of too many games that will be able to top this one .
• 160 4  This game is AMAZING . It has an amazing story and even more Amazing locations . The graphics are the best I have seen so far for the PS3 and the gameplay is gripping . I found it hard to put down the controller . Though it only took me a week to beat this game . I played it for about 50 hours . That game play was only beaten by Fallout 3 : Game of The Year Edition
• 168 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) YES , regardless what people say I HATE THE FIRST ASSASSIN'S CREED . EXTREMELY REDUNDANT AND UNREWARDING . Yes , I uncovered all the secret emails and even then I found the story to be horrible . JUST HORRIBLE . Anyhow last year AC2 comes out . I hear that they made massive improvements . Six months pass its release price is reduced by half and I had a gift card . So I decide to give it a second chance . I have to say I am quite impressed by AC2 . Why ? - MUCH BETTER PRESENTATION . The game does a very good job in terms of explaining the character development while putting you in the front seat . Unlike 1st one it is not like you just go kill and get an upgrade , go kill and get an upgrade . The game takes you through so many events , each contributes to your motive , your thinking and your ambition as a character . - VARIETY OF WEAPONS AND GADGETS As you may have seen in the commercial , this game features Leonardo de Vinchi . This genius will make you some really cool weapons and gadgets ( double hidden blades , poison blade , pistol , flying machine etc . ) . - THE ELEMENT OF CURRENCY Having monetary system in this type of open world game truly adds motives to the different activities in the game . You want to upgrade your weapons , your fort , well you need money . How can you get money ? By performing variety of actions , such as stealing , assassination , beating up cheating husbands , investments ( YES INVESTMENTS AS IN BANKING INVESTMENTS ) , racing etc . etc . NOW THIS IS WHAT I CALL VARIETY . In the 1st Assassins Creed it was just like steal document , evedrop or collect flag which was pretty boring . Like first many of these events are OPTIONAL . So that is a HUGE PLUS . If you don't want to waste time feebling minor things . You have options to do so . - VERY INTERSTING MAJOR SIDE MISSIONS Won't spoil , but there are two major secret items you can uncover by exploring very nicely designed HUGE SECRET AREAS and PUZZLES . - YOU CAN ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND THE STORY Hated the first one . You could understand why you needed to kill people , but could not connect the dots as clearly as you can in this one . LOTS OF LOTS OF EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED should you be interested . - GREAT MUSIC and DECENT FACIAL MOVEMENTS AND VOICE ACTING pretty self explanatory . For $30 , I would say it is a MUST BUY .
• 169 4  YES , regardless what people say I HATE THE FIRST ASSASSIN'S CREED . EXTREMELY REDUNDANT AND UNREWARDING . Yes , I uncovered all the secret emails and even then I found the story to be horrible . JUST HORRIBLE . Anyhow last year AC2 comes out . I hear that they made massive improvements . Six months pass its release price is reduced by half and I had a gift card . So I decide to give it a second chance . I have to say I am quite impressed by AC2 . Why ? - MUCH BETTER PRESENTATION . The game does a very good job in terms of explaining the character development while putting you in the front seat . Unlike 1st one it is not like you just go kill and get an upgrade , go kill and get an upgrade . The game takes you through so many events , each contributes to your motive , your thinking and your ambition as a character . - VARIETY OF WEAPONS AND GADGETS As you may have seen in the commercial , this game features Leonardo de Vinchi . This genius will make you some really cool weapons and gadgets ( double hidden blades , poison blade , pistol , flying machine etc . ) . - THE ELEMENT OF CURRENCY Having monetary system in this type of open world game truly adds motives to the different activities in the game . You want to upgrade your weapons , your fort , well you need money . How can you get money ? By performing variety of actions , such as stealing , assassination , beating up cheating husbands , investments ( YES INVESTMENTS AS IN BANKING INVESTMENTS ) , racing etc . etc . NOW THIS IS WHAT I CALL VARIETY . In the 1st Assassins Creed it was just like steal document , evedrop or collect flag which was pretty boring . Like first many of these events are OPTIONAL . So that is a HUGE PLUS . If you don't want to waste time feebling minor things . You have options to do so . - VERY INTERSTING MAJOR SIDE MISSIONS Won't spoil , but there are two major secret items you can uncover by exploring very nicely designed HUGE SECRET AREAS and PUZZLES . - YOU CAN ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND THE STORY Hated the first one . You could understand why you needed to kill people , but could not connect the dots as clearly as you can in this one . LOTS OF LOTS OF EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED should you be interested . - GREAT MUSIC and DECENT FACIAL MOVEMENTS AND VOICE ACTING pretty self explanatory . For $30 , I would say it is a MUST BUY .
• 190 4  Incredibly captivating adventure / fighting / 3D-platformer game with tons of real Renaissance history , artwork and architecture . Batman : AA didn't hook me , and I haven't finished Uncharted 2 yet , and I never even finished Assassin's Grind 1 = ) , but everything is going to wait until I finish Assassin's Creed 2 . This game is certainly worth your gaming time ! I won't restate what everyone else who gave this game a good review has mentioned , so I will focus on . . . A COUPLE OF DINGS NOBODY HAS MENTIONED ! 1 ) Savegames are COPY-PROTECTED . I am visiting my family for Thanksgiving and I wanted to bring this game to show my nephew while making a little progress on my latest savegame , only to discover that I cannot copy them to a USB stick ! Ubisoft failed here . What if my PS3 hard drive dies ? I've been able to back up EVERY SINGLE OTHER game's files but this one's . That's pretty sorry ! 2 ) A few times now my character has , in the middle of running across a floor portion of a map , acted as if he's at a roof edge , and looked over the fake edge . . . right at the floor 6 feet away . And come to a complete stop ! I would have to wiggle around to get unstuck . Unfortunately this seems to crop up when least desired such as timed courier / race missions ! 3 ) Some of the timed race missions are extremely hard with very little margin for error ( at least for me ) . Combined with the ease with which you can screw up a jump or accidentally climb a wall you merely wanted to run past , 1 error and you pretty much have to Abort Memory . 4 ) Big battle axe and pike , which you can disarm from an enemy , seems unobtainable in-game . ( The disarm ability is cool as hell , though ! Try the pike , watch what happens when it breaks ! ) 5 ) In-game mace weapons suck . A sword was almost always available that was better . What if I prefer to bludgeon instead of gut enemies ? : ) I think each weapon type should excel at 1 stat . . . Maces for damage , daggers for speed , and swords for parrying , but that wasn't really the case . That said , my favorite parts are certainly the map details ( Venice is amazing ! ) , the fighting variety , the historical footnotes , the Renaissance art , having a home you can upgrade for more income , and basically being made to feel like a total badass while within an unfolding story . Love the suddenly there missions like catching thieves , offing messengers and whatnot . Some people like the extra information-gathering stuff ( codex pages etc . ) but I'm more into the action and attention to detail . ; ) Scaling a wall using any handhold available and leaping from rooftop to rooftop doesn't get old ! As far as they went with the fighting , I can tell it can get even more interesting with well-timed combos and whatnot , I hope they push the next game in that direction more !
• 213 4  First , let me say that this is a big improvement over the first Assassin's Creed . Visually great , the first game was so repetitive that it got old quick . They fixed a lot of that this time around , and it's : A ) A better story B ) A more engaging play-through ( i.e . less repetitive ) , and more interesting missions . C ) Even better visually D ) A clever use of some real historical events and locations for any history buffs out there . E ) More weapons and moves make for more creative and interesting play . I really enjoyed my first play-through and think it's one of the better PS3 games I've gone through . However . . . . . lack of mission replay was a major surprise and let down for me . And really limits the value of game in my opinion . I don't buy that many games , just the ones I think I'll really like . And I want to replay my favorite parts if I'm going to own this game , re-watch the rather complicated ending , etc . This can be done through either mission replay on some games , or the ability to save multiple files and come back to one at a certain location . This game allows neither , which is a shame because there are some great missions . Assassin's Creed 1 DID have the ability to replay , so I just assumed the second one , for all its improvements would as well . Without this ability , it's a rental . No long term value . Great to play through once ( it is a good game ) , but no point in owning long term .
• 221 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) THIS IS A GREAT GAME THAT IS WELL PUT TOGETHER . A DIFFERENT TWIST THAN THE FIRST ONE , DUE TO IT BEING SET IN ITALY AND THE CHARACTER IS DEFINITELY CHANGED . YOU CAN GRAB PEOPLE THEN PUNCH , HEADBUT , AND EVEN KNEE THEM . YOU ACN ALSO DISARM THEM WEHN THEY ATTACK YOU . ALSO SMOKE BOMBS , HOW GOOD IS THAT . THE FIGHTING AND MISSIONS ARE FUN AND THEY KEEP YOU INTERESTED AND PLAYING FOR AWHILE . THIS IS WAY BETTER THAN THE FIRST ONE , IF YOU ARE WONDERING , WHICH WAS STILL VERY GOOD AND IT IS WORTH THE PRICE AND TIME .
• 222 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) THIS IS A GREAT GAME THAT IS WELL PUT TOGETHER . A DIFFERENT TWIST THAN THE FIRST ONE , DUE TO IT BEING SET IN ITALY AND THE CHARACTER IS DEFINITELY CHANGED . YOU CAN GRAB PEOPLE THEN PUNCH , HEADBUT , AND EVEN KNEE THEM . YOU ACN ALSO DISARM THEM WEHN THEY ATTACK YOU . ALSO SMOKE BOMBS , HOW GOOD IS THAT . THE FIGHTING AND MISSIONS ARE FUN AND THEY KEEP YOU INTERESTED AND PLAYING FOR AWHILE . THIS IS WAY BETTER THAN THE FIRST ONE , IF YOU ARE WONDERING , WHICH WAS STILL VERY GOOD AND IT IS WORTH THE PRICE AND TIME .
• 254 4  NOTICE : don't buy this title w / o going through the first one . It'll make this game way more enjoyable and you'll understand the beginning . You can consider this title as a 14th century GTA - tons of stuff to do outside of the main story , tons of places to explore , same engine used in the cut-scenes is used in the game , tons of hidden things , insane ways to kill enemies and screw around with the pedestrians . They also react very well to your actions , the peds . Improvement over the first title are MASSIVE . Though the xBox version actually runs and looks a hair better than the PS3 version - it is still very enjoyable and a full fledged ride of fun and beauty against a gorges score which I think is available on CD - I will definitely pick it up - very memorable melodies ( epically that Villa one ) . It is technically more difficult to make a transfer of a game onto the PS3 platform . For some reason this title on the PS3 has a very light blur / glow filter throughout the game . It gives it a nice wary , warm feeling - but it seems to be an attempt to hide other visual issues in the game - again , the xBox transfer does not have this effect ( I think ) . Still , like I said , it's really fun . Pop-in galore ! : The MAJOR downfall of this game . It IS not occasionally , it's all the time ! ! ! ! ! Seems to be MORE SO with vegetation . It is very bothersome , sometimes - like when you're flying through the country side on horseback - you see chunks of grass , weeds , bushes pop-in right in front of you - then these pop-ins have a second , more detailed layer , that overlaps these pop-ins and it's just annoying sometimes . This was not common on the previous title . This is why I gave a rating of 4 stars . Many of the PS3 frame-rate issues from the previous title are fixed in this sequel - which is evidence the developers are listening , I believe . Though , some horizontal screen splitting is still there when you rotate your camera around Ezio ( ? ) on a tall building - not too annoying - though , I was hoping this was fixed because it was in the previous title a-lot . Everything else is hella fun and amazing ! Great story . Directly related to the previous game . Italian Renaissance - for the first time in games is absolutely beautiful and you feel the atmosphere , seriously . Just simply walking around is entertaining . Partial spolier : : : : : : : : : : : : Double-blading an enemy in the eyes makes you quiver - and also when you smash in a guys balls while he's on the ground made my jaw drop , lol . End : : : : : : : : : : : : Anyways , BUY IT NOW I will pre-order the final Assassins Creed title when it comes . Hope they really take their time on it .
• 378 4  Assassin's Creed II If there is any doubt about this one , kill it or assassinate it right now ! The biggest improvement over game play compared to the first one , is that the repetitiveness is gone . Personally I didn't mind it though , I loved the atmosphere and storyline . This game does it better ! I literally couldn't put it down . I still have some things to finish up in the game , but I am ready replay this game again . WORTH EVERY PENNY AND MINUTE I WAS UP TO GET THIS GAME @ MIDNIGHT ! Thank you UBISoft .
• 386 4  Overall , Assassin's Creed is a well developed game , especially in the story-telling compartment . Sure , like what some folks have criticized here , the control can still use more work . It's true that Ezio will often go places where you don't intend him to go , and end up falling from the roof top and become a cold , lifeless body on the street of Venice . However , the want of a more perfected control system does not diminish the fact that the story of Assassin's Creed 2 is simply EPIC ! I mean , really , this is a SPECTACULAR , nothing short of AMAZING , story . Congratulations Ubisoft ! While you might not have the modern day assassins in your midst , you obviously have some great writers who are very , very imaginative . And it is their imagination , more than anything else , that will define this franchise for years to come . I guess I can spend more time talking about other aspect of the game , but most people talked about that already , so what I will do is to focus on the story a bit more . What Assassin's Creed 2 does so well is that you grow with Ezio , the protagonist of the game - - from the time when he knows nothing about his family's true profession , all the way to when he acquires the necessary skills to become a master assassin , and then kills the P - - - ( I won't spoil the game here ) . Hence , a gamer experiences a clear beginning , an intriguing progression , and finally , an over-the-top ending . Put another way , unlike the original Assassin's Creed , where you begin the game as a master assassin , the story of Assassin's Creed 2 is more complete and believable . You understand the motive behind Ezio's every kill , so killing is not just some pointless exercise that you have to go through to beat the game , it's actually a mission that has a very clear purpose . And for those who have finished the game , how about the Truth , eh ? A little sacrilegious to be sure , but again , the Truth segment of the game only goes to show how grand the central theme of the entire franchise is . So if I have to wait another three years to play Assassin's Creed 3 , so be it . Heck , Desmond might be able to use a laser cannon by then . That , my friends , would be sweet ~ ! ! !
• 412 4  I was satsifyed with my ps2 until I came across assassin's creed 2 on the computer . It sounded pretty cool , so I got a ps3 for christmas as well as AC2 . It was the best descison of my life . I am obsessed with Ac2 and have played it 7 times from the beginning ( the gameplay is really long to , when you think it ends , a whole new sequence happens ) . So check out videos and take my word for it , Ac2 is AWESOME !


• 162 4  This game has an epic scope which is both why I think it is great but is also my biggest gripe . While there is much to admire about it I would warn the casual gamer to how much time and effort it requires to complete and collect most of the items . I tried tackling this game in the cold winter months when the days were shorter and I had some vacation time and probably got through about 75% of it before losing interest having opened up all of the cities through Venice for exploration at least ( thought I saw light at the end of the tunnel a couple of times ) . But there are some great visuals and architecture and even some real renaissance art to collect for your villa . The story , while spread out , is very good and imaginative and is loosely based on some historical fact around the time of Renaissance Italy . Very relevant to the financial meltdowns happening around the world these days . Kind of scary that , but a game like this shows how some of the banking manipulations and financial power struggles can play out , wouldn't be surprised if some of the Medici family's influence in banking is still playing out on the world stage now to some degree . This is a great open world experience and even good historical fiction if you have the time for it , but I don't have the time I used to and don't want to waste more of it collecting feathers or opening thousands of treasure chests for coins . It would have been perfect if it were edited down for the casual gamer so I can't recommend it as it is , unless you have a lot of free time - then it's perfect .
• 452 4  I played the previous version and liked it , this one is dramatically better . The graphics are very good and the gameplay is smooth , with only a few awkward situations ( things like not being able to see yourself because a building or stand is in the way in a multi-person melee ) . The plot is interesting and the amount of detail the creators put in the game is impressive . The difficulty was perfect for me with the exception of some of the races or timed missions ; I dislike timed missions where you have to locate someone first , then do an action , and then find the next person , etc . Overall a very good game though , in the same class as the Call of Duty titles .


• 310 4  If you enjoyed Assassins Creed 1 then you will love this game . The graphics are awesome . There is much more to do in the world this time around . You also get to know the characters much more than in the first game , which makes the story more engaging . I guess the only downside is that there is no online , so the replay value is not as high as some other games . Also , I personally do not care much for the part of the story that takes place in the present time . I would have preferred that the story only took me to the past . However , this definitely doesn't spoil it for me , because I believe that Ezio's story is excellent and engages the player . You get to like your character and want to know what will happen to him next . Using actors with Italian accents adds to the ambiance of the game . The voice acting is well done . This is my favorite adventure game on the playstation 3 thus far .
• 046 4  Much better than the first Assassins Creed keeps you interested does not get repetitive . A lot of extra content and missions .
• 077 4  I really enjoyed this game . I have this one as well as the first Assassin's Creed . The gameplay and plot lines are great . The game is much less repetitive than its predecessor and the character development has improved as well . The only downside for me is that once you play through the story , its replay value is very low . Therefore it might be worth waiting until you can get a deal to buy it because $60 for one play through isn't quite worth it . I hope this is helpful .
• 172 4  Visually stunning . Smooth gameplay . Similar to Assassin's Creed I , but with enough differences to keep you interested .
• 177 4  I was hesitant to purchase this game at first . I have played the first one and unfortunately it came up short in alot of the game play and content . In this sequel Ubisoft seems to have listened to all the fans and have fixed some of the problems Assassins Creed 1 had and raised the bar for the gameplay and content . All in al this game is worth it . It is fun , the graphics are amazing . . waay better than 1 and is a well balanced game .
• 228 4  Really enjoyed this second episode of Assassin's Creed . The changes that were made to game play and all the additional side jobs / weapons / armor / quests really made this an enjoyable experience .
• 305 4  I bought this for my brother and he can't seem to stop playing . He played the first Assassin's Creed , and beat it so I thought he may enjoy the second one . And boy does he ever . Ever since he got it he can't put it down , been playing nonstop . So I guess it's a great game , I personally haven't played it but he's spent countless hours on it .
• 441 4  Played Assassins Creed I for Xbox 360 , liked it a lot so getting part II was a no brainer . I agree part 1 was very repetative but the concept was sound , part 2 does a much better job of not being as monotonous , probably gonna have to buy the guide if you want to do all of the side missions ( finding feathers and glyphs ) but otherwise you can play right through and still enjoy the game . Great graphics , love the conspiracy storyline as always all around great game .


• 339 4  ACII is much better than the first . It takes all of the elements of the first game that made it fun and addicting and removed all of the repetitiveness . The combat engine is updated and much more robust . The free running is even more complex and responsive . The story is deeper , more involved and more interesting . All in all , ACII is a MUST if you even remotely enjoyed Assassin's Creed .
• 363 4  This is A MUST HAVE game . I really enjoy the graphics and the history . Recommended


• 470 4  Maybe I'm in the minority , but I don't enjoy swearing in video games . It's just unnecessary . This game is a great example . I saw the mature rating , but didn't notice the strong language part . Then , in the first couple minutes of the game you get hit with the F-bomb 3 or 4 times . This is a game set in 16th century Italy , so why is there so much swearing ? ! Theres a blood filter , but no swearing filter . Really turned me off . Apart from that the game is quite good . It's fun and interesting with a compelling story . My only other problem with it is that it is way too easy . About 75% of the way through the game I started to wonder if there would be any challenge at all . Sadly , there wasn't . Another easy platinum , I guess . Still , get it for the stunning set pieces and story . It's worth it !
• 032 4  My teen age kids like this game . They said it's pretty hard to beat , but they enjoy playing it . I don't like the violence ( but I'm the mom ) and I wish it had something more redeeming to it than just killing people . I would NEVER let my younger kids watch it or play it and probably shouldn't let my teens play it , but they are close enough to adult hood that I am trying to let them make their own choices about things like this . : ) ~
• 291 4  I loved the gameplay of this game . Its not the same grind as the first version . The assignments are pretty good . New tricks ( flying machine , leap and kill , etc . . ) . My only complaint is its pretty short and pretty easy to finish the game .
• 345 4  I really liked the first one , and this one is way better . . . More weapons and armor . You can have different color cloths . My favorite addition to the game is , you don't get attacked everytime you go back into the cities ( by the gaurds ) . The cities are huge , so it's nice to be able to roam around and find stuff without the hassle of getting attacked by the gaurds evertime you turn a corner . . . They just added alot of stuff , it's hard to say everything with out spoiling the game . . . Deffinatley a must have . . .
• 350 4  I think AC2 is MUCH better than the last one . I don't want to make a detailed review so heres what I think : This game is great . The setting , characters , missions , music , etc all are very well done . The Renaissance Italy recreation is beautiful and detailed . The game also gives you history lessons on renaissance Italy as you play which is very interesting . There is so much stuff to do in this game and its not as horribly repetitive as the first assassins creed . Building the value of Monteriggioni and raiding assassin tombs are really fun side quests . This will be the first game I platinum because its so fun . Although an awesome game no game is perfect . My only complaints were that the game was way too easy and sometimes the game freezes up ( when doing double kill etc . ) . DLC is coming soon so hang onto it if you enjoyed it like I did .


• Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) An amazing improvement from the first Assassins Creed ! UbiSoft , gets it . They get people enjoyed the 1st one enough , but weren't overwhelmed by its greatness , and listen to its critics and vastly improved . While I'm almost always disappointed by video game sequels ( with the exception of some of the Zelda's ) this #2 is #1 . My Joys : Outstanding sound ! If you have surround sound you will enjoy every bit of the beautiful environment surround it , birds chirping , cat calls , the sound of a high dive splash . . . or splat . The sound effects are outstanding , and the music is excellent and scene appropriate . Great Story ! Assassins Creed 1 I found hard to follow , this one has good characters with a solid story ( I give the story a B , not great , but in the video game world that is like an A + ) Lots to do ! Something for everyone ! Love the puzzles ! ( still trying to figure out one of the painting puzzles ) Involves money earnings and gives it value throughout the game , towards the end you will be crazy rich and able to throw away money on ugly paintings , different color uniforms , buy weapons just for your collection or just make it rain on commoners or prostitutes . Learn a little bit about History ? ! ? Very rare , but a game that teaches ! Many factually correct landmarks and characters . If you're a parent and your 13 year old is begging for a game with the M rating , at least you get a little education mixed in with the violence . Skip GTA4 and buy Assassins Creed II . They managed to mix in a little economics , making you think twice before spending money abroad when you can spend it in your hometown . Graphics , artwork and visuals were the best I've ever seen in a video game to date . Great organization on the pause menu . With countless amounts of characters , buildings , memories , and items it helped tremendously to be able to revisit them with a push of a button . Not to mention you can go back and recap scenes and the story . They do an outstanding job of organizing a lot of content . The bios on each character was a neat way to add to the characters without wasting space on cut screens ( although I do enjoy the lengthy cut scene with a good character ) . My Gripes : No Gripes , just a list of things to improve on : It's too EASY , aside from a couple of the puzzles . Controls can be finicky . Occasionally did a high dive to my demise , and killed innocent civilians . Replay value is a little weak once you solve all the puzzles , I'm not a fan of hunting for feathers to put in my trophy collection , or collecting a million treasures only to find 100 florins in them . A little bit of an over abundance of the help gangs ( prostitutes , thief and mercenaries ) and shops . . . had a little bit of copy and paste feel to it . Almost all the shops contain the same items and you end up spending most of you dime in your home town anyways . Doesn't involve a hole lot of thinking during the action portion of the game , choosing sword over stealth is an easy decision . You don't use much weapons other than the sword and the hidden blade , I think I used the poison twice ( the first time was required and the 2nd time was for entertainment ) . In the end , this is probably my favorite game for the PS3 to date , had it all , good story that keep me playing , characters that you like and feel like you know towards the end , money that has value , beautiful graphics and sounds , puzzles that are challenging and rewarding and of course lastly . . . I may just have learned something . * * McScrooge's Dollars per hour of game play : $1.20 , and all of it enjoyable . Five out of Five stars on value if you can nab it at a $30 or less price tag . . Possibly a lot less if you like hunting feathers , chump change treasures .
• 050 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Unlike a lot of people , I was not wowed by the first Assassins Creed when I bought it for my Xbox 360 . I appreciated it's unique free-running mechanic and the graphics were stunning , but the missions were repetitive and I didn't feel particularly engaged with the story . Despite fearing that the second installment would be more of the same , I was apprehensive about picking this up , but I gave it a chance and , man , I am glad I did . The sequel is superior to the first game in almost every way , and it became an addiction for me until I beat it . Going back through the Animus , we are thrown into Renaissance - era Italy where you play as Enzio , the son of an Italian banker who is driven on a mission of revenge when he is betrayed and his family is killed . You don the robes of an assassin and go through Florence , Venice and Rome performing a variety of missions and assassinating key people who are a threat to yourself and your assassin brethren . The leading man story of the first game , to me , felt tacked on , but Enzio is a much more compelling protagonist . His personality , back-story , and his progression from young misfit to skilled assassin is very gripping . The supporting characters , including family and friends your meet along the way , provide some interesting plot points that will have you wanting to keep playing to see what happens . The gameplay is similar to the first game , in that you are free-running through urban areas and leaping over buildings to get to your objectives . The map system is much better this time around , so the backtracking and getting lost that sometimes happened in the first game is not a problem here . Your notoriety level is also more clearly defined here ; guards will chase you within a yellow area on the map , but if you get out of sight and leave the radius , you will be free and clear . It works very much like the wanted level in GTAIV . The missions are also more varied this time around . Some of the Find a person and kill him missions get tedious , but there are other missions to break it up nicely . My favorite areas are the six tombs that you need to explore to retrieve essential artifacts . These levels provide some strategic platforming that will remind you of Uncharted and Prince of Persia . The graphics in this game are also stunning . Italy is a much better setting , with the architecture and scenery being highly detailed , and the character animation is also quite good . The people in the street also have more personality this time around , with funny dialogue and even minstrels that will follow you around until you throw money at them . Overall , the world presented here is more immersive and interesting than the first game , and you could easily spend hours simply free-running through the scenery . Clocking in at roughly 18 hours , Assassin's Creed II offers a meaty campaign that left me wanting more once I beat the game . The replay value comes in with building up the town that surrounds your villa and finding items on rooftops and collecting the remaining achievements / trophies . If you didn't like the first game , this second installment improves upon both the story and mission variety , so you will likely enjoy this game more and should give it a chance . If you loved the first one , there is no reason not to get it .
• 051 4  Unlike a lot of people , I was not wowed by the first Assassins Creed when I bought it for my Xbox 360 . I appreciated it's unique free-running mechanic and the graphics were stunning , but the missions were repetitive and I didn't feel particularly engaged with the story . Despite fearing that the second installment would be more of the same , I was apprehensive about picking this up , but I gave it a chance and , man , I am glad I did . The sequel is superior to the first game in almost every way , and it became an addiction for me until I beat it . Going back through the Animus , we are thrown into Renaissance - era Italy where you play as Enzio , the son of an Italian banker who is driven on a mission of revenge when he is betrayed and his family is killed . You don the robes of an assassin and go through Florence , Venice and Rome performing a variety of missions and assassinating key people who are a threat to yourself and your assassin brethren . The leading man story of the first game , to me , felt tacked on , but Enzio is a much more compelling protagonist . His personality , back-story , and his progression from young misfit to skilled assassin is very gripping . The supporting characters , including family and friends your meet along the way , provide some interesting plot points that will have you wanting to keep playing to see what happens . The gameplay is similar to the first game , in that you are free-running through urban areas and leaping over buildings to get to your objectives . The map system is much better this time around , so the backtracking and getting lost that sometimes happened in the first game is not a problem here . Your notoriety level is also more clearly defined here ; guards will chase you within a yellow area on the map , but if you get out of sight and leave the radius , you will be free and clear . It works very much like the wanted level in GTAIV . The missions are also more varied this time around . Some of the Find a person and kill him missions get tedious , but there are other missions to break it up nicely . My favorite areas are the six tombs that you need to explore to retrieve essential artifacts . These levels provide some strategic platforming that will remind you of Uncharted and Prince of Persia . The graphics in this game are also stunning . Italy is a much better setting , with the architecture and scenery being highly detailed , and the character animation is also quite good . The people in the street also have more personality this time around , with funny dialogue and even minstrels that will follow you around until you throw money at them . Overall , the world presented here is more immersive and interesting than the first game , and you could easily spend hours simply free-running through the scenery . Clocking in at roughly 18 hours , Assassin's Creed II offers a meaty campaign that left me wanting more once I beat the game . The replay value comes in with building up the town that surrounds your villa and finding items on rooftops and collecting the remaining achievements / trophies . If you didn't like the first game , this second installment improves upon both the story and mission variety , so you will likely enjoy this game more and should give it a chance . If you loved the first one , there is no reason not to get it .
• 133 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) ACII should be summarized as great story telling mixed together with fun , realistic game play . The story really flows from the beginning and draws the players into the history and the intrigue . The amount of detail and effort put into the game environment is amazing . And the open world reminds me of the play in GTA4 where you can jump onto basically anything , swim in the water , run around the rooftops and hide in all sorts of places . In addition to the main game story and missions , there are a ton of side quests ! If you are into action / adventure games , ACII is definitely worth getting !
• 232 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Wow , what a great game . This is a one of a kind gaming experience . Id give It a 9 or a 9.5 out of 10 . I remember playing the 1st installment a year B4 & I like how they added more layers to this one without taking away from the original feel . There are only a few things that I don't like & find frustrating : #1 would be all the heavy Lighting & all the unnecessary pauses to that Blank virtual world in B / W sessions , I'm surprised it didn't give me many problems as far as headaches cause Its a bit much . I hope the next installment corrects this . & As far as the story , This one is more all over the place compared to the 1st one which was more cohesive . I also didn't care much for the Alternative Present with Desmond instead of Ezio , i see it as a waste of time , The whole game should revolve only around Ezio & that era but I guess It's O.K . As for the aspects of the game , the visuals , The graphics were amazing & so was the Gameplay & combat , It's very realistic , It makes you feel like you really are Ezio . This is the best game I've played so far on my new PS3 . Though far superior , I like to compare this to GTA4 , In a lot of ways this is parallel to GTA but only in a different Time period / Era . That's what I love about it , you would never expect a game like this to be this epic . I beat it in about 26 Hours , the ending left me wanting more , I hope there will be a Assassin's Creed III , this game is the truth , Its a must Buy .
• 234 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) An amazing improvement from the first Assassins Creed ! UbiSoft , gets it . They get people enjoyed the 1st one enough , but weren't overwhelmed by its greatness , and listen to its critics and vastly improved . While I'm almost always disappointed by video game sequels ( with the exception of some of the Zelda's ) this #2 is #1 . My Joys : Outstanding sound ! If you have surround sound you will enjoy every bit of the beautiful environment surround it , birds chirping , cat calls , the sound of a high dive splash . . . or splat . The sound effects are outstanding , and the music is excellent and scene appropriate . Great Story ! Assassins Creed 1 I found hard to follow , this one has good characters with a solid story ( I give the story a B , not great , but in the video game world that is like an A + ) Lots to do ! Something for everyone ! Love the puzzles ! ( still trying to figure out one of the painting puzzles ) Involves money earnings and gives it value throughout the game , towards the end you will be crazy rich and able to throw away money on ugly paintings , different color uniforms , buy weapons just for your collection or just make it rain on commoners or prostitutes . Learn a little bit about History ? ! ? Very rare , but a game that teaches ! Many factually correct landmarks and characters . If you're a parent and your 13 year old is begging for a game with the M rating , at least you get a little education mixed in with the violence . Skip GTA4 and buy Assassins Creed II . They managed to mix in a little economics , making you think twice before spending money abroad when you can spend it in your hometown . Graphics , artwork and visuals were the best I've ever seen in a video game to date . Great organization on the pause menu . With countless amounts of characters , buildings , memories , and items it helped tremendously to be able to revisit them with a push of a button . Not to mention you can go back and recap scenes and the story . They do an outstanding job of organizing a lot of content . The bios on each character was a neat way to add to the characters without wasting space on cut screens ( although I do enjoy the lengthy cut scene with a good character ) . My Gripes : No Gripes , just a list of things to improve on : It's too EASY , aside from a couple of the puzzles . Controls can be finicky . Occasionally did a high dive to my demise , and killed innocent civilians . Replay value is a little weak once you solve all the puzzles , I'm not a fan of hunting for feathers to put in my trophy collection , or collecting a million treasures only to find 100 florins in them . A little bit of an over abundance of the help gangs ( prostitutes , thief and mercenaries ) and shops . . . had a little bit of copy and paste feel to it . Almost all the shops contain the same items and you end up spending most of you dime in your home town anyways . Doesn't involve a hole lot of thinking during the action portion of the game , choosing sword over stealth is an easy decision . You don't use much weapons other than the sword and the hidden blade , I think I used the poison twice ( the first time was required and the 2nd time was for entertainment ) . In the end , this is probably my favorite game for the PS3 to date , had it all , good story that keep me playing , characters that you like and feel like you know towards the end , money that has value , beautiful graphics and sounds , puzzles that are challenging and rewarding and of course lastly . . . I may just have learned something . * * McScrooge's Dollars per hour of game play : $1.20 , and all of it enjoyable . Five out of Five stars on value if you can nab it at a $30 or less price tag . . Possibly a lot less if you like hunting feathers , chump change treasures .


• Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Assassin's Creed II makes massive improvments over the original . The main improvment is it's NOT repetitive . There are many more mission types . Ezio can do so much more than Altiair like swim and fly . The cities are so much bigger and more vibrant . There is an economy where you can earn money and spend it on upgrades . The people are more interesting and real , including Ezio himself . The sounds of battle and cities are as real as they can be . OK , let's start off with the big man Ezio Auditore Da Firenze . He is the son of a father with two sisters and another brother . At first , you start off running errands for your father like delivering a message or letter . To make a VERY LONG story short , your father and brother are killed and you vow to extract vengence on those who were involved . This includes anyone from a poor theif to an extravagant noble . The voices and actions of the people are very realistic . They sound like they're right in the room . As you walk through the town , citizens cough , sneeze , fight , sing , talk , and rob . Pickpockets will steal from you . If you catch them , you can get your money back along with more . Sometimes some guys will come up to you and start singing . They are really annoying because they stand right in your way and won't move , so usually I grab them and hurl them across the street . What's there to do ? Plenty . Of course you have your main mission types were you tail someone , beat them up , pickpocket them , or assassinate them . The side missions have really changed from the first . Courier is one where you deliver a letter ASAP . Beat up events are where you beat unfaithful husbands to persuade them to focus their attention back to their wives . Assassination contracts enable you to do a quick job and wipe out from one to ten targets . Races allow you to show your skill in roof hopping . All of these main and side missions give you money . More money for harder missions . That's right . There's an economy . You earn money for missions , pickpocketing citizens , and finding chests . There are shops scattered around too . The blacksmith repairs your armor after its been damaged in a fight and sells you new weapons and ammo . What ammo ? Throwing knives , smoke bombs , and bullets for your wrist gun ( Ya it's cool ) . The taylor sells bigger pouches for your health , poison , and knives . He can also dye your clothes if you want to look extra fly . Artists sell you paintings to increase your uncle's villa's value and sell treasure maps to show you where hidden chests are . Doctors either heal you on the spot or sell you potions for later . These can help when you're in the middle of a battle and need health . Doctors also sell poison for your poison knife ( ironic isn't it ? ) . There are also cortesans , theives , and soldiers that are around the city for your to hire . They either distract or fight guards with you . There are also 6 assassin tombs in all the cities . Complete these and at the end of each one there is an assassin seal . Bring these back to your uncle's villa to unlock Altiair's special armor ( that's right they still dragged him into this ) . It is twice as strong as anything else and can't be damaged . Your uncle's villa gains value and earns you money . Buy paintings or renovate buildings there to make it make more money for you . The weapons are excellent . Ezio has two hidden blades and can use both at once . He also can carry a sword , dagger , knives , health etc . . . The enemy AI isn't bad for a typical game . If you don't keep your guard up , they will take advantage of the opportunitity and strike . But they're not too hard to defeat especially if you have hired help . Assassin's Creed II is a must play for every action gamer . Everything looks and feels real . There is much more to do and see . The ending is much more suprising than the original too . You might even learn a little italian too .
• 149 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Assassin's Creed II makes massive improvments over the original . The main improvment is it's NOT repetitive . There are many more mission types . Ezio can do so much more than Altiair like swim and fly . The cities are so much bigger and more vibrant . There is an economy where you can earn money and spend it on upgrades . The people are more interesting and real , including Ezio himself . The sounds of battle and cities are as real as they can be . OK , let's start off with the big man Ezio Auditore Da Firenze . He is the son of a father with two sisters and another brother . At first , you start off running errands for your father like delivering a message or letter . To make a VERY LONG story short , your father and brother are killed and you vow to extract vengence on those who were involved . This includes anyone from a poor theif to an extravagant noble . The voices and actions of the people are very realistic . They sound like they're right in the room . As you walk through the town , citizens cough , sneeze , fight , sing , talk , and rob . Pickpockets will steal from you . If you catch them , you can get your money back along with more . Sometimes some guys will come up to you and start singing . They are really annoying because they stand right in your way and won't move , so usually I grab them and hurl them across the street . What's there to do ? Plenty . Of course you have your main mission types were you tail someone , beat them up , pickpocket them , or assassinate them . The side missions have really changed from the first . Courier is one where you deliver a letter ASAP . Beat up events are where you beat unfaithful husbands to persuade them to focus their attention back to their wives . Assassination contracts enable you to do a quick job and wipe out from one to ten targets . Races allow you to show your skill in roof hopping . All of these main and side missions give you money . More money for harder missions . That's right . There's an economy . You earn money for missions , pickpocketing citizens , and finding chests . There are shops scattered around too . The blacksmith repairs your armor after its been damaged in a fight and sells you new weapons and ammo . What ammo ? Throwing knives , smoke bombs , and bullets for your wrist gun ( Ya it's cool ) . The taylor sells bigger pouches for your health , poison , and knives . He can also dye your clothes if you want to look extra fly . Artists sell you paintings to increase your uncle's villa's value and sell treasure maps to show you where hidden chests are . Doctors either heal you on the spot or sell you potions for later . These can help when you're in the middle of a battle and need health . Doctors also sell poison for your poison knife ( ironic isn't it ? ) . There are also cortesans , theives , and soldiers that are around the city for your to hire . They either distract or fight guards with you . There are also 6 assassin tombs in all the cities . Complete these and at the end of each one there is an assassin seal . Bring these back to your uncle's villa to unlock Altiair's special armor ( that's right they still dragged him into this ) . It is twice as strong as anything else and can't be damaged . Your uncle's villa gains value and earns you money . Buy paintings or renovate buildings there to make it make more money for you . The weapons are excellent . Ezio has two hidden blades and can use both at once . He also can carry a sword , dagger , knives , health etc . . . The enemy AI isn't bad for a typical game . If you don't keep your guard up , they will take advantage of the opportunitity and strike . But they're not too hard to defeat especially if you have hired help . Assassin's Creed II is a must play for every action gamer . Everything looks and feels real . There is much more to do and see . The ending is much more suprising than the original too . You might even learn a little italian too .
• 150 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Assassin's Creed II makes massive improvments over the original . The main improvment is it's NOT repetitive . There are many more mission types . Ezio can do so much more than Altiair like swim and fly . The cities are so much bigger and more vibrant . There is an economy where you can earn money and spend it on upgrades . The people are more interesting and real , including Ezio himself . The sounds of battle and cities are as real as they can be . OK , let's start off with the big man Ezio Auditore Da Firenze . He is the son of a father with two sisters and another brother . At first , you start off running errands for your father like delivering a message or letter . To make a VERY LONG story short , your father and brother are killed and you vow to extract vengence on those who were involved . This includes anyone from a poor theif to an extravagant noble . The voices and actions of the people are very realistic . They sound like they're right in the room . As you walk through the town , citizens cough , sneeze , fight , sing , talk , and rob . Pickpockets will steal from you . If you catch them , you can get your money back along with more . Sometimes some guys will come up to you and start singing . They are really annoying because they stand right in your way and won't move , so usually I grab them and hurl them across the street . What's there to do ? Plenty . Of course you have your main mission types were you tail someone , beat them up , pickpocket them , or assassinate them . The side missions have really changed from the first . Courier is one where you deliver a letter ASAP . Beat up events are where you beat unfaithful husbands to persuade them to focus their attention back to their wives . Assassination contracts enable you to do a quick job and wipe out from one to ten targets . Races allow you to show your skill in roof hopping . All of these main and side missions give you money . More money for harder missions . That's right . There's an economy . You earn money for missions , pickpocketing citizens , and finding chests . There are shops scattered around too . The blacksmith repairs your armor after its been damaged in a fight and sells you new weapons and ammo . What ammo ? Throwing knives , smoke bombs , and bullets for your wrist gun ( Ya it's cool ) . The taylor sells bigger pouches for your health , poison , and knives . He can also dye your clothes if you want to look extra fly . Artists sell you paintings to increase your uncle's villa's value and sell treasure maps to show you where hidden chests are . Doctors either heal you on the spot or sell you potions for later . These can help when you're in the middle of a battle and need health . Doctors also sell poison for your poison knife ( ironic isn't it ? ) . There are also cortesans , theives , and soldiers that are around the city for your to hire . They either distract or fight guards with you . There are also 6 assassin tombs in all the cities . Complete these and at the end of each one there is an assassin seal . Bring these back to your uncle's villa to unlock Altiair's special armor ( that's right they still dragged him into this ) . It is twice as strong as anything else and can't be damaged . Your uncle's villa gains value and earns you money . Buy paintings or renovate buildings there to make it make more money for you . The weapons are excellent . Ezio has two hidden blades and can use both at once . He also can carry a sword , dagger , knives , health etc . . . The enemy AI isn't bad for a typical game . If you don't keep your guard up , they will take advantage of the opportunitity and strike . But they're not too hard to defeat especially if you have hired help . Assassin's Creed II is a must play for every action gamer . Everything looks and feels real . There is much more to do and see . The ending is much more suprising than the original too . You might even learn a little italian too .
• 415 4  The only reason I don't give this game a 5 / 5 is because I reserve that honor for the best of the best , and this game has a few minor flaws , a great game non the less . This game has all of the incredible building scaling awsomeness and bad ass assassination epicness as the first one , plus it also added some cool RPG elements , like the option of buying armor and weapons , a riveting plot twist , and some other things that make the game easier to play , like fast travel stations and more time spent in the animus . Plus the trophies in this game are much easier to obtain and a lot more fun , no collecting 15,000 different flags to get 100% of completion . The only things that are lame about this game are that the battles are somewhat redundant , although awesome , they get kind of repetitive after 20 hours of game play . Also the controls can be kind of tricky , Ezio is such a super cool assassin that he can't help but run up random walls and jump off ledges , which can be kind of inconvenient when you're on a timed mission or chasing someone . Either way the game is pretty dang cool . Plus Ezio is a super hot ladies man that you can't help but love .
• 489 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I have to say , I enjoyed this game significantly more than the first installment of Assassins Creed . I felt that this game gave the player more room to customize Ezio , our protagonist . Ezio can wield a vast array of weapons including long swords , maces , and scimitars , as well as different daggers . Customizable clothing was also nice , and the addition of smoke bombs and the arm gun as well as the double hidden blades were a nice feature . If you're a fan of the series and played the first one , you have to pick up this game . One and one more note . Unlike the first Assassins Creed , after you complete an assassination , you do not have to return to the starting city ( in this case Florance ) . Pick this game up today and enjoy !
• 490 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I have to say , I enjoyed this game significantly more than the first installment of Assassins Creed . I felt that this game gave the player more room to customize Ezio , our protagonist . Ezio can wield a vast array of weapons including long swords , maces , and scimitars , as well as different daggers . Customizable clothing was also nice , and the addition of smoke bombs and the arm gun as well as the double hidden blades were a nice feature . If you're a fan of the series and played the first one , you have to pick up this game . One and one more note . Unlike the first Assassins Creed , after you complete an assassination , you do not have to return to the starting city ( in this case Florance ) . Pick this game up today and enjoy !
• 491 4  I have to say , I enjoyed this game significantly more than the first installment of Assassins Creed . I felt that this game gave the player more room to customize Ezio , our protagonist . Ezio can wield a vast array of weapons including long swords , maces , and scimitars , as well as different daggers . Customizable clothing was also nice , and the addition of smoke bombs and the arm gun as well as the double hidden blades were a nice feature . If you're a fan of the series and played the first one , you have to pick up this game . One and one more note . Unlike the first Assassins Creed , after you complete an assassination , you do not have to return to the starting city ( in this case Florance ) . Pick this game up today and enjoy !


• Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Assassin's Creed was received in 2007 with mixed reviews . Most people criticize it for being repetitive and boring . I never thought it to be , as a whole , repetitive and boring . Yes , the action was repetitive . But to me , it was incredibly story driven , and the story was so compelling in my opinion , I never really found myself bored or tired of doing the same 4 - 5 types of missions over and over . People everywhere are saying that Assassin's Creed II is Ubisoft's answers to the first installment's critics . I think they are being premature . Yes , this game has you do different types of things , but when you get down to it , most of the game is killing people to move the story forward , to get money towards other ends , or protecting people from getting killed ( by killing other people ) aside from that , there's a lot of parkour . It's unfair though , to box this game up in those terms . Some might argue that they don't really need to play the first AC to play this one , because all they care about is the gameplay . Well , I can tell you , they're missing out on a hell of a story , as well as an almost obscene amount of additional content ( often in the form of riddles , puzzles and other type of mini game situations that yield more details on the larger arc of the game's storyline ; it's easy to forget you're not Ezio Auditore , you're actually Desmond from AC , sitting somewhere hooked up to an Animus - and if that didn't make sense , go back and play or read up on AC ) The graphics have not been improved . Character models look the same , even slightly worse for the wear . We cannot deny though that Renaissance Italy makes for a prettier location than the Holy Land during the . . . 2nd or 3rd ? Crusade . This is a very pretty game . The sounds have been revamped and given the Ubisoft treatment : I really missed having a French and Spanish track in the first AC , but liked having guards yell in German and French , as well as in Persian . They've made it so the game can be played in English , Italian , French or Spanish , but the English track contains a lot of dialogue in Italian ( turn on those subtitles if you no parla la lingua , . . . or something . ) in the cinematics as well as the surrounding NPCs in their on-going cycles . It was all done artfully and adds to the immersiveness . The voice acting is an improvement from AC , thankfully , although everyone speaks with the assimilated Italo-American accent . Fine by me . Just weird at first . Sword clashes and clangs are run of the mill , nothing surprising here . The music is superb , although I preferred the music from AC ( personal preference ) The gameplay is roughly the same : parkour elements are pretty much the same , except Ezio swims , and I get a feeling that he runs slower but climbs faster than Altaïr . Small trade off . Battle has been tweaked and is affected by the weapon you might be wielding at any given point . Fist fighting is now a viable option too , which is nice , albeit reckless . AI still comes one at a time at you , but is not as easily dispatched as before . Parrying and deflecting is a bit more difficult than before , but the adjustment is small . The weapon selection system has been revamped and now to select between Sword , dagger and throwing knives you have to go into a separate menu . I personally was irked at first at this , because I loved changing weapons mid fight without breaking the action on the first AC , but it's a small trade off for such a huge array of weapons , as well as being able to do additional things like taking medicine to heal yourself and throw money on the ground to create a distraction . Other changes include stealth kills from hidden places ( ie hay stacks or hanging from a wall ) There are also guns , although I have not yet progressed enough to get to use them . They've also included non-lethal solutions , like tackling people ( as in , take downs ) , which is nice in case you don't want to kill your mark ( there are situations why you wouldn't this time around ) As stated , this game includes an economy system . You get florins from missions and by looting people and treasure coffers . You can use these florins to buy art , weapons , medicine , armor , dying your clothes a different color , buying bigger bags , hiring services from denizens of the lower caste ( ha ! ) and treasure maps . There is also a different use for money , but I'd reveal a plot point early in the game by saying what it is , so you'll find out yourself . The game has also made it so that the collectibles have a plot driven raison d'être this time around ; no picking up flags for kicks and giggles . The story itself to me is incredibly superb , and the fact that there is so much side content referring to the other subjects of Abstergo ( remember , Desmond is subject 17 . . . so . . . what about 1 - 16 ? ) and to the life of Altaïr after AC and the piece of Eden , it is a bit daunting . Quite daunting actually . If you like tales of intrigue and conspiracy theories , the story will have you hooked . Plus , the side content will make you think ! Most of it is art or history based . Quite enjoyable . All in all , I'm enjoying this game quite a bit . So far , it's the game I've most enjoyed of ' 09 . It caters to my needs as a heavy reader and as an avid gamer in many levels . I'd say that this game at the least deserves you try it once before being written off . Game on .
• 122 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I've had this game for almost a month , and I still enjoy jumping from roof to roof and performing air-assassinations on unsuspecting soldiers . The graphics are beautiful and the action is over-the-top . As for the storyline , I'm not a big fan of the DaVinci-Code-type-plot which this game seems similar to , and it was somewhat disturbing to me . Another thing is that the character which the player controls is often seen in mature scenes such as being inside brothels , and there is one sequence where the player kisses a woman and removes her dress and they get in bed together ( no nudity is seen other than the woman's back and possibly a side view [ very brief ] ) . Other than those 2 things , this is a great game , but I wouldn't recommend it for children or young teens .
• 123 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I've had this game for almost a month , and I still enjoy jumping from roof to roof and performing air-assassinations on unsuspecting soldiers . The graphics are beautiful and the action is over-the-top . As for the storyline , I'm not a big fan of the DaVinci-Code-type-plot which this game seems similar to , and it was somewhat disturbing to me . Another thing is that the character which the player controls is often seen in mature scenes such as being inside brothels , and there is one sequence where the player kisses a woman and removes her dress and they get in bed together ( no nudity is seen other than the woman's back and possibly a side view [ very brief ] ) . Other than those 2 things , this is a great game , but I wouldn't recommend it for children or young teens .
• 135 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) First off , I haven't played AC I and a newbie to open world themed games . But reading all the positive reviews of AC II prompted me to try it and I have to say I hugely enjoyed this game . I really enjoyed this game broadly for its story , pacing , attention to detail of the environments , character development , voice acting , rich color pallet and varied missions . But what really stands out are Renaissance era Italian cities . They are literally living , breathing characters in this game . I have to commend the developers at UBI Soft for painstakingly recreating these cities and their architectural marvels in gorgeous detail and staggering scale . In my past life I had dabbled in Architecture and been fascinated with Italian , Greek and Egyptian architecture . Just being able to run around these cities , scale all historic buildings and take in the magnificent cityscapes from top of view points as the camera revolves around you , was the next best thing to actually being there in person . The experience is quite visceral and astounding . If you scaled the Florence Duomo Cathedral , you know what I'm talking about . Apart from that , the missions are quite varied and don't seem repetitive at all which was a big complaint against AC I . The voice acting with Italian accents and dialogue for most characters are spot on and added more authenticity to the game . Character development for lead character Ezio Auditore and other important characters are quite well done and the actor giving voice to Ezio seems to have really put some effort into it and it shows . Other than that , the population of the cities have colorful PCs and NPCs from thieves , brigands , mercenaries , prostitutes , nuns , annoying minstrels , merchants , announcers , messengers and normal citizenry . The navigation and combat controls are not that difficult to get used to and navigating the cities and climbing felt natural . Navigating using the map took some time to get used to in the open world but once down pat , felt quite comfortable . You will get lost in the cities unless you use the map ! The AI system seems better than most other games and not that forgiving that you feel unchallenged . Pros : 1 . Gorgeous and detailed environments . 2 . Lengthy game and huge cities to explore . 3 . Excellent voice acting and character development . 4 . Interesting storyline - Integration of real life historical figures and incidents into the storyline is nice . 5 . Monetary system - Earning money and spending on upgrades added an interesting aspect to this game . But midway / three-fourths through the game you will have money to burn and nothing to do with it afer all the upgrades . 6 . Apart from main story line there are non-essential side missions like assassination contracts , races , message delivery , beat ups , finding feathers , unlocking futuristic conspiracies etc . which adds a ton of replay value . 7 . The developers have achieved a lot of breath in game elements variety and little less in depth . 8 . Decent AI . Cons : All accolades aside , there are some blemishes in this well-made game . 1 . A lot of characters look blocky in close-ups and dating back to PS2 standards of rendering while the environments themselves are gorgeously rendered making this a glaring anomaly . In doing the inevitable comparison to Uncharted 2 and God of War 3 in terms of overall graphics , AC II going to come off as second best . 2 . Combat leaves much to be desired . The choice of weapons and how you earn them is interesting . Its not for lack of variety in combat moves and weapons but its just that combat could have been more fluid . I guess I'm less forgiving in this aspect as the bar for combat has been set very high after playing the God of War series . ( I know , I know I should not be comparing a hack and slash with a third-person action adventure : ) ) 3 . Much as I try to get into it , the Animus concept just doesn't fly . 4 . The final boss fight felt a bit tame and the ending abrupt . I'm at a stage in life where family and professional obligations don't allow for playing at a stretch where day turns to night and then back again . I found Assassins Creed II to fit the bill perfectly and I played this on and off for a couple of months till I finished it at my own pace .
• 136 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) First off , I haven't played AC I and a newbie to open world themed games . But reading all the positive reviews of AC II prompted me to try it and I have to say I hugely enjoyed this game . I really enjoyed this game broadly for its story , pacing , attention to detail of the environments , character development , voice acting , rich color pallet and varied missions . But what really stands out are Renaissance era Italian cities . They are literally living , breathing characters in this game . I have to commend the developers at UBI Soft for painstakingly recreating these cities and their architectural marvels in gorgeous detail and staggering scale . In my past life I had dabbled in Architecture and been fascinated with Italian , Greek and Egyptian architecture . Just being able to run around these cities , scale all historic buildings and take in the magnificent cityscapes from top of view points as the camera revolves around you , was the next best thing to actually being there in person . The experience is quite visceral and astounding . If you scaled the Florence Duomo Cathedral , you know what I'm talking about . Apart from that , the missions are quite varied and don't seem repetitive at all which was a big complaint against AC I . The voice acting with Italian accents and dialogue for most characters are spot on and added more authenticity to the game . Character development for lead character Ezio Auditore and other important characters are quite well done and the actor giving voice to Ezio seems to have really put some effort into it and it shows . Other than that , the population of the cities have colorful PCs and NPCs from thieves , brigands , mercenaries , prostitutes , nuns , annoying minstrels , merchants , announcers , messengers and normal citizenry . The navigation and combat controls are not that difficult to get used to and navigating the cities and climbing felt natural . Navigating using the map took some time to get used to in the open world but once down pat , felt quite comfortable . You will get lost in the cities unless you use the map ! The AI system seems better than most other games and not that forgiving that you feel unchallenged . Pros : 1 . Gorgeous and detailed environments . 2 . Lengthy game and huge cities to explore . 3 . Excellent voice acting and character development . 4 . Interesting storyline - Integration of real life historical figures and incidents into the storyline is nice . 5 . Monetary system - Earning money and spending on upgrades added an interesting aspect to this game . But midway / three-fourths through the game you will have money to burn and nothing to do with it afer all the upgrades . 6 . Apart from main story line there are non-essential side missions like assassination contracts , races , message delivery , beat ups , finding feathers , unlocking futuristic conspiracies etc . which adds a ton of replay value . 7 . The developers have achieved a lot of breath in game elements variety and little less in depth . 8 . Decent AI . Cons : All accolades aside , there are some blemishes in this well-made game . 1 . A lot of characters look blocky in close-ups and dating back to PS2 standards of rendering while the environments themselves are gorgeously rendered making this a glaring anomaly . In doing the inevitable comparison to Uncharted 2 and God of War 3 in terms of overall graphics , AC II going to come off as second best . 2 . Combat leaves much to be desired . The choice of weapons and how you earn them is interesting . Its not for lack of variety in combat moves and weapons but its just that combat could have been more fluid . I guess I'm less forgiving in this aspect as the bar for combat has been set very high after playing the God of War series . ( I know , I know I should not be comparing a hack and slash with a third-person action adventure : ) ) 3 . Much as I try to get into it , the Animus concept just doesn't fly . 4 . The final boss fight felt a bit tame and the ending abrupt . I'm at a stage in life where family and professional obligations don't allow for playing at a stretch where day turns to night and then back again . I found Assassins Creed II to fit the bill perfectly and I played this on and off for a couple of months till I finished it at my own pace .
• 155 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I'll start out by saying that this game is an improvement in every way over Assassin's Creed . I started playing it right after Uncharted 2 so the graphics at first seemed a little rough at first , but considering how much more massive the game is compared to Uncharted 2 , it is barely fair to compare . It didn't take long to adjust when the game sucks you in so quick . But don't get me wrong the game is beautiful , and the detail that has gone into each building and city is amazing . It is great to look from a view point and decide where you are headed next , knowing you can reach all of it . So first off the gameplay is a lot of fun , if you hadn't played AC or just hadn't played in a long time it will take some adjusting again to get used to the control set up . But they do ease you into the controls starting out with the most important aspect , free running . This is the only part of the game I found a flaw in . Ezio has a tendency to jump of things and grab onto things you don't really want him to , you can let go of X to avoid this , takes practice to time it right . It also doesn't help that the buildings have slanted roofs so you can't tell how far a jump is . This isn't Ubisoft's fault , but the mini map does help to see if it is a jump you can make . Other then that , the controls are great and a lot of fun to use . Now the story has improved greatly . It is slow at first , but toward the end things really start to pick up . I don't want to give anything away , but unlocking The Truth is worth the trouble . After unlocking the video I actually had to take a step back and remember that it was just a game and it was actual footage . I can't wait for ACIII to see what happens next .
• 187 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) This game is a great improvement ( content-wise ) from Assassin's Creed I . I am thankful not having to save 1,000 women and priests from evil soldiers . The content is so much more fun . The environments are gorgeous , storyline is compelling , and there are WAY more interesting missions to do . I am quite happy in this regard . I sometimes get frustrated and scream at my TV with Ezio jumps completely the wrong way , or won't climb , or does something moronic and falls into the waters of Venice . Otherwise , it's practically flawless ! I love this game .
• 390 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Assassin's Creed was received in 2007 with mixed reviews . Most people criticize it for being repetitive and boring . I never thought it to be , as a whole , repetitive and boring . Yes , the action was repetitive . But to me , it was incredibly story driven , and the story was so compelling in my opinion , I never really found myself bored or tired of doing the same 4 - 5 types of missions over and over . People everywhere are saying that Assassin's Creed II is Ubisoft's answers to the first installment's critics . I think they are being premature . Yes , this game has you do different types of things , but when you get down to it , most of the game is killing people to move the story forward , to get money towards other ends , or protecting people from getting killed ( by killing other people ) aside from that , there's a lot of parkour . It's unfair though , to box this game up in those terms . Some might argue that they don't really need to play the first AC to play this one , because all they care about is the gameplay . Well , I can tell you , they're missing out on a hell of a story , as well as an almost obscene amount of additional content ( often in the form of riddles , puzzles and other type of mini game situations that yield more details on the larger arc of the game's storyline ; it's easy to forget you're not Ezio Auditore , you're actually Desmond from AC , sitting somewhere hooked up to an Animus - and if that didn't make sense , go back and play or read up on AC ) The graphics have not been improved . Character models look the same , even slightly worse for the wear . We cannot deny though that Renaissance Italy makes for a prettier location than the Holy Land during the . . . 2nd or 3rd ? Crusade . This is a very pretty game . The sounds have been revamped and given the Ubisoft treatment : I really missed having a French and Spanish track in the first AC , but liked having guards yell in German and French , as well as in Persian . They've made it so the game can be played in English , Italian , French or Spanish , but the English track contains a lot of dialogue in Italian ( turn on those subtitles if you no parla la lingua , . . . or something . ) in the cinematics as well as the surrounding NPCs in their on-going cycles . It was all done artfully and adds to the immersiveness . The voice acting is an improvement from AC , thankfully , although everyone speaks with the assimilated Italo-American accent . Fine by me . Just weird at first . Sword clashes and clangs are run of the mill , nothing surprising here . The music is superb , although I preferred the music from AC ( personal preference ) The gameplay is roughly the same : parkour elements are pretty much the same , except Ezio swims , and I get a feeling that he runs slower but climbs faster than Altaïr . Small trade off . Battle has been tweaked and is affected by the weapon you might be wielding at any given point . Fist fighting is now a viable option too , which is nice , albeit reckless . AI still comes one at a time at you , but is not as easily dispatched as before . Parrying and deflecting is a bit more difficult than before , but the adjustment is small . The weapon selection system has been revamped and now to select between Sword , dagger and throwing knives you have to go into a separate menu . I personally was irked at first at this , because I loved changing weapons mid fight without breaking the action on the first AC , but it's a small trade off for such a huge array of weapons , as well as being able to do additional things like taking medicine to heal yourself and throw money on the ground to create a distraction . Other changes include stealth kills from hidden places ( ie hay stacks or hanging from a wall ) There are also guns , although I have not yet progressed enough to get to use them . They've also included non-lethal solutions , like tackling people ( as in , take downs ) , which is nice in case you don't want to kill your mark ( there are situations why you wouldn't this time around ) As stated , this game includes an economy system . You get florins from missions and by looting people and treasure coffers . You can use these florins to buy art , weapons , medicine , armor , dying your clothes a different color , buying bigger bags , hiring services from denizens of the lower caste ( ha ! ) and treasure maps . There is also a different use for money , but I'd reveal a plot point early in the game by saying what it is , so you'll find out yourself . The game has also made it so that the collectibles have a plot driven raison d'être this time around ; no picking up flags for kicks and giggles . The story itself to me is incredibly superb , and the fact that there is so much side content referring to the other subjects of Abstergo ( remember , Desmond is subject 17 . . . so . . . what about 1 - 16 ? ) and to the life of Altaïr after AC and the piece of Eden , it is a bit daunting . Quite daunting actually . If you like tales of intrigue and conspiracy theories , the story will have you hooked . Plus , the side content will make you think ! Most of it is art or history based . Quite enjoyable . All in all , I'm enjoying this game quite a bit . So far , it's the game I've most enjoyed of ' 09 . It caters to my needs as a heavy reader and as an avid gamer in many levels . I'd say that this game at the least deserves you try it once before being written off . Game on .


• Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Back in November of 2007 , we were given a game that was said to be innovative , monumental , and one of the first true next-gen experiences . Instead , to the majority of gamers who picked it up , it turned out to be a misleading , repetitive , and slowly paced title . Personally , I was so excited about this game and what it was suppose to be , it almost felt like I caught my girlfriend cheating on me when I saw the credits rolling . I was so distraught and saddened , by not only the game itself , but by the story and its cliffhanger ending that left a huge , gaping hole of unanswered questions , unfulfilled promises , and not one ounce of satisfaction that made me feel like it was all worthwhile . While others have pushed aside all of its flaws and saw it for what it was aiming to be , I am still standing here acknowledging Assassin's Creed as one of my most disappointing games of this generation . But , that was 2007 . Flash forward to today , and its amazing how a sequel can make you fall in love with a name all over again . Assassin's Creed II accomplishes everything the original tried so hard to do , and does it perfectly . It is executed in a way that leaves you with the sense of wanting and needing more in the end , when the original just made you want to use the disc as a coaster . We're back in the mind of Desmond Miles . Only this time , instead of the Holy Land , its Renaissance Italy , almost 300 years after the events of the original Assassin's Creed . The world has changed and so has the way things are done . You play as Ezio Auditore da Firenze ( rolls off the tongue , doesn't it ? ) , who is out to make the wrong things right , and in the process uncovers a conspiracy that leads him to things you will not believe even if I told you . The game spans roughly 23 years . And within that span there are a few years not accounted for which will be revisited as DLC . But more on that later . The story takes place throughout 5 different cities in Italy and then concludes in a final city . The world feels much more open now because of the lack of redundancy . Every city you visit has random assassination missions , races against thieves , guards to lure away with mercenaries or the local brothel , and so on , but even though it's the same in every city , they are not required so you can do these little side quests or ignore them . As for main story missions , there are a few that repeat . More than once you may have to follow someone without being noticed or escort someone somewhere and protect them , but missions like these are spaced out and done in ways that they don't feel repetitive , which is a big plus and a lesson learned . The overall pacing of the story is so well done and intriguing in ways that are so natural you don't think about it at all , which proves true since you can play for hours on end and not realize how long you've been playing until you notice that you've pee'd your pants . There is a lot of customization as far as Ezio goes . You can go to a tailor and dye your robes ( different colors for different cities . ) You also have a bunch of different weapons to play with , including smoke bombs , different attachments for your wristblade , which there are two of now , all contribute to good killings . Another fun , but short lived addition is that you are in control of your own small city . You get to use your money you collect to refurbish and rebuild the small town where your family Villa is located . This Villa is your homebase where all the weapons and armor you purchase will be kept and it's where you have to go if you'd like to swap something out . You can fix up the shops in the city and get discounts on whatever they are selling , and in turn , they generate money for you . So the more you build it up , the more money you'll be getting in return . It was a fun little venture but once everything is built there is nothing more to do but collect money , which leaves you with heavy pockets and nothing to buy once you acquire everything . Would've been nice if that was an ever growing town and you didn't run out of stuff to build . Also , throughout the cities there are six Assassin's Tombs where you do some heavy platforming , a la Prince of Persia , to find tablets that are in the tombs of great Assassin's . Collect all six and you unlock Altairs armor , which might I add , is BAD ASS ! These little platforming areas were challenging at times but were very fulfilling when completed . I wish there were more of them but at the same time , six was enough and here's why . . . My gripe with the game is one that I couldn't take lightly anymore . I got so fed up with it I had to shut the game off a few times . Since its open world and Ezio is jumping rooftop to rooftop like a beefed up monkey with a pack of Sugar Stix , you tend to get a little too excited . When you're in the moment and are either sprinting across roofs or running away from guards , you tend to run into the very unforgiving problem the game has and that's jumping / grabbing / falling over , onto , or into places that you didn't want to . This hurts the most when you have to get somewhere before a clock runs out ( Assassin's Tomb ) or you are chasing someone ( one of the story missions . ) You see what you want to do and where you want to go but you try and get there too fast and you either run up the wall or jump off the ledge which will kill your momentum ( or just kill you entirely ) and make you have to start all over again . This is something that can be avoided by taking things a little easier but at the same time , this game was meant for you to string together all these ninja like skills in one fluid motion , so it's hard to not run into messing up your flow . Maybe if the camera was a little tighter it wouldn't have been so frequent . But it happened to me so much I'll have to look at it as a flaw . Aside from that , there's nothing I can say that is bad about the game . The story and settings are spot on . The characters , along with the historic buildings you encounter all have a back story that you can access and read up on . Back stories so detailed you're tempted to look it up yourself to see if they're true . There's plenty to collect and solve . I highly recommend finding the 20 glyphs that when found , a puzzle must be solved for each . Once that's done you unlock a brief 1 second clip of a video that was left to you by Subject 16 ( you , Desmond Miles , are Subject 17 . ) These clips , put together , show you a video that when watched will drop your jaw . I can sit here and tell you about it but like I said , you won't believe me . If you are into the story and what's going on , you NEED to unlock those clips and watch that video . The contents of whichyou see , coupled with what happens at the end will blow . . your . . . mind ! As far as the DLC goes , I am not a fan of hearing about DLC right after a game comes out , but I'll make an exception for this . It is so cleverly done it's almost not right . The years that are missing from the game are acknowledged in game as missing , and the characters even say they'll get back to it later . The years are skipped and the game continues on without a hitch . And since it's such a smooth transition , it shows that nothing really happened during those years that are of any importance to the main story . So the DLC will come out as a simple add on that if you want to go see what happened during those missing years you have to pay to play it , which sucks . But at the same time , its not going to contribute anything to the main plot . At least , nothing too significant . The story started , went on , and ended pretty smoothly and was a fairly good length ( about 23 hours to complete it and get a Platinum Trophy [ sorry , had to brag ] ) so for that reason , them taking out years from the game and making it DLC doesn't really bother me . If the game was a lot shorter and felt like something was missing then yeah , I'd be pissed . But that's not the case . Something else to check out : Before you get started on the game this is definitely something to watch . It's a pretty high production value and the actors are the same as the ones that did the game . Its an awesome introduction to what's going on . It's called Assassin's Creed II Lineage . Somewhat of a prequel to the game . Just do a google search and enjoy . All in all , I consider Assassin's Creed II to be an amazing ride . I hand it to Ubisoft for seeing what they did wrong and fixing it . It's a great game , and a great story with a flaw that is annoying and will get you angry enough to take a knife and assassinate your pillow , but will be forgotten with the payoff at the end . The end . . . ha ! More like the beginning . Oops , did I say that out loud ? Sorry . The Verdict : 4.75 Water Bottles Full of Pee , out of 5
• 001 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Assassins Creed 2 - Circa 2009 GOOD : - A good story mixes elements of historical fiction and a Sci-Fi epic . - Really impressive graphics and first-rate animations , that looks just as good as games like Uncharted 2 on PS3 and Gears of War 2 on 360 . - The game world is even bigger then the last one ( it really rivals games like Fallout 3 ) also IF taking a horse across the land still takes too long some times don't worry there are warp points now as well . - In the first Assassin's Creed there was about 5 different mission types ( chase someone , pickpocket someone , save someone from getting beat up , spy on targets , and then stealth kill , ect ) in Assassin's Creed 2 there is like 15 different mission types now from all out battles , trailing a targets , beating up unfaithful husbands and lots of different types of stealth killing also all the old types in Assassins Creed 1 are here as well . - You have a better opportunity to be a more cunning assassin now due to newer weapons , techniques , and skills . - You can now swim , no more letting water be your foe heck you can even drive gondolas if you wanted . - like the first title this one has great sound track too that mixes music of the era during the clam points of the game and more modern type of music during the chase points of the game . BAD : - Some small problems from the first are still there - although they are a lot more minor now like some times roof top running ( parkour ) can be a tad sloppy in a tense situations and you'll get killed ( small camera problems ) . ( I didn't really see this in my play through but some people have told me it happens so I am letting you know here ) - Losing that cool sword : you have the ability to disarm enemies and kill them with their own weapons now ( this never gets old ) - BUT - you also drop you own original sword in the process making you having to dig among the bodies to find it again and hope it's not lost . : : UPDATE : : I put this wrong it seems , you never lose your weapons when doing a disarm attack ( it yes it never gets old ) ; you only seem to lose your weapon when a stronger enemy ( usually a knight in a suit of armor ) knocks it outta your hand , and this is still a bit rare . Then you would have to find your weapon though or pick up a new one later . - Too much Money ? When you first start the game money is a bit hard to come by and weapons / armor are pretty expensive , while this can be a bit frustrating at first it builds gameplay and gives you goals outside of the missions to work towards . Now after you play for few hours and missions give you better pay and you fully upgrade your villa / town ( this will automatically give you tons of free money ; sorta like owning property in Fable 2 or GTA : Vice City ) money becomes a non issue . Then getting paid at the end of missions seems pointless as well as doing Templar Secret location missions , which while fun , the entire point is to find a treasure room for yet more now pointless money . Anyways a few hours into the game and the in-game economy is broken to the point were you feel they should have done like Assassins Creed 1 and never had in-game money and just give you all your weapons / items based on mission progress . IF IT FITS YOUR TASTE : - A Stealth / action game set during the late 15th century and early 16th Italian Renaissance . You play as a man who becomes an Assassin in order to carry out revenge of his family . - You spend more time in the Animus and less time as Desmond over all . - The control is broken down mainly into two areas of gameplay there is a passive action and an aggressive action to almost everything you can do in the game . For example you can lightly tap people to move out of your way while walking down crowed the street ( hold the B button to do this ) or shove people as you run down that same street ( hold the R button and the B button to do this ) . This duality applies to all your actions and it becomes necessary because during the game you must be able to move freely between these two states ( passive and aggressive ) to run and then hide from people the out to get you as well as to sneak up on and kill your victims . - You can now hire help like as body guards to protect with you might or street-walkers to use their bodies to distract armed guards . - Lot of what you will be doing is climbing and jumping from buildings this plays similar to the Prince of Persia games also made by ubisoft ( the sands of time series ) . Although in this game the controls are more streamlined and user friendly as you can climb way more effectively as well as more realistically ( even more then the first game ) . - In the first game most of the gameplay is not so much assassinating people but gathering Intel on your targets . This game retains some of that but expands on the concept so much you'll never think you're doing busy work ( like the first ) and you have a lot more big kill targets as well . - Combat has been refined by adding things like hammers , clubs , smoke bombs , and the hidden ( now dual ) assassin blades of course , plus you can steal enemies ' weapons and use it against them too . The combat has a bit more over all intelligent flow from the first game , although it builds on that idea . - Mix up you clothing colors by buy buying dyes for you outfit ( in colors like red , green , and black ) as well as unlocking new capes for your character . Also buy things like health potions , poisons , new weapons , new armor , and even treasure maps and famous paintings for your villa . - You even get a villa ( which is basically works like a small personal town ) which you can upgrade by renting out space to local store owners and then getting goods ( the main house seems to be the only place you can swap weapons and armor apparently ) . GAME ITS MOST ASSOCATED TOO : - Assassins Creed ( 360 / PS3 / PC ) - Grand Theft Auto 4 ( 360 / PS3 ) - HitMan : Blood Money ( 360 ) - Prince of Persia ( Xbox / PS2 ) - Metal Gear Solid 4 ( PS3 ) ADDITIONAL NOTES : - Ezio the star of Assassins Creed 2 is related to Altaïr of the first game and Desmond is related to both of them - Assassin's Creed : Lineage , a small set of mini movies ( with real actors and CG effects ) telling the story leading up to Assassins Creed 2 about Ezio's father ( who was also an Assassin ) . These movies are made by Ubisoft and are found on the internet for free - so go see them . - Assassin's Creed : Bloodlines ( starting Altaïr of the first game ) is a PSP game with Connectivity with the PS3 version of this game that can unlock six exclusive and unique weapons in Assassins Creed 2 . - The game skips chapters 12 and 13 - These chapters come in as two downloads for this game . One called The Battle of Forlì and the other called Bonfire of the Vanities . There is also a version of the download Bonfire of the Vanities which comes with the three bonus missions ( more Templar Secret locations ) previously only found on the limited edition version of Assassins Creed 2 . - At the start screen of Assassin Creed 2 ( and also in Splinter Cell : Conviction ) you'll see an option of something called Uplay . Uplay is a systems set up by Ubisoft to give players who unlock achievements / trophies in this game bounces for playing Assassins Creed 2 . Some things you can unlock in Assassins Creed 2 are a theme for your Xbox 360 or PS3 , more throwing knifes for your character , or even unlocking Altaïr's assassins robes from Assassins Creed 1 ( which is really cool ) , and even a new secret assassins tomb under your villa / town .
• 002 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Assassins Creed 2 - Circa 2009 GOOD : - A good story mixes elements of historical fiction and a Sci-Fi epic . - Really impressive graphics and first-rate animations , that looks just as good as games like Uncharted 2 on PS3 and Gears of War 2 on 360 . - The game world is even bigger then the last one ( it really rivals games like Fallout 3 ) also IF taking a horse across the land still takes too long some times don't worry there are warp points now as well . - In the first Assassin's Creed there was about 5 different mission types ( chase someone , pickpocket someone , save someone from getting beat up , spy on targets , and then stealth kill , ect ) in Assassin's Creed 2 there is like 15 different mission types now from all out battles , trailing a targets , beating up unfaithful husbands and lots of different types of stealth killing also all the old types in Assassins Creed 1 are here as well . - You have a better opportunity to be a more cunning assassin now due to newer weapons , techniques , and skills . - You can now swim , no more letting water be your foe heck you can even drive gondolas if you wanted . - like the first title this one has great sound track too that mixes music of the era during the clam points of the game and more modern type of music during the chase points of the game . BAD : - Some small problems from the first are still there - although they are a lot more minor now like some times roof top running ( parkour ) can be a tad sloppy in a tense situations and you'll get killed ( small camera problems ) . ( I didn't really see this in my play through but some people have told me it happens so I am letting you know here ) - Losing that cool sword : you have the ability to disarm enemies and kill them with their own weapons now ( this never gets old ) - BUT - you also drop you own original sword in the process making you having to dig among the bodies to find it again and hope it's not lost . : : UPDATE : : I put this wrong it seems , you never lose your weapons when doing a disarm attack ( it yes it never gets old ) ; you only seem to lose your weapon when a stronger enemy ( usually a knight in a suit of armor ) knocks it outta your hand , and this is still a bit rare . Then you would have to find your weapon though or pick up a new one later . - Too much Money ? When you first start the game money is a bit hard to come by and weapons / armor are pretty expensive , while this can be a bit frustrating at first it builds gameplay and gives you goals outside of the missions to work towards . Now after you play for few hours and missions give you better pay and you fully upgrade your villa / town ( this will automatically give you tons of free money ; sorta like owning property in Fable 2 or GTA : Vice City ) money becomes a non issue . Then getting paid at the end of missions seems pointless as well as doing Templar Secret location missions , which while fun , the entire point is to find a treasure room for yet more now pointless money . Anyways a few hours into the game and the in-game economy is broken to the point were you feel they should have done like Assassins Creed 1 and never had in-game money and just give you all your weapons / items based on mission progress . IF IT FITS YOUR TASTE : - A Stealth / action game set during the late 15th century and early 16th Italian Renaissance . You play as a man who becomes an Assassin in order to carry out revenge of his family . - You spend more time in the Animus and less time as Desmond over all . - The control is broken down mainly into two areas of gameplay there is a passive action and an aggressive action to almost everything you can do in the game . For example you can lightly tap people to move out of your way while walking down crowed the street ( hold the B button to do this ) or shove people as you run down that same street ( hold the R button and the B button to do this ) . This duality applies to all your actions and it becomes necessary because during the game you must be able to move freely between these two states ( passive and aggressive ) to run and then hide from people the out to get you as well as to sneak up on and kill your victims . - You can now hire help like as body guards to protect with you might or street-walkers to use their bodies to distract armed guards . - Lot of what you will be doing is climbing and jumping from buildings this plays similar to the Prince of Persia games also made by ubisoft ( the sands of time series ) . Although in this game the controls are more streamlined and user friendly as you can climb way more effectively as well as more realistically ( even more then the first game ) . - In the first game most of the gameplay is not so much assassinating people but gathering Intel on your targets . This game retains some of that but expands on the concept so much you'll never think you're doing busy work ( like the first ) and you have a lot more big kill targets as well . - Combat has been refined by adding things like hammers , clubs , smoke bombs , and the hidden ( now dual ) assassin blades of course , plus you can steal enemies ' weapons and use it against them too . The combat has a bit more over all intelligent flow from the first game , although it builds on that idea . - Mix up you clothing colors by buy buying dyes for you outfit ( in colors like red , green , and black ) as well as unlocking new capes for your character . Also buy things like health potions , poisons , new weapons , new armor , and even treasure maps and famous paintings for your villa . - You even get a villa ( which is basically works like a small personal town ) which you can upgrade by renting out space to local store owners and then getting goods ( the main house seems to be the only place you can swap weapons and armor apparently ) . GAME ITS MOST ASSOCATED TOO : - Assassins Creed ( 360 / PS3 / PC ) - Grand Theft Auto 4 ( 360 / PS3 ) - HitMan : Blood Money ( 360 ) - Prince of Persia ( Xbox / PS2 ) - Metal Gear Solid 4 ( PS3 ) ADDITIONAL NOTES : - Ezio the star of Assassins Creed 2 is related to Altaïr of the first game and Desmond is related to both of them - Assassin's Creed : Lineage , a small set of mini movies ( with real actors and CG effects ) telling the story leading up to Assassins Creed 2 about Ezio's father ( who was also an Assassin ) . These movies are made by Ubisoft and are found on the internet for free - so go see them . - Assassin's Creed : Bloodlines ( starting Altaïr of the first game ) is a PSP game with Connectivity with the PS3 version of this game that can unlock six exclusive and unique weapons in Assassins Creed 2 . - The game skips chapters 12 and 13 - These chapters come in as two downloads for this game . One called The Battle of Forlì and the other called Bonfire of the Vanities . There is also a version of the download Bonfire of the Vanities which comes with the three bonus missions ( more Templar Secret locations ) previously only found on the limited edition version of Assassins Creed 2 . - At the start screen of Assassin Creed 2 ( and also in Splinter Cell : Conviction ) you'll see an option of something called Uplay . Uplay is a systems set up by Ubisoft to give players who unlock achievements / trophies in this game bounces for playing Assassins Creed 2 . Some things you can unlock in Assassins Creed 2 are a theme for your Xbox 360 or PS3 , more throwing knifes for your character , or even unlocking Altaïr's assassins robes from Assassins Creed 1 ( which is really cool ) , and even a new secret assassins tomb under your villa / town .
• 183 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I enjoyed the first game , but the repetition did get a bit old , and once you solved the game there wasn't much point to continue playing . This game is much , much better . Like I said in the title , this game is great for the non-gamer . I have a PS3 in my home , but it is for my son , more than anyone else . I have tried playing games , like Madden or DC vs Mortal Kombat , with him , but the number of button sequences is mind numbing . This game isn't like that . Some of the hard core gamers have and will knock it for its fighting simplicity , but I like it . It makes the game more enjoyable because I don't have to remember a lot of sequences for special moves , I can just enjoy playing the game and being a part of the story . I come from the days of a joystick and 1 button . There are some down sides to it , such as the cut scenes being a bit blocky or when someone's hand just moves through an object , but I can look past these for the myriad of upsides . We have bought many games for our PS3 , but I have only bought two games for myself , AC I and ACII . As long as the story lines are good , graphics are phenomenal and the game play is simple , I will continue to purchase games from this franchise . THIS GAME IS A HUGE UPGRADE OVER THE FIRST ONE .
• 184 4  I enjoyed the first game , but the repetition did get a bit old , and once you solved the game there wasn't much point to continue playing . This game is much , much better . Like I said in the title , this game is great for the non-gamer . I have a PS3 in my home , but it is for my son , more than anyone else . I have tried playing games , like Madden or DC vs Mortal Kombat , with him , but the number of button sequences is mind numbing . This game isn't like that . Some of the hard core gamers have and will knock it for its fighting simplicity , but I like it . It makes the game more enjoyable because I don't have to remember a lot of sequences for special moves , I can just enjoy playing the game and being a part of the story . I come from the days of a joystick and 1 button . There are some down sides to it , such as the cut scenes being a bit blocky or when someone's hand just moves through an object , but I can look past these for the myriad of upsides . We have bought many games for our PS3 , but I have only bought two games for myself , AC I and ACII . As long as the story lines are good , graphics are phenomenal and the game play is simple , I will continue to purchase games from this franchise . THIS GAME IS A HUGE UPGRADE OVER THE FIRST ONE .
• 193 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Back in November of 2007 , we were given a game that was said to be innovative , monumental , and one of the first true next-gen experiences . Instead , to the majority of gamers who picked it up , it turned out to be a misleading , repetitive , and slowly paced title . Personally , I was so excited about this game and what it was suppose to be , it almost felt like I caught my girlfriend cheating on me when I saw the credits rolling . I was so distraught and saddened , by not only the game itself , but by the story and its cliffhanger ending that left a huge , gaping hole of unanswered questions , unfulfilled promises , and not one ounce of satisfaction that made me feel like it was all worthwhile . While others have pushed aside all of its flaws and saw it for what it was aiming to be , I am still standing here acknowledging Assassin's Creed as one of my most disappointing games of this generation . But , that was 2007 . Flash forward to today , and its amazing how a sequel can make you fall in love with a name all over again . Assassin's Creed II accomplishes everything the original tried so hard to do , and does it perfectly . It is executed in a way that leaves you with the sense of wanting and needing more in the end , when the original just made you want to use the disc as a coaster . We're back in the mind of Desmond Miles . Only this time , instead of the Holy Land , its Renaissance Italy , almost 300 years after the events of the original Assassin's Creed . The world has changed and so has the way things are done . You play as Ezio Auditore da Firenze ( rolls off the tongue , doesn't it ? ) , who is out to make the wrong things right , and in the process uncovers a conspiracy that leads him to things you will not believe even if I told you . The game spans roughly 23 years . And within that span there are a few years not accounted for which will be revisited as DLC . But more on that later . The story takes place throughout 5 different cities in Italy and then concludes in a final city . The world feels much more open now because of the lack of redundancy . Every city you visit has random assassination missions , races against thieves , guards to lure away with mercenaries or the local brothel , and so on , but even though it's the same in every city , they are not required so you can do these little side quests or ignore them . As for main story missions , there are a few that repeat . More than once you may have to follow someone without being noticed or escort someone somewhere and protect them , but missions like these are spaced out and done in ways that they don't feel repetitive , which is a big plus and a lesson learned . The overall pacing of the story is so well done and intriguing in ways that are so natural you don't think about it at all , which proves true since you can play for hours on end and not realize how long you've been playing until you notice that you've pee'd your pants . There is a lot of customization as far as Ezio goes . You can go to a tailor and dye your robes ( different colors for different cities . ) You also have a bunch of different weapons to play with , including smoke bombs , different attachments for your wristblade , which there are two of now , all contribute to good killings . Another fun , but short lived addition is that you are in control of your own small city . You get to use your money you collect to refurbish and rebuild the small town where your family Villa is located . This Villa is your homebase where all the weapons and armor you purchase will be kept and it's where you have to go if you'd like to swap something out . You can fix up the shops in the city and get discounts on whatever they are selling , and in turn , they generate money for you . So the more you build it up , the more money you'll be getting in return . It was a fun little venture but once everything is built there is nothing more to do but collect money , which leaves you with heavy pockets and nothing to buy once you acquire everything . Would've been nice if that was an ever growing town and you didn't run out of stuff to build . Also , throughout the cities there are six Assassin's Tombs where you do some heavy platforming , a la Prince of Persia , to find tablets that are in the tombs of great Assassin's . Collect all six and you unlock Altairs armor , which might I add , is BAD ASS ! These little platforming areas were challenging at times but were very fulfilling when completed . I wish there were more of them but at the same time , six was enough and here's why . . . My gripe with the game is one that I couldn't take lightly anymore . I got so fed up with it I had to shut the game off a few times . Since its open world and Ezio is jumping rooftop to rooftop like a beefed up monkey with a pack of Sugar Stix , you tend to get a little too excited . When you're in the moment and are either sprinting across roofs or running away from guards , you tend to run into the very unforgiving problem the game has and that's jumping / grabbing / falling over , onto , or into places that you didn't want to . This hurts the most when you have to get somewhere before a clock runs out ( Assassin's Tomb ) or you are chasing someone ( one of the story missions . ) You see what you want to do and where you want to go but you try and get there too fast and you either run up the wall or jump off the ledge which will kill your momentum ( or just kill you entirely ) and make you have to start all over again . This is something that can be avoided by taking things a little easier but at the same time , this game was meant for you to string together all these ninja like skills in one fluid motion , so it's hard to not run into messing up your flow . Maybe if the camera was a little tighter it wouldn't have been so frequent . But it happened to me so much I'll have to look at it as a flaw . Aside from that , there's nothing I can say that is bad about the game . The story and settings are spot on . The characters , along with the historic buildings you encounter all have a back story that you can access and read up on . Back stories so detailed you're tempted to look it up yourself to see if they're true . There's plenty to collect and solve . I highly recommend finding the 20 glyphs that when found , a puzzle must be solved for each . Once that's done you unlock a brief 1 second clip of a video that was left to you by Subject 16 ( you , Desmond Miles , are Subject 17 . ) These clips , put together , show you a video that when watched will drop your jaw . I can sit here and tell you about it but like I said , you won't believe me . If you are into the story and what's going on , you NEED to unlock those clips and watch that video . The contents of whichyou see , coupled with what happens at the end will blow . . your . . . mind ! As far as the DLC goes , I am not a fan of hearing about DLC right after a game comes out , but I'll make an exception for this . It is so cleverly done it's almost not right . The years that are missing from the game are acknowledged in game as missing , and the characters even say they'll get back to it later . The years are skipped and the game continues on without a hitch . And since it's such a smooth transition , it shows that nothing really happened during those years that are of any importance to the main story . So the DLC will come out as a simple add on that if you want to go see what happened during those missing years you have to pay to play it , which sucks . But at the same time , its not going to contribute anything to the main plot . At least , nothing too significant . The story started , went on , and ended pretty smoothly and was a fairly good length ( about 23 hours to complete it and get a Platinum Trophy [ sorry , had to brag ] ) so for that reason , them taking out years from the game and making it DLC doesn't really bother me . If the game was a lot shorter and felt like something was missing then yeah , I'd be pissed . But that's not the case . Something else to check out : Before you get started on the game this is definitely something to watch . It's a pretty high production value and the actors are the same as the ones that did the game . Its an awesome introduction to what's going on . It's called Assassin's Creed II Lineage . Somewhat of a prequel to the game . Just do a google search and enjoy . All in all , I consider Assassin's Creed II to be an amazing ride . I hand it to Ubisoft for seeing what they did wrong and fixing it . It's a great game , and a great story with a flaw that is annoying and will get you angry enough to take a knife and assassinate your pillow , but will be forgotten with the payoff at the end . The end . . . ha ! More like the beginning . Oops , did I say that out loud ? Sorry . The Verdict : 4.75 Water Bottles Full of Pee , out of 5


• Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Better than the first . For starters , Ezio ( the ancestor you're following now ) is a lot more likeable than Altiar . Secondly , the now story advances a bit more than last time ( the last game's ending was down right awful - after enduring the entire game , that was positively cruel ! : P ) . Thirdly , the game hasn't yet taken on that oh my goodness , we're doing this * again * ? ! aspect that the other one did ( and I'm well over half done by now ) . With the improvements , however , there is a new downfall . The gameplay has gotten more like Prince of Persia - and that no-room-for-error-jump-here-grab-this-outrun-that-and-watch-out-for-the-ticking-clock style is exactly the reason I don't play Prince of Persia . I know many people love it , but I'd rather play a game that takes time with story-related challenges rather than acrobatic challenges for the player . What I liked about the other game is that very little depended on you * having * to jump here , grab this , swing over here and outrun that in half a second ; you had as much freedom to plan out your course as you wanted , but there was little compelling you to play a certain way . Then , I took what I wanted of the jumping and climbing , and left the rest . Alas , not so here . Although , for many gamers , I suspect this will be a significant positive ; it just wasn't for me . So , if you like that style , you'll probably love this ; if not , like me , you may be disappointed . Otherwise , however , things are much the same . I didn't notice a difference in graphics , but I don't have the first game anymore to compare with ; voice acting , I think , has improved , but there are still some instances where it could improve more . We're still following the Templar conspiracy plot from the first one ( obviously ) , so I can't hold that against it . : P The beautiful Italian cities are ( as in the first one ) very interesting places to explore . The assassination and fighting techniques are cool , and the characters are generally interesting . All in all , if the rest of the game continues in the same vein as the first half + , I would say that this is a good game . 3 / 5 EDIT : Since posting this , I've finished the game . I stand by my original review and the points made there-in , with this to add : the ending is decent , with only one interesting / original twist . The gameplay up until that point continues to be good , although a bit heavy on the PoP stunts . Unlike the first , this game keeps you wrapped in the action until the very end ; upon reflection , I think this is due to your being a part of the decision-making team , rather than simply following ( the same . . . ) orders . Anyhow , all in all , this is not a great game , but it is a good game . Worth playing at least once .
• 017 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) With it's expansive world and sandbox style game play this is a large improvement over the original , although fun it could get old by doing the same three side missions over and over . So far the setting of old time Italy , which is gorgeous , is more enjoyable than the middle east of the last game . Ubisoft listened to their fans gave this great series a re-hauling that it deserved , if you enjoyed the first game you'll definitely enjoy this one .
• 117 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Very much enjoyed this game . I'm not into the online multi-player games as much , don't have the time to get my skills up . This is one of the best single player games I've played in a long time . The way you can move through the cities is very fluid and enjoyable . The combat is similarity fluid and fun . It was great to see the Italian renaissance cities brought to life , and recognize the landmarks . I didn't really care too much for the story , I just wanted to play so i skipped the cut scenes .
• 118 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Very much enjoyed this game . I'm not into the online multi-player games as much , don't have the time to get my skills up . This is one of the best single player games I've played in a long time . The way you can move through the cities is very fluid and enjoyable . The combat is similarity fluid and fun . It was great to see the Italian renaissance cities brought to life , and recognize the landmarks . I didn't really care too much for the story , I just wanted to play so i skipped the cut scenes .
• 212 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) First , let me say that this is a big improvement over the first Assassin's Creed . Visually great , the first game was so repetitive that it got old quick . They fixed a lot of that this time around , and it's : A ) A better story B ) A more engaging play-through ( i.e . less repetitive ) , and more interesting missions . C ) Even better visually D ) A clever use of some real historical events and locations for any history buffs out there . E ) More weapons and moves make for more creative and interesting play . I really enjoyed my first play-through and think it's one of the better PS3 games I've gone through . However . . . . . lack of mission replay was a major surprise and let down for me . And really limits the value of game in my opinion . I don't buy that many games , just the ones I think I'll really like . And I want to replay my favorite parts if I'm going to own this game , re-watch the rather complicated ending , etc . This can be done through either mission replay on some games , or the ability to save multiple files and come back to one at a certain location . This game allows neither , which is a shame because there are some great missions . Assassin's Creed 1 DID have the ability to replay , so I just assumed the second one , for all its improvements would as well . Without this ability , it's a rental . No long term value . Great to play through once ( it is a good game ) , but no point in owning long term .
• 242 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) This game delivers on all the promise of the original . The developer systematically addressed every shortcoming that people found with Assassin's Creed when creating this sequel . I don't feel that much more needs to be said . Simply : Assassin's Creed II implements the the exciting concepts ( and none of the flaws ) of the original in a slick package that's fun to play .
• 250 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Better than the first . For starters , Ezio ( the ancestor you're following now ) is a lot more likeable than Altiar . Secondly , the now story advances a bit more than last time ( the last game's ending was down right awful - after enduring the entire game , that was positively cruel ! : P ) . Thirdly , the game hasn't yet taken on that oh my goodness , we're doing this * again * ? ! aspect that the other one did ( and I'm well over half done by now ) . With the improvements , however , there is a new downfall . The gameplay has gotten more like Prince of Persia - and that no-room-for-error-jump-here-grab-this-outrun-that-and-watch-out-for-the-ticking-clock style is exactly the reason I don't play Prince of Persia . I know many people love it , but I'd rather play a game that takes time with story-related challenges rather than acrobatic challenges for the player . What I liked about the other game is that very little depended on you * having * to jump here , grab this , swing over here and outrun that in half a second ; you had as much freedom to plan out your course as you wanted , but there was little compelling you to play a certain way . Then , I took what I wanted of the jumping and climbing , and left the rest . Alas , not so here . Although , for many gamers , I suspect this will be a significant positive ; it just wasn't for me . So , if you like that style , you'll probably love this ; if not , like me , you may be disappointed . Otherwise , however , things are much the same . I didn't notice a difference in graphics , but I don't have the first game anymore to compare with ; voice acting , I think , has improved , but there are still some instances where it could improve more . We're still following the Templar conspiracy plot from the first one ( obviously ) , so I can't hold that against it . : P The beautiful Italian cities are ( as in the first one ) very interesting places to explore . The assassination and fighting techniques are cool , and the characters are generally interesting . All in all , if the rest of the game continues in the same vein as the first half + , I would say that this is a good game . 3 / 5 EDIT : Since posting this , I've finished the game . I stand by my original review and the points made there-in , with this to add : the ending is decent , with only one interesting / original twist . The gameplay up until that point continues to be good , although a bit heavy on the PoP stunts . Unlike the first , this game keeps you wrapped in the action until the very end ; upon reflection , I think this is due to your being a part of the decision-making team , rather than simply following ( the same . . . ) orders . Anyhow , all in all , this is not a great game , but it is a good game . Worth playing at least once .
• 364 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I'm gonna get right to the point , cause nobody likes to beat around the bush . Graphics : The graphics are great and I liked them . At first they seemed a little weird to me but I quickly warmed up to them . Storyline : I think the storyline is very much improved from the first game . And I like the bit when Desmond comes out of the Animus . Gameplay : Gameplay is great but sometimes I feel like they had to sacrifice something to fit all the new stuff in the game . The controls can also be a little out of hand as well , but overall not bad .
• 469 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Maybe I'm in the minority , but I don't enjoy swearing in video games . It's just unnecessary . This game is a great example . I saw the mature rating , but didn't notice the strong language part . Then , in the first couple minutes of the game you get hit with the F-bomb 3 or 4 times . This is a game set in 16th century Italy , so why is there so much swearing ? ! Theres a blood filter , but no swearing filter . Really turned me off . Apart from that the game is quite good . It's fun and interesting with a compelling story . My only other problem with it is that it is way too easy . About 75% of the way through the game I started to wonder if there would be any challenge at all . Sadly , there wasn't . Another easy platinum , I guess . Still , get it for the stunning set pieces and story . It's worth it !


• Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Fantastic ! Assassin's Creed II is a worthy sequel to the very enjoyable Assassin's Creed . The story line picks up right at the end of the first game and follows the real life character ( Desmond Miles ) as he explores the geneticly embedded memory of his ancestors using a device called the Animus . It is a race against time and a group of Templar fanatics who want the secrets that Desmond unlocks from the experiences of Ezio , a contemporary of Leonardo da Vinci ( who helps you in the game ) . A lot more of the game play takes place in the modern world , but the best playable parts are still in the past . The graphics are simply outstanding ! It literally looks better than real life in some places and it adds a great deal of enjoyment to the game . The cut scenes are very well done as well . The game mechanics are well thought out and very intuitive on the Xbox controller . Fighting and moving techniques are still learned from other characters and there is ample time and opportunity to master the skills required to complete the missions . About the only thing that we didn't like was the need to buy expansions from the Xbox network to gain access to new missions and additional pieces of the story line . A minor complaint that does not take away from the overall game . This is a great game was well worth the investment ! Highly Recommended ! CFH
• 078 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Wow . I've played the frist part and I found it great . But this part is much better than the frist Assassin's Creed and for me the game of the year . A fantastic story ( the end is one of the best ) and a superb graphic ( Florence and Venice are just impressive ) with really good animations . You meet Leonard Da Vinci and other famous people from that time and can use her inventions . Interesting and varied tasks ( not the same routine tasks from the first part ) . And last but not least now you can swim .
• 089 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Fantastic ! Assassin's Creed II is a worthy sequel to the very enjoyable Assassin's Creed . The story line picks up right at the end of the first game and follows the real life character ( Desmond Miles ) as he explores the geneticly embedded memory of his ancestors using a device called the Animus . It is a race against time and a group of Templar fanatics who want the secrets that Desmond unlocks from the experiences of Ezio , a contemporary of Leonardo da Vinci ( who helps you in the game ) . A lot more of the game play takes place in the modern world , but the best playable parts are still in the past . The graphics are simply outstanding ! It literally looks better than real life in some places and it adds a great deal of enjoyment to the game . The cut scenes are very well done as well . The game mechanics are well thought out and very intuitive on the Xbox controller . Fighting and moving techniques are still learned from other characters and there is ample time and opportunity to master the skills required to complete the missions . About the only thing that we didn't like was the need to buy expansions from the Xbox network to gain access to new missions and additional pieces of the story line . A minor complaint that does not take away from the overall game . This is a great game was well worth the investment ! Highly Recommended ! CFH
• 090 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Fantastic ! Assassin's Creed II is a worthy sequel to the very enjoyable Assassin's Creed . The story line picks up right at the end of the first game and follows the real life character ( Desmond Miles ) as he explores the geneticly embedded memory of his ancestors using a device called the Animus . It is a race against time and a group of Templar fanatics who want the secrets that Desmond unlocks from the experiences of Ezio , a contemporary of Leonardo da Vinci ( who helps you in the game ) . A lot more of the game play takes place in the modern world , but the best playable parts are still in the past . The graphics are simply outstanding ! It literally looks better than real life in some places and it adds a great deal of enjoyment to the game . The cut scenes are very well done as well . The game mechanics are well thought out and very intuitive on the Xbox controller . Fighting and moving techniques are still learned from other characters and there is ample time and opportunity to master the skills required to complete the missions . About the only thing that we didn't like was the need to buy expansions from the Xbox network to gain access to new missions and additional pieces of the story line . A minor complaint that does not take away from the overall game . This is a great game was well worth the investment ! Highly Recommended ! CFH
• 322 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Brill game , superb graphics , just think of all those people that you could eliminate from this planet makes the game even better . I have spend a lot of time on it and no way near finish . Lots of missions that will keep you up till late at night or more like early in the morning . Sometime a little bit too Tomb Raider style but over all a must game to get .
• 323 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Brill game , superb graphics , just think of all those people that you could eliminate from this planet makes the game even better . I have spend a lot of time on it and no way near finish . Lots of missions that will keep you up till late at night or more like early in the morning . Sometime a little bit too Tomb Raider style but over all a must game to get .


• Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I thought this game was very good for the most part . Reasons being - for one , it has a nice long campaign which keeps you entertained , not just with missions but going around slicing guards and a few innocent people ( can't kill more than 3 innocent people at a time ) , finding viewpoints , assassin's tombs , and things like hidden feathers and statues etc . There is also many trophies or achievements to unlock which many aren't to hard to complete . I think the only bad thing about this game was the graphics at times like in the video's explaining some of the parts but it was made by Ubisoft so i didn't expect them to be like COD graphics or anything . Game is rated M for a reason , there is some nudity , sexual content , and lots of blood , this game is probably not a good x-mas gift for younger children .
• 063 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Excellent game ! In my opinion it is better than the first ! Beautiful graphics , fun quests . You won't be sorry , it is that good .
• 120 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I enjoyed Assassin Creed II more the first Assassins Creed . While the game play is very similar to the first , I think that the story is much more engaging . However , the first Assassins Creed sets up this title nicely and I would suggest playing them in order for that reason . I would strongly recommend this title to anyone who enjoyed the first Assassins Creed .
• 226 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Really enjoyed this second episode of Assassin's Creed . The changes that were made to game play and all the additional side jobs / weapons / armor / quests really made this an enjoyable experience .
• 227 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Really enjoyed this second episode of Assassin's Creed . The changes that were made to game play and all the additional side jobs / weapons / armor / quests really made this an enjoyable experience .
• 261 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) This game is perfect ! Excellent graphics , great gameplay and awesome story . Even better than the first one .
• 262 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) This game is perfect ! Excellent graphics , great gameplay and awesome story . Even better than the first one .
• 276 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Wonderful graphics , excellent story , flawless controls w / minimal learning curve . Light years better than the original .
• 306 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I thought this game was very good for the most part . Reasons being - for one , it has a nice long campaign which keeps you entertained , not just with missions but going around slicing guards and a few innocent people ( can't kill more than 3 innocent people at a time ) , finding viewpoints , assassin's tombs , and things like hidden feathers and statues etc . There is also many trophies or achievements to unlock which many aren't to hard to complete . I think the only bad thing about this game was the graphics at times like in the video's explaining some of the parts but it was made by Ubisoft so i didn't expect them to be like COD graphics or anything . Game is rated M for a reason , there is some nudity , sexual content , and lots of blood , this game is probably not a good x-mas gift for younger children .
• 332 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) This game is amazing . If you liked the first you will die of happiness playing this one . I can't wait till break comes so I have time to finish it .
• 439 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Played Assassins Creed I for Xbox 360 , liked it a lot so getting part II was a no brainer . I agree part 1 was very repetative but the concept was sound , part 2 does a much better job of not being as monotonous , probably gonna have to buy the guide if you want to do all of the side missions ( finding feathers and glyphs ) but otherwise you can play right through and still enjoy the game . Great graphics , love the conspiracy storyline as always all around great game .
• 440 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Played Assassins Creed I for Xbox 360 , liked it a lot so getting part II was a no brainer . I agree part 1 was very repetative but the concept was sound , part 2 does a much better job of not being as monotonous , probably gonna have to buy the guide if you want to do all of the side missions ( finding feathers and glyphs ) but otherwise you can play right through and still enjoy the game . Great graphics , love the conspiracy storyline as always all around great game .
• 442 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Assassins Creed II has made vast improvements on all the issues they had with the first one and still added more content . The detail of graphics on every single town is amazing . This game has easily more than 40 hrs of gameplay in it , and has loads of mind numbing dungeon puzzles . The only thing to note , there is quite a bit of swearing and many references to sex , so I wouldn't recommend it to anyone under 16 . Aside from that , this game is virtually perfect .
• 443 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Assassins Creed II has made vast improvements on all the issues they had with the first one and still added more content . The detail of graphics on every single town is amazing . This game has easily more than 40 hrs of gameplay in it , and has loads of mind numbing dungeon puzzles . The only thing to note , there is quite a bit of swearing and many references to sex , so I wouldn't recommend it to anyone under 16 . Aside from that , this game is virtually perfect .
• 481 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) This game took what was great about the first game and made it better . Story isn't the most interesting , but enough to make you care , much better than the first . It was an immensely fun game to play , but I finished it in about 25 - 30 hours . It could last maybe another 10 hours longer if you did every side quest , but after time they become repetitive . Great game though
• 507 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) good game , some of the controls get annoying , but overall excellent game , i would recommend ! I would also recommend playing ori game first , this continues the story !
• 508 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) good game , some of the controls get annoying , but overall excellent game , i would recommend ! I would also recommend playing ori game first , this continues the story !


• Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I was satsifyed with my ps2 until I came across assassin's creed 2 on the computer . It sounded pretty cool , so I got a ps3 for christmas as well as AC2 . It was the best descison of my life . I am obsessed with Ac2 and have played it 7 times from the beginning ( the gameplay is really long to , when you think it ends , a whole new sequence happens ) . So check out videos and take my word for it , Ac2 is AWESOME !
• 143 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) This is one of the BEST GAME on PS3 . period . Just buy it and enjoy it . I have never beaten a game this quick . This is not a short game by far . I spent about 70 + hours in just 2 weeks . It is very addicting . It made me want to go buy Assassin's Creed 1 .
• 144 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) This is one of the BEST GAME on PS3 . period . Just buy it and enjoy it . I have never beaten a game this quick . This is not a short game by far . I spent about 70 + hours in just 2 weeks . It is very addicting . It made me want to go buy Assassin's Creed 1 .
• 286 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) We bought Assassin's Creed II soon after we beat the first . This is so much more fun in ways that I could go on forever about . If you enjoyed the first one this one you will LOVE ! ! ! To many things to list ! ! ! !
• 287 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) We bought Assassin's Creed II soon after we beat the first . This is so much more fun in ways that I could go on forever about . If you enjoyed the first one this one you will LOVE ! ! ! To many things to list ! ! ! !
• 387 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) This game is simply amazing . Graphics are outstanding . This game is also very long . Very great buy !
• 410 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I was satsifyed with my ps2 until I came across assassin's creed 2 on the computer . It sounded pretty cool , so I got a ps3 for christmas as well as AC2 . It was the best descison of my life . I am obsessed with Ac2 and have played it 7 times from the beginning ( the gameplay is really long to , when you think it ends , a whole new sequence happens ) . So check out videos and take my word for it , Ac2 is AWESOME !
• 411 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I was satsifyed with my ps2 until I came across assassin's creed 2 on the computer . It sounded pretty cool , so I got a ps3 for christmas as well as AC2 . It was the best descison of my life . I am obsessed with Ac2 and have played it 7 times from the beginning ( the gameplay is really long to , when you think it ends , a whole new sequence happens ) . So check out videos and take my word for it , Ac2 is AWESOME !


• Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) The last games I enjoyed were multiplayer RPG's 25 years ago on primitive networks . Since then I have tried to find console games that Ive liked but have never found any . Things like final fantasy 10 , legend of zelda twilight , morrowwind etc . The last game I enjoyed and finished was diablo I on a pc . I saw my 12 year old nephew playing assassins creed I and it looked awesome so I bought a PS3 and on the recommendation from the guys at game stop got ACII . ACII is awesome , it has a nice blend of interesting story , good cut scenes and open ended play . Im still in the middle of it , but if you do all the side tasks you could spend a lot of time playing . The play is open and you can basically do whatever you want . The main plot is linear , but you have options to assassinate for $ , find treasure , courier jobs etc . You can use the money to buy weapons and armor but also improve your city . The puzzles are actually pretty good and are pretty well integrated into the story . You are looking for the truth which is a series of puzzles which give you short animated clips . You are also putting together a codex . You can also collect art , weapons and armor to improve the galleries in your city . The combat system is phenomenal . I dont like 1st person shooters because I like to relax . the combat system is the first one Ive played where Im able to do more than just hit the fight button . They have block counter attack , disarm , attack from behind to insta-kill , throwing dirt to stun , evade , dodge , assassinate from ledges , from hiding places etc . There are multiple ways to kill your targets vs just charging in to kill them . The controls and movement are excellent , I only hit one bug , but otherwise the controls are extremely well done and feel completely open . EDIT : 2 / 8 / 2010 . I finished the game and the total time I believe was around 25 - 35 hours . Now that Im done with it I have a few more comments . I still love the game but there are definitely some downsides . 1 ) After awhile I wished there was a larger variety of weapons 2 ) I still like the combat as it wasnt too complex for me , but had enough variety to be interesting 3 ) money became a non-issue for me , but not until late in the game after I had built my town . 4 ) The game wasnt that hard which was good , almost like an interactive movie but not too linear 5 ) the ending was quite confusing so I had to read up on the internet to understand what the whole point was 6 ) I didnt bother finishing 2 - 3 portions of the game that got to be very repetitive . You are putting together snippets of a video by finding clues on buildings and solving a puzzle . It might have been easier if I had done it while playing the main line game , but it was too painful to try to do it afterwards . Note when you come to a new building you can hit the select button and it has a story . It will also tell you if there is a clue to be found there . If you try to do it later it is extremely difficult . 7 ) not sure there is replay value - I sold it right away and am eagerly waiting the next installment I still loved this game !
• 023 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) The first assassins creed game was fun but had some things to work out . Like falling in the water and the camera angels . Assassins creed 2 has worked out most of the problems ( still has a problem with the camera ) and added some new things that the main character can do . Like he can now swim and take weapons from the guards . you can also earn money and build your own village . There is also many side missions in this game that you can do . My favorite is The Truth . It makes you solve puzzles to figure out the truth of the assassins . To figure out the puzzles you have to use your brain . Meaning you have to think . After solving the puzzles it unlocks a series of videos . There are also hidden easter eggs in the game . If you liked the first game I believe you will love this game .
• 247 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Assassins Creed I was a good game , but with many shortfalls . This game is an improvement : the story is more engaging , the missions have more variety and characters have more personality . The first game was the exact same mission copied over 9 times , but the second one is better . This game is what the first AC should have been . However , it is not perfect either . It is not really challenging . Most battles can be won by pressing the same button without even looking . Many times I lost track of my character in the battle with 5 - 10 other guys , but won anyway as all you need to do is push the square button repeatedly . The main quest is linear so there is only one objective and it is indicated on the map so finding the location is never hard . I was hoping to have a chance to solve those CODEX puzzles , but alas I am considered to dumb for this and only Leonardo can do it . There are some ridiculous picture-matching puzzles , but those are too easy and can be solved by some trial and error . Races is the only thing that is difficult for me , but not in a good way They take a lot of time to memorize the timing of button pushes . My 13 - year-old son likes these . . . In AC2 you have money which you can spend on weapons , armor etc , but typically there is only one new weapon type available at each level ( just like in the first game ) . You can also paint clothes in different colors , but this seems to make no difference . There is always more than enough money to buy everything available . Flags have been replaced with feathers in AC2 which are just as useless ( unless you have a lot of time with nothing else to do ) . Game engine seems almost exactly the same as the first game and visuals are just as good . If you liked the first game , you may like this on too . I am giving it four stars because it is fun to play and engaging .
• 248 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Assassins Creed I was a good game , but with many shortfalls . This game is an improvement : the story is more engaging , the missions have more variety and characters have more personality . The first game was the exact same mission copied over 9 times , but the second one is better . This game is what the first AC should have been . However , it is not perfect either . It is not really challenging . Most battles can be won by pressing the same button without even looking . Many times I lost track of my character in the battle with 5 - 10 other guys , but won anyway as all you need to do is push the square button repeatedly . The main quest is linear so there is only one objective and it is indicated on the map so finding the location is never hard . I was hoping to have a chance to solve those CODEX puzzles , but alas I am considered to dumb for this and only Leonardo can do it . There are some ridiculous picture-matching puzzles , but those are too easy and can be solved by some trial and error . Races is the only thing that is difficult for me , but not in a good way They take a lot of time to memorize the timing of button pushes . My 13 - year-old son likes these . . . In AC2 you have money which you can spend on weapons , armor etc , but typically there is only one new weapon type available at each level ( just like in the first game ) . You can also paint clothes in different colors , but this seems to make no difference . There is always more than enough money to buy everything available . Flags have been replaced with feathers in AC2 which are just as useless ( unless you have a lot of time with nothing else to do ) . Game engine seems almost exactly the same as the first game and visuals are just as good . If you liked the first game , you may like this on too . I am giving it four stars because it is fun to play and engaging .
• 331 4  Assassin's Creed II is a wonderful RPG style game that allows you to immerse yourself deep into the heart of Italy's fine cities and villas . The gameplay was executed very well with very few corrections needed . Graphics for Assassin's Creed II at 720p are unbelievable . My HDTV settings were set to 720p , but resolutions of 1080i & 1080p are available as well . I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys RPGs or the original Assassin's Creed . Please note that this review is for the PS3 version of the game .
• 370 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Just finished the game and would rate this game somewhere between a 8 / 10 - 9 / 10 . Big improvement over the first game . Gameplay feels like Prototype mixed with Batman . There is a lot to do in this game and will probably run around 20 hours . Positives - Lots of side quests ( races , assassinations , courier , obstacle courses , puzzles ) . - Lots of ways to kill . As you progress through the game you will pick up more skills and tools of the assassin . This is what keeps this game from getting repetitive . My personal favorite is poison . Stab them then watch as they slowly go crazy . - For an open sandbox game the graphics look great . - Strong characters and story . Everyone has a distinct personality and motives . No one feels like they were added for the sake of adding more characters to make the game longer . Negatives - Not a lot of replay value other than to experience the story again . All trophies can be unlocked in the first play through and there is nothing to unlock ( concept art , etc . ) . This may change however with DLC . - You'll spend a lot of time running from points to points on the map in this game than actually doing things . - Not necessarily a negative but as with all stealth games , AC2 lacks on the excitement side .
• 423 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I was new to Assassin's Creed and expected the game to be much more challenging . The environments are great , game play is fun , and the the story ok albeit is kind of cheesy . My biggest gripe is that AC 2 is a really easy game . I got through this one playing incrementally in about a week . By the time I got to the end of the game I felt like I hadn't even really needed to learn how to fight the enemies properly as quick button pressing seemed to suffice even against the more challenging characters . Perhaps it's just me but I like something that you have to get good at . . .
• 471 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) The last games I enjoyed were multiplayer RPG's 25 years ago on primitive networks . Since then I have tried to find console games that Ive liked but have never found any . Things like final fantasy 10 , legend of zelda twilight , morrowwind etc . The last game I enjoyed and finished was diablo I on a pc . I saw my 12 year old nephew playing assassins creed I and it looked awesome so I bought a PS3 and on the recommendation from the guys at game stop got ACII . ACII is awesome , it has a nice blend of interesting story , good cut scenes and open ended play . Im still in the middle of it , but if you do all the side tasks you could spend a lot of time playing . The play is open and you can basically do whatever you want . The main plot is linear , but you have options to assassinate for $ , find treasure , courier jobs etc . You can use the money to buy weapons and armor but also improve your city . The puzzles are actually pretty good and are pretty well integrated into the story . You are looking for the truth which is a series of puzzles which give you short animated clips . You are also putting together a codex . You can also collect art , weapons and armor to improve the galleries in your city . The combat system is phenomenal . I dont like 1st person shooters because I like to relax . the combat system is the first one Ive played where Im able to do more than just hit the fight button . They have block counter attack , disarm , attack from behind to insta-kill , throwing dirt to stun , evade , dodge , assassinate from ledges , from hiding places etc . There are multiple ways to kill your targets vs just charging in to kill them . The controls and movement are excellent , I only hit one bug , but otherwise the controls are extremely well done and feel completely open . EDIT : 2 / 8 / 2010 . I finished the game and the total time I believe was around 25 - 35 hours . Now that Im done with it I have a few more comments . I still love the game but there are definitely some downsides . 1 ) After awhile I wished there was a larger variety of weapons 2 ) I still like the combat as it wasnt too complex for me , but had enough variety to be interesting 3 ) money became a non-issue for me , but not until late in the game after I had built my town . 4 ) The game wasnt that hard which was good , almost like an interactive movie but not too linear 5 ) the ending was quite confusing so I had to read up on the internet to understand what the whole point was 6 ) I didnt bother finishing 2 - 3 portions of the game that got to be very repetitive . You are putting together snippets of a video by finding clues on buildings and solving a puzzle . It might have been easier if I had done it while playing the main line game , but it was too painful to try to do it afterwards . Note when you come to a new building you can hit the select button and it has a story . It will also tell you if there is a clue to be found there . If you try to do it later it is extremely difficult . 7 ) not sure there is replay value - I sold it right away and am eagerly waiting the next installment I still loved this game !


• Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) The ubisoft office based in Montreal is becoming my favorite developer and publisher by far . Here we have creators that actually took feedback from the consumers , soaked up all the ideas and redelivered a more entertaining sequel than its predecessor ! Assassin's Creed II comes back revamped , improved , and flawless in everyway imaginable ; the game literally picks up right after the first , and it keeps you inclined to progress with as much of your free time as possible . First and far most you will notice better graphics , in-comparison to ACI where as the opening sequence takes place in the very same room you completed the game in . I'm not one to reveal any kinds of spoilers , so I will avoid any description of the story as I describe my first 6 hours with this game . The story its self is much more compelling this time around , you will be drawn into this fictional world that is a mix of historical facts . The controls have very much improved ; being much more interactive this time around ; you will find yourself sometimes missing ques to push certain buttons during cutscences . The voice acting is near perfect , with some of the better lip syncing thus far on this generation of consoles . There is also more incentive to explore the city this time around , with discoveries of chests filled with money , shops to upgrade and errands to run . The fighting is one of my favorite improvements this time around , not only is there more variety of moves with your sword , but disarming guards and killing them with their weapon is very entertaining . Also very important was the add-on of punching combinations , grabbing guards and head butting , or even throwing guards off ledges ! The new vanish system is much more realistic this time around ; blending in with the crowds or hiring prostitutes to distract guards just adds to the fun factor of interactive game play . You are much more intertwined with the story this time , feeling like a mix of role playing and adventure ! Regardless if you've played the first Assassins Creed or not , you will pick up the controls fairly easy with this one . It's a holiday title that will NOT disappoint , with a campaign stretching over 40 hours long , multiple missions and exploration . . . You'll discover hours have past and it's already time to go to bed . Don't just take my word for it , rent or purchase it for yourself ! UPDATE 11 / 20 / 09 I've had a couple more days and about 8 more hours of game play added to my Creed time and I'm just astonished with everything they've added to this game . It just amazes me that you even have an option of going to a tailor and changes the appearance of your assassin clothes ! I have Ezio wearing black now , and as I've said before this game pushes the interactive buttom more than once . I also finally had the pleasure of killing two guards with two blades , and I it's literally as bad ass as everyone has previously stated . . . Pulling guards off ledges is awesome , and they've even added a Splinter Cell Element to the game of picking up dead guards and hiding them in a different location ! All the side missions keep this game from ever getting repetitive , and another awesome feature is granting you the ability to control a city in terms of reconstruction and wealth . . . Depending how you delegate your cash , you can upgrade shops and take anyway from 5 - 15% of the profit . Giving you another task of taking earnings and moving them to a different location . Exploration never gets boring , as there are plenty of things to find , such as feathers , chests , and / or stealing from others . . . Also when you are notorious and on high look out from guards , you can now lower your wanted level by tearing down posters , killing guards in the area or bribing others to not talk about you . I absolutely love this game , I also own MW2 and I haven't played it in the past two days because I'm having so much fun with AC2 . . . BTW , they also added underground Assassin tombs to be explored under the city , and it's so reminiscent of Prince of Persia , Sands of Time that it adds to this games value !
• 013 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) The ubisoft office based in Montreal is becoming my favorite developer and publisher by far . Here we have creators that actually took feedback from the consumers , soaked up all the ideas and redelivered a more entertaining sequel than its predecessor ! Assassin's Creed II comes back revamped , improved , and flawless in everyway imaginable ; the game literally picks up right after the first , and it keeps you inclined to progress with as much of your free time as possible . First and far most you will notice better graphics , in-comparison to ACI where as the opening sequence takes place in the very same room you completed the game in . I'm not one to reveal any kinds of spoilers , so I will avoid any description of the story as I describe my first 6 hours with this game . The story its self is much more compelling this time around , you will be drawn into this fictional world that is a mix of historical facts . The controls have very much improved ; being much more interactive this time around ; you will find yourself sometimes missing ques to push certain buttons during cutscences . The voice acting is near perfect , with some of the better lip syncing thus far on this generation of consoles . There is also more incentive to explore the city this time around , with discoveries of chests filled with money , shops to upgrade and errands to run . The fighting is one of my favorite improvements this time around , not only is there more variety of moves with your sword , but disarming guards and killing them with their weapon is very entertaining . Also very important was the add-on of punching combinations , grabbing guards and head butting , or even throwing guards off ledges ! The new vanish system is much more realistic this time around ; blending in with the crowds or hiring prostitutes to distract guards just adds to the fun factor of interactive game play . You are much more intertwined with the story this time , feeling like a mix of role playing and adventure ! Regardless if you've played the first Assassins Creed or not , you will pick up the controls fairly easy with this one . It's a holiday title that will NOT disappoint , with a campaign stretching over 40 hours long , multiple missions and exploration . . . You'll discover hours have past and it's already time to go to bed . Don't just take my word for it , rent or purchase it for yourself ! UPDATE 11 / 20 / 09 I've had a couple more days and about 8 more hours of game play added to my Creed time and I'm just astonished with everything they've added to this game . It just amazes me that you even have an option of going to a tailor and changes the appearance of your assassin clothes ! I have Ezio wearing black now , and as I've said before this game pushes the interactive buttom more than once . I also finally had the pleasure of killing two guards with two blades , and I it's literally as bad ass as everyone has previously stated . . . Pulling guards off ledges is awesome , and they've even added a Splinter Cell Element to the game of picking up dead guards and hiding them in a different location ! All the side missions keep this game from ever getting repetitive , and another awesome feature is granting you the ability to control a city in terms of reconstruction and wealth . . . Depending how you delegate your cash , you can upgrade shops and take anyway from 5 - 15% of the profit . Giving you another task of taking earnings and moving them to a different location . Exploration never gets boring , as there are plenty of things to find , such as feathers , chests , and / or stealing from others . . . Also when you are notorious and on high look out from guards , you can now lower your wanted level by tearing down posters , killing guards in the area or bribing others to not talk about you . I absolutely love this game , I also own MW2 and I haven't played it in the past two days because I'm having so much fun with AC2 . . . BTW , they also added underground Assassin tombs to be explored under the city , and it's so reminiscent of Prince of Persia , Sands of Time that it adds to this games value !
• 353 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I thought that Assassin's Creed II was beautiful , fun and very enjoyable . The storytelling I thought was much better than the first and full of huge surprises . It's almost like Assassin's Creed I you were a little more in dark but learned a little of there's more to this story than you know . And Assassin's Creed II comes around and punches you in the face ! It totally reveals HUGE things happening in the main storyline ! I was totally blown away by how deep this story goes ! You guys just gotta play it to understand ! Also there is a ton to do . I beat the story of Assassin's Creed II but still have so much to do side quest wise . One aspect I really love is there is more than one save file . You can play the story again and not worry about losing your ultimate save file . ^ _ ^ The characters are all fun and it's cool to hear all the Italian dialogue . The towns and cities of the Italy in game are just beautiful and fun to run around . It makes me really want to take a trip to Italy now ! Also being able to swim is great ! Great hiding spots in the water . Don't forget you get trophies and achievements for the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions . A HUGE plus for me ( I love trophies ^ _ ^ ) . I loved Assassin's Creed I to death and now I feel the same for it's sequel . Ubisoft has done a wonderful , amazing job . I suggest this a must game to any gamer 17 + ( for the game rating you know ) .
• 419 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) As much as I'd like to give Assassin's Creed II five stars , I just can't . I'll try keeping it brief by describing the good and then following up with what I felt were shortcomings of the game when I was finished . I mean , who wouldn't enjoy being an assassin in Italy during the Renaissance ? You play the role of Ezio , a newbie who is about to learn that he's a descendant of a noble line of assassins . Without getting into any spoilers , you find out your family / bloodline has been wronged by the corrupt church / government in a mobsterish type of way , and you seek training and revenge . Given the proper equipment , you set out to assassinate targets and find special items . You even get some quick action along the way , nice . Finding items is ACII's way of making full use of its controls and forcing you to explore the lush environment . The game really shines in these respects . Ezio is like a monkey on steroids , but he's very smooth in his movements . You climb / jump / traverse / relay pretty much everything while solving platform puzzles ( Prince of Persia comes to mind ) feeling very cool . Combat is pretty cool too , to a degree . I liked the various assassination techniques unique to each weapon . Wielding a dagger is not the same as wielding a sword . These sutbleties help make ACII a thorough game in addition to its beautiful environment and smooth character controls . That's about it though . For the most part , you are really just parrying and assassinating guys . I know this is the basic idea , but okay , now I need to go there , climb up that building , and kill him became a little repetitive to me , no matter how hard the game designers tried to tie the story to the objective . All those techniques you learned early on , like sitting on a bench to remain anonymous or blending in with a group of strangers to stay hidden , aren't really used at all later as the game progresses . By the end of the game , I was running around town dispatching anybody whenever , however I wanted without repercussions . So where's the stealth aspect and why am I wearing a concealing hood and cape then ? The story could have used some work as well . Kudos for the creators to try to weave a deep storyline , but I seriously thought I was playing the wrong game for the first 2 hours . So I'm this modern day dude , who doesn't really know what's going on , running around a science / robotic facility , and then I strap myself to this Matrix-type chair and tap into Ezio's thoughts ? Um , sure I'll buy that . . . It also couldn't have helped that ACII was released around the same time as Uncharted II ( equal to better graphics , excellent story , good multiplayer ) , Call of Duty MW2 ( no explanation necessary , killer multiplayer ) , and Demon's Souls ( super-sleeper RPG w / tons of replay value ) . That is just very strong competition , and even though ACII is a huge step forward for the series and is a fine game , it falls just short of the top tier of games out there for the PS3 .


• Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) there were a lot of things wrong with the first game : it was endlessly repetitive , the combat system was annoyingly simple , and it was near impossible to get soldiers off your tail once they were clued off to your presence . in AC2 , they changed all that . or most of it . kind of . AC2 was a hell of a lot better . the mission structure remains basically the same , while providing much more variety and more ability to carry out assassinations the way YOU want to , rather than how the game wants you to . you have access to a million different weapons , all with varying strengths and weaknesses . in addition to your basic melee weapons , you also now have a pistol attatched to your hidden blade . there are many different side missions , as well as some thing where you collect feathers to get some reward ( still don't know what the reward is ; the feathers are damn hard to find ) . the one-button combat system is still the same , except that you can now disarm your opponents . disarming guys with spears is very fun . counter-combos with a spear are awesome in every imaginable way . the combat system feels much more immersive than in hte last game , and the sound effects ( ie bones crunching , blood burbling as you stab a guy in the back ) are awesome , and very realistic . on a lesser note , your massive amount of health combined with a rediculous number of healing potions and near-invincibility make it seem almost too easy to fight like a score of guys at once . the story is well-played and intriguing , with great voice-acting . there are fewer breaks from the animus , so the story feels less boken up . your ability to hire whores , thieves , and mercenaries to help you out is a cool new feature , and being able to swim is very cool . i just wish the guards could follow you into the water . it just seems wierd that you're the only guy in the world who can swim . overall , it is a great game and a vast improvement on the first . if you hated AC1 , you're probably gonna love this one ; if you loved AC1 , don't even go near AC2 cuz it'll be like giving meth to a guy in rehab . one thing though : the blood effects suck in this game . seriously . i actually got to the point where i thought it looked so bad that i had to turn the blood off . that's pretty much the only criticims i can think , other than the aforementioned thing about too much health .
• 027 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) When the first AC came out , I was hooked . I really liked the game a lot . I liked the mechanics , the fighting , the horseback riding - the whole nine yards . I did not like the repetitive missions and the all-too-frequent breaks back to the present-time . This game has fixed that . The main character , Ezio , is more personable - he's certainly more likable and less of a robot than Altair was . The fighting is similar , with some new things mixed in . I haven't finished the game yet , but I have several hours of gameplay in and have yet to be dragged back to the present-day . The missions are more fun , and they vary from mission to mission . I like the world this has created - the replication of Renaissance-era Italy is stunning and gorgeous . All in all , I'm thrilled with this game . It's holding my attention thoroughly and I can easily see myself replaying it .
• 028 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) When the first AC came out , I was hooked . I really liked the game a lot . I liked the mechanics , the fighting , the horseback riding - the whole nine yards . I did not like the repetitive missions and the all-too-frequent breaks back to the present-time . This game has fixed that . The main character , Ezio , is more personable - he's certainly more likable and less of a robot than Altair was . The fighting is similar , with some new things mixed in . I haven't finished the game yet , but I have several hours of gameplay in and have yet to be dragged back to the present-day . The missions are more fun , and they vary from mission to mission . I like the world this has created - the replication of Renaissance-era Italy is stunning and gorgeous . All in all , I'm thrilled with this game . It's holding my attention thoroughly and I can easily see myself replaying it .
• 044 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Much better than the first Assassins Creed keeps you interested does not get repetitive . A lot of extra content and missions .
• 045 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Much better than the first Assassins Creed keeps you interested does not get repetitive . A lot of extra content and missions .
• 061 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I love this game . talk about fixing your problems . ubisoft took every problem from the first game and completly fixed to perfection . I love this game
• 101 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Gameplay and graphics are good . The fight sequences and tasks are not at all challenging though .
• 102 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Gameplay and graphics are good . The fight sequences and tasks are not at all challenging though .
• 104 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) all i can say that everything was great , and i will buy again , , thank you
• 105 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) all i can say that everything was great , and i will buy again , , thank you
• 111 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) This game is so much fun , and long ! Lots of content to be enjoyed . Pretty amazing graphics . Toward the end it feels a bit repetitive , but I had a blast the whole way through . You can't go wrong !
• 161 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) This game has an epic scope which is both why I think it is great but is also my biggest gripe . While there is much to admire about it I would warn the casual gamer to how much time and effort it requires to complete and collect most of the items . I tried tackling this game in the cold winter months when the days were shorter and I had some vacation time and probably got through about 75% of it before losing interest having opened up all of the cities through Venice for exploration at least ( thought I saw light at the end of the tunnel a couple of times ) . But there are some great visuals and architecture and even some real renaissance art to collect for your villa . The story , while spread out , is very good and imaginative and is loosely based on some historical fact around the time of Renaissance Italy . Very relevant to the financial meltdowns happening around the world these days . Kind of scary that , but a game like this shows how some of the banking manipulations and financial power struggles can play out , wouldn't be surprised if some of the Medici family's influence in banking is still playing out on the world stage now to some degree . This is a great open world experience and even good historical fiction if you have the time for it , but I don't have the time I used to and don't want to waste more of it collecting feathers or opening thousands of treasure chests for coins . It would have been perfect if it were edited down for the casual gamer so I can't recommend it as it is , unless you have a lot of free time - then it's perfect .
• 165 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) This is a game that you can play hours and hours and never get bored , very good history . some games are very good but after a few hours : is done , but this game is something special that I want in every game : Very Fun and Very Long . if you like adventure games don't even think about it , GET IT
• 166 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) This is a game that you can play hours and hours and never get bored , very good history . some games are very good but after a few hours : is done , but this game is something special that I want in every game : Very Fun and Very Long . if you like adventure games don't even think about it , GET IT
• 170 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Visually stunning . Smooth gameplay . Similar to Assassin's Creed I , but with enough differences to keep you interested .
• 171 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Visually stunning . Smooth gameplay . Similar to Assassin's Creed I , but with enough differences to keep you interested .
• 173 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) This game surpasses Assassin's Creed in every way . I purchased a HDTV recently and the graphics for this game is fantastic . I like doing side missions to any adventure game and this one has many to choose from .
• 178 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) The camera is clunky and the controls should of been tighter . It so frustrating when you jump outward when you wanted to jump up or you jump up when you wanted to jump another direction . . . .
• 179 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) The camera is clunky and the controls should of been tighter . It so frustrating when you jump outward when you wanted to jump up or you jump up when you wanted to jump another direction . . . .
• 203 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) el juego es bueno diría que mejor que el anterior por cuestiones de jugabilidad aunque sin duda los personajes principales son muy distintos , en eso me quedo con Altair ( ACI ) del resto todo bien buenos gráficos buenas armas buena historia trae una mini película y viene en español ( literalmente español ) lo que hace mas fácil el juego para los usuarios de habla hispana .
• 204 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) el juego es bueno diría que mejor que el anterior por cuestiones de jugabilidad aunque sin duda los personajes principales son muy distintos , en eso me quedo con Altair ( ACI ) del resto todo bien buenos gráficos buenas armas buena historia trae una mini película y viene en español ( literalmente español ) lo que hace mas fácil el juego para los usuarios de habla hispana .
• 264 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I love this kind of games in which you are free to move anywhere you want and interact with people as well as the environment . Graphics quality is ok but i think they coud do better . I would recommend this game because it is very entertaining and gives you a lot of options everywhere .
• 265 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I love this kind of games in which you are free to move anywhere you want and interact with people as well as the environment . Graphics quality is ok but i think they coud do better . I would recommend this game because it is very entertaining and gives you a lot of options everywhere .
• 270 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I loved AC1 ; loved it , despite the poor reviews . I saw the potential . Now , in AC2 , the potential has been met . It's not as repetitive ; there's more interaction with the people and city . Some aspects have really been improved such as weaponry , killing and missions ; other aspects have been untouched , such as horseback riding , climbing , etc . The improvements make the game better , but it still has more potential . One downfall is that there is a lot of language in this one . But , the game is longer and crazier than the first . The storyline at the end will either be a hit or miss for many . I , for one , am intrigued and can't wait till the next one !
• 271 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I loved AC1 ; loved it , despite the poor reviews . I saw the potential . Now , in AC2 , the potential has been met . It's not as repetitive ; there's more interaction with the people and city . Some aspects have really been improved such as weaponry , killing and missions ; other aspects have been untouched , such as horseback riding , climbing , etc . The improvements make the game better , but it still has more potential . One downfall is that there is a lot of language in this one . But , the game is longer and crazier than the first . The storyline at the end will either be a hit or miss for many . I , for one , am intrigued and can't wait till the next one !
• 292 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Great game , better than the first . Greatest thing is the replay value . You can run through the game once , enjoying a fantastic storyline , beautiful graphics , and real attention to detail , and then go through again , finding things you missed in the first run . Definitely a keeper ! Great moves , great scenes , and fantastic puzzles !
• 295 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Very cool game . more features . if you played one this is a must . BUT the assassin concept is kinda lost in here it's the cool concept in here
• 300 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) This game fixes almost all the flaws of the original . The story is deeper , more engaging and faster paced . The graphics are somewhat better but they wont blow you away . There is plenty to do besides the main missions like the original but this time around the missions ( story and side quests ) are much more varied and compelling . The only real problem I had was the free running aspect of the game . It was virtually unchanged from AC1 and the controllers are still imperfect . This was a fun game and I rate it a buy .
• 301 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) This game fixes almost all the flaws of the original . The story is deeper , more engaging and faster paced . The graphics are somewhat better but they wont blow you away . There is plenty to do besides the main missions like the original but this time around the missions ( story and side quests ) are much more varied and compelling . The only real problem I had was the free running aspect of the game . It was virtually unchanged from AC1 and the controllers are still imperfect . This was a fun game and I rate it a buy .
• 303 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I bought this for my brother and he can't seem to stop playing . He played the first Assassin's Creed , and beat it so I thought he may enjoy the second one . And boy does he ever . Ever since he got it he can't put it down , been playing nonstop . So I guess it's a great game , I personally haven't played it but he's spent countless hours on it .
• 313 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Since x-mas day I have not put the controller down . Outstanding storyline with tons of side missions . Gigantic free roaming world and the AI is better than I accpected . Aside from the God of War series , this is my favorite PS3 game . Must Own ! ! !
• 314 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Since x-mas day I have not put the controller down . Outstanding storyline with tons of side missions . Gigantic free roaming world and the AI is better than I accpected . Aside from the God of War series , this is my favorite PS3 game . Must Own ! ! !
• 316 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Great game , storyline really gets you hooked . Climbing large buildings a lot of fun . Only thing is it can be frustrating if you fall and then have to start all over again . Combat is a bit simplistic , wish it was a little deeper . Graphics are fantastic . All in all a pretty decent game .
• 317 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Great game , storyline really gets you hooked . Climbing large buildings a lot of fun . Only thing is it can be frustrating if you fall and then have to start all over again . Combat is a bit simplistic , wish it was a little deeper . Graphics are fantastic . All in all a pretty decent game .
• 319 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Bought this game for my husband for his birthday . He has played it almost everyday since Thanksgiving . He loves the game controls-much easier than the first game . The graphics are phenomenal . Highly recommended ! !
• 320 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Bought this game for my husband for his birthday . He has played it almost everyday since Thanksgiving . He loves the game controls-much easier than the first game . The graphics are phenomenal . Highly recommended ! !
• 325 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Fight to the death . Bring glory to your city and family . Kill and acquire resources from your enemies . Solve puzzles that can sometimes frustrate you to no end . Simulate your life in the Renaissance . Work for justice . What more can you ask for from a game ?
• 335 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I am about half way through and cannot put it down . The plot and game play have me hooked .
• 337 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) ACII is much better than the first . It takes all of the elements of the first game that made it fun and addicting and removed all of the repetitiveness . The combat engine is updated and much more robust . The free running is even more complex and responsive . The story is deeper , more involved and more interesting . All in all , ACII is a MUST if you even remotely enjoyed Assassin's Creed .
• 338 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) ACII is much better than the first . It takes all of the elements of the first game that made it fun and addicting and removed all of the repetitiveness . The combat engine is updated and much more robust . The free running is even more complex and responsive . The story is deeper , more involved and more interesting . All in all , ACII is a MUST if you even remotely enjoyed Assassin's Creed .
• 340 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I really liked AC1 , however AC2 has managed to fix almost all the quirks in AC1 and made it better . . . a really good enjoyable game all in all . . .
• 341 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I really liked AC1 , however AC2 has managed to fix almost all the quirks in AC1 and made it better . . . a really good enjoyable game all in all . . .
• 348 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I think AC2 is MUCH better than the last one . I don't want to make a detailed review so heres what I think : This game is great . The setting , characters , missions , music , etc all are very well done . The Renaissance Italy recreation is beautiful and detailed . The game also gives you history lessons on renaissance Italy as you play which is very interesting . There is so much stuff to do in this game and its not as horribly repetitive as the first assassins creed . Building the value of Monteriggioni and raiding assassin tombs are really fun side quests . This will be the first game I platinum because its so fun . Although an awesome game no game is perfect . My only complaints were that the game was way too easy and sometimes the game freezes up ( when doing double kill etc . ) . DLC is coming soon so hang onto it if you enjoyed it like I did .
• 349 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I think AC2 is MUCH better than the last one . I don't want to make a detailed review so heres what I think : This game is great . The setting , characters , missions , music , etc all are very well done . The Renaissance Italy recreation is beautiful and detailed . The game also gives you history lessons on renaissance Italy as you play which is very interesting . There is so much stuff to do in this game and its not as horribly repetitive as the first assassins creed . Building the value of Monteriggioni and raiding assassin tombs are really fun side quests . This will be the first game I platinum because its so fun . Although an awesome game no game is perfect . My only complaints were that the game was way too easy and sometimes the game freezes up ( when doing double kill etc . ) . DLC is coming soon so hang onto it if you enjoyed it like I did .
• 355 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Its a excellent game from Ubisoft . . . taking Ezio further then Altair . . . interesting gameplay and a gripping story line .
• 356 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Its a excellent game from Ubisoft . . . taking Ezio further then Altair . . . interesting gameplay and a gripping story line .
• 358 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Assassin's Creed II has made many improvements from it's previous two games , Assassin's Creed and Assassin's Creed Bloodlines . The story is compelling and the characters are interesting . The new weapons and upgrades are always great and the different new assassination techniques are a plus . some cons are the fact that some of the puzzles are extremely hard to solve , and the answers just don't plain make sense sometimes . Also the game freezes from time to time on the ps3 . Other than that , I suggest you get this game as soon as possible .
• 359 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Assassin's Creed II has made many improvements from it's previous two games , Assassin's Creed and Assassin's Creed Bloodlines . The story is compelling and the characters are interesting . The new weapons and upgrades are always great and the different new assassination techniques are a plus . some cons are the fact that some of the puzzles are extremely hard to solve , and the answers just don't plain make sense sometimes . Also the game freezes from time to time on the ps3 . Other than that , I suggest you get this game as soon as possible .
• 361 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) This is A MUST HAVE game . I really enjoy the graphics and the history . Recommended
• 362 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) This is A MUST HAVE game . I really enjoy the graphics and the history . Recommended
• 379 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) AC2 improves upon an already outstanding game in just about every way imaginable . The Story is fluid , the characters are rich , the combat has been lifted to new levels and the gameplay for lack of a better word rocks . The inclusion of such a rich historical background such a italy is just icing . Not to metion the great interactions with your personal friend Leo DaVinci . I personalley found nothing wrong with the game except that it eneded . But Lucklily for me I hear AC3 is coming down the pipeline . Ubisoft Forever !
• 388 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) This game is simply amazing . Graphics are outstanding . This game is also very long . Very great buy !
• 405 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Let me first off by saying I loved ACI when everyone thought it was dull and repetitive . I got this game back in December and it was fun but not amazing . Over my winter break I actually became somewhat bored of it . It a long game with a lot of the same elements in the first game . The enemies are different and can be tougher but to me its just more annoying to fight these guys . Its not more fun . Not much else to say since lotta other reviews cover everything . Basically it was too much like ACI for me
• 421 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) there were a lot of things wrong with the first game : it was endlessly repetitive , the combat system was annoyingly simple , and it was near impossible to get soldiers off your tail once they were clued off to your presence . in AC2 , they changed all that . or most of it . kind of . AC2 was a hell of a lot better . the mission structure remains basically the same , while providing much more variety and more ability to carry out assassinations the way YOU want to , rather than how the game wants you to . you have access to a million different weapons , all with varying strengths and weaknesses . in addition to your basic melee weapons , you also now have a pistol attatched to your hidden blade . there are many different side missions , as well as some thing where you collect feathers to get some reward ( still don't know what the reward is ; the feathers are damn hard to find ) . the one-button combat system is still the same , except that you can now disarm your opponents . disarming guys with spears is very fun . counter-combos with a spear are awesome in every imaginable way . the combat system feels much more immersive than in hte last game , and the sound effects ( ie bones crunching , blood burbling as you stab a guy in the back ) are awesome , and very realistic . on a lesser note , your massive amount of health combined with a rediculous number of healing potions and near-invincibility make it seem almost too easy to fight like a score of guys at once . the story is well-played and intriguing , with great voice-acting . there are fewer breaks from the animus , so the story feels less boken up . your ability to hire whores , thieves , and mercenaries to help you out is a cool new feature , and being able to swim is very cool . i just wish the guards could follow you into the water . it just seems wierd that you're the only guy in the world who can swim . overall , it is a great game and a vast improvement on the first . if you hated AC1 , you're probably gonna love this one ; if you loved AC1 , don't even go near AC2 cuz it'll be like giving meth to a guy in rehab . one thing though : the blood effects suck in this game . seriously . i actually got to the point where i thought it looked so bad that i had to turn the blood off . that's pretty much the only criticims i can think , other than the aforementioned thing about too much health .
• 425 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Excelente ! Es lo que espero de un juego . Bastante completo y elaborado . Los graficos , los movimientos , la trama , es divertidisimo y hasta aprendes bastante de otra cultura con él . Tremedo juego . . . lo recomiendo !
• 445 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) What a game , even better than the first one . Excellent Graphics and sound . Very addictive game , just finish it in one week . OH ! the new character Elzio could swim , someting the old character Altair lacks . I could recommend this game to everyone but careful with bloody scences .
• 446 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) What a game , even better than the first one . Excellent Graphics and sound . Very addictive game , just finish it in one week . OH ! the new character Elzio could swim , someting the old character Altair lacks . I could recommend this game to everyone but careful with bloody scences .
• 450 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I played the previous version and liked it , this one is dramatically better . The graphics are very good and the gameplay is smooth , with only a few awkward situations ( things like not being able to see yourself because a building or stand is in the way in a multi-person melee ) . The plot is interesting and the amount of detail the creators put in the game is impressive . The difficulty was perfect for me with the exception of some of the races or timed missions ; I dislike timed missions where you have to locate someone first , then do an action , and then find the next person , etc . Overall a very good game though , in the same class as the Call of Duty titles .
• 456 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) great game play , amazing graphics , improved missions from the first game , and the story line kept me playing again and again .
• 458 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) This title was my first introduction to Assassins Creed universe as I had not played the first edition . I got the game Wednesday , and put it in sometime on THursday . I don't remember much of Thursday and a lot of Friday as I found myself doing ' one more mission ' for hours on end . The storyline so far has been quite fun to follow yet time to run the little sideline things with it are also really exciting . The gameplay is extremely smooth and the free running around town jumping from thing to thing can be quite entertaining . Though sometimes the movement between things can be annoying as hell as you ping pong around and I've found myself screaming at the screen a few times over this . It's made me go back and pick up the first version to see what the story was . I'm about 50% the way through the trophies on the PS3 version .
• 459 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) This title was my first introduction to Assassins Creed universe as I had not played the first edition . I got the game Wednesday , and put it in sometime on THursday . I don't remember much of Thursday and a lot of Friday as I found myself doing ' one more mission ' for hours on end . The storyline so far has been quite fun to follow yet time to run the little sideline things with it are also really exciting . The gameplay is extremely smooth and the free running around town jumping from thing to thing can be quite entertaining . Though sometimes the movement between things can be annoying as hell as you ping pong around and I've found myself screaming at the screen a few times over this . It's made me go back and pick up the first version to see what the story was . I'm about 50% the way through the trophies on the PS3 version .
• 463 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Graphically impressive ; it's almost like watching a great action movie , main character of which is just YOU ! In fact much better , since you can trim the screenplay anytime of course : ACII , like no other , gives you an idea how ( good ) videogaming could quickly vampirize the whole movie industry . Really outstanding !
• 475 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I really enjoyed this game . It has excellent mechanics and an interesting world to explore , although finding all the feathers and other extras can get a bit annoying .
• 476 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I really enjoyed this game . It has excellent mechanics and an interesting world to explore , although finding all the feathers and other extras can get a bit annoying .
• 483 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) great games great graphics and had a lot of fun trying to beat the game .
• 484 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) great games great graphics and had a lot of fun trying to beat the game .
• 492 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I never did play Assassin's Creed I because I just got my PS3 , but I decided to see what the fuss was about and bought Assassin's Creed II . This game is incredible ! ! From the amazing graphics and awesome free-running controls to the gripping storyline and unique characters , this game has it all ! I have already beaten the game , but I still have hours of playing ahead of me as I go back to complete the many side missions I passed up while progressing through the game . I think I may have to take a step back and get the first Assassin's Creed game , and I will definitely be buying the next addition to this series ! !
• 493 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I never did play Assassin's Creed I because I just got my PS3 , but I decided to see what the fuss was about and bought Assassin's Creed II . This game is incredible ! ! From the amazing graphics and awesome free-running controls to the gripping storyline and unique characters , this game has it all ! I have already beaten the game , but I still have hours of playing ahead of me as I go back to complete the many side missions I passed up while progressing through the game . I think I may have to take a step back and get the first Assassin's Creed game , and I will definitely be buying the next addition to this series ! !
• 505 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I bought this game for my son , he says it is awesome ! I am not a gamer but I have to say the graphics are extremely impressive .


• Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) This was my first PS3 game . I actually use the thing as a blu-ray player mostly . I have XBox 360 and Wii , but I've not seen a more visually beautiful game than this on either of those platforms . I am not a hard-core gamer . I play occasionally , but certainly not daily but this game had me hooked from the start . My only small complaint is the exposition that goes on between game play . I understand the spirit of the game and why the cut scenes are there , I just could have used a a tiny little bit less . Expect excellent graphics , excellent game play , and terrific sound , just be prepared for some downtime between game play .
• 054 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I just bought an XBox360 Elite and this is the first game I've played on my new console . Absolutely addictive fun . I am blown away by the life like graphics , the intuitive AI and the free form rpg game style . Highly recommended , particularly if you love historical drama .
• 075 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I really enjoyed this game . I have this one as well as the first Assassin's Creed . The gameplay and plot lines are great . The game is much less repetitive than its predecessor and the character development has improved as well . The only downside for me is that once you play through the story , its replay value is very low . Therefore it might be worth waiting until you can get a deal to buy it because $60 for one play through isn't quite worth it . I hope this is helpful .
• 076 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I really enjoyed this game . I have this one as well as the first Assassin's Creed . The gameplay and plot lines are great . The game is much less repetitive than its predecessor and the character development has improved as well . The only downside for me is that once you play through the story , its replay value is very low . Therefore it might be worth waiting until you can get a deal to buy it because $60 for one play through isn't quite worth it . I hope this is helpful .
• 167 4  This is a game that you can play hours and hours and never get bored , very good history . some games are very good but after a few hours : is done , but this game is something special that I want in every game : Very Fun and Very Long . if you like adventure games don't even think about it , GET IT
• 296 4  Very cool game . more features . if you played one this is a must . BUT the assassin concept is kinda lost in here it's the cool concept in here
• 437 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) This was my first PS3 game . I actually use the thing as a blu-ray player mostly . I have XBox 360 and Wii , but I've not seen a more visually beautiful game than this on either of those platforms . I am not a hard-core gamer . I play occasionally , but certainly not daily but this game had me hooked from the start . My only small complaint is the exposition that goes on between game play . I understand the spirit of the game and why the cut scenes are there , I just could have used a a tiny little bit less . Expect excellent graphics , excellent game play , and terrific sound , just be prepared for some downtime between game play .
• 453 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I bought this as a gift . So glad I looked on Amazon.com . The price was $10.00 less than Wal-mart . Thanks Amazon.com
• 454 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I bought this as a gift . So glad I looked on Amazon.com . The price was $10.00 less than Wal-mart . Thanks Amazon.com


• Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Where do I begin ? I'll spare everyone the storyline and who the main character is , assuming that you all already know . There is also a nice summary on the page . Let's get down to the basics of my review . Assassin's Creed II blew me away with its stunning graphics , talented voice acting , and awesome storyline . Ubisoft succeeded in making this game packed with extras and enhancing fighting techniques . When I saw Ezio use two blades on two guards for the first time my jaw dropped . When it comes to fighting , the techniques are awesome , as they were in the first game . I do want to say that I really loved the first AC game . I have nothing bad to say about it except for the viewpoints . Needless to say I like the repetitive missions in the first game . But the missions in the second game were a bit more enjoyable . And , again , my only problem in the second game was the view points . It got so annoying to me that I eventually stopped finding them . It's time consuming every time you want to play the game again . So , with that said , I guess AC2 is an improvement but I don't really think there was anything to improve from the first game . In game trilogies , the game evolves with the series . So the developers are constantly thinking of new things and keep in mind that with the coming of time there are new techniques and environments to consider . What I really loved was that Ubisoft didn't take too much away from the first game . They kept it on a realistic scale and there was a lot of symbolism that reverted back to AC1 . I just know that sometimes a game series can get worse because they change things too much . Not in AC2 . The series just got way better and I am already eager for the final installment . AC2 will HOOK you in . You don't want to stop playing it . I beat it in about 16 hours , over the course of two days . I wish I could have dragged it out a bit but I was so eager to see how it ended . And let me tell you , the ending is not what I expected , but it was good . As for the games flaws , there weren't many . Sometimes when I would start a mission the marker wouldn't appear , and at the end of the game two of the markers didn't appear so I got confused and ended up leaving the area and then dying . When it took me back to the area the two markers had appeared that time . So yeah , some glitches when it comes to markers on missions sometimes but other than that it's flawless . A lot of people complain about trying to jump to one place but landing somewhere else . I have also experienced this , but I also experienced it in AC1 and the Prince of Persia games . The thing is , there are so many places you can jump or climb to that it's probably hard for the game to figure which one you're really directed at . I find that when I'm climbing or jumping to fast ( such as in the assassin's tombs ) I tend to fall . But when I take it slow and time my jumps I succeed . Awesome game , great storyline , and now my new favorite game trilogy ! ! Thank-you Ubisoft for making such an awesome game ! It was worth the $60 .
• 021 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Where do I begin ? I'll spare everyone the storyline and who the main character is , assuming that you all already know . There is also a nice summary on the page . Let's get down to the basics of my review . Assassin's Creed II blew me away with its stunning graphics , talented voice acting , and awesome storyline . Ubisoft succeeded in making this game packed with extras and enhancing fighting techniques . When I saw Ezio use two blades on two guards for the first time my jaw dropped . When it comes to fighting , the techniques are awesome , as they were in the first game . I do want to say that I really loved the first AC game . I have nothing bad to say about it except for the viewpoints . Needless to say I like the repetitive missions in the first game . But the missions in the second game were a bit more enjoyable . And , again , my only problem in the second game was the view points . It got so annoying to me that I eventually stopped finding them . It's time consuming every time you want to play the game again . So , with that said , I guess AC2 is an improvement but I don't really think there was anything to improve from the first game . In game trilogies , the game evolves with the series . So the developers are constantly thinking of new things and keep in mind that with the coming of time there are new techniques and environments to consider . What I really loved was that Ubisoft didn't take too much away from the first game . They kept it on a realistic scale and there was a lot of symbolism that reverted back to AC1 . I just know that sometimes a game series can get worse because they change things too much . Not in AC2 . The series just got way better and I am already eager for the final installment . AC2 will HOOK you in . You don't want to stop playing it . I beat it in about 16 hours , over the course of two days . I wish I could have dragged it out a bit but I was so eager to see how it ended . And let me tell you , the ending is not what I expected , but it was good . As for the games flaws , there weren't many . Sometimes when I would start a mission the marker wouldn't appear , and at the end of the game two of the markers didn't appear so I got confused and ended up leaving the area and then dying . When it took me back to the area the two markers had appeared that time . So yeah , some glitches when it comes to markers on missions sometimes but other than that it's flawless . A lot of people complain about trying to jump to one place but landing somewhere else . I have also experienced this , but I also experienced it in AC1 and the Prince of Persia games . The thing is , there are so many places you can jump or climb to that it's probably hard for the game to figure which one you're really directed at . I find that when I'm climbing or jumping to fast ( such as in the assassin's tombs ) I tend to fall . But when I take it slow and time my jumps I succeed . Awesome game , great storyline , and now my new favorite game trilogy ! ! Thank-you Ubisoft for making such an awesome game ! It was worth the $60 .
• 125 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I loved this game , there is so much do do that you can easily be diverted from your main objective of killing everyone . . . exept civilians . the grafics and senery is top notch . i didn't play the first Assasins Creed so i can't compare but this game but it is amazing and was a nice brake from my racing games . it kept me playing for hours , De Vinchi basicaly becomes your best freind ! how cool is that , large selection of wepons and you learn how to deal with the bruts you can't block its not realy auto pilot hen fighting witch is good and they train you in game , there is some fighting with desmond but its the end of the game and pretty stupid . . . like i said there sould be a third game with how they ended this one . as far as danger goes your bigest fear should be falling of the wrong part of a roof but even then no big deal , your basicly free to run around and can easily out run or wipe out any gards that are atrakted to your presince . buy it , play it , love it !
• 126 4  I loved this game , there is so much do do that you can easily be diverted from your main objective of killing everyone . . . exept civilians . the grafics and senery is top notch . i didn't play the first Assasins Creed so i can't compare but this game but it is amazing and was a nice brake from my racing games . it kept me playing for hours , De Vinchi basicaly becomes your best freind ! how cool is that , large selection of wepons and you learn how to deal with the bruts you can't block its not realy auto pilot hen fighting witch is good and they train you in game , there is some fighting with desmond but its the end of the game and pretty stupid . . . like i said there sould be a third game with how they ended this one . as far as danger goes your bigest fear should be falling of the wrong part of a roof but even then no big deal , your basicly free to run around and can easily out run or wipe out any gards that are atrakted to your presince . buy it , play it , love it !
• 129 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I have been looking forward to this release for a long time . While I was a fan of the first Assassin's Creed , the original game felt sort of unfinished . The concept was there , but the game felt like it hadn't been fully fleshed out . The game was beautiful but repetitive , fun overall , but you can only pickpocket or eavesdrop on someone so many times before it gets boring . This game fixes many of those issues . While I am still playing through the game , obviously , I can already see huge improvements . Water doesn't instantly kill you . I have yet to run into a lunatic or beggar , for which I am extremely grateful . You have many more choices for weapons . These are just for starters . The game just has a better feel to it , the storyline and the characters have more depth . You will evolve into the role of an assassin with Ezzio , instead of re-earning the title with Altair . They have also added a monetary system to the game , and things like blacksmiths , tailors , and doctors to go along with it , which the first game could have used . As for what they kept , the beautiful graphics and sweeping vistas are still there , you will still find yourself climbing to dizzying heights to peer out over cities from a new viewpoint . You still have your hidden dagger , in fact they've given you a second one to play with . The graphics have , of course , been improved , and look even better than the first one . The world is still a very open , free roaming environment , your standard sandbox game , and you still get to climb and vault all over everything , which is immense fun . The quintessential core of the original game is still there in all its glory , they have just filled in the details and improved the game play for you . That being said , there are still one or two things in the sequel that annoy me . Most importantly , running still get everyone's attention . I would understand that if I was talking about barreling through streets and knocking people over left and right . I'm not . Just running will draw the guards ' attention , which gets old quick . Apparently no one was ever in a hurry in the Renaissance . This has been slightly improved by giving the player a fast walk mode , but it can still take forever to get from point A to point B at that speed . This part of the AI could use some tweaking , since there is a difference between challenging and annoying . In my opinion , the coolest feature they have added is the database function , which gives you all sorts of interesting and amusing facts about the regions , cities , buildings and people that you will be interacting with . This does a great job of drawing you further into the period and culture that you are exploring , and really helps you relate to the story . This feature adds a lot of detail to the game that most developers would have simply left out . Bottom line , I am thrilled with the game . It is exactly what I was anticipating , and if you enjoyed the first game , you will love the sequel .
• 368 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I think that this might be one of the best games that I have played in a long time . The first Assassin's Creed was amazing ! It had beautiful graphics and history that got you really into the story and gameplay . The only real problem was the ending and that the missions were being repeated . Assassin's Creed | | listened to all the problems everyone had and it came out amazingly ! The graphics are stunning and they are even better than the first games graphics . You can see the details in the faces even clearer and there are beautiful colors . In the first , everything was either foggy or brown . The gameplay is even better ! I love the fact that you can do anything whenever you want and there are a ton of side missions . I always seem to get detracted from what ever I'm doing to chase down an optional running target , looting him , and then picking up his body and throwing him into a nearby pile of leaves . I love the money and how easy it is to pickpocket people . I love searching for wanted posters and running through the assassin tombs and figuring out the puzzles . The storyline is great . It goes so much deeper than Altair's . In fact , he didn't really seem to have much of a story to tell . I love becoming an assassin , instead of just being one without really knowing how I became one in the first place . His family is so characteristic in the very beginning that you can feel his pain of betrayal . The story is so deep and passionate that I can't help but to beg for more . This is the one of the best games in history and I cannot find a single complaint about it . It made me stay up all night playing it . If you buy it , you not be disappointed at all .
• 372 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) This is quite literally a true sequel and a welcome addition to the franchise of AC . To begin , the story has most of you know starts off as revenge but as you progress , and learn the scope of the situation that you and Ezio find yourselves will surely draw you in and leave you chomping at the bit . The environments are wonderfully done , with much attention to detail evident everywhere in many historical landmarks , the openness of every explorable area is so vast , it's hard to grasp just how big this world has become , when comparing it to the original . The character development is central to the game , as Ezio grows , you do so as well . You'll find yourself overcome at times with emotions that charge your mind to ponder how you would react to that situation . The gameplay is everything they promised and more , although some feel that it is still lacking and needs more refinement-if it's not broke , don't fix it ! As you progress , you'll learn new skills and fighting moves from the various factions you're allied with , and also Leonardo da Vinci . The game runs very smoothly , with minimal interruption that barely catches your attention as you are traversing the world . The mission structure , as mentioned , has been overhauled and contains many different events , such as courier missions , races , and timed missions . There is plenty to do everywhere and all of the secondary missions are not necessary but are loads of fun and enhance the experience and it also gives you a chance to practice new skills and hone your techniques . This is what fans asked for and Ubisoft delivered above and beyond all expectations . This is a must for any AC fan and also for those seeking an action adventure game .


• Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) You leave the safety of the assassin's lair , get on a horse and start galloping . You eventually go up a road between the mountains and , right as the music cues , you see the imposing city of Damascus before you on the horizon . As you get closer , you notice there is no loading times , no cut scene . You are about to embark on quite an adventure . . . . That , for me , was the first of many the next generation has arrived moments in the original Assassin's Creed . you played the game finding it very difficult to imagine ways to improve the marvelous grphics but at the same time craving a lot more . Well , after much waiting , we have the new installment of what is turning out to be one of the finest franchises on the Playstation console . Many changes have been made and improvements are plentyful . Hopefully we can cover the most relevant here . Right off the gate , the dynamics of the game is changed in the way the main character is presented . Where Altair was a mysterious , downright unknown character , the game's new hero Ezio , is a lot more accesible . This brings two very different approaches in character development . Playing Altair was very cool because we knew so little about him . He was this highly skilled instrment in the organization and we pretty much knew nothing else . Ezio on the other hand , is an open book . We meet his family , his past . We understand his motivations . He is not a part of the organization when we first meet him and in fact when you begin to play , he is not even wearing the assassin's uniform . Ezio is a human being and we feel for him . This gives the player the sense that it is not buisiness as usual . That it is going to be a very different trip than the last . All this information overload concerning Ezio foreshadows the downright obscene amount of extra content that has been added to this game when comapred to the fisrt one . The main complaint in the first game was that missions got a bit tedious . ( go to the city , climb the towers , kill the bad guy , repeat ) The solution Ubisoft has provided to this complaint works on some levels and not so much in others . They have provided so many other things to do in the game that it can turn downright overwhelming . It's not just different types of missions . Now you have to solve cryptic puzzles , manage your finances , deal with tailors , blacksmiths , travel agents ( yes , travel agents ) and map makers , manage weapon and armor upgrades , let Leonardo Da Vinci help you figure it all out , an entire sidequest to unlock the armor of Altair and even oversee the restoration of an entire town . All that , in addition to the over 200 missions in the game . ( Not all are mandatory ) This as I mentioned , is both a blessing and a curse . Most of these things are very well done . For example , I got a real kick at watching DaVinci in the game , especially watching him working WITH you and letting yu use his gadgets . THings like that really add depth to the experience . On the other hand , you have so many things pending at one time that it is hard to keep up . You always have a feeling that you are forgetting something . In that sense , it soemtimes seems that Ubisoft's answer to make the game less tedious was to make it more tedious . Graphically , the game is quite an achievement . The level of detail is very impresive . This time around you are playing in Italy , 200 years after the events of the first game . The advance in time plays right into the graphical upgrade as cities now have even more detail . Walking the streets ( and running through the rooftops ) of the different cities give you a sense that you are in a real place . Also , cities now are not confined to just the walls . There are farms and houses and churches outside them as well and some missions are played in those areas as well . The detail in the buildings , people and objects is exquisite . It is very fitting that this game takes place in the Renaissance.Character animation is awsome . There are few characters out there better looking than the assassins in these two games . Once running through the rooftops of Florence , something caught my eye on a wall below me . It turned out to be Ezio's shadow matching his every move . Further inspection verified that the intensity , shape and position of his shadow depended on where Ezio was and what time of day ( or night ) it was . The game is that detailed . This is without question one of the best-looking games I have ever seen . The gameplay for me , is perfect . When a character can do as many things as Ezio can , controlling the character can become complicated but Ubisoft has really nailed this aspect perfectly . Running , climbing and attacking are all second nature . The game makes it really easy to make you look good . Having Ezio open a can of whoop-a @ ! on his oponents requires very little effort . So is doing the more acrobatic stuff like balancing while running through beams and diving from towers ( that never gets old to me ) . Anyone can jump in and play this game with little effort . Ubisoft has put a lot of effort in the story . Great care was taken in developing Ezio as a character and as a result the beggining of the game can seem quite slow . It does pay off later though , as it really helps you immerse yourself later on in the game . Also , a connection is established between the first game and this one in the form of special missions where you raid the tombs of past assassins ( how all these people got to be buried in Italy is not explained but . . . it is a game after all ) to eventually unlock the Armor of Altair which you can then wear . Be aware though , that these missions can take a while and are basically a test of your climbing skills . For the most part , these tombs seemed to be in hidden rooms at the very top of some building . The voice acting is adequate but the fony italian accents can be a bit much at times . They didn't make Altair sound middle-eastern , why do this now ? Assassin's Creed II has some issues but this is a case where the good far outweighs the bad by far . While the game can get a bit tedious , it is a result of having so much to do as opposed to doing the same thing over an over which is a definate improvement over the first game . Having said that , there is no way of calling this game anything other than extremely fun . It has great controls , incredible grpahics and a gripping story . Plus , a great character in Ezio Auditore . I highly recommend it . This , and Uncharted 2 : Among Thieves , are hands down the best games to come out for the PS3 this year .
• 082 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I got this game friday and put about 30 hours into it this weekend . I was glued to the tv from the minute i put it in . This was one of the funest games ive ever played . I didnt play the first one cause i heard it was repetitive , and was skeptical about picking up this one . First the controls are pretty good . They just take some time to get used to . Sometimes your guy seems sluggish though but thats just a little flaw . The story line is good and there is a lot of area to explore . The side missions can get a little repetitive because there just doing the same thing in different citys . You dont have to do all of them though . I think they should of made the game a little more difficult . All you have to do is block and counter everytime , and just attack the big guards with your wrist knife . I think ive died one time in an actual fight the other times it was from falling off buildings . The graphics are really nice and it plays out well . There are a couple of flaws but nothing you will notice . I have 2 sequenses left before i finish the game and have enjoyed every minute of it . If you like steath , action and assasinating people this game is for you . If not try it out im sure you will like it . Who doesnt like distracting guards but paying whores to get there attention . lol
• 109 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) You will want to complete every mission and get every XBOX 360 achievement this game has to offer . The graphics are good , the story is compelling , and the game play mechanics are unique . No other game has you scaling buildings and using Parkour techniques to move around large open world venues . A solid candidate for my top ten games of all time .
• 191 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I just spent 20 - something hours playing through Assassin's Creed 2 and it only just now struck me that I was bored most of the time . I've never experienced anything quite like it . The world's amazingly immersive and fresh - - there are no tired sci-fi or fantasy cliches here , and it's a much better world for it . But the world alone isn't enough to hook you in for the game's substantial length . Its real triumph is in the endless reward system : there's so much to accomplish , find , unlock , buy and otherwise accumulate that you find yourself going just one more mission / puzzle / major purchase until the late hours of the night . It's such a compelling mechanic that you almost don't realize that the core gameplay doesn't add up to much , and the secondary elements ( hunting for glyphs , solving puzzles , taking on sidequests ) are full-on tedious . It's a lot of cleverly-disguised grind .
• 366 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) as many have known about assassin's creed is a good game . this is even a better game . here are some good thing i will be stating about ac2 : * story line is very attractive , you would want to continue story line even you're busy with another thing , emotional expression will enter you as you progress through the story . * animation is great , for ex : ezio would actually grab on something when he climb instead of just moving the body up . * you can buy items such as armor and weapons also medicine for healing . but one thing to consider is the painting that you can buy , some of the most famous painting in the history is including in this game for you to collect ingame . * when you equip armor / weapon , it actually show up differently for each items . altair armor would be an impressive ones . * graphic is one of the breath taking in the game , if you have a big screen tv , you would want to get your hand on this game . especially viewing on a synchronize place . * one more thing is the soundtrack , very matching with certain situation , also bringing mood to the game , i would listen to the main theme a million times before i get bored of it . - there are more good about the game , but seeing it for yourself would be better . here are few things bad about the game : * targeting is still a little hard to control , sometimes you hit or assassinate another target that you don't want * the radar could at least be fixed so the player can be more accurate on where they're going , sometimes i have to open map every 2 - 3 min to make sure i'm on the right track to some places , which is a big disadvantage . and the only one main thing i would complain about the game . * this is a rarely situation which i encounter in the game , a glitch that would transport the main character or and enemy to a different location and still fighting , though it's a very rare occasion . in general , this is a great game that you can rarely find out of many games , the ending on ac1 maybe disappointing , but ending here is something you would open your mouth and say what the * * * * . also the game is very mind challenging when solving puzzle to unlock certain codes . overall , i would recommend this game to ANYONE that have a ps3 or xbox360 , also the pc version but coming out in 2010 .
• 374 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I purchased this game with some pretty high expectations , and I would say they were almost all completely met . Like most people have said , the game not only looks amazing , but has a great storyline , an improved weapon system , and a ton of new features and side missions that keep the experience lively . I was a big fan of ACI , even though it was more like a repetitive pac-man style chore to complete the game , but the payoff was worth it to me in the end . The fighting system is basically the same as ACI . Several guards take turns swinging at you , and you can counter and kill them off one by one . A few things Ubi improved on though is the addition of a second arm blade , enabling you to take out two guards at once , and the addition of metal covered vambraces , giving you the ability to block attacks while you have the arm blades equipped . This was a big bonus for me , because my favorite weapon in ACI was the arm blade , and is now my favorite weapon in AC2 ( besides a sweet butchers knife ) . The action this time around feels far more brutal also . With the addition of more weapon types , comes the sweeter kill moves . Bludgeoning a guards head in with a warhammer never felt so good ! Instead of sword , dagger , arm blade , and throwing knives ; there is the addtion of warhammers , different dagger and sword types , customizable armor ( and you can even dye your assassin robe ) , poison blades , smoke bombs , and vambrace-pistols . You can even disarm guards if you are fighting bare knuckle and take their weapons ! One of my gripes about the game ( along with many others ) is the climbing controls . I have found that in many , many situations it is hard to control Ezio and get him to do exactly what you want . For example , to free run ( which allows you to basically run , and climb whatever is in your way ) you hold R1 + X . R1 alone will enable you to run , and X alone will allow you to jump . If you are climbing a building , holding down R1 sometimes isnt enough depending on the situation so you will need to hold X down as well ( for free run ) . Many times if you are climbing something it can be tricky because pressing X at the wrong time , or if you are facing the slightess degree off where you are trying to go will cause Ezio to jump in the opposite direction of where you intending to . This will often cause you to either plummet to your death , or just fall down really , really far and have to start over again . On one particular part in a crypt I found myself retrying a timed hit the switch and run before the door closes event atleast 20 + times before I got it simply becasue I had to keep fumbling around with the controls . As for the other controls , I would say they are fine . I only have a problem when in certain situations and trying to climb or jump around . - - - Pros : Graphics and locales are amazing improved combat system addition of new weapon types Sandbox type gameplay has the just one more thing effect You can swim ! - - - Cons : Overlapping jump + run + climb functions can cause some major frustration at times Gondolas ( great idea , but pretty hard to drive around ) - - - Overall , I would recommend this game , especially if you are a fan of AC1 . Like many have stated before me , the whole jump + climb controls can be down right maddening if you arent super cafeful . I am about half way through the game , and so far I have only have a few problems with falling off things and jumping to my death on accident . Patience is key when playing this game . If you are patient and learn to work the controls , you will probably get a good if not decent experience out of this game , I wouldn't say this is a candidate for GOTY though . . hell , its no Uncharted 2 !
• 375 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I purchased this game with some pretty high expectations , and I would say they were almost all completely met . Like most people have said , the game not only looks amazing , but has a great storyline , an improved weapon system , and a ton of new features and side missions that keep the experience lively . I was a big fan of ACI , even though it was more like a repetitive pac-man style chore to complete the game , but the payoff was worth it to me in the end . The fighting system is basically the same as ACI . Several guards take turns swinging at you , and you can counter and kill them off one by one . A few things Ubi improved on though is the addition of a second arm blade , enabling you to take out two guards at once , and the addition of metal covered vambraces , giving you the ability to block attacks while you have the arm blades equipped . This was a big bonus for me , because my favorite weapon in ACI was the arm blade , and is now my favorite weapon in AC2 ( besides a sweet butchers knife ) . The action this time around feels far more brutal also . With the addition of more weapon types , comes the sweeter kill moves . Bludgeoning a guards head in with a warhammer never felt so good ! Instead of sword , dagger , arm blade , and throwing knives ; there is the addtion of warhammers , different dagger and sword types , customizable armor ( and you can even dye your assassin robe ) , poison blades , smoke bombs , and vambrace-pistols . You can even disarm guards if you are fighting bare knuckle and take their weapons ! One of my gripes about the game ( along with many others ) is the climbing controls . I have found that in many , many situations it is hard to control Ezio and get him to do exactly what you want . For example , to free run ( which allows you to basically run , and climb whatever is in your way ) you hold R1 + X . R1 alone will enable you to run , and X alone will allow you to jump . If you are climbing a building , holding down R1 sometimes isnt enough depending on the situation so you will need to hold X down as well ( for free run ) . Many times if you are climbing something it can be tricky because pressing X at the wrong time , or if you are facing the slightess degree off where you are trying to go will cause Ezio to jump in the opposite direction of where you intending to . This will often cause you to either plummet to your death , or just fall down really , really far and have to start over again . On one particular part in a crypt I found myself retrying a timed hit the switch and run before the door closes event atleast 20 + times before I got it simply becasue I had to keep fumbling around with the controls . As for the other controls , I would say they are fine . I only have a problem when in certain situations and trying to climb or jump around . - - - Pros : Graphics and locales are amazing improved combat system addition of new weapon types Sandbox type gameplay has the just one more thing effect You can swim ! - - - Cons : Overlapping jump + run + climb functions can cause some major frustration at times Gondolas ( great idea , but pretty hard to drive around ) - - - Overall , I would recommend this game , especially if you are a fan of AC1 . Like many have stated before me , the whole jump + climb controls can be down right maddening if you arent super cafeful . I am about half way through the game , and so far I have only have a few problems with falling off things and jumping to my death on accident . Patience is key when playing this game . If you are patient and learn to work the controls , you will probably get a good if not decent experience out of this game , I wouldn't say this is a candidate for GOTY though . . hell , its no Uncharted 2 !
• 392 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) You leave the safety of the assassin's lair , get on a horse and start galloping . You eventually go up a road between the mountains and , right as the music cues , you see the imposing city of Damascus before you on the horizon . As you get closer , you notice there is no loading times , no cut scene . You are about to embark on quite an adventure . . . . That , for me , was the first of many the next generation has arrived moments in the original Assassin's Creed . you played the game finding it very difficult to imagine ways to improve the marvelous grphics but at the same time craving a lot more . Well , after much waiting , we have the new installment of what is turning out to be one of the finest franchises on the Playstation console . Many changes have been made and improvements are plentyful . Hopefully we can cover the most relevant here . Right off the gate , the dynamics of the game is changed in the way the main character is presented . Where Altair was a mysterious , downright unknown character , the game's new hero Ezio , is a lot more accesible . This brings two very different approaches in character development . Playing Altair was very cool because we knew so little about him . He was this highly skilled instrment in the organization and we pretty much knew nothing else . Ezio on the other hand , is an open book . We meet his family , his past . We understand his motivations . He is not a part of the organization when we first meet him and in fact when you begin to play , he is not even wearing the assassin's uniform . Ezio is a human being and we feel for him . This gives the player the sense that it is not buisiness as usual . That it is going to be a very different trip than the last . All this information overload concerning Ezio foreshadows the downright obscene amount of extra content that has been added to this game when comapred to the fisrt one . The main complaint in the first game was that missions got a bit tedious . ( go to the city , climb the towers , kill the bad guy , repeat ) The solution Ubisoft has provided to this complaint works on some levels and not so much in others . They have provided so many other things to do in the game that it can turn downright overwhelming . It's not just different types of missions . Now you have to solve cryptic puzzles , manage your finances , deal with tailors , blacksmiths , travel agents ( yes , travel agents ) and map makers , manage weapon and armor upgrades , let Leonardo Da Vinci help you figure it all out , an entire sidequest to unlock the armor of Altair and even oversee the restoration of an entire town . All that , in addition to the over 200 missions in the game . ( Not all are mandatory ) This as I mentioned , is both a blessing and a curse . Most of these things are very well done . For example , I got a real kick at watching DaVinci in the game , especially watching him working WITH you and letting yu use his gadgets . THings like that really add depth to the experience . On the other hand , you have so many things pending at one time that it is hard to keep up . You always have a feeling that you are forgetting something . In that sense , it soemtimes seems that Ubisoft's answer to make the game less tedious was to make it more tedious . Graphically , the game is quite an achievement . The level of detail is very impresive . This time around you are playing in Italy , 200 years after the events of the first game . The advance in time plays right into the graphical upgrade as cities now have even more detail . Walking the streets ( and running through the rooftops ) of the different cities give you a sense that you are in a real place . Also , cities now are not confined to just the walls . There are farms and houses and churches outside them as well and some missions are played in those areas as well . The detail in the buildings , people and objects is exquisite . It is very fitting that this game takes place in the Renaissance.Character animation is awsome . There are few characters out there better looking than the assassins in these two games . Once running through the rooftops of Florence , something caught my eye on a wall below me . It turned out to be Ezio's shadow matching his every move . Further inspection verified that the intensity , shape and position of his shadow depended on where Ezio was and what time of day ( or night ) it was . The game is that detailed . This is without question one of the best-looking games I have ever seen . The gameplay for me , is perfect . When a character can do as many things as Ezio can , controlling the character can become complicated but Ubisoft has really nailed this aspect perfectly . Running , climbing and attacking are all second nature . The game makes it really easy to make you look good . Having Ezio open a can of whoop-a @ ! on his oponents requires very little effort . So is doing the more acrobatic stuff like balancing while running through beams and diving from towers ( that never gets old to me ) . Anyone can jump in and play this game with little effort . Ubisoft has put a lot of effort in the story . Great care was taken in developing Ezio as a character and as a result the beggining of the game can seem quite slow . It does pay off later though , as it really helps you immerse yourself later on in the game . Also , a connection is established between the first game and this one in the form of special missions where you raid the tombs of past assassins ( how all these people got to be buried in Italy is not explained but . . . it is a game after all ) to eventually unlock the Armor of Altair which you can then wear . Be aware though , that these missions can take a while and are basically a test of your climbing skills . For the most part , these tombs seemed to be in hidden rooms at the very top of some building . The voice acting is adequate but the fony italian accents can be a bit much at times . They didn't make Altair sound middle-eastern , why do this now ? Assassin's Creed II has some issues but this is a case where the good far outweighs the bad by far . While the game can get a bit tedious , it is a result of having so much to do as opposed to doing the same thing over an over which is a definate improvement over the first game . Having said that , there is no way of calling this game anything other than extremely fun . It has great controls , incredible grpahics and a gripping story . Plus , a great character in Ezio Auditore . I highly recommend it . This , and Uncharted 2 : Among Thieves , are hands down the best games to come out for the PS3 this year .
• 393 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) You leave the safety of the assassin's lair , get on a horse and start galloping . You eventually go up a road between the mountains and , right as the music cues , you see the imposing city of Damascus before you on the horizon . As you get closer , you notice there is no loading times , no cut scene . You are about to embark on quite an adventure . . . . That , for me , was the first of many the next generation has arrived moments in the original Assassin's Creed . you played the game finding it very difficult to imagine ways to improve the marvelous grphics but at the same time craving a lot more . Well , after much waiting , we have the new installment of what is turning out to be one of the finest franchises on the Playstation console . Many changes have been made and improvements are plentyful . Hopefully we can cover the most relevant here . Right off the gate , the dynamics of the game is changed in the way the main character is presented . Where Altair was a mysterious , downright unknown character , the game's new hero Ezio , is a lot more accesible . This brings two very different approaches in character development . Playing Altair was very cool because we knew so little about him . He was this highly skilled instrment in the organization and we pretty much knew nothing else . Ezio on the other hand , is an open book . We meet his family , his past . We understand his motivations . He is not a part of the organization when we first meet him and in fact when you begin to play , he is not even wearing the assassin's uniform . Ezio is a human being and we feel for him . This gives the player the sense that it is not buisiness as usual . That it is going to be a very different trip than the last . All this information overload concerning Ezio foreshadows the downright obscene amount of extra content that has been added to this game when comapred to the fisrt one . The main complaint in the first game was that missions got a bit tedious . ( go to the city , climb the towers , kill the bad guy , repeat ) The solution Ubisoft has provided to this complaint works on some levels and not so much in others . They have provided so many other things to do in the game that it can turn downright overwhelming . It's not just different types of missions . Now you have to solve cryptic puzzles , manage your finances , deal with tailors , blacksmiths , travel agents ( yes , travel agents ) and map makers , manage weapon and armor upgrades , let Leonardo Da Vinci help you figure it all out , an entire sidequest to unlock the armor of Altair and even oversee the restoration of an entire town . All that , in addition to the over 200 missions in the game . ( Not all are mandatory ) This as I mentioned , is both a blessing and a curse . Most of these things are very well done . For example , I got a real kick at watching DaVinci in the game , especially watching him working WITH you and letting yu use his gadgets . THings like that really add depth to the experience . On the other hand , you have so many things pending at one time that it is hard to keep up . You always have a feeling that you are forgetting something . In that sense , it soemtimes seems that Ubisoft's answer to make the game less tedious was to make it more tedious . Graphically , the game is quite an achievement . The level of detail is very impresive . This time around you are playing in Italy , 200 years after the events of the first game . The advance in time plays right into the graphical upgrade as cities now have even more detail . Walking the streets ( and running through the rooftops ) of the different cities give you a sense that you are in a real place . Also , cities now are not confined to just the walls . There are farms and houses and churches outside them as well and some missions are played in those areas as well . The detail in the buildings , people and objects is exquisite . It is very fitting that this game takes place in the Renaissance.Character animation is awsome . There are few characters out there better looking than the assassins in these two games . Once running through the rooftops of Florence , something caught my eye on a wall below me . It turned out to be Ezio's shadow matching his every move . Further inspection verified that the intensity , shape and position of his shadow depended on where Ezio was and what time of day ( or night ) it was . The game is that detailed . This is without question one of the best-looking games I have ever seen . The gameplay for me , is perfect . When a character can do as many things as Ezio can , controlling the character can become complicated but Ubisoft has really nailed this aspect perfectly . Running , climbing and attacking are all second nature . The game makes it really easy to make you look good . Having Ezio open a can of whoop-a @ ! on his oponents requires very little effort . So is doing the more acrobatic stuff like balancing while running through beams and diving from towers ( that never gets old to me ) . Anyone can jump in and play this game with little effort . Ubisoft has put a lot of effort in the story . Great care was taken in developing Ezio as a character and as a result the beggining of the game can seem quite slow . It does pay off later though , as it really helps you immerse yourself later on in the game . Also , a connection is established between the first game and this one in the form of special missions where you raid the tombs of past assassins ( how all these people got to be buried in Italy is not explained but . . . it is a game after all ) to eventually unlock the Armor of Altair which you can then wear . Be aware though , that these missions can take a while and are basically a test of your climbing skills . For the most part , these tombs seemed to be in hidden rooms at the very top of some building . The voice acting is adequate but the fony italian accents can be a bit much at times . They didn't make Altair sound middle-eastern , why do this now ? Assassin's Creed II has some issues but this is a case where the good far outweighs the bad by far . While the game can get a bit tedious , it is a result of having so much to do as opposed to doing the same thing over an over which is a definate improvement over the first game . Having said that , there is no way of calling this game anything other than extremely fun . It has great controls , incredible grpahics and a gripping story . Plus , a great character in Ezio Auditore . I highly recommend it . This , and Uncharted 2 : Among Thieves , are hands down the best games to come out for the PS3 this year .
• 500 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Calling this game the best of 2010 is quite a statement . Although , I do believe this game deserves that title . This game is SO good , that everytime I even think of the music , I want to play again . If it weren't for schooling and whatnot , I'd probably have played this game through ten times . This game is so much more in-depth than the first game . The first was definitely classic-worthy , but this game totally topped it .
• 501 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) Calling this game the best of 2010 is quite a statement . Although , I do believe this game deserves that title . This game is SO good , that everytime I even think of the music , I want to play again . If it weren't for schooling and whatnot , I'd probably have played this game through ten times . This game is so much more in-depth than the first game . The first was definitely classic-worthy , but this game totally topped it .


• You once again control Desmond , a bartender turned captive by Abstergo Corporation who's using him to locate the Pieces of Eden , mythical artifacts tied to mythology and history . When him and technician Lucy Stillman break out , they bring him back into the past via a new Animus into the life of Ezio Auditore da Firenze , an Italian living in 1476 . After his father and brothers are betrayed and executed , Ezio becomes an Assassin and takes to the streets of Florence , Venice and many other places to track down the conspirators behind his family's death and how it ties into Desmond's struggle in the future . One thing I will say about the story is that 2 things : one , they definately changed the structure of the game and it's no longer repetitive and some missions do take a different take and give you a lot more options to proceed . Not to mention the story is a lot more engaging and while I was at times concerning the many , many names that pop up and figuring out who was the last dude I had to kill versus who's actually a friend , it's a more compelling story and when it combines mythology , paintings and historical photographs , it's a really cool storyline they got set up . Graphics : Can't fault Ubisoft in the graphics department and like this , Far Cry 2 or Prince of Persia , they have a really great idea for amazing looking visuals and it goes right down to the architecture and I wouldn't be surprised if they recreated Florence or Venice perfectly . Character detail is good , animations during parkour are fluid and certain graphical details such as the glitches you'll occasionally spot look awesome . As far as actual glitches or bugs , I barely ran into any and if there was , I didn't catch them . My one complaint is that the countryside areas where it's more forest and meadows look a bit too barren and not really full so to speak . Sound / Music : An absolutely stellar soundtrack with some really haunting and peaceful themes playing throughout and the more dramatic or action-y moments are nicely done . Voice acting as well is spot-on with many voice actors actually sounding like they're from the era and place as opposed to Altair's odd American-sounding accent and it's not the fumble that was Far Cry 2 ' s voice acting . As far as sounds are concerned , everything works and the annoying comments when you climb buildings ( what's he doing , he gone mad ? ) have been toned down so that they're no longer heard EVERY time you climb something . Oh and I'd recommend playing with subtitles because characters have this habit of switching between English and Italian very frequently . Gameplay : While the basics are the same , there's been so many improvements it might be hard to replay the previous game since you don't get access to the new parts . For one combat has been improved and counter kills have now given way to disarming opponents and using their own weapon against them , double assassinations , smoke bombs for easy getaways or poisoning them so they go crazy on nearby NPC's . Don't want to fight anyone and slip by unnoticed ? Hire courtesans to distract them , thieves to lure them away or mercs to fight for you . Not to mention there's a lot more added missions with the familiar races but also there's assassination contracts , courier missions , beat-em-up parts where you pummel cheaters and many others . As far as collecting is concerned , there is some of that found in the feathers but there's only 100 as opposed to 100 in each city but then we have glyphs . Uncover a building and find an icon and you'll see somewhere on the building is a glyph , strange markings easily found by using Eagle Vision and scanning them prompts a really intriguing story about Subject 16 where you decode messages , find clues embedded in photographs are doing some riddle solving . While some are really taxing , they're kind of fascinating . Oh and found in Italy are assassin's tombs , basically a mixture of Prince of Persia-esque platforming sections and some combat where you'll uncover treasure ; find all 6 and you'll get a cool gift as opposed to just an achievement / trophy and that's it . Another added element is the idea of money . Remember those please sir I'm poor and sick and hungry , just a few coins ! women from the first game ? Well remember how you never actually had money to give her and you just had to push her away or if you were feeling devilish , stab her ? Well now there is money ( though no beggar women , though there's these lute players that get on my nerves ) and they can be spent on upgrades such as better armor , better weapons , replenish your poison blades , smoke bombs , buy paintings or tint your cape . Buying paintings or upgrading your villa , a sort of central hub of sorts , will give you more money and like most sim games , depending on how awesome your villa is and the more visitors you attract , the more money you make . One element that isn't as successful is the idea of notoreity . Do more killing and bad stuff than the city can tolerate ( which isn't much ) and the guards will be more suspicious of you so while before they're a bit more suspect of you , at full notoreity they'll practically want to kill you on sight . How do you bring it down ? Find posters that no guard would see , kill officials that don't exactly run that fast or bribe heralds and naysayers instead of . . . I don't know , roughing them up mafia-style and threatening to break their knees ? My one complaint about the game and it's a somewhat big one is the controls . I don't know if Ezio is too sensitive or he needs too precise commands but at times you'll find yourself swearing at him for doing something you never intended to do . He'll drop and hang from a ledge when you intend to jump , he'll run up walls when you intended to go into a door should your aim be off and most unfortunate , he can fall and sometimes to his death because he decided to jump off a building instead of up it . It's of course fun to do the parkour elements but to drop completely to the bottom of the streets cause of a missed jump or not judging the distance right can be frustrating . Oh and while it's a welcome change from Altair's snail pace , the parkour elements up a building are a tad unbelievable and athletic ability aside , you'd wonder how the hell Ezio can even climb half of this stuff at the speed he does . Oh but on that note ? Ezio can finally swim and while he can't go underwater and dive like Mario , he can actually go in the water and even use boats as transports though rooftop travelling tends to be faster . For those of you curious , I bought the Master Assassin's Edition so I'll detail what was in it . Found first inside of course is the game but it comes with a bonud DVD where you can listen to tracks from the soundtrack , watch trailers and developer diaries but the soundtrack looks slightly skimpy for a game this size and the Part One with no inclusion of any others bugs me . Oh and the developer diaries were far more numerous online than what we have here . Underneath that is the really cool artbook showcasing weapon detail , character designs and concept art for the cities . Still doesn't beat the Fallout 3 book for me but it's a notable one nonetheless . And of course under that is the Ezio figurine with some cool details and in a pose like seen on the cover . He's not posable but meh , it'll do . Included also in the game is 2 bonus areas : basically at a certain part in the game , an icon will appear on your map marked a templar lair and these are basically obstacle course type levels which'll yield a nice big cash sum at the end . Nothing completely awesome like new weapon or different armor but they're cool nonetheless . Also , in a welcome move on Ubisoft's part , apparently these areas will be made available for download sometime later as opposed to either pre-order it or you'll never get it offers given by other developers . Is it my Game of the Year ? Hard to say given the sheer amount of great games that came out this year but I'll say I definately enjoyed playing the game issues aside and would love to say a part III very soon .
• 005 4  I haven't finished this game yet , but I guess I better make my review before too many 1 star idiots show up and destroy the reputation of a brilliant game . If you enjoyed the first game for the great story line and graphics , but found the game play to be a little repetitive and glitchy , you should definitely like this game . Ubisoft really managed to keep everything that was brilliant from the first game while fixing most of the issues and annoyances . The scenery is still brilliant and the characters in the cut scenes look so realistic that sometimes it felt like I was watching a movie . The voice acting is also brilliantly done ; both of these aspects really help suck you into the excellent story that this game gives . The combat system is much improved from the first game ; as soon as you get DaVinci to repair your wrist blade contraption , you can start stabing unsuspecting guards in the neck . . . . even more fun than it sounds . The game starts out a little slow ; you'll be beating people up a lot , but you don't get any weapons for a little while . This is all part of building a great story though , so don't give up on it too early ( the blood will come ) . If you didn't play the first game , you might want to rent it or at least read an story overview online . The game presents a few back story cutscenes , but if you didn't play AC1 , you might feel that the story is lacking a little . It is after all a continuation from the first game . Game ratings : Graphics : 10 / 10 Audio : 10 / 10 voice acting : 10 / 10 Combat System : 10 / 10 Controls : 9 / 10 ( Sometimes I jump up on something when it's not what I intended ; however , this is what allows you to scale building and run around so fast and easily , so it's an acceptable consequence . Once you get a good handle on the controls , this shouldn't be a big issue ) All in all , I think that this was the sequel I was hoping for and I'm eager to finish it and see where the story goes . Don't usually review games this early in play , but I hate seeing 1 star reviews already bashing it and bringing down the rating . It's a shame to see such a great game with an overall 3.5 star rating . 14Dec2009 Update : I've since finished playing this game and I have to say , Wow ! It was just great all the way through , and kept me wanting more . My only gripe would be a little bit of a rehash for the repetitive game play people loathed in the first game . If you don't collect all of those codec's , it will make you before you can finish the game . Don't worry though ; they'll give you a map that tells you where they are at least . I'm still a little disappointed that I have to collect them at all though ; it's all too familiar with what I hated about the first game . Despite the few repetitive monotonous game play tasks that surface , the game is most excellent . The story gets pretty crazy , but in a good way . Some things are explained , but many mysteries surface . Overall though , much better ending that the first game that didn't leave me feeling as confused and empty . It definitely should leave you wanting more ; too bad I have to wait two years to finish the story . . . at least Mass Effect 2 will be coming out , and of course there's still COD . One question though : In this game it's explained that you'll learn to become an assassin in real life from the simulation you go through . How is it that you didn't learn squat the in the first game ? Apart from eagle vision that is . I thought it was a cool aspect to incorperate into the game , but it's never really explained how you didn't learn to fight from playing as Altier . Just wondering .
• 009 4  Even with all the high profile games that came out this year and especially this fall , one that I seemed to want the most was Assassin's Creed II despite my hate / love with the original . Like many , I thought the original had a great concept , looked stunning and seemed to at least break the mold of action games only it got bogged down by repetition and an open world that wasn't quite as open as one would like and let's not forget those * * * * ing flags . Taking the complaints and suggestions from fans and critics into account , Ubisoft seemed to go all out in presenting a game that felt more bigger and better than the first game but then the crux of the matter is did Ubisoft just deliver what the first one should've been or actually went beyond ? Well this game shows that there is legs in this series and whereas the sequel to the first one was inevitable just in terms of sales , this looks like it has the makings to be an actually worthwhile franchise as a whole and it starts here . . . with nitpicks I hope they fix . Story : You once again control Desmond , a bartender turned captive by Abstergo Corporation who's using him to locate the Pieces of Eden , mythical artifacts tied to mythology and history . When him and technician Lucy Stillman break out , they bring him back into the past via a new Animus into the life of Ezio Auditore da Firenze , an Italian living in 1476 . After his father and brothers are betrayed and executed , Ezio becomes an Assassin and takes to the streets of Florence , Venice and many other places to track down the conspirators behind his family's death and how it ties into Desmond's struggle in the future . One thing I will say about the story is that 2 things : one , they definately changed the structure of the game and it's no longer repetitive and some missions do take a different take and give you a lot more options to proceed . Not to mention the story is a lot more engaging and while I was at times concerning the many , many names that pop up and figuring out who was the last dude I had to kill versus who's actually a friend , it's a more compelling story and when it combines mythology , paintings and historical photographs , it's a really cool storyline they got set up . Graphics : Can't fault Ubisoft in the graphics department and like this , Far Cry 2 or Prince of Persia , they have a really great idea for amazing looking visuals and it goes right down to the architecture and I wouldn't be surprised if they recreated Florence or Venice perfectly . Character detail is good , animations during parkour are fluid and certain graphical details such as the glitches you'll occasionally spot look awesome . As far as actual glitches or bugs , I barely ran into any and if there was , I didn't catch them . My one complaint is that the countryside areas where it's more forest and meadows look a bit too barren and not really full so to speak . Sound / Music : An absolutely stellar soundtrack with some really haunting and peaceful themes playing throughout and the more dramatic or action-y moments are nicely done . Voice acting as well is spot-on with many voice actors actually sounding like they're from the era and place as opposed to Altair's odd American-sounding accent and it's not the fumble that was Far Cry 2 ' s voice acting . As far as sounds are concerned , everything works and the annoying comments when you climb buildings ( what's he doing , he gone mad ? ) have been toned down so that they're no longer heard EVERY time you climb something . Oh and I'd recommend playing with subtitles because characters have this habit of switching between English and Italian very frequently . Gameplay : While the basics are the same , there's been so many improvements it might be hard to replay the previous game since you don't get access to the new parts . For one combat has been improved and counter kills have now given way to disarming opponents and using their own weapon against them , double assassinations , smoke bombs for easy getaways or poisoning them so they go crazy on nearby NPC's . Don't want to fight anyone and slip by unnoticed ? Hire courtesans to distract them , thieves to lure them away or mercs to fight for you . Not to mention there's a lot more added missions with the familiar races but also there's assassination contracts , courier missions , beat-em-up parts where you pummel cheaters and many others . As far as collecting is concerned , there is some of that found in the feathers but there's only 100 as opposed to 100 in each city but then we have glyphs . Uncover a building and find an icon and you'll see somewhere on the building is a glyph , strange markings easily found by using Eagle Vision and scanning them prompts a really intriguing story about Subject 16 where you decode messages , find clues embedded in photographs are doing some riddle solving . While some are really taxing , they're kind of fascinating . Oh and found in Italy are assassin's tombs , basically a mixture of Prince of Persia-esque platforming sections and some combat where you'll uncover treasure ; find all 6 and you'll get a cool gift as opposed to just an achievement / trophy and that's it . Another added element is the idea of money . Remember those please sir I'm poor and sick and hungry , just a few coins ! women from the first game ? Well remember how you never actually had money to give her and you just had to push her away or if you were feeling devilish , stab her ? Well now there is money ( though no beggar women , though there's these lute players that get on my nerves ) and they can be spent on upgrades such as better armor , better weapons , replenish your poison blades , smoke bombs , buy paintings or tint your cape . Buying paintings or upgrading your villa , a sort of central hub of sorts , will give you more money and like most sim games , depending on how awesome your villa is and the more visitors you attract , the more money you make . One element that isn't as successful is the idea of notoreity . Do more killing and bad stuff than the city can tolerate ( which isn't much ) and the guards will be more suspicious of you so while before they're a bit more suspect of you , at full notoreity they'll practically want to kill you on sight . How do you bring it down ? Find posters that no guard would see , kill officials that don't exactly run that fast or bribe heralds and naysayers instead of . . . I don't know , roughing them up mafia-style and threatening to break their knees ? My one complaint about the game and it's a somewhat big one is the controls . I don't know if Ezio is too sensitive or he needs too precise commands but at times you'll find yourself swearing at him for doing something you never intended to do . He'll drop and hang from a ledge when you intend to jump , he'll run up walls when you intended to go into a door should your aim be off and most unfortunate , he can fall and sometimes to his death because he decided to jump off a building instead of up it . It's of course fun to do the parkour elements but to drop completely to the bottom of the streets cause of a missed jump or not judging the distance right can be frustrating . Oh and while it's a welcome change from Altair's snail pace , the parkour elements up a building are a tad unbelievable and athletic ability aside , you'd wonder how the hell Ezio can even climb half of this stuff at the speed he does . Oh but on that note ? Ezio can finally swim and while he can't go underwater and dive like Mario , he can actually go in the water and even use boats as transports though rooftop travelling tends to be faster . For those of you curious , I bought the Master Assassin's Edition so I'll detail what was in it . Found first inside of course is the game but it comes with a bonud DVD where you can listen to tracks from the soundtrack , watch trailers and developer diaries but the soundtrack looks slightly skimpy for a game this size and the Part One with no inclusion of any others bugs me . Oh and the developer diaries were far more numerous online than what we have here . Underneath that is the really cool artbook showcasing weapon detail , character designs and concept art for the cities . Still doesn't beat the Fallout 3 book for me but it's a notable one nonetheless . And of course under that is the Ezio figurine with some cool details and in a pose like seen on the cover . He's not posable but meh , it'll do . Included also in the game is 2 bonus areas : basically at a certain part in the game , an icon will appear on your map marked a templar lair and these are basically obstacle course type levels which'll yield a nice big cash sum at the end . Nothing completely awesome like new weapon or different armor but they're cool nonetheless . Also , in a welcome move on Ubisoft's part , apparently these areas will be made available for download sometime later as opposed to either pre-order it or you'll never get it offers given by other developers . Is it my Game of the Year ? Hard to say given the sheer amount of great games that came out this year but I'll say I definately enjoyed playing the game issues aside and would love to say a part III very soon .
• 016 4  I'll be the first to admit that the first Assassin's Creed had it's faults . However , I did enjoy it quite a bit . Although I was pretty sure I would enjoy Assassin's Creed II , I had no idea exactly how much I would love it . Read on for the full review , or skip to the BOTTOM LINE for the short and to the point recommendation . GAMEPLAY Admittedly , I haven't finished the game yet . However , I can tell you that the structure is greatly improved from the first one . Gone are the rigidly structured assassinations where you must complete a certain amount of the same sidequests . Now , you can see the sidequests on your map ( including race , beat-up random guy , etc . ) but they are completely optional . Another part of the first Assassin's Creed that I didn't like was the insane amount of collectibles placed in the various cities in the form of flags . These are gone as well . There are still things to collect ( statues in the home city and codex pages ) , but they are a lot more fun to find and , in the case of the codex pages , are marked on your map . In addition , there are secret glyph puzzles and crypts to find and explore , but these are revealed to be near when you get close to the buildings that house them . The combat system has remained largely the same , but you get many of your abilities much faster . You can also customize Ezio with various types or armor and weapons . But by far the most fun is the hidden blade , which has been improved for the sequel . How , you ask ? Well they just gave us another one to play with . This leads to some truly spectacular assassinations , as Ezio leaps from a roof to take down two guards at once . If you invest the time and effort to remain undetected , you feel truly powerful as you pick off guard after guard , then leap from the shadows to quickly eliminate your target . You truly feel like an assassin . And further into the game , I am told that you can acquire even more toys to kill your foes in even more inventive and , most importantly , fun ways . STORY This is another area that the first game fell short , in my opinion . Half way through I just got bored and had to take a few weeks off to play other things . This game has succeeded in completely drawing me in . You truly care about Ezio , and , without revealing any major events , his motivations make him a very realistic character . As he is ripped from his youthful shenanigans into a plot bigger than himself , he grows into that assassin's cloak in ways that Altair never did . Simple gestures like sometimes removing his hood when talking to friends and allies make him seem more real , like there's a real person under that getup that I'm actually interested in seeing through to the story's end . As I mentioned before , I haven't completed the game , but it looks as though Ubisoft has succeeded in making me feel emotionally invested in the story and the characters in a way that the first Assassin's Creed never came close to . GRAPHICS Some people have said that the game's graphic engine is beginning to show it's age . Maybe in some ways that's true , but in others ways this game is truly beautiful . The cities have a busy feel to them , much like the first game , and when perched high above the ground in one of the many viewpoints , the scenery can truly take your breath away . To be fair , there are some clipping issues with Ezio's clothes and weapons , but that's true of most any game . And the characters themselves could look a little better , but that would be nitpicking . Overall , this game has a beautiful environment that represents classic Italian cities very well . SOUND Sound is usually one element of games that I don't notice as much . But I found myself noticing subtle touches added in to enhance the experience that really work well . Like the best game music , it's unintrusive , but enhances what you're seeing if you pay attention to it . No complaints here . BOTTOM LINE This game is excellent . It takes elements of sandbox games , stealth games , action games , and even a few quicktime events ( but undressing your lover is an acceptable use of this often overused mechanic ) and turns them into a game that exceeded my admittedly high expectations . It's attention to detail is impressive , and it strives to be historically accurate where it can be . The voicework is good , and I like that they included some Italian to be true to their setting . The story is good , and does its job in making the characters interesting and three-dimensional . It's even quite funny at times . And if you're interested , there are a lot of very interesting lore-type bits of items to find and obsess over that really develop the already interesting Assassin's Creed world . So , if you liked the first game you should get this . If you found the first game too boring , you should get this . If you like Italy , you should get this . If you are even remotely interested in the premise , you should get this . In short , this game is excellent and should be on your list of must-haves for either console . A note on the rating : This game is rated M for a reason . While the aforementioned undressing your lover scene is quite tame compared to other love scenes in video games ( or virtually every prime-time tv show ) it could be a little much for the munchkins . Also , there is a lot of blood . You are an assassin , after all . Particularly brutal murders are shown , like stabbing people through the face . This is not overdone , and all you see is blood spray , but this is not a game for the kiddies . In addition , there are several cases of harsh language , including some uses of the f-word . You have been warned . A note on religion : The game opens with a screen explaining that it was developed by a multicultural team of various faiths . This is because , to put it simply , the story of this game may be offensive to those of religious faith . It is not truly hostile toward religion , and I would compare it to Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code in terms of offensiveness . I viewed it as entertainment , as a fictitious story , and I took no offense at the story . But once again , this game and its story are for intended for those who can appreciate it for what it is : a somewhat violent and ( relatively ) realistic take on Renaissance Italy society with mature sci-fi themes thrown in . Adjust your buying decisions accordingly . Edit ( 11 - 22 - 09 ) : Finished the game . Wow . If , like me , you liked the sci-fi style near-future storyline of Desmond , then you'll love the ending . It literally blew my mind . The story is immensely satisfying and comes to a completely awesome conclusion that sets up for the next game . If you despise the collection elements of the game , you might be disappointed by some mandatory collection at the end . I was lucky enough to have collected 29 of 30 codex pieces and so only had to find one more , but it is kinda jarring to be made to stop right at the climax of the story to find a few things you may have forgotten . Thankfully , they mark every missing piece on your map , but it still breaks the flow of the game . While this was a little irritating , the next hour of gameplay more then made up for it . The much-hyped flying machine sequence was ( thankfully ) a short one time thing that , honestly , seems like it was included only for the awesomeness factor and didn't , in my opinion , really seem to fit in with the rest of the game . Ezio's character really develops into a mature and intelligent protagonist , even going so far as to lament about the seemingly endless killing that doesn't bring him any closer to realizing his goals , exactly at the point when I was thinking the same thing . He is incredibly well written , and this makes him one of the more believable characters I've seen in a video game . Since finishing the game , I can honestly say with certainty that this game is everything the original should have been . The story , while starting off slow , kept my attention the entire time , so much so that I finished the game in roughly four days . The length seems about right , and I finished in about 23 hours . If I go back and find all the collectable feathers I could probably get an additional five or so hours of playtime . The replay value isn't very high , as there is no other difficulty level or any other reason to play again , besides a desire to see the admittedly good story again . And I'll say it again : the story is very , very good . The difficulty is on the low side , and I don't think I ever died , other than from long falls resulting from bad jumps and trying to get the Flyswatter achievement during the flying segment ( the only missable achievement , fellow achievement hunters ) . The graphics and sound grew on me even more as I played through the rest of the game and experienced the other cities and locales . The many weapons and skills made for even more fun and amusing ways to kill my targets . The story missions stayed varied and fun , and I never got bored with them . I tried out every type of optional side mission and while they were amusing once , I didn't feel the need to do any more of them , with the possible exception of the assassination missions . In short , after finishing the game , my initial impressions remain accurate . This game is very good , and is well worth adding to your collection .
• 022 4  Where do I begin ? I'll spare everyone the storyline and who the main character is , assuming that you all already know . There is also a nice summary on the page . Let's get down to the basics of my review . Assassin's Creed II blew me away with its stunning graphics , talented voice acting , and awesome storyline . Ubisoft succeeded in making this game packed with extras and enhancing fighting techniques . When I saw Ezio use two blades on two guards for the first time my jaw dropped . When it comes to fighting , the techniques are awesome , as they were in the first game . I do want to say that I really loved the first AC game . I have nothing bad to say about it except for the viewpoints . Needless to say I like the repetitive missions in the first game . But the missions in the second game were a bit more enjoyable . And , again , my only problem in the second game was the view points . It got so annoying to me that I eventually stopped finding them . It's time consuming every time you want to play the game again . So , with that said , I guess AC2 is an improvement but I don't really think there was anything to improve from the first game . In game trilogies , the game evolves with the series . So the developers are constantly thinking of new things and keep in mind that with the coming of time there are new techniques and environments to consider . What I really loved was that Ubisoft didn't take too much away from the first game . They kept it on a realistic scale and there was a lot of symbolism that reverted back to AC1 . I just know that sometimes a game series can get worse because they change things too much . Not in AC2 . The series just got way better and I am already eager for the final installment . AC2 will HOOK you in . You don't want to stop playing it . I beat it in about 16 hours , over the course of two days . I wish I could have dragged it out a bit but I was so eager to see how it ended . And let me tell you , the ending is not what I expected , but it was good . As for the games flaws , there weren't many . Sometimes when I would start a mission the marker wouldn't appear , and at the end of the game two of the markers didn't appear so I got confused and ended up leaving the area and then dying . When it took me back to the area the two markers had appeared that time . So yeah , some glitches when it comes to markers on missions sometimes but other than that it's flawless . A lot of people complain about trying to jump to one place but landing somewhere else . I have also experienced this , but I also experienced it in AC1 and the Prince of Persia games . The thing is , there are so many places you can jump or climb to that it's probably hard for the game to figure which one you're really directed at . I find that when I'm climbing or jumping to fast ( such as in the assassin's tombs ) I tend to fall . But when I take it slow and time my jumps I succeed . Awesome game , great storyline , and now my new favorite game trilogy ! ! Thank-you Ubisoft for making such an awesome game ! It was worth the $60 .
• 024 4  The first assassins creed game was fun but had some things to work out . Like falling in the water and the camera angels . Assassins creed 2 has worked out most of the problems ( still has a problem with the camera ) and added some new things that the main character can do . Like he can now swim and take weapons from the guards . you can also earn money and build your own village . There is also many side missions in this game that you can do . My favorite is The Truth . It makes you solve puzzles to figure out the truth of the assassins . To figure out the puzzles you have to use your brain . Meaning you have to think . After solving the puzzles it unlocks a series of videos . There are also hidden easter eggs in the game . If you liked the first game I believe you will love this game .
• 026 4  I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Assassin's Creed 2 . If Amazon allowed half-star ratings , It would be a 4.5 out of 5 . But I can't quite bring myself for giving it a 5 for a handful of reasons : First of all , the free-running , while lots of fun , needs just a tiny bit of work . There were more times than I could count where I was intending to leap to some pole or post or wire or other relatively small object and instead went plummeting to the ground because my aim was off by just a degree or two , often because the camera had pulled in too close and / or I was trying to get it under control . Over time , I learned how to deal with this , but having to consciously worry not about my path , but about how I would manipulate the camera to make sure I could follow that path , pulled me out of the game during what started as the most enjoyable , engrossing part of it . Second , and more notable to me , is the direction the plot took in the last half hour or so . The backstory to this game , with The Ones Who Came Before is absolutely ridiculous . It's the sort of thing that a young nerd writes before he or she has written enough to understand that more is not always better . It's basically the stuff Scientology is made of . As I uncovered some of it through certain optional quests , I was content to deal with it as long as it remained in the background . It didn't . At the very end , they try to force it into the open in some sort of huge twist that absolutely falls on its face . Miles ' reaction of what the * * * * ? was mine , too ; and not in a good way . Similarly , while the historical context of the game is fun most of the time , the creators tried to take it a bit too far , assigning roles in the conflict to random historical figures who had no bearing on the plot as either Assassins or Templars . Most of these made absolutely no sense , especially on the Assassin side . My favorite ( in terms of absolute uselessness ) occurs in the last half hour or so that I mentioned before . Very mild spoiler ahead : You meet up with a bunch of characters you've met before who turn out to be part of the Assassin order . No real surprise for any of them . Among them is a guy you've never seen before , who proclaims himself to be Machiavelli . Why ? What does having a guy show up at the very end of the game and say , Oh , hi , I'm Machiavelli , and I'm an Assassin add ? Absolutely nothing . It sounds like he shows up in one of the DLC sequences , but you know what , Ubisoft ? If his only important role comes in the DLC , leave him in the DLC . When the game does things like this , it's distracting and annoying . It's poor writing , looking to grab your attention , even at the cost of your interest , and it really hurt the game for me . Like I said , though , most of it is relegated to the background , and it's only really forced on you in the last leg of the adventure , leaving the vast bulk of the game untarnished . If you're willing to just plug your ears in the last act and focus on the tasks at hand , it probably won't bug you too much , but it certainly bugged me . All that said , I definitely recommend this game . The game world is beautiful and fun to explore . The tools you are provided give you plenty of ways to accomplish most of the tasks assigned to you , creating a very customizable experience . The beginnings of the story , particularly until you finish your work in Tuscany , are fairly engaging . And running around the cityscapes never really gets old , especially with the occasional break to brutalize some guards . But , if I were to ever play it again , I think I'd just quit after memory sequence 9 or 10 .
• 029 4  When the first AC came out , I was hooked . I really liked the game a lot . I liked the mechanics , the fighting , the horseback riding - the whole nine yards . I did not like the repetitive missions and the all-too-frequent breaks back to the present-time . This game has fixed that . The main character , Ezio , is more personable - he's certainly more likable and less of a robot than Altair was . The fighting is similar , with some new things mixed in . I haven't finished the game yet , but I have several hours of gameplay in and have yet to be dragged back to the present-day . The missions are more fun , and they vary from mission to mission . I like the world this has created - the replication of Renaissance-era Italy is stunning and gorgeous . All in all , I'm thrilled with this game . It's holding my attention thoroughly and I can easily see myself replaying it .
• 033 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I enjoy AC and AC2 overall . It improved many of the bad parts of AC1 particularly the endless repetition . However it created a few of it's own issues . I felt I had to return to AC to get the controls back as there were hardly any tutorials on controls , which made the game frustrating at the beginning . The side quests are now nearly irrelevant . You can't replay any of the memories . I did enjoy all of the upgrades and the galleries for displaying purchases . You can get all 50 achievements on first play through .
• 034 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) I enjoy AC and AC2 overall . It improved many of the bad parts of AC1 particularly the endless repetition . However it created a few of it's own issues . I felt I had to return to AC to get the controls back as there were hardly any tutorials on controls , which made the game frustrating at the beginning . The side quests are now nearly irrelevant . You can't replay any of the memories . I did enjoy all of the upgrades and the galleries for displaying purchases . You can get all 50 achievements on first play through .
• 037 4  The simple analysis of this game is as follows : Ubisoft fixed Assassin's Creed . Like Gears of War 2 and Fable 2 , if the original was made this way , it would've made the eventual sequel several times better yet . Is it perfect ? Of course not ; there's no such thing as a perfect game . But it's really good . Does it fix everything the original game had wrong ? Unfortunately no . But did it fix a whole lot of that ? Absolutely . One of the biggest problems of the original game was the sheer repetitiveness of its missions , and you can read any number of reviews on this or the original to get all of the details you'll ever need on that . Another one of the biggest problems of the first game was that the collectibles , flags , had no purpose . I am ashamed to admit that I was duped into taking the time and effort to find all of them , only to discover that I opened up some achievements and had a marker in the game that said All ( territory ) flags collected . That's it . No bonuses , no new weapons , no new areas to uncover . This game has multiple types of collectibles and tangible , actual rewards for going for them . Its two biggest problems are that 1 ) Ezio still has the problem Altair had of running up a wall that leads to nowhere instead of through the open doorway , or jumping towards yet utterly missing ( or just away from ) what anyone can clearly see is what you're obviously trying to get to , and 2 ) unlike the first game , the primary story cannot be replayed unless you start a brand new game , even though events in the game allow you to go back into the Animus after the story is over . Given Ubisoft's track record with such things , I for one do not expect them to make any effort in correcting either of these problems and I pity any who do . A third , minor problem is that the poison blade is worthless . It's just faster , easier and safer ( for you as well as nearby civilians ) to kill with the ordinary blade than poison . But the story , the setting , the characters ( especially Ezio ) the new weapons , the missions , the enemies , the crowds , the evolving villa , everything I just mentioned is a huge step up . I guarantee no one will be able to see the iconic video game character Mario the same way after going to the villa for the first time . Leonardo de Vinci is hilarious . And meeting Bianca is also one of the most hilarious moments in the game . Which brings up another point ; the first game was very serious ; too serious . This game is still serious , but it sprinkles in a little humor to break up the tension every so often . And watching a group of guards drool and act like idiots for a group of courtesans never gets old . Never . You also get to learn about Ezio , who he is before the story truly begins , the love he holds for his family and thus how tragic his loss is , how he evolves as the story unfolds and why he becomes what he does become . And Desmond is a * tad * bit more dynamic himself . His actions in the game are a little more powerful than just stealing a security pen from the villain and reading e-mails . The missions are much more varied ; there's even a coach chase and a mission with Leonardo's flying machine to boot . The graphics are great . You feel like you're in Renaissance Italy , with all of the sights and sounds you'd expect . The music isn't the best soundtrack you'll ever hear , but it's still good . The voice acting is up to par as well . The controls can be a little aggravating sometimes but nothing that will make you throw the controller across the room in frustration . Simply put , this game is amazing , and whether you liked or disliked the first , the second game is great . And if you never played the second , no problem ; the intro gets you up to speed . Definitely two thumbs way up .
• 039 4  The second entry in what appears will be an epic video game series , Assassin's Creed II is set mostly during the Renaissance period in Italy . This game is what video game sequel should be : faster , smarter , stronger , and better while still sticking to the basic principles laid down in the first game . Ezio Auditore's story is one of betrayal , vengeance , peace , and the truth and will keep you riveted while it lasts . For those that owned the original Assassin's Creed , the controls will feel mostly similar but the gameplay elements are mostly revamped , new , or reworked so that they seem new . Most exciting is the addition of an economy and with it a greater sense of realism than the previous game . The graphics are basically the same as the graphics in Assassin's Creed , but the environment is much different - - in a good way . Don't be fooled however , Assassin's Creed II is not perfect but it's pretty darn close in my opinion . This game suffers from the same problem as most platformers and the previous installment in that Ezio can occasionally difficult to control . There are times when this can be overwhelmingly frustrating such as when you're exploring Assassin's tombs or trying to infiltrate a building without being detected . Overall , Assassin's Creed II's positives far outweigh it's minor problems and make it one of the few games that I had difficulty putting down .
• 041 4  I played the first one , and had some of the same complaints : repetitive missions , terrible ending . . . but the environment and theme was great . The sequel improves on the repetitive problems , expands on the incredible imagery . . . but it certainly still is easy to get out of a fight you're losing by running away and using your rooftop skills versus trying to win a 10v1 fight with an annoying changing camera angle every time a new enemy steps up to swing at you . I lived in Italy for six years , so the locations in the game were a big draw for me , and the game didn't fail on the beauty of Italian architecture or art . Some of the new features in the game added a nice layer of interest , such as buying the art for your gallery , then going upstairs to view the paintings . Being able to pay for armor and weapon upgrades was a nice touch . The money was / is too easy to acquire , as I'm sitting at over 300,000 ducats , with a villa that generates 50,000 + after an hour of gameplay ( after buying all the upgrades , buying all the art , buying all the armor and most of the weapons ) . Throw on the treasure maps and random thieves that you can beat up for their stolen funds , and it's pretty easy to be always fully upgraded at the start of each city . There are some decent side quests , with the assassination contracts providing the most fun and challenge . Fighting is a little repetitive , but you have enough weapons to change it up some . Such as : It's kind of fun to randomly stab the big enemies with the axes with the poison , then stand back and watch them freak out , swing their axe and hit innocent people and their fellow soldiers before falling to the ground and dying . It's also fun to walk up to a group of four soldiers guarding a door you want to enter to grab a missing codec page , and quickly stabbing two at a time with the dual hidden blades . The mystery / truth portion is a nice touch . . . challenging puzzles , interesting alternative history ( loved the Edison / Ford conspiracy against Tesla portion ) . The locations menu with the IPOD-like spinning wheel is cool to read up on the real locations . I just wish you could click map it when you can't remember where a certain church was in Venice , and you forgot to find the glyph . I'm still in the Venice portion , so hopefully the ending doesn't suck like the first one .
• 043 4  For the first few hours of Assassin's Creed II , Ezio Auditore da Firenze shares much in common with his fearless ancestor from the first game , Altaïr . Both hide retractable blades under their sleeves and scale incredibly steep architecture in order to track down their targets . Like Altaïr , Ezio becomes hellbent on revenge , taking down an ever-growing conspiracy in order to avenge his family and restore order to the world . But while the shrouded assassin from the Holy Land was a bit of a loner , his Italian cousin has charisma and wit to spare . And like Ezio , the second installment of Assassin's Creed is more dynamic and exciting than the first . Even within the first few missions of ACII , we get to really know Ezio - not the cunning swordsman or the stealthy assassin , but the loyal son and the carefree playboy . In other words , we're introduced to the man under the hood long before he begins to wield his sword . Though much of the protagonist's motivation is well-trodden territory , spending time with Ezio is much more enjoyable . He's a swashbuckler that feels much more in line with the Sands of Time Prince of Persia . But unlike the prince , our hero boundaries are virtually non-existent . With a little patience , any tower can be climbed , and virtual parkour enthusiasts are rewarded with breathtaking views of the Italian cityscapes . This was the greatest thrill in the first game too . But the problem there was that after you eagle-dived into a bale of hay or two , there weren't many hooks to keep you playing . It's a common complaint , and I won't harp on it . But ACII's missions are so much more varied . No longer do you have to skulk about in the shadows , gathering intel before another formulaic assassination . Instead , NPCs dish out everything you need to know before charging into battle . You'll get to command your own mini-armies , steer gondolas , protect a carriage under siege and try out some of your best bud Leonardo da Vinci's experimental inventions . Missions will often have you doing these tasks in sequence . You can tail a courier through and above the Venetian canals , only to engage in sword-fight minutes later . Though these missions push the story forward , I had even more fun with all of the new extracurricular activities . Like a 16th century Crackdown , ACII is littered with feathers , treasures and perches to track down ( though all of them can be found on maps , so none are as maddening as the agility orbs ) . Additionally , there are optional footraces , assassinations , fisticuffs with unfaithful husbands and courier jobs . However , the two obvious highlights are the Assassin's Tombs and the city restoration . The tombs are great simply because they dispose of all the silly fighting and just let you climb all over everything . It's a throwback to the PoP series ' best moments , with some light puzzles and convoluted obstacle courses . Once you've completed the tombs , you can bring back your haul to Uncle It's-a-Me Mario's manor to help restore the surrounding village , Monteriggioni . Buildings and storefronts can be renovated , and with nearly every item you buy , a percentage of the money is invested in the town as well . Like Grand Theft Auto : Vice City , your empire accrues a sizable amount of money , which can in turn be used to buy better weapons and armor . Because the rewards are tangible this time around , you'll feel compelled to explore every last nook and cranny of each city . While it was fun to move around in the first game , it's more fun to explore in ACII . I wish the same could be said about combat , which does open up later on but still feels like a distraction from everything else . Late in the game , enemies will block every single sword strike , and your only effective options are parrying or disarming them . Fights often become dances in which you circle your Templar partners , teasing them to lunge so that you can fool them every time . Though you have ranged weapons , they're usually rendered useless whenever a guard alerts his comrades . If you're familiar with the AC mythology , you may be wondering why I haven't mentioned the Animus and the 2012 conspiracy that connects all of these historical threads . Quite frankly , I guess I've stopped caring by this point . These future moments feature the same wonderful voice acting and some intriguing plot twists , but in the end , they end up hurting the pacing of Ezio's quest . Long stretches will pass between the Desmond chapters , and it's hard to remain invested when you never see outside of the tiny lab . It's clear that Ubisoft Montreal is building up Desmond as a viable savior , and I would guess that a later installment will actually let him loose in his own time . But the Templar conspiracy at the heart of the story doesn't feel as deeply rooted as it should . The rebel characters reveal quite a bit , but Ubisoft still needs to build that world in the same way as they did with Italy . Right now , I'm frustrated because Desmond's less developed plot seems to take precedence over Ezio's , which leads to an unfortunately abrupt conclusion for both . But after the credits roll and the gang concludes that there's much work to be done , Ezio is brought back to Monteriggioni for more treasure hunting and acrobatics . Lucikly , the always-thrilling leaps of faith will stay with you much longer than the unsatisfying cliffhanger . - - Reviewed by Justin Hemenway
• 053 4  I was maybe one of the few who loved AC1 regardless of the repetitive nature of the game . I could spend hours just exploring the cities , admiring the architecture and pointlessly romping around . So I was concerned at the trailers for AC2 - it looked like it might be a more regimented storyline . Would AC2 limit your ability to just goof when ever you wanted off for the benefit of a plot ? Would the missions be too long and be too convoluted ? Would it lose the soul of the first which was exploration first , storyline second ? Thankfully all of my fears were unfounded . AC2 is quite possibly the best sequel in any art media . They've taken the budding roots of AC1 and built a tree - not just any tree but a huge redwood full of branches and interesting knots , twists and turns . And you can explore it however and whenever you want . Missions are short and sweet and reward your character with just enough growth to make continuing with the story preferable , despite the OCD collector in me desperately trying to get out . There's simply so much to do and see and learn about , and such a varied way to do it all . From attacking to defending , stealth-play to exploring , everything is bigger and better . Even load times are faster despite the much more massive cities on offer , and there's no more forced listening to a god-awful cutscene before you can jump-in . Plus avid in-game item collectors such as myself are in heaven - I'd say I haven't seen this much to find in a game since Donkey Kong 64 . Thankfully for the most part it's not just a case of randomly stumbling on flags either ; now you can buy treasure chest maps for every part of the cities which pinpoint an item's location . . . and yet still finding some of the chests is still a challenge . Ubisoft have made such a vast game that there's little point in highlighting the features and fun stuff , I'm bound to leave something out . We're talking a 30 + hour single player game here folks . I applaud that duration heartily especially after washing the bitter taste of COD4 : MW2 ' s 5 hour SP campaign . So it's clearly it's hard to fault AC2 but it's not impossible . . . the opening sequence and build up to going back in the Animus is far , far too long and tedious and the mandatory timed missions are the bane of the game ( ugh ) , but that doesn't mean that AC2 is not absolutely THE game of the year and the sequel of the decade . If you were put off by the first not quite working for you then don't hesitate to get this - it completely fulfills the promises of the first game and manages surpasses them beautifully .
• 059 4  This review is from : Assassin's Creed II ( Video Game ) The following is my review of the game after my first 3 hours of gameplay ( noting that with my play style , those three hours barely took me to a point where I had a weapon . . . which is promising in terms of game duration / depth ) . While I try to keep them to a minimum , this review will also contain a few small spoilers ( most of which you'll already be aware of if you've followed reviews / previews to this point ) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * OK . . . so I picked the game up on my way home from work last night . I still had responsibilities that kept me from playing until about 8 : 30 . Before digging into gameplay I ran the bonus level codes to make sure they were unlocked from the onset ( since it sounds like you can encounter them in standard gameplay through the story ) . Then it was time to begin . I'd read the various preview articles about the opening sequences , so there was no big shock / story value there for me . I liked controlling Desmond and being able to run , jump and punch with him . I was sad to see that those controls disappeared once he got into ' animus proximity ' again ( I really would prefer to run or at least jog around the animus room rather than having to casually stroll ) . Still , it was nice . I like the character animations and details with the exception of Lucy's mouth which really bugs me for some reason . Even though I'd read the previews , it was a little strange to literally play as baby Ezio . It definitely wasn't what I expected . When the previews said you start as a baby and worked through his youth , I figured the baby would be a cut scene and then I'd wander around as a 5 - 6 year old throwing rocks or chasing cats or something . The way it played it was strange . Not bad , just different . It took me a minute to get back into the combat system but it quickly felt natural again . I enjoyed the story presentation of the street brawl followed by banter with his brother . The romantic mini-game with Christina was a little out there but it helped characterize Ezio and give a feel for his attitude and mannerisms , so I'll go with it . It made him feel more human . . . and it wasn't presented in a vulgar or over-the-top way . My standard method of play is rather completionist so even though I played for ~ 3 hours , I didn't progress much through the story . Instead , I got a good feel for the controls and the current limitations ( starting with no weapons / gear , etc ) as well as the general layout of the city and what to look for . I like the ability to pickpocket most NPCs for money as well as to loot various chests around the city . So far I've progressed far enough to purchase a pair of leather bracers so I'm not sure of the extent of the economic system , but I look forward to using it . There are also doctors around town that can heal you up as well as sell you medicine packs you can use for a quick heal on the road . This is a nice new feature that saves you from those annoying resynchronization periods where you're forced to reload and replay an entire scene that you were just about to beat . The initial missions are presented in a straightforward manner but each unlocks a new type of side-mission . I'm sure I'll miss some of them , but so far I've unlocked courier missions , race missions and fight missions . They're fairly similar in style to the missions from AC1 but the presentation value is greatly enhanced and feels much more immersive . I did jump into the water once and it felt good not to immediately drown . Swimming was a bit odd , especially since I didn't have anywhere to go , but I look forward to feeling out this new feature . When Ezio's family is arrested , I did miss a mini-game button press when walking in the door ( I suspect if I'd pressed the button , I would have dodged the ' attack ' ) . I had thought I was going into a cut scene and so had set the controller down to grab a drink . I guess I'll have to make sure to pay attention all the time since they're likely going to try and keep the story as interactive as possible . Upon retrieving Giovanni's gear , I was fairly certain where the story arc was headed , so the traitor wasn't a big surprise . Although I'm not sure why Ezio wasn't hunted down during the night or prior to the execution . . . it seemed a little inconsistent . After the execution , it was intense to race through the city to escape the guards and having them chase me much more intently than in AC1 . In AC1 , I could usually just make to the rooftops and put some distance between us . Here , I couldn't do that as they were hot on my heels . I also liked the fact that I couldn't just run around the corner to break line of sight and then hide in the hay . . . the guards have a sort of proximity monitor based on your last sited position and they'll poke into any hiding spots within that proximity . I haven't yet retrieved my hidden blades or other weapons , but swordplay felt fluid and natural . The combat system is nice and , so far , doesn't feel like it's going to get repetitive ( especially with the promise of new weapons and of disarming and using weapons from the enemy ) . Overall I've really enjoyed the first few hours of gameplay . The story is looking to be very immersive . The world is vibrant , detailed and gorgeous . The side-missions and other tasks are fun enough that this game has a lot of core depth as well as plenty of peripheral tasks to keep me occupied for a while . My only regret in purchasing the game is that I still have a big fat paper to write for school . . . and I've suddenly lost a bit of the motivation to finish it . Still , I'll ( hopefully ) spend some time tonight and finish up the paper so as to free up time for entertaining diversions . ; ) Definitely recommended .
• 060 4  The following is my review of the game after my first 3 hours of gameplay ( noting that with my play style , those three hours barely took me to a point where I had a weapon . . . which is promising in terms of game duration / depth ) . While I try to keep them to a minimum , this review will also contain a few small spoilers ( most of which you'll already be aware of if you've followed reviews / previews to this point ) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * OK . . . so I picked the game up on my way home from work last night . I still had responsibilities that kept me from playing until about 8 : 30 . Before digging into gameplay I ran the bonus level codes to make sure they were unlocked from the onset ( since it sounds like you can encounter them in standard gameplay through the story ) . Then it was time to begin . I'd read the various preview articles about the opening sequences , so there was no big shock / story value there for me . I liked controlling Desmond and being able to run , jump and punch with him . I was sad to see that those controls disappeared once he got into ' animus proximity ' again ( I really would prefer to run or at least jog around the animus room rather than having to casually stroll ) . Still , it was nice . I like the character animations and details with the exception of Lucy's mouth which really bugs me for some reason . Even though I'd read the previews , it was a little strange to literally play as baby Ezio . It definitely wasn't what I expected . When the previews said you start as a baby and worked through his youth , I figured the baby would be a cut scene and then I'd wander around as a 5 - 6 year old throwing rocks or chasing cats or something . The way it played it was strange . Not bad , just different . It took me a minute to get back into the combat system but it quickly felt natural again . I enjoyed the story presentation of the street brawl followed by banter with his brother . The romantic mini-game with Christina was a little out there but it helped characterize Ezio and give a feel for his attitude and mannerisms , so I'll go with it . It made him feel more human . . . and it wasn't presented in a vulgar or over-the-top way . My standard method of play is rather completionist so even though I played for ~ 3 hours , I didn't progress much through the story . Instead , I got a good feel for the controls and the current limitations ( starting with no weapons / gear , etc ) as well as the general layout of the city and what to look for . I like the ability to pickpocket most NPCs for money as well as to loot various chests around the city . So far I've progressed far enough to purchase a pair of leather bracers so I'm not sure of the extent of the economic system , but I look forward to using it . There are also doctors around town that can heal you up as well as sell you medicine packs you can use for a quick heal on the road . This is a nice new feature that saves you from those annoying resynchronization periods where you're forced to reload and replay an entire scene that you were just about to beat . The initial missions are presented in a straightforward manner but each unlocks a new type of side-mission . I'm sure I'll miss some of them , but so far I've unlocked courier missions , race missions and fight missions . They're fairly similar in style to the missions from AC1 but the presentation value is greatly enhanced and feels much more immersive . I did jump into the water once and it felt good not to immediately drown . Swimming was a bit odd , especially since I didn't have anywhere to go , but I look forward to feeling out this new feature . When Ezio's family is arrested , I did miss a mini-game button press when walking in the door ( I suspect if I'd pressed the button , I would have dodged the ' attack ' ) . I had thought I was going into a cut scene and so had set the controller down to grab a drink . I guess I'll have to make sure to pay attention all the time since they're likely going to try and keep the story as interactive as possible . Upon retrieving Giovanni's gear , I was fairly certain where the story arc was headed , so the traitor wasn't a big surprise . Although I'm not sure why Ezio wasn't hunted down during the night or prior to the execution . . . it seemed a little inconsistent . After the execution , it was intense to race through the city to escape the guards and having them chase me much more intently than in AC1 . In AC1 , I could usually just make to the rooftops and put some distance between us . Here , I couldn't do that as they were hot on my heels . I also liked the fact that I couldn't just run around the corner to break line of sight and then hide in the hay . . . the guards have a sort of proximity monitor based on your last sited position and they'll poke into any hiding spots within that proximity . I haven't yet retrieved my hidden blades or other weapons , but swordplay felt fluid and natural . The combat system is nice and , so far , doesn't feel like it's going to get repetitive ( especially with the promise of new weapons and of disarming and using weapons from the enemy ) . Overall I've really enjoyed the first few hours of gameplay . The story is looking to be very immersive . The world is vibrant , detailed and gorgeous . The side-missions and other tasks are fun enough that this game has a lot of core depth as well as plenty of peripheral tasks to keep me occupied for a while . My only regret in purchasing the game is that I still have a big fat paper to write for school . . . and I've suddenly lost a bit of the motivation to finish it . Still , I'll ( hopefully ) spend some time tonight and finish up the paper so as to free up time for entertaining diversions . ; ) Definitely recommended .
• 070 4  Let's keep it brief . I paid $50 for this game . I am happy with the price I paid for the game I got . Seeing it for $40 does make me wish I'd waited . If you're reading this in the future when the game is at $60 again , don't buy it ( assuming Skynet hasn't become self-aware and set about launching our nukes to end humanity in global nuclear war - - in that case this review is meaningless and you are the resistance ) . It's not worth $60 . It is definitely worth $40 . BUY , BUY , BUY ! ! The controls take some getting used to and the camera will randomly shift and won't move ( usually during platforming sections inside tombs - - it is intentional , not a glitch ) ; awkward and unexpected camera angles and shifts also cause the direction you were currently moving to be the opposite , so your character turns around like a retard right in the middle of something important . This isn't often , but it's annoying . Controls get 3.5 hops in the wrong direction . . . out of 5 . Graphically , the game is pretty impressive . Italy looks great , especially the cities , though it is a shame that you can't interact with more stuff ( why does the Ezio disarm a guard , kill him with the weapon , then force you to drop the weapon ? ? ) . The real landmarks look polished , but the cities often seem very similar . The countryside environments just outside the cities look generally bland with little to explore and nothing interesting going on . Pop-up is annoying at times , too . The majority of the time you will be moving slowly enough , or skipping along rooftops where there is isn't a ton of detail , thus no need for pop-up . It's moving along the ground when you'll notice this the most . The game just looks really good . . . good enough for me to give the visuals 4 randomly appearing shrubs . . . out of 5 . As for the voice-overs and sound effects , they're good . There's really not much to say about them , because honestly , unless they're just plain terrible or annoying , who really cares . My copy of the game skips some parts of the audio during cut-scenes - - maybe it's just my copy , maybe it isn't . For this reason , I give the audio 3 inaudible lips . . . out of 5 . The game's story is fairly convoluted . Everyone having some Italian name that you'll forget 5 minutes after hearing it , and couldn't pronounce when reading the character info , will make an already convoluted story even harder to follow . Still , the conspiracy stuff is entertaining . . . and you feel like maybe you'll understand it by the time you unlock your character's final memories . But here's all you really need to know : You're an assassin and you kill people . There are a lot of things to collect in this game , models , statues , seals , feathers , weapon upgrades , etc . All this stuff will either keep you busy for several extra hours or will just be something you ignore . Some of the stuff is seemingly useless , like spending your in-game cash on paintings , but it's required to complete your villa . . . and several achievements award collecting . If you decide to run through the game , you'll probably finish it in 18 - 20 hours ; if you decide to collect everything , play through side missions , hunt for treasure and explore - - AKA playing the game ( if you're just going to run through it , why buy it ? that's what GameFly is for ) - - you'll easily double that . Spend $40 , play 40 hours . . . do the math . . . that's a dollar per hour , Not bad . Overall , I give this game 4 satisfying air assassinations . . . out of 5 . . . but DON'T pay $60 for it . Get it on SALE and on SALE ONLY . OK , this wasn't so brief . Whatever .
• 072 4  This is sort of a counter review after reading the , what , four bad reviews ? I'm going to split this up into sections to make this easier to follow and to address the major issues some people seem to be having . - Control scheme - I've seen a few people hammering down on the controls complaining on a lack of coordination . First of all it is VERY difficult to design a group of enormous cities that are almost entirely scalable while retaining the graphic effects this game possess . So perhaps you can understand if your character occasionally reaches for the wrong ledge . Second , I want to say that I , personally , have plummeted into the waters of venice many times . . . about 90% of which were not my intention of doing . That being said it is almost always my own fault . I may get angry and cuss and blame the controls but deep down I know I pushed the button that caused me to leap backwards into the river . After awhile the controls become second nature . You will fall off building . . but it lessens over time as oou get more comfortable with the designs of the city and the directions you should be heading . - Repetitiveness - It's the same game . . . No . It really isn't . First off , you can't expect a major re-haul of a SEQUEL . It's going to have the same basic premise so if you don't want to assassinate people . . . Perhaps Assassin's Creed II isn't for you . . . Obviously . The changed up the basic game play enough that you find yourself doing completely different quests as opposed to the , eavesdrop , punch him to near death , and pick-pocket the one guy who carries to much info . The side missions are a nice break up and help familiarize you with the controls , especially the racing ones . I actually saw some say they didn't want to sneak around and wanted to charge at a gate with his sword drawn . Maybe you didn't read the title ? You should considered playing Suicidal Warriors Creed instead . Much more suiting to your tastes . - Length - I can say that I've been playing this game for three days now . . . A lot . . That being said I'm fairly sure I'm nowhere the ending , based on what I've heard . If you break up the game into sections and try not to run through it all in one sitting , it will take a bit . I've really only been doing the main quest line with maybe five or six side missions along the way . They space out the major assassinations with learning new skills , so your knowledge increases as the complexity of the cities do . It possesses a decent amount of more humor and personality then the first game does , which is a nice change . It keeps the story fresh while you go through your missions . - Summary - The graphics are pretty nice ( Xbox 360 version ) The controls are very good , if not a little challenging to start with Length of game is pretty darn perfect and nicely broken up with random humor NOT repetitive . It just isn't . Play the first one again . Apparently you forgot . Don't let any nay-sayers convince you not to pick this up . A good addition to the trilogy and a darn good game over-all . Get it and you won't regret it .
• 074 4  I must confess that this game was the perfect storm for my 34 - year-old self . As someone who has a PhD in art history and has spent considerable time in Florence ( although not Venice ) , I was prepare to be disappointed in the architecture and layout of FLorence , where the game begins . Instead , I was completely blown away by the rendering and accuracy of the buildings ( the Duomo in particular , although I wish the baptistery were included ) . Simply put , the game is beautiful to look at . I purchased Assassin's Creed I this summer and was quickly bored with the ' repeat again and again ' nature of the game . And to make matters worse , I never felt that the story mattered at all . Both of those problems were seemingly fixed in this game . The story was both interesting and ( mostly ) historically accurate , but the side missions , which i probably cared about more than most , kept me engaged for quite some time . I have finished the main story of the game , and still feel compelled to go back and finish some of the contracts and races that I have not done , and therein lies one of the real strengths of the game . You not only want to finish the main story , but you will likely want to do the side missions , too , and this gives the game a real replayability index that most games lack . I like art and history , I like Italy , and I like video games . While this game had the potentiality to really disappoint me , it provided wonderful entertainment in between bouts of grading tests and papers . I highly recommend it to both art history and video game nerds alike .
• 079 4  Wow . I've played the frist part and I found it great . But this part is much better than the frist Assassin's Creed and for me the game of the year . A fantastic story ( the end is one of the best ) and a superb graphic ( Florence and Venice are just impressive ) with really good animations . You meet Leonard Da Vinci and other famous people from that time and can use her inventions . Interesting and varied tasks ( not the same routine tasks from the first part ) . And last but not least now you can swim .
• 081 4  ACII is a beutifully refined version of ACI . The overall grahics is only slightly better than ACI . However , everything else has been dramatically enhanced . This is no longer a mission based game only , you have plently of opportunity to play in the sand box as long as you wish and still have a great deal of fun . You basically have GTA IV meets Gods of Olmpus with a relatively complex well written script . A definite must for the collection . To be honest when I first started the game I was a little disappointed in the initial slow pace . The first AC had a similiar slow taking off period . However , once you obtain the Assasians robe things change dramatically . Pros Dramatically enhanced gameplay The sand box is very large and great deal of fun to explore New weapons New items New armor New fighting techniques Puzzle solving New path planning techniques New transport methods Repetitive based mission play has been eliminated New investment opportunities , just kidding lol Cons Slightly better graphics Occasionaly system freeze ups Fight sequences require greater grahics detail / animation Occasional next mission waypoint does not show up on map Overall there is a new King of the Hill . All Hail ACII ! ! !
• 088 4  ( Current Review Score and Comments based on roughly 8 hours of full gameplay ) As one of the many who enjoyed the original Ubisoft epic Assassin's Creed , but found it to be lacking in diversity , the much awaited sequel could not have been more of a surprise . What is excellent about the original can still be found here but the glaring flaws have been assassinated and replaced with compelling side events and exploration . The story of Assassin's Creed 2 abandons dark ages assassin Altair and ventures into the light of the Italian city-states during the Renaissance . The core gameplay has been well preserved , ( you still control your assassin alter-ego like a puppet ) but there are many small tweaks and improvements . The new assassin Ezio can engage in more complex hand-to-hand combat , can finally swim , and has interesting new means of dispatching his foes . ( the double-blade assasinations are only the beginning ) Unlike Altair , your equipment can drastically change this time around . You can purchase armor , weapons , and tools from assorted merchants now and even dye your cloak as you choose . Of course merchants need cash and lots of it . In order to really make money you'll need to collect treasure from chests scattered around , make an income from your villa , ( yes , you control an entire villa ) and engage in both missions and the amazingly addictive act of petty thievery . Money isn't just for gear , though . Feel free to drop money on hookers that you can use to distract the guards or drop some change on the ground to keep those annoying minstrels ( think beggars from AC1 ) from bothering you . This review is going to be even more wordy if I go into all the different activities and collections you can get involved in . Perhaps the most notable thing is the inclusion of a system that tracks your crimes and eventually makes the guards suspicious of you . You can eliminate your infamy by ripping down wanted posters and bribing or slaughtering your bad rep away . The twin elephants in the room when dealing with a blockbuster like this are graphics and sound . The graphics are amazing as befitting the sequel to one of the most gorgeous games I have ever seen . What really enhances the experience , however , is the natural beauty of Italy . Ubisoft did a remarkable job of recreating the city-states in great detail . ( I'm no expert that can judge the authenticity , but it's still an amazing feat ) Character models are also more varied this time around . The costumes the NPCs wear are eye-catching and elaborate . These are NOT the most detailed character models I've ever seen , but they can be forgiven for displaying so many NPCs on a screen at once . The sound definitely deserves applause . The musical score takes a different direction from the cold Animus tones and the hauntingly holy vocals of the first game . This game's score borrows from the region and features a mixture of soothing Mediterranean tunes and epic battle scores . Voice acting is excellent across the board . ( particularly the voice actor for the new protagonist , Ezio ) What more can I say . This is an EXCELLENT title . If you enjoy open-world games or the prospect of taking a man from carefree playboy to callous murderer then Assassin's Creed 2 is a must buy . If you liked / loved the original you're probably playing right now . I'll come join you now : )
• 097 4  This was a rather sad entry into the Gamera series of movies . The plot , such as it is , is two young boys , Akio and Tom find a spaceship and go inside to explore . The ship takes off and lands on a planet that is in our solar system but is directly on the other side of Earth so we never saw it . The only inhabitants left are two attractive women and their monster , Guiron . Guiron is basically a lizard with a knife for a head . The women read Akio's mind to find out information and then plan to eat the boy's brains before flying to earth . But of course , Gamera , the friend of all children , comes to the rescue . He defeats Guiron and takes the boys back to Earth safely . The dubbing in this movie is absolutely horrible . The monster fight scenes were comical . In fact , Guiron's whole look is ridiculous . Akio , one of the young boys , is obsessed with living in a world without traffic accidents and keeps calling planets stars . Back on Earth the adults won't believe Akio's sister that he took off in a spaceship , except for one policeman , Cornjob . These Japanese monster movies are always fun to watch , but some of them also had at least a semblance of quality . This one has none . A very strangely written script , beyond terrible dubbing and lower than low-budget effects .
• 119 4  Very much enjoyed this game . I'm not into the online multi-player games as much , don't have the time to get my skills up . This is one of the best single player games I've played in a long time . The way you can move through the cities is very fluid and enjoyable . The combat is similarity fluid and fun . It was great to see the Italian renaissance cities brought to life , and recognize the landmarks . I didn't really care too much for the story , I just wanted to play so i skipped the cut scenes .
• 121 4  I enjoyed Assassin Creed II more the first Assassins Creed . While the game play is very similar to the first , I think that the story is much more engaging . However , the first Assassins Creed sets up this title nicely and I would suggest playing them in order for that reason . I would strongly recommend this title to anyone who enjoyed the first Assassins Creed .
• 130 4  I have been looking forward to this release for a long time . While I was a fan of the first Assassin's Creed , the original game felt sort of unfinished . The concept was there , but the game felt like it hadn't been fully fleshed out . The game was beautiful but repetitive , fun overall , but you can only pickpocket or eavesdrop on someone so many times before it gets boring . This game fixes many of those issues . While I am still playing through the game , obviously , I can already see huge improvements . Water doesn't instantly kill you . I have yet to run into a lunatic or beggar , for which I am extremely grateful . You have many more choices for weapons . These are just for starters . The game just has a better feel to it , the storyline and the characters have more depth . You will evolve into the role of an assassin with Ezzio , instead of re-earning the title with Altair . They have also added a monetary system to the game , and things like blacksmiths , tailors , and doctors to go along with it , which the first game could have used . As for what they kept , the beautiful graphics and sweeping vistas are still there , you will still find yourself climbing to dizzying heights to peer out over cities from a new viewpoint . You still have your hidden dagger , in fact they've given you a second one to play with . The graphics have , of course , been improved , and look even better than the first one . The world is still a very open , free roaming environment , your standard sandbox game , and you still get to climb and vault all over everything , which is immense fun . The quintessential core of the original game is still there in all its glory , they have just filled in the details and improved the game play for you . That being said , there are still one or two things in the sequel that annoy me . Most importantly , running still get everyone's attention . I would understand that if I was talking about barreling through streets and knocking people over left and right . I'm not . Just running will draw the guards ' attention , which gets old quick . Apparently no one was ever in a hurry in the Renaissance . This has been slightly improved by giving the player a fast walk mode , but it can still take forever to get from point A to point B at that speed . This part of the AI could use some tweaking , since there is a difference between challenging and annoying . In my opinion , the coolest feature they have added is the database function , which gives you all sorts of interesting and amusing facts about the regions , cities , buildings and people that you will be interacting with . This does a great job of drawing you further into the period and culture that you are exploring , and really helps you relate to the story . This feature adds a lot of detail to the game that most developers would have simply left out . Bottom line , I am thrilled with the game . It is exactly what I was anticipating , and if you enjoyed the first game , you will love the sequel .
• 132 4  While the tedious ' do this 30 times over ' style missions are gone , and the regular missions flow a bit better , the game around the central plot is lacking . Instead of many ' sit here and listen ' missions , you race , beat up cheating husbands , and complete assassination contracts . These make it a generic platformer , and horribly repetitive . The inclusion of money into the game is interesting and nice . Upgrading your armor as well as your villa / home base . Sadly , once you've completed this and your villa makes money , collecting every little treasure box for gold . Soon after you finish upgrading your blacksmith / brothel and everything else , you will gain all sorts of income , but have little to spend it on . I find myself about 3 / 4 of the way done with the game , and have about half a million ( no exaggeration ) in currency I will never use . The controls seem a bit off compared to the first one . The camera movement is clunky and i find myself jumping straight up even though I'm holding in a different direction . It gets sort of annoying and is killing what replay value the game would have for me . Also an interesting inclusion in the game is the notoriety system , making you more noticable to the guards . The problem with this however , is it goes away quite easy . Rip down 4 posters with your picture on them , and you're done . Or bribe a herald , ( 500 gold ) , and it goes down 50% . Of course you can steal your gold back from him as soon as you pay him . It's an interesting concept , but horribly flawed . All in all , it's a fun game to play for the story , which is relatively short , but very little replay value , unless you're heavy into collecting 100 feathers and treasure boxes . If you enjoyed the first one , it's definately worth getting . If you only tolerated the first one , i wouldn't recommend it . An interesting redoing of the main game , but lacking anything worthwhile besides a short continuation of the first game .
• 134 4  ACII should be summarized as great story telling mixed together with fun , realistic game play . The story really flows from the beginning and draws the players into the history and the intrigue . The amount of detail and effort put into the game environment is amazing . And the open world reminds me of the play in GTA4 where you can jump onto basically anything , swim in the water , run around the rooftops and hide in all sorts of places . In addition to the main game story and missions , there are a ton of side quests ! If you are into action / adventure games , ACII is definitely worth getting !
• 137 4  First off , I haven't played AC I and a newbie to open world themed games . But reading all the positive reviews of AC II prompted me to try it and I have to say I hugely enjoyed this game . I really enjoyed this game broadly for its story , pacing , attention to detail of the environments , character development , voice acting , rich color pallet and varied missions . But what really stands out are Renaissance era Italian cities . They are literally living , breathing characters in this game . I have to commend the developers at UBI Soft for painstakingly recreating these cities and their architectural marvels in gorgeous detail and staggering scale . In my past life I had dabbled in Architecture and been fascinated with Italian , Greek and Egyptian architecture . Just being able to run around these cities , scale all historic buildings and take in the magnificent cityscapes from top of view points as the camera revolves around you , was the next best thing to actually being there in person . The experience is quite visceral and astounding . If you scaled the Florence Duomo Cathedral , you know what I'm talking about . Apart from that , the missions are quite varied and don't seem repetitive at all which was a big complaint against AC I . The voice acting with Italian accents and dialogue for most characters are spot on and added more authenticity to the game . Character development for lead character Ezio Auditore and other important characters are quite well done and the actor giving voice to Ezio seems to have really put some effort into it and it shows . Other than that , the population of the cities have colorful PCs and NPCs from thieves , brigands , mercenaries , prostitutes , nuns , annoying minstrels , merchants , announcers , messengers and normal citizenry . The navigation and combat controls are not that difficult to get used to and navigating the cities and climbing felt natural . Navigating using the map took some time to get used to in the open world but once down pat , felt quite comfortable . You will get lost in the cities unless you use the map ! The AI system seems better than most other games and not that forgiving that you feel unchallenged . Pros : 1 . Gorgeous and detailed environments . 2 . Lengthy game and huge cities to explore . 3 . Excellent voice acting and character development . 4 . Interesting storyline - Integration of real life historical figures and incidents into the storyline is nice . 5 . Monetary system - Earning money and spending on upgrades added an interesting aspect to this game . But midway / three-fourths through the game you will have money to burn and nothing to do with it afer all the upgrades . 6 . Apart from main story line there are non-essential side missions like assassination contracts , races , message delivery , beat ups , finding feathers , unlocking futuristic conspiracies etc . which adds a ton of replay value . 7 . The developers have achieved a lot of breath in game elements variety and little less in depth . 8 . Decent AI . Cons : All accolades aside , there are some blemishes in this well-made game . 1 . A lot of characters look blocky in close-ups and dating back to PS2 standards of rendering while the environments themselves are gorgeously rendered making this a glaring anomaly . In doing the inevitable comparison to Uncharted 2 and God of War 3 in terms of overall graphics , AC II going to come off as second best . 2 . Combat leaves much to be desired . The choice of weapons and how you earn them is interesting . Its not for lack of variety in combat moves and weapons but its just that combat could have been more fluid . I guess I'm less forgiving in this aspect as the bar for combat has been set very high after playing the God of War series . ( I know , I know I should not be comparing a hack and slash with a third-person action adventure : ) ) 3 . Much as I try to get into it , the Animus concept just doesn't fly . 4 . The final boss fight felt a bit tame and the ending abrupt . I'm at a stage in life where family and professional obligations don't allow for playing at a stretch where day turns to night and then back again . I found Assassins Creed II to fit the bill perfectly and I played this on and off for a couple of months till I finished it at my own pace .
• 142 4  This game without a doubt , is one of the greatest sequels in history , if you know history you're gonna love this game , the gameplay is amazing as the story , and the game improve in all aspects . Buy this game ! ! ! !
• 148 4  This is basically Assassins Creed I ( which isn't necessarily a bad thing considering the formula works ) except the game has new weapons , new ways to level up , side missions that are actually fun , and trophies . The graphics were also increased a bit but nothing like Uncharted 2 ' s standard , and the occasional during the counter kills still exist . Overall the game was O.K , the plotline didn't really have a twisty outcome like the first one did , but it was still good . Oh , and you DON'T have to play the first game to understand this game . My major pro for this game's franchise is the open world environment - You can do anything - Except poop .
• 151 4  Assassin's Creed II makes massive improvments over the original . The main improvment is it's NOT repetitive . There are many more mission types . Ezio can do so much more than Altiair like swim and fly . The cities are so much bigger and more vibrant . There is an economy where you can earn money and spend it on upgrades . The people are more interesting and real , including Ezio himself . The sounds of battle and cities are as real as they can be . OK , let's start off with the big man Ezio Auditore Da Firenze . He is the son of a father with two sisters and another brother . At first , you start off running errands for your father like delivering a message or letter . To make a VERY LONG story short , your father and brother are killed and you vow to extract vengence on those who were involved . This includes anyone from a poor theif to an extravagant noble . The voices and actions of the people are very realistic . They sound like they're right in the room . As you walk through the town , citizens cough , sneeze , fight , sing , talk , and rob . Pickpockets will steal from you . If you catch them , you can get your money back along with more . Sometimes some guys will come up to you and start singing . They are really annoying because they stand right in your way and won't move , so usually I grab them and hurl them across the street . What's there to do ? Plenty . Of course you have your main mission types were you tail someone , beat them up , pickpocket them , or assassinate them . The side missions have really changed from the first . Courier is one where you deliver a letter ASAP . Beat up events are where you beat unfaithful husbands to persuade them to focus their attention back to their wives . Assassination contracts enable you to do a quick job and wipe out from one to ten targets . Races allow you to show your skill in roof hopping . All of these main and side missions give you money . More money for harder missions . That's right . There's an economy . You earn money for missions , pickpocketing citizens , and finding chests . There are shops scattered around too . The blacksmith repairs your armor after its been damaged in a fight and sells you new weapons and ammo . What ammo ? Throwing knives , smoke bombs , and bullets for your wrist gun ( Ya it's cool ) . The taylor sells bigger pouches for your health , poison , and knives . He can also dye your clothes if you want to look extra fly . Artists sell you paintings to increase your uncle's villa's value and sell treasure maps to show you where hidden chests are . Doctors either heal you on the spot or sell you potions for later . These can help when you're in the middle of a battle and need health . Doctors also sell poison for your poison knife ( ironic isn't it ? ) . There are also cortesans , theives , and soldiers that are around the city for your to hire . They either distract or fight guards with you . There are also 6 assassin tombs in all the cities . Complete these and at the end of each one there is an assassin seal . Bring these back to your uncle's villa to unlock Altiair's special armor ( that's right they still dragged him into this ) . It is twice as strong as anything else and can't be damaged . Your uncle's villa gains value and earns you money . Buy paintings or renovate buildings there to make it make more money for you . The weapons are excellent . Ezio has two hidden blades and can use both at once . He also can carry a sword , dagger , knives , health etc . . . The enemy AI isn't bad for a typical game . If you don't keep your guard up , they will take advantage of the opportunitity and strike . But they're not too hard to defeat especially if you have hired help . Assassin's Creed II is a must play for every action gamer . Everything looks and feels real . There is much more to do and see . The ending is much more suprising than the original too . You might even learn a little italian too .
• 154 4  well I have to say I am 46 year old ( yes I have played games since I was 10 , yes video games are that old , actually older , the original is from 1958 and I wasn't even born , I started with PONG ) and my experience is different from younger people , having had played a lot of games , I mean I actually spent all my allowance in arcades when they were actually busy and that was more like $100 bucks a week in quarters ! ! ! I look at this differently being in all the cities that this game shows and the reason I bought the game was that I wondered how great it would be if I could climb on top of each and how interesting it would be to see the whole of the city . . . well in this game I get to do that while playing assassin . I bought about 14 new games I bought since October with the new PS3 250GB and that includes Uncharted 2 , Batman Asylum , Bionic , Tekken 6 , resistance 2 , infamous , Modern Warfare 2 , Mirrors Edge , Hawx etc . . . . And I can tell you they have done and amazing job of reality in this game and it looks and feel real when you play it and it's a great experience to enjoy when you play and not JUST A GAME , and that was done on purpose it seems and it intends on showing you more than just a video game to play and put away , I mean I finished and it was great but I think it's the first game I am actually going to play again . It's Batman , Drake and Laura put together . I started playing on WED Night and mostly played 3 - 5 hours a night but if time permitted I would have loved to keep going but about 2 AM I really have to go to sleep since I wake up at 6 usually so this game does make you hooked and it's enjoyable at every turn and there is so much to do and so much fun included in that you do get to spend a good 3 days of play to go through it all . The graphics are amazing and I love seeing the same buildings I went to in Venice and Rome and Florence ( Its one place you got to visit ) and they practically look the same and Venice with the masks and the ball is all so much like the actual parties that happen there , I just loved climbing all the buildings and now when I go back I am going to look for a way to do it in real life , BUT there is no way I can climb that good or would chance it . The game is so real it scares my wife and she doesn't look at it when I do the jumps and etc ! that's how real it looks . For those who have not traveled to Italy and haven't seen it , It's a great way of getting to see it and experience it , I rode more gondolas than I did in real life and went everywhere I didn't get to , it is missing the water taxis that are in now and some stuff that are new and the bridge is more built up today , but when you go to Venice you do get to see some pictures on shop walls from ages ago and this looks more real than the actual pictures do . It also has puzzles that intrigues your mind and is somewhat educational which I think the goal of the makers of this game was , there is so much to enjoy but if you want it just as a game to shoot and kill and etc it works out too , It's the best video game I have played as its enjoyable at every turn . I have about 80 games that I kept and as I said have played them over 30 years and can tell you I never thought we could come this far with the games as we have , I mean who remembers games on Commodore 64 ? Yes 64 now they are gigabits of info per second . The graphics are more artistic than real as MW2 and Batman seem to have somewhat Different graphics but that does not take away anything from the game , those are more for the story lines that don't look 100% real but no complaints from me . To make it short ( or is that late ? ) : The Ultimate video game experience of my life ( so far , as I assume they have to remove the remote from my dead cold hands ! ) I want to keep this game to pass it on to my kids when I get one ! Or do I have to buy a digital one of those ? OH one complaint , there is not as much interaction with the women , but don't tell my wife I said that .
• 158 4  I promise to keep this short and spoilerfree . Assassins Creed II continues the story right off from where the first game ended , that is to say , you wake up in the exact room where Desmond lay down to sleep at the end of the first game and start off in that same room . From then the story takes off with more gameplay in the real world and more gameplay in the new setting of the 1400 - 1500s of Italy . Assassins Creed II enhances the mechanics that people came to love in the first game . There is more variety in missions ( that is more than 8 types of missions ) , climbing mechanics have improved by feeling more smooth and fluid , the fighting combat on the ground has been improved with a few more skills added to the repertoire , and finally the ability to use tools . Stealth tactics are still used with more options being given to the player for working in with the dynamic crowds ( they can respond to change being thrown or their kind being shoved ) , and lastly during chases enemies are also more responsive with being able to run and climb up to meet you rather immediately . Additional enhancements include a monetary system , improved environmental graphics , lengthier gameplay ( more than 15 hours , excluding sidequests ) , trophies , strong voice acting . Of these , the monetary feature feels a bit out of place , it really feels like a beta addition . The only feasible aspect of it that I see is using the money found and earned by looting to just throw on the ground to attract a crowd . Paying to be healed by an apothecary seems kind of backwards based on how the first game was with healing by being synchronized . If you get the game be warned that there are a few weird issues that really should have been avoided after Ubisoft's past experience with Assassin's Creed . There are random and weird graphical issues that continuously crop up from the moment is player ( random screen tearing in places , weird framerate hitches ( not that it slows the gameplay down but it is noticeable when you are running around ) , some slowdown when there are lots of characters on the screen , character models look like they are from Assassins Creed 1 ( blocky figures , bland / flat textures on random buildings ) , all of these though pale in comparison to how beautiful the environment looks . Ultimately , ignoring the character models , and graphical oddities , Assassins Creed II is definitely better than the first game . With trophies , new mechanics to the gameplay , a lengthier and more varied story , and an interesting and engaging story ( with interactive cutscenes ) and high production values ( we should commend the voice actors and the musical staff , they were excellent ) , this game is the best in the series . Hopefully , Ubisoft does patch the graphical oddities , but they arent enough to warrant avoiding this game as it still feels playable and really well put together .
• 164 4  Being new to the PS3 system overall , and the next generation consoles in general , I didn't really know what to expect . I'd bought the PS3 for Blu Ray and Netflix streaming , so it wasn't until recently that I purchased a few games to see what they are like compared to the older consoles . I was floored . After a few games I popped in Assassin's Creed 2 and my jaw dropped . The cinematics are amazing , but it wasn't until the game play that I found myself convinced that Assassin's Creed 2 is an absolutely fabulous game . Being a wide open sandbox world I felt like a little kid running everywhere , jumping , climbing , attacking , assassinating , fighting you name it . The graphics themselves are beautiful and feel life like . I couldn't help but wonder and walk around for hours on end collecting treasures and finding feathers , going to viewpoints and purchasing items from the various shops . The controls themselves are extremely accessible and easy to use . When you attack and fight it is not as cumbersome as Assassin's Creed ( which I had played because of the second one ) , and it is immensely easier to assassinate someone ( the main lure to the game ) than the first one . Additionally you can pickpocket a lot easier and the tedious steps of the first Creed ( eavesdropping and pick pocketing and visiting the bureau ) are all removed leaving the player with missions that are not tedious and certainly not repetitive ( the chief complaint of the first one ) . All in all I found that I can get lost in AC2 for hours on end and not even blink an eye . Running through Florence and Vienna are never tiresome and boring , never repetitive and absolutely love exploring the back alleys and rooftops . Incidentally , looks like they are coming out with a new episode that will be based in Rome and include multiplayer ( this will not be AC3 , but a new Ezio episode stand alone game ) , so if you loved AC2 and wished you could have run around Rome ( as I was hoping as I went to each new city ) than look forward to this coming out beginning of next year . Assassin's Creed 2 is easily my favorite of all my PS3 games I now own and is the benchmark to the quality of game I look for . A most definite recommend . 5 stars .
• 186 4  This is what an action / stealth / role-playing game should be . In fact , as I was playing this game , my thoughts harkened back to the days of Ultima . This game should have been what Ultima 9 was . A pity that EA had to bury that franchise . After completing this game , I felt an immense epiphany ; it is as if I have just finished viewing an epic onscreen . The story itself is epic . Following the grand tradition of movie sequels , this one picks up right after the first game . As Desmond Miles , you find yourself captive in a research facility run by modern day Templars . This time round , one finds himself transported back to the Renaissance era in 15th century Italy . The sandbox world itself requires many moments of just gazing at its beauty . The various synchronisation points offer the gamer a kaleidoscopic view of the various Italian cities . The views are simply breathtaking and spectacular . Venice deserves special mention . The scope of the city is really immense . Ezio Auditore , the protagonist , is a likeable rouge . More so than Altair . He starts off as somewhat a rich playboy but progressed into a master assassin through extraordinary circumstances . I like the fact that historical characters and even architecture features figures largely in the game . It's a joy interacting with Leonardo Da Vinci , Il Magnifico , Rodrigo Borgia ( Pope Alexander IV ) , even the dastardly Machiavelli makes a cameo appearance ! This review is in regards to the PS3 version . I must say that I'm a bit disappointed with the quality . As [ . . . ] pointed out , there were a few visual glitches . Throughout the course of my gameplay , the game crashed thrice . Twice at the same spot , with me performing the same action - double assassination 4 guards in succession . I really do hope Ubisoft addressed the buggy issue and fix them in the near future . UPDATE ( 24 / 1 / 2010 ) : Ubisoft did a slight upgrade patch and there are no crashes so far . Kudos to Ubisoft for quick response time ! I can't wait for the DLC to hit !
• 188 4  This game is a great improvement ( content-wise ) from Assassin's Creed I . I am thankful not having to save 1,000 women and priests from evil soldiers . The content is so much more fun . The environments are gorgeous , storyline is compelling , and there are WAY more interesting missions to do . I am quite happy in this regard . I sometimes get frustrated and scream at my TV with Ezio jumps completely the wrong way , or won't climb , or does something moronic and falls into the waters of Venice . Otherwise , it's practically flawless ! I love this game .
• 192 4  I just spent 20 - something hours playing through Assassin's Creed 2 and it only just now struck me that I was bored most of the time . I've never experienced anything quite like it . The world's amazingly immersive and fresh - - there are no tired sci-fi or fantasy cliches here , and it's a much better world for it . But the world alone isn't enough to hook you in for the game's substantial length . Its real triumph is in the endless reward system : there's so much to accomplish , find , unlock , buy and otherwise accumulate that you find yourself going just one more mission / puzzle / major purchase until the late hours of the night . It's such a compelling mechanic that you almost don't realize that the core gameplay doesn't add up to much , and the secondary elements ( hunting for glyphs , solving puzzles , taking on sidequests ) are full-on tedious . It's a lot of cleverly-disguised grind .
• 194 4  Back in November of 2007 , we were given a game that was said to be innovative , monumental , and one of the first true next-gen experiences . Instead , to the majority of gamers who picked it up , it turned out to be a misleading , repetitive , and slowly paced title . Personally , I was so excited about this game and what it was suppose to be , it almost felt like I caught my girlfriend cheating on me when I saw the credits rolling . I was so distraught and saddened , by not only the game itself , but by the story and its cliffhanger ending that left a huge , gaping hole of unanswered questions , unfulfilled promises , and not one ounce of satisfaction that made me feel like it was all worthwhile . While others have pushed aside all of its flaws and saw it for what it was aiming to be , I am still standing here acknowledging Assassin's Creed as one of my most disappointing games of this generation . But , that was 2007 . Flash forward to today , and its amazing how a sequel can make you fall in love with a name all over again . Assassin's Creed II accomplishes everything the original tried so hard to do , and does it perfectly . It is executed in a way that leaves you with the sense of wanting and needing more in the end , when the original just made you want to use the disc as a coaster . We're back in the mind of Desmond Miles . Only this time , instead of the Holy Land , its Renaissance Italy , almost 300 years after the events of the original Assassin's Creed . The world has changed and so has the way things are done . You play as Ezio Auditore da Firenze ( rolls off the tongue , doesn't it ? ) , who is out to make the wrong things right , and in the process uncovers a conspiracy that leads him to things you will not believe even if I told you . The game spans roughly 23 years . And within that span there are a few years not accounted for which will be revisited as DLC . But more on that later . The story takes place throughout 5 different cities in Italy and then concludes in a final city . The world feels much more open now because of the lack of redundancy . Every city you visit has random assassination missions , races against thieves , guards to lure away with mercenaries or the local brothel , and so on , but even though it's the same in every city , they are not required so you can do these little side quests or ignore them . As for main story missions , there are a few that repeat . More than once you may have to follow someone without being noticed or escort someone somewhere and protect them , but missions like these are spaced out and done in ways that they don't feel repetitive , which is a big plus and a lesson learned . The overall pacing of the story is so well done and intriguing in ways that are so natural you don't think about it at all , which proves true since you can play for hours on end and not realize how long you've been playing until you notice that you've pee'd your pants . There is a lot of customization as far as Ezio goes . You can go to a tailor and dye your robes ( different colors for different cities . ) You also have a bunch of different weapons to play with , including smoke bombs , different attachments for your wristblade , which there are two of now , all contribute to good killings . Another fun , but short lived addition is that you are in control of your own small city . You get to use your money you collect to refurbish and rebuild the small town where your family Villa is located . This Villa is your homebase where all the weapons and armor you purchase will be kept and it's where you have to go if you'd like to swap something out . You can fix up the shops in the city and get discounts on whatever they are selling , and in turn , they generate money for you . So the more you build it up , the more money you'll be getting in return . It was a fun little venture but once everything is built there is nothing more to do but collect money , which leaves you with heavy pockets and nothing to buy once you acquire everything . Would've been nice if that was an ever growing town and you didn't run out of stuff to build . Also , throughout the cities there are six Assassin's Tombs where you do some heavy platforming , a la Prince of Persia , to find tablets that are in the tombs of great Assassin's . Collect all six and you unlock Altairs armor , which might I add , is BAD ASS ! These little platforming areas were challenging at times but were very fulfilling when completed . I wish there were more of them but at the same time , six was enough and here's why . . . My gripe with the game is one that I couldn't take lightly anymore . I got so fed up with it I had to shut the game off a few times . Since its open world and Ezio is jumping rooftop to rooftop like a beefed up monkey with a pack of Sugar Stix , you tend to get a little too excited . When you're in the moment and are either sprinting across roofs or running away from guards , you tend to run into the very unforgiving problem the game has and that's jumping / grabbing / falling over , onto , or into places that you didn't want to . This hurts the most when you have to get somewhere before a clock runs out ( Assassin's Tomb ) or you are chasing someone ( one of the story missions . ) You see what you want to do and where you want to go but you try and get there too fast and you either run up the wall or jump off the ledge which will kill your momentum ( or just kill you entirely ) and make you have to start all over again . This is something that can be avoided by taking things a little easier but at the same time , this game was meant for you to string together all these ninja like skills in one fluid motion , so it's hard to not run into messing up your flow . Maybe if the camera was a little tighter it wouldn't have been so frequent . But it happened to me so much I'll have to look at it as a flaw . Aside from that , there's nothing I can say that is bad about the game . The story and settings are spot on . The characters , along with the historic buildings you encounter all have a back story that you can access and read up on . Back stories so detailed you're tempted to look it up yourself to see if they're true . There's plenty to collect and solve . I highly recommend finding the 20 glyphs that when found , a puzzle must be solved for each . Once that's done you unlock a brief 1 second clip of a video that was left to you by Subject 16 ( you , Desmond Miles , are Subject 17 . ) These clips , put together , show you a video that when watched will drop your jaw . I can sit here and tell you about it but like I said , you won't believe me . If you are into the story and what's going on , you NEED to unlock those clips and watch that video . The contents of whichyou see , coupled with what happens at the end will blow . . your . . . mind ! As far as the DLC goes , I am not a fan of hearing about DLC right after a game comes out , but I'll make an exception for this . It is so cleverly done it's almost not right . The years that are missing from the game are acknowledged in game as missing , and the characters even say they'll get back to it later . The years are skipped and the game continues on without a hitch . And since it's such a smooth transition , it shows that nothing really happened during those years that are of any importance to the main story . So the DLC will come out as a simple add on that if you want to go see what happened during those missing years you have to pay to play it , which sucks . But at the same time , its not going to contribute anything to the main plot . At least , nothing too significant . The story started , went on , and ended pretty smoothly and was a fairly good length ( about 23 hours to complete it and get a Platinum Trophy [ sorry , had to brag ] ) so for that reason , them taking out years from the game and making it DLC doesn't really bother me . If the game was a lot shorter and felt like something was missing then yeah , I'd be pissed . But that's not the case . Something else to check out : Before you get started on the game this is definitely something to watch . It's a pretty high production value and the actors are the same as the ones that did the game . Its an awesome introduction to what's going on . It's called Assassin's Creed II Lineage . Somewhat of a prequel to the game . Just do a google search and enjoy . All in all , I consider Assassin's Creed II to be an amazing ride . I hand it to Ubisoft for seeing what they did wrong and fixing it . It's a great game , and a great story with a flaw that is annoying and will get you angry enough to take a knife and assassinate your pillow , but will be forgotten with the payoff at the end . The end . . . ha ! More like the beginning . Oops , did I say that out loud ? Sorry . The Verdict : 4.75 Water Bottles Full of Pee , out of 5
• 196 4  When I buy a game , I look for an experience , and this game delivers with high notes . I have had the pleasure of being in Florence and Venice and when I got this game I was curious of how Ubisoft recreated both cities in the Renaissance , and let me tell you , they put a lot of effort on it and when you are walking on those cities , they look real ( I know I have nothing to compare against but the current cities ) . Yes , the controls are a little bit clumsy , but I really do not know how they can make them better , you have to accept that in an environment with so many things in your surroundings . If you want a 5 star experience , this game is definitively for you . UPDATE : Incredible game , just finished . . . amazing ending . This year in PS3 : Uncharted 2 , Batman : Arkham Asylum and Assassin's Creed 2 .
• 199 4  Well , the UPS driver finally came and it was time to enjoy AC II . I played it for about 4 hours straight , if that doesn't tell you how much I enjoyed it . At first , I felt the whole ahh man , why are they sending me on these stupid missions ( which really reminded me of the original Assassins Creed ) , but then soon realized the reasoning behind them . It took a while before you could start using a sword . . . Probably one thing I didn't like at first , but now am glad that it took some time to acquire skills . I gave this game a 4 star only because of the frame rate , while much improved over the last game , it's still somewhat an issue . So far , so good . I really enjoy AC II so far and don't regret my purchase whatsoever .
• 202 4  I bought this game because I was extremely bored , and needed something to do . First I'll list the things that weren't so great about the game . The first thing that comes to mind was the freeze I encountered while trying to reach the top of a View Point . It was at a point in the game where I didn't have the ' extended jump ' unlocked for my character . I didn't read anything about the game and had no idea there was such a feature in the game that allowed you to jump higher while scaling buildings . After about 10 minutes of fiddling around with this building and trying to climb to the top I saw a small structure with a pointed top which could possibly get me high enough to jump and reach the higher part of the View Point tower , so when I decided to jump onto it the game froze suddenly when I fell off the tip of this structure . I had to get up , reset my Playstation by hand because I couldn't access the dashboard . There are a few other small things in the game , that may effect enjoyment and gameplay for certain people . One was when you killed a guard with the hidden blade on a roof top that was patrolling near the edge of the roof would cause your character to slide down with the body off of the building unless you quickly react and move off of the body in time , sometimes it will leave you hanging on the side of a building or possibly fall to your death . There was also a problem I had with jumping to a platform that is behind you ( you'll only really ever have to do this in Assassin Tomb's ) there's only one direction you can hold your analog stick in to get Ezio to jump backwards . This direction would be either Left or Right , depending on the camera angle and a position of a wall / stopping point . Holding the stick up or down would only make Ezio attempt to climb up or down , obviously . So when you're holding it in the desired direction you'd assume the game would have some type of trail for your character to follow in a way , but that's not always the case . When you do something like this you can either end up jumping the complete opposite direction , towards your screen , or just completely miss the jump because of the fixed camera angles in certain areas . This can be extremely annoying in the Assassin Tomb's when you're trying to finish something within a time limit . Sometimes you'll also be near a eagle jump and you'll initiate the eagle jump to a haystack or even water . There's also something with the height difference in the game , almost like everything on the Z axis ( not sure if Z is the correct axis ) has no depth . You can be atop a building and push circle randomly and tackle a thief about 200 feet below you with a weird camera angle . Another small issue I had was a tree , a single tree in the last town you unlock , when you're climbing through a mission you get stuck by this tree because the root of the tree is through the bottom of the wall , even though you're above the root and there is nothing blocking your way you can't get past it unless you go another way . The area was pretty open but you may run into something similar while playing , this goes hand in hand with the height difference problem I experienced . The Game : With Assassin's Creed 2 you have a lot more you can do , although it may get repetitive after a while it is still something you can do and possibly enjoy . I did all of the side missions in this game ( every race , every beat-em-up , delivery , feathers , etc ) and I have to say that they were pretty boring but gave you something to do while you progressed through the story . The most enjoyable thing about the game in my opinion was that you get your own city and you can upgrade it . I loved that you can upgrade your own town and get items for a cheaper price depending on what you've upgraded . Although the city is awesome and all , it's VERY easy to max everything out and that may be alright for some people but I wish I could of done something with all the money I was earning . The money in this game mostly comes from your city , and when you upgrade it you earn more cash . You earn money every 20 minutes , and is collected a cheat behind your sister . It has a limit making it unable to continue earning cash after a certain amount so you'll need to go back and collect that money when it's full or at a convenient time . As I said earlier , making money in this game is so easy it makes it almost completely worthless . After you've upgraded your city entirely ( which I did very early in the game ) the only way to increase your chest that fills with money is to get a higher completion which includes getting feathers , finishing missions , etc . The game itself is also extremely easy , I never , not even once died from a fight with guards . The only times I died were because I fell off of a building / ledge related to a game bug . The reason I didn't die during any guard fights was because you can now carry around medicine , I believe you start out with a small pouch that can hold around 5 or so and can be upgraded to 15 if I remember correctly . Using these will restore quite a large amount of health and pretty much make you unstoppable the entire game , they are also dirt cheap . When you get further in the game you unlock new weapons , items that can be bought from a merchant . As you get more weapons your city's value also expands earning you more cash , a bigger chest to hold cash , and more animations to kill people with . This is also the case with paintings and any other collectibles you can store in your city , they increase your cash flow and the chests maximum cash . You can find more information all over , no point in telling you anything you can easily find by reading one of your favorite review sites . I ended up trading this game in for $29.50 because there's nothing to do after you beat it , and it wasn't really worth a replay to me . I unlocked everything and completed the game to 100% , I did get all of the feathers it was a tough job and it gives you the most useless item in the game . I purchased this for $39.99 , I'd say this game was worth the $10.49 . tl ; dr : The game has some bugs / issues that I encountered and really made me dislike the game at some points . Only died to bugs , this game is for a casual gamer . If you're looking for a moderately or even slightly challenging game I'd recommend getting something else .
• 208 4  I really wanted this game and I really wanted to like it . I thought it would be an improvement over the first AC and in some ways it is , but in some ways it is just way too frustrating . Great in-game graphics , yes . But it has ridiculously picky gameplay . Say you want Ezio to climb up a wall and grab a ledge or some outcropping . You can have him run and climb from the exact same point and it's a toss up as to whether he will do what you want and climb up or do a boost off of the wall and land behind where he started . Oftentimes this causes him to fall completely off of a rooftop and lose a lot of health . While frustrating in normal play , it is really downright maddening when the timer is running for some kind of speedy mission-by the way , I hate these-hate , hate , hate . That and the random double jumps he does for no reason . The most frustrating example of this so far has been in the one church looking for the assassin's sarcophagus to open and you have many many jumps to make to get up to the top of the dome inside . At several points throughout you have to make these runs up the wall to jump and grab something to pull you up or you jump from chandeliers to joists or scaffolding . Make sure you have the large medicine pouch and plenty of patience , because it is just way too touchy and you will find yourself falling back to the floor and have to start over and over and over . Either that or he will double jump for no reason and fall right to the floor . The game makers must have known this too , because Ezio at certain points drops ladders to the ground and says it will help if he falls . They should have said , when he falls , over and over and over . Trouble is the ladders aren't really at places that help , much . They are at the beginning . I quit the game at this fairly early point and don't know if I will play it again . I never had this trouble with the first one , but it had some real problems , too . When does it get to be fun ?
• 218 4  I bought and played the first Assassin's Creed game for a few months on and off , but I quickly got bored of it . I ended up selling it and never planned on buying the sequel . After reading all the glowing Assassin's Creed II reviews from critics , saying that all the flaws in the original game were fixed , I went ahead and took a risk and purchased it . Saying that I'm glad I did is an understatement . This is a monumental improvement over the last game . The graphics were very good before , but now they are even more polished and beautiful . The music is worthy of such films as Kingdom of Heaven , the story is engaging and the voice acting is some of the best I've ever heard in a video game . The missions are more clearly defined now ( no more sitting on benches and listening to people ramble on ) and the frame rate is much smoother this time around . Italy in 1476 is also a more fascinating time in history and way more colorful than the blandness that was Jerusalem . How cool is it to come across real landmarks and people ( Leonardo da Vinci even builds some of your weapons ) from the time period . You learn history in the process , but not in a boring way . I also love the free roaming aspect , much like Grand Theft Auto . You can do what you want , when you want . If you liked the first game , you'll adore this one . If you didn't care for it then , I think Assassin's Creed II has a very good shot at changing your attitude towards the series . I know I did .
• 220 4  Assassin's Creed II should get an award for being the most improved series . This game feels like number one was an experiment on what should have been and truthfully if there was a way to go back and add in all of the the improvements that they put into this one , I could see myself playing thru part one a second time . So far , in part II , the storytelling is still top notch and a tale of betrayal and how Enzio deals with betrayal and even at the point where I am in the story ( Enzio is just getting his villa ) the game has played like a very entertaining tutorial . And my character has already met many colorful characters . So far , Ubisoft has done most of what everyone has asked for . They have added a variety of quests to make this game have more of a sandbox type game . The controls feel a bit better this time around and although in the last iteration I played this on the 360 , they still feel comfortable . The voice acting so far , is almost top notch where some of it I feel is a bit forced but it doesnt detract from the game . One of the things I do like now are the new ways which you can elude guards by throwing down money or hiring folks to distract the guards which keeps a lot more of the stealth elements in the game , whereas in the last iteration you practically had to fight your way in some places just to complete your objective . I also like the crowd blending aspect which was almost absent from the first game . Also it helps that this game has a day and night cycle but it's mostly mission specific . Another aspect I like is the items upgrade whihc gives this game a tiny bit of an RPG feel . Getting new swords , armor and other items gives more of a sense of progression as the game moves on . Being able to have those items repaired over time also helps . Also seeing a mapmaker to find treasure and a tailor to dye your clothes are fun distractions . Thankfully ACII didn't bring a lot of the hangups from part I over to this one but there are still a few minuses . Visually , on the PS3 side , ( can't speak for the 360 this time around ) the graphics while breathtaking when looking at the cityscape , look a bit murky and not as crisp as its predecessor . Another thing I noted is ( and I am guessing this may change as the game progresses ) that once the guards are alerted especially after an assassination , seem easy to ditch . In the prior iteration sometimes it took a bit longer to ditch them as they sometimes really pursued you but in this almost as soon as you are out of eyesight , they give up . Also , the combat feels about the same but on the other hand , if it ain't broke don't fix and I never really had a problem with this . The last thing that I have a slight issue with is although they fixed the pickpocket on this one , it's a bit ' too easy ' to walk thru a crowd of people , pick pockets and keep moving . I don't want the mini game back but I don't want this to be a sleepwalk either . But overall , I am satisfied with how much Ubisoft has progressed this game along with a cool recap at the beginning , an unraveling of the story as it goes as small puzzles and clues that are given to you as you progress . On a scale of 1 to 5 , I give it an 4.5 stars ( Amazon give us a 1 / 2 star rating please ! )
• 225 4  Assassin's Creed 2 is a great game overall . It's not perfect but it had all the elements I typically look for in a good video game . The story and pacing of this game , for instance , are excellent . I was genuinely interested in completing the missions of games and uncovering the massive conspiracy . I also did not feel this game was too short or long . It did not feel at all repetitive like the previous Assassin's Creed . The game not only does a good job of making you feel like you were in 15th century Italy but many of the story elements had deeper meanings that you can take from if you were so inclined . I thought many of the story elements and dialogue were quite thought provoking for a video game ( I like what the Piece of Eden represents and how the game drew parallels to various historical events , for instance ) . I also found the main character ( Ezio ) very likable and enjoyed how you could see the changes he went through throughout the years as the story progressed . The history embedded in the game was also great and I think I might have learned something while playing this game lol . Unlike what I was expecting prior to playing this game , the integration of Leonardo Da vinci in the game was not cheesy or stupid . They did a good job of fitting him into the game without contradicting the historical facts about him . As for the graphics , the developers and artists did a great job in designing the visual elements of the game just like they did in the original Assassin's Creed . It probably isn't technically revolutionary but the graphics by no means take away from this great game . As for the sound , I didn't notice much in terms of sound track or music . They used some of the same sounds / music as in the previous Assassin's Creed . The voice acting and crowd interaction are great though . I'd say the worst part of the game were the controls and difficulty . The controls were not bad but there were times during various aspects of playing this game that the controls became annoying . During the climbing and free running sequences , for instance , it would be tough to control the character's direction of jumping especially if you're trying to do things quickly . When fighting , it was tough to sometimes drop a weapon you picked up or pickup or loot people . In terms of difficulty , I would not consider this a difficult game . It seems like this game was more about fun and entertainment rather than challenge . I don't particularly think of this as a bad thing since that's what I play video games for but because of that there is no feeling of accomplishment when completing a mission . Many times after a mission or fight , I'd say to myself ' Wow , that was easy . ' As I mentioned above , this is a great game . If you're like me and like games with good story elements , you should like this game . In terms of replay value , they added many miscellaneous missions and things to collect throughout the game . I personally don't have the motivation to play this game after completing the story . They also have two DLC missions that you can download . I've played these missions and thought they were good but probably should have been free .
• 235 4  An amazing improvement from the first Assassins Creed ! UbiSoft , gets it . They get people enjoyed the 1st one enough , but weren't overwhelmed by its greatness , and listen to its critics and vastly improved . While I'm almost always disappointed by video game sequels ( with the exception of some of the Zelda's ) this #2 is #1 . My Joys : Outstanding sound ! If you have surround sound you will enjoy every bit of the beautiful environment surround it , birds chirping , cat calls , the sound of a high dive splash . . . or splat . The sound effects are outstanding , and the music is excellent and scene appropriate . Great Story ! Assassins Creed 1 I found hard to follow , this one has good characters with a solid story ( I give the story a B , not great , but in the video game world that is like an A + ) Lots to do ! Something for everyone ! Love the puzzles ! ( still trying to figure out one of the painting puzzles ) Involves money earnings and gives it value throughout the game , towards the end you will be crazy rich and able to throw away money on ugly paintings , different color uniforms , buy weapons just for your collection or just make it rain on commoners or prostitutes . Learn a little bit about History ? ! ? Very rare , but a game that teaches ! Many factually correct landmarks and characters . If you're a parent and your 13 year old is begging for a game with the M rating , at least you get a little education mixed in with the violence . Skip GTA4 and buy Assassins Creed II . They managed to mix in a little economics , making you think twice before spending money abroad when you can spend it in your hometown . Graphics , artwork and visuals were the best I've ever seen in a video game to date . Great organization on the pause menu . With countless amounts of characters , buildings , memories , and items it helped tremendously to be able to revisit them with a push of a button . Not to mention you can go back and recap scenes and the story . They do an outstanding job of organizing a lot of content . The bios on each character was a neat way to add to the characters without wasting space on cut screens ( although I do enjoy the lengthy cut scene with a good character ) . My Gripes : No Gripes , just a list of things to improve on : It's too EASY , aside from a couple of the puzzles . Controls can be finicky . Occasionally did a high dive to my demise , and killed innocent civilians . Replay value is a little weak once you solve all the puzzles , I'm not a fan of hunting for feathers to put in my trophy collection , or collecting a million treasures only to find 100 florins in them . A little bit of an over abundance of the help gangs ( prostitutes , thief and mercenaries ) and shops . . . had a little bit of copy and paste feel to it . Almost all the shops contain the same items and you end up spending most of you dime in your home town anyways . Doesn't involve a hole lot of thinking during the action portion of the game , choosing sword over stealth is an easy decision . You don't use much weapons other than the sword and the hidden blade , I think I used the poison twice ( the first time was required and the 2nd time was for entertainment ) . In the end , this is probably my favorite game for the PS3 to date , had it all , good story that keep me playing , characters that you like and feel like you know towards the end , money that has value , beautiful graphics and sounds , puzzles that are challenging and rewarding and of course lastly . . . I may just have learned something . * * McScrooge's Dollars per hour of game play : $1.20 , and all of it enjoyable . Five out of Five stars on value if you can nab it at a $30 or less price tag . . Possibly a lot less if you like hunting feathers , chump change treasures .
• 237 4  Apparently the first game was very repetitive , this is not the case with AC2 . Obviously there's some repetition to every game but as far as I'm concerned AC2 remained interesting all the way to the end . You don't have to play the first game to understand this one . Well if you are really curious about it you can visit Youtube and search for Assassins Creed in 3 minutes . But AC2 is definitively the one to get . There's flying , riding horses , gondolas , cities , countryside . The scenery is nothing short of magnificent and the game is completely immersive . Also , the background music is very well chosen . As of May 2010 it costs less than [ . . . ] bucks which is nothing for such a wonderful game , not to mention AC3 is around the corner so you definitively want to play AC2 now .
• 249 4  Assassins Creed I was a good game , but with many shortfalls . This game is an improvement : the story is more engaging , the missions have more variety and characters have more personality . The first game was the exact same mission copied over 9 times , but the second one is better . This game is what the first AC should have been . However , it is not perfect either . It is not really challenging . Most battles can be won by pressing the same button without even looking . Many times I lost track of my character in the battle with 5 - 10 other guys , but won anyway as all you need to do is push the square button repeatedly . The main quest is linear so there is only one objective and it is indicated on the map so finding the location is never hard . I was hoping to have a chance to solve those CODEX puzzles , but alas I am considered to dumb for this and only Leonardo can do it . There are some ridiculous picture-matching puzzles , but those are too easy and can be solved by some trial and error . Races is the only thing that is difficult for me , but not in a good way They take a lot of time to memorize the timing of button pushes . My 13 - year-old son likes these . . . In AC2 you have money which you can spend on weapons , armor etc , but typically there is only one new weapon type available at each level ( just like in the first game ) . You can also paint clothes in different colors , but this seems to make no difference . There is always more than enough money to buy everything available . Flags have been replaced with feathers in AC2 which are just as useless ( unless you have a lot of time with nothing else to do ) . Game engine seems almost exactly the same as the first game and visuals are just as good . If you liked the first game , you may like this on too . I am giving it four stars because it is fun to play and engaging .
• 251 4  Better than the first . For starters , Ezio ( the ancestor you're following now ) is a lot more likeable than Altiar . Secondly , the now story advances a bit more than last time ( the last game's ending was down right awful - after enduring the entire game , that was positively cruel ! : P ) . Thirdly , the game hasn't yet taken on that oh my goodness , we're doing this * again * ? ! aspect that the other one did ( and I'm well over half done by now ) . With the improvements , however , there is a new downfall . The gameplay has gotten more like Prince of Persia - and that no-room-for-error-jump-here-grab-this-outrun-that-and-watch-out-for-the-ticking-clock style is exactly the reason I don't play Prince of Persia . I know many people love it , but I'd rather play a game that takes time with story-related challenges rather than acrobatic challenges for the player . What I liked about the other game is that very little depended on you * having * to jump here , grab this , swing over here and outrun that in half a second ; you had as much freedom to plan out your course as you wanted , but there was little compelling you to play a certain way . Then , I took what I wanted of the jumping and climbing , and left the rest . Alas , not so here . Although , for many gamers , I suspect this will be a significant positive ; it just wasn't for me . So , if you like that style , you'll probably love this ; if not , like me , you may be disappointed . Otherwise , however , things are much the same . I didn't notice a difference in graphics , but I don't have the first game anymore to compare with ; voice acting , I think , has improved , but there are still some instances where it could improve more . We're still following the Templar conspiracy plot from the first one ( obviously ) , so I can't hold that against it . : P The beautiful Italian cities are ( as in the first one ) very interesting places to explore . The assassination and fighting techniques are cool , and the characters are generally interesting . All in all , if the rest of the game continues in the same vein as the first half + , I would say that this is a good game . 3 / 5 EDIT : Since posting this , I've finished the game . I stand by my original review and the points made there-in , with this to add : the ending is decent , with only one interesting / original twist . The gameplay up until that point continues to be good , although a bit heavy on the PoP stunts . Unlike the first , this game keeps you wrapped in the action until the very end ; upon reflection , I think this is due to your being a part of the decision-making team , rather than simply following ( the same . . . ) orders . Anyhow , all in all , this is not a great game , but it is a good game . Worth playing at least once .
• 260 4  I've never played the original AC . The II is pretty fun to play . Graphics is beautiful with a lot of details on my 56 TV . The city design is very intricate and realistic . A couple cities are fairly big and it's a lot of fun to walk around and get familiar with them while picking up some assassin work . In parallel to carrying out your killings , you can also do treasure hunting , feature collecting , codex collecting , tomb seal collecting , looking for glyphs to help Animus decode some files ( solving puzzle ) , investing in your villa , etc . But one thing I'm a little bit disappointed with is most of these activities don't help much to finish the game . You need to collect all the codex pages to beat the game at the end . Also investing in your villa city helps you get more money to buy better armor , weapon and other stuff . But other activities are simply not required to beat the game , nor do they contribute to speed up story development . To me they're simply for fun . Another small complaint I have is all the tasks are not challenging enough . There's not a single assassin task that's hard enough to frustrate me a bit . Some tasks I could easily finish in the first try . Other a little harder ones I could complete after a couple more attempts once I got to know what to expect , definitely not real challenges , not even in the final sequence . I wish UBISOFT next time would come up with something which needs us players to sweat more to finish . Overall it's fun game to play .
• 266 4  I love this kind of games in which you are free to move anywhere you want and interact with people as well as the environment . Graphics quality is ok but i think they coud do better . I would recommend this game because it is very entertaining and gives you a lot of options everywhere .
• 294 4  Great game , better than the first . Greatest thing is the replay value . You can run through the game once , enjoying a fantastic storyline , beautiful graphics , and real attention to detail , and then go through again , finding things you missed in the first run . Definitely a keeper ! Great moves , great scenes , and fantastic puzzles !
• 312 4  I rarely write reviews on Amazon but having just finished AC : 2 really wanted to share my thoughts about it . I've played a lot of video games , including the first Assassin's Creed ( which I found fairly boring and repetitive after a while ) , and this one is definitely in my top 10 . Intriguing , intelligent and beautifully detailed , this is a game which can be enjoyed by all ages . And if you have visited the Italian cities featured in the game you will have the added bonus of seeing them in all their Renaissance glory ! The game really does test you in every way - puzzles and tasks require a lot of thinking and strategy , and even the fights are far more than simple ' bash the button ' affairs . The free form nature of the game is also very endearing - although there is a ( very strong ) central storyline , you can take a break and just wander around the incredible environment and undertake side tasks as you wish . If you enjoy clever , beautiful games which treat you as an adult then don't hesitate to get this - I can't wait for the third instalment !
• 352 4  This game is a HUGE improvement over the first in every single way . The visuals are beautiful , the voice acting is excellent , the music is wonderful , and I like the freedom the game gives you to perform side missions , main missions , or just run around the country on horseback for hours whenever you choose . The gameplay is no longer so repetitive in terms of objectives you must complete and Ezio is even faster and more compentent in battles than Altair . I never felt forced to get anything done or make the story progress and I didn't mind what some call the slow beginning of it all . Ezio doesn't start out an assassin - why would he come right out of the gate with weapons and the cloak looking for kills ? The pace of the story was important to Ezio's character development and I thought it worked much better than just getting a new piece of equipment or whatever as was the case in AC I . Having the ability to rebuild the villa was a nice touch , too . It was satisfying to see the changes taking place as the town's value improved . Bottom line this is a must play game . If you like to fight a lot you're free to start trouble . If you like to sneak and climb and avoid conflict you can do that as well provided you don't draw too much attention to yourself ( which is easy to do unless you're notorious ) . If you enjoy collecting every last item you're rewarded for doing so but if you'd rather not it doesn't hurt you much . I've been playing games since the days of Atari and I can honestly say this was one of the most beautiful gaming experiences I've ever had . I can't wait for the next one !
• 365 4  I'm gonna get right to the point , cause nobody likes to beat around the bush . Graphics : The graphics are great and I liked them . At first they seemed a little weird to me but I quickly warmed up to them . Storyline : I think the storyline is very much improved from the first game . And I like the bit when Desmond comes out of the Animus . Gameplay : Gameplay is great but sometimes I feel like they had to sacrifice something to fit all the new stuff in the game . The controls can also be a little out of hand as well , but overall not bad .
• 367 4  as many have known about assassin's creed is a good game . this is even a better game . here are some good thing i will be stating about ac2 : * story line is very attractive , you would want to continue story line even you're busy with another thing , emotional expression will enter you as you progress through the story . * animation is great , for ex : ezio would actually grab on something when he climb instead of just moving the body up . * you can buy items such as armor and weapons also medicine for healing . but one thing to consider is the painting that you can buy , some of the most famous painting in the history is including in this game for you to collect ingame . * when you equip armor / weapon , it actually show up differently for each items . altair armor would be an impressive ones . * graphic is one of the breath taking in the game , if you have a big screen tv , you would want to get your hand on this game . especially viewing on a synchronize place . * one more thing is the soundtrack , very matching with certain situation , also bringing mood to the game , i would listen to the main theme a million times before i get bored of it . - there are more good about the game , but seeing it for yourself would be better . here are few things bad about the game : * targeting is still a little hard to control , sometimes you hit or assassinate another target that you don't want * the radar could at least be fixed so the player can be more accurate on where they're going , sometimes i have to open map every 2 - 3 min to make sure i'm on the right track to some places , which is a big disadvantage . and the only one main thing i would complain about the game . * this is a rarely situation which i encounter in the game , a glitch that would transport the main character or and enemy to a different location and still fighting , though it's a very rare occasion . in general , this is a great game that you can rarely find out of many games , the ending on ac1 maybe disappointing , but ending here is something you would open your mouth and say what the * * * * . also the game is very mind challenging when solving puzzle to unlock certain codes . overall , i would recommend this game to ANYONE that have a ps3 or xbox360 , also the pc version but coming out in 2010 .
• 369 4  I think that this might be one of the best games that I have played in a long time . The first Assassin's Creed was amazing ! It had beautiful graphics and history that got you really into the story and gameplay . The only real problem was the ending and that the missions were being repeated . Assassin's Creed | | listened to all the problems everyone had and it came out amazingly ! The graphics are stunning and they are even better than the first games graphics . You can see the details in the faces even clearer and there are beautiful colors . In the first , everything was either foggy or brown . The gameplay is even better ! I love the fact that you can do anything whenever you want and there are a ton of side missions . I always seem to get detracted from what ever I'm doing to chase down an optional running target , looting him , and then picking up his body and throwing him into a nearby pile of leaves . I love the money and how easy it is to pickpocket people . I love searching for wanted posters and running through the assassin tombs and figuring out the puzzles . The storyline is great . It goes so much deeper than Altair's . In fact , he didn't really seem to have much of a story to tell . I love becoming an assassin , instead of just being one without really knowing how I became one in the first place . His family is so characteristic in the very beginning that you can feel his pain of betrayal . The story is so deep and passionate that I can't help but to beg for more . This is the one of the best games in history and I cannot find a single complaint about it . It made me stay up all night playing it . If you buy it , you not be disappointed at all .
• 371 4  Just finished the game and would rate this game somewhere between a 8 / 10 - 9 / 10 . Big improvement over the first game . Gameplay feels like Prototype mixed with Batman . There is a lot to do in this game and will probably run around 20 hours . Positives - Lots of side quests ( races , assassinations , courier , obstacle courses , puzzles ) . - Lots of ways to kill . As you progress through the game you will pick up more skills and tools of the assassin . This is what keeps this game from getting repetitive . My personal favorite is poison . Stab them then watch as they slowly go crazy . - For an open sandbox game the graphics look great . - Strong characters and story . Everyone has a distinct personality and motives . No one feels like they were added for the sake of adding more characters to make the game longer . Negatives - Not a lot of replay value other than to experience the story again . All trophies can be unlocked in the first play through and there is nothing to unlock ( concept art , etc . ) . This may change however with DLC . - You'll spend a lot of time running from points to points on the map in this game than actually doing things . - Not necessarily a negative but as with all stealth games , AC2 lacks on the excitement side .
• 376 4  I purchased this game with some pretty high expectations , and I would say they were almost all completely met . Like most people have said , the game not only looks amazing , but has a great storyline , an improved weapon system , and a ton of new features and side missions that keep the experience lively . I was a big fan of ACI , even though it was more like a repetitive pac-man style chore to complete the game , but the payoff was worth it to me in the end . The fighting system is basically the same as ACI . Several guards take turns swinging at you , and you can counter and kill them off one by one . A few things Ubi improved on though is the addition of a second arm blade , enabling you to take out two guards at once , and the addition of metal covered vambraces , giving you the ability to block attacks while you have the arm blades equipped . This was a big bonus for me , because my favorite weapon in ACI was the arm blade , and is now my favorite weapon in AC2 ( besides a sweet butchers knife ) . The action this time around feels far more brutal also . With the addition of more weapon types , comes the sweeter kill moves . Bludgeoning a guards head in with a warhammer never felt so good ! Instead of sword , dagger , arm blade , and throwing knives ; there is the addtion of warhammers , different dagger and sword types , customizable armor ( and you can even dye your assassin robe ) , poison blades , smoke bombs , and vambrace-pistols . You can even disarm guards if you are fighting bare knuckle and take their weapons ! One of my gripes about the game ( along with many others ) is the climbing controls . I have found that in many , many situations it is hard to control Ezio and get him to do exactly what you want . For example , to free run ( which allows you to basically run , and climb whatever is in your way ) you hold R1 + X . R1 alone will enable you to run , and X alone will allow you to jump . If you are climbing a building , holding down R1 sometimes isnt enough depending on the situation so you will need to hold X down as well ( for free run ) . Many times if you are climbing something it can be tricky because pressing X at the wrong time , or if you are facing the slightess degree off where you are trying to go will cause Ezio to jump in the opposite direction of where you intending to . This will often cause you to either plummet to your death , or just fall down really , really far and have to start over again . On one particular part in a crypt I found myself retrying a timed hit the switch and run before the door closes event atleast 20 + times before I got it simply becasue I had to keep fumbling around with the controls . As for the other controls , I would say they are fine . I only have a problem when in certain situations and trying to climb or jump around . - - - Pros : Graphics and locales are amazing improved combat system addition of new weapon types Sandbox type gameplay has the just one more thing effect You can swim ! - - - Cons : Overlapping jump + run + climb functions can cause some major frustration at times Gondolas ( great idea , but pretty hard to drive around ) - - - Overall , I would recommend this game , especially if you are a fan of AC1 . Like many have stated before me , the whole jump + climb controls can be down right maddening if you arent super cafeful . I am about half way through the game , and so far I have only have a few problems with falling off things and jumping to my death on accident . Patience is key when playing this game . If you are patient and learn to work the controls , you will probably get a good if not decent experience out of this game , I wouldn't say this is a candidate for GOTY though . . hell , its no Uncharted 2 !
• 383 4  I have been looking forward to this game for awhile . I indeed really liked the first game , but it just felt unfinished . The first game had a few big problems , mainly being repetitive , some frame rate issues , and the story . The story was pretty confusing . When we meet Altair in the first game , he is already an assassin and we are given no background as to how he got the position . In this game , you actually see main protagonist Ezio being born , and you play as him for a while before key events take place that force him into the life of an assassin . This really was a great idea , because it makes you really care about the characters that will be affected by the story , and by the end you will be very emotionally involved . The voice actors , noticably Nolan North ( of Uncharted fame ) and Kristen Bell ( from one of my fave movies Forgetting Sarah Marshall ) did a great job . The great parts of the first game are still there . The beautiful scenery , highly detailed character models , lovely animation , and fluid combat are all still there , and are even better than they were in the first game . Ezio looks great , the facial animation is quite good , and the water looks really great . Speaking of water , you can actually swim in it this time around ! A pretty great addition , because when you are running away from the guards sometimes you just want to jump off a high building into the water , The Fugitive style . You can now modify your clothes / armor , as well as upgrade your weapons , and even collect statues and paintings for display in your villa . Very cool touches . This game utilizes Ubisoft's new Uplay feature , which is basically another Trophy / Acheivement system exclusive to Ubisoft games , where you can unlock cool things like an Altair skin and sword , etc . using the Uplay points , which automatically sync with your profile when you are online . One of the best features is the database , where you can access cool information about the people , places and buildings in Assassin's Creed 2 . I love buildings and history so I was happy to be able to sift through all the cool information . It made running around the rooftops even more fun , as now when you run over the roof of a building of note , the database for it unlocks . If you liked the first Assassin's Creed like me , you will positively love this game . It has pulled me away from Uncharted 2 and God Of War Collection , which are two standout titles at the moment .
• 391 4  Assassin's Creed was received in 2007 with mixed reviews . Most people criticize it for being repetitive and boring . I never thought it to be , as a whole , repetitive and boring . Yes , the action was repetitive . But to me , it was incredibly story driven , and the story was so compelling in my opinion , I never really found myself bored or tired of doing the same 4 - 5 types of missions over and over . People everywhere are saying that Assassin's Creed II is Ubisoft's answers to the first installment's critics . I think they are being premature . Yes , this game has you do different types of things , but when you get down to it , most of the game is killing people to move the story forward , to get money towards other ends , or protecting people from getting killed ( by killing other people ) aside from that , there's a lot of parkour . It's unfair though , to box this game up in those terms . Some might argue that they don't really need to play the first AC to play this one , because all they care about is the gameplay . Well , I can tell you , they're missing out on a hell of a story , as well as an almost obscene amount of additional content ( often in the form of riddles , puzzles and other type of mini game situations that yield more details on the larger arc of the game's storyline ; it's easy to forget you're not Ezio Auditore , you're actually Desmond from AC , sitting somewhere hooked up to an Animus - and if that didn't make sense , go back and play or read up on AC ) The graphics have not been improved . Character models look the same , even slightly worse for the wear . We cannot deny though that Renaissance Italy makes for a prettier location than the Holy Land during the . . . 2nd or 3rd ? Crusade . This is a very pretty game . The sounds have been revamped and given the Ubisoft treatment : I really missed having a French and Spanish track in the first AC , but liked having guards yell in German and French , as well as in Persian . They've made it so the game can be played in English , Italian , French or Spanish , but the English track contains a lot of dialogue in Italian ( turn on those subtitles if you no parla la lingua , . . . or something . ) in the cinematics as well as the surrounding NPCs in their on-going cycles . It was all done artfully and adds to the immersiveness . The voice acting is an improvement from AC , thankfully , although everyone speaks with the assimilated Italo-American accent . Fine by me . Just weird at first . Sword clashes and clangs are run of the mill , nothing surprising here . The music is superb , although I preferred the music from AC ( personal preference ) The gameplay is roughly the same : parkour elements are pretty much the same , except Ezio swims , and I get a feeling that he runs slower but climbs faster than Altaïr . Small trade off . Battle has been tweaked and is affected by the weapon you might be wielding at any given point . Fist fighting is now a viable option too , which is nice , albeit reckless . AI still comes one at a time at you , but is not as easily dispatched as before . Parrying and deflecting is a bit more difficult than before , but the adjustment is small . The weapon selection system has been revamped and now to select between Sword , dagger and throwing knives you have to go into a separate menu . I personally was irked at first at this , because I loved changing weapons mid fight without breaking the action on the first AC , but it's a small trade off for such a huge array of weapons , as well as being able to do additional things like taking medicine to heal yourself and throw money on the ground to create a distraction . Other changes include stealth kills from hidden places ( ie hay stacks or hanging from a wall ) There are also guns , although I have not yet progressed enough to get to use them . They've also included non-lethal solutions , like tackling people ( as in , take downs ) , which is nice in case you don't want to kill your mark ( there are situations why you wouldn't this time around ) As stated , this game includes an economy system . You get florins from missions and by looting people and treasure coffers . You can use these florins to buy art , weapons , medicine , armor , dying your clothes a different color , buying bigger bags , hiring services from denizens of the lower caste ( ha ! ) and treasure maps . There is also a different use for money , but I'd reveal a plot point early in the game by saying what it is , so you'll find out yourself . The game has also made it so that the collectibles have a plot driven raison d'être this time around ; no picking up flags for kicks and giggles . The story itself to me is incredibly superb , and the fact that there is so much side content referring to the other subjects of Abstergo ( remember , Desmond is subject 17 . . . so . . . what about 1 - 16 ? ) and to the life of Altaïr after AC and the piece of Eden , it is a bit daunting . Quite daunting actually . If you like tales of intrigue and conspiracy theories , the story will have you hooked . Plus , the side content will make you think ! Most of it is art or history based . Quite enjoyable . All in all , I'm enjoying this game quite a bit . So far , it's the game I've most enjoyed of ' 09 . It caters to my needs as a heavy reader and as an avid gamer in many levels . I'd say that this game at the least deserves you try it once before being written off . Game on .
• 394 4  You leave the safety of the assassin's lair , get on a horse and start galloping . You eventually go up a road between the mountains and , right as the music cues , you see the imposing city of Damascus before you on the horizon . As you get closer , you notice there is no loading times , no cut scene . You are about to embark on quite an adventure . . . . That , for me , was the first of many the next generation has arrived moments in the original Assassin's Creed . you played the game finding it very difficult to imagine ways to improve the marvelous grphics but at the same time craving a lot more . Well , after much waiting , we have the new installment of what is turning out to be one of the finest franchises on the Playstation console . Many changes have been made and improvements are plentyful . Hopefully we can cover the most relevant here . Right off the gate , the dynamics of the game is changed in the way the main character is presented . Where Altair was a mysterious , downright unknown character , the game's new hero Ezio , is a lot more accesible . This brings two very different approaches in character development . Playing Altair was very cool because we knew so little about him . He was this highly skilled instrment in the organization and we pretty much knew nothing else . Ezio on the other hand , is an open book . We meet his family , his past . We understand his motivations . He is not a part of the organization when we first meet him and in fact when you begin to play , he is not even wearing the assassin's uniform . Ezio is a human being and we feel for him . This gives the player the sense that it is not buisiness as usual . That it is going to be a very different trip than the last . All this information overload concerning Ezio foreshadows the downright obscene amount of extra content that has been added to this game when comapred to the fisrt one . The main complaint in the first game was that missions got a bit tedious . ( go to the city , climb the towers , kill the bad guy , repeat ) The solution Ubisoft has provided to this complaint works on some levels and not so much in others . They have provided so many other things to do in the game that it can turn downright overwhelming . It's not just different types of missions . Now you have to solve cryptic puzzles , manage your finances , deal with tailors , blacksmiths , travel agents ( yes , travel agents ) and map makers , manage weapon and armor upgrades , let Leonardo Da Vinci help you figure it all out , an entire sidequest to unlock the armor of Altair and even oversee the restoration of an entire town . All that , in addition to the over 200 missions in the game . ( Not all are mandatory ) This as I mentioned , is both a blessing and a curse . Most of these things are very well done . For example , I got a real kick at watching DaVinci in the game , especially watching him working WITH you and letting yu use his gadgets . THings like that really add depth to the experience . On the other hand , you have so many things pending at one time that it is hard to keep up . You always have a feeling that you are forgetting something . In that sense , it soemtimes seems that Ubisoft's answer to make the game less tedious was to make it more tedious . Graphically , the game is quite an achievement . The level of detail is very impresive . This time around you are playing in Italy , 200 years after the events of the first game . The advance in time plays right into the graphical upgrade as cities now have even more detail . Walking the streets ( and running through the rooftops ) of the different cities give you a sense that you are in a real place . Also , cities now are not confined to just the walls . There are farms and houses and churches outside them as well and some missions are played in those areas as well . The detail in the buildings , people and objects is exquisite . It is very fitting that this game takes place in the Renaissance.Character animation is awsome . There are few characters out there better looking than the assassins in these two games . Once running through the rooftops of Florence , something caught my eye on a wall below me . It turned out to be Ezio's shadow matching his every move . Further inspection verified that the intensity , shape and position of his shadow depended on where Ezio was and what time of day ( or night ) it was . The game is that detailed . This is without question one of the best-looking games I have ever seen . The gameplay for me , is perfect . When a character can do as many things as Ezio can , controlling the character can become complicated but Ubisoft has really nailed this aspect perfectly . Running , climbing and attacking are all second nature . The game makes it really easy to make you look good . Having Ezio open a can of whoop-a @ ! on his oponents requires very little effort . So is doing the more acrobatic stuff like balancing while running through beams and diving from towers ( that never gets old to me ) . Anyone can jump in and play this game with little effort . Ubisoft has put a lot of effort in the story . Great care was taken in developing Ezio as a character and as a result the beggining of the game can seem quite slow . It does pay off later though , as it really helps you immerse yourself later on in the game . Also , a connection is established between the first game and this one in the form of special missions where you raid the tombs of past assassins ( how all these people got to be buried in Italy is not explained but . . . it is a game after all ) to eventually unlock the Armor of Altair which you can then wear . Be aware though , that these missions can take a while and are basically a test of your climbing skills . For the most part , these tombs seemed to be in hidden rooms at the very top of some building . The voice acting is adequate but the fony italian accents can be a bit much at times . They didn't make Altair sound middle-eastern , why do this now ? Assassin's Creed II has some issues but this is a case where the good far outweighs the bad by far . While the game can get a bit tedious , it is a result of having so much to do as opposed to doing the same thing over an over which is a definate improvement over the first game . Having said that , there is no way of calling this game anything other than extremely fun . It has great controls , incredible grpahics and a gripping story . Plus , a great character in Ezio Auditore . I highly recommend it . This , and Uncharted 2 : Among Thieves , are hands down the best games to come out for the PS3 this year .
• 397 4  Just FYI . Never played part one . PS3 version . Controls - You just needed to make your adjustments learning on the go . Simple enough . Experiment and it will be easy to play as you continue the game Graphics - Good enough given how big the environment is . Play on 37 ' lcd and have no gripes with details . Not expecting myself to be hardcore and want the wood or stone to look real life . Game Length - Playing off / on ; but really trying to get 100% completion of the game . After a week of playing , barely collected 20 - 30% of objects . Good enough for like $50 I paid for the game . Comparing to the new Ratch & Clank witch I beat in 4 - 5 days and had about 80% completion . Small Gripes - ( 1 ) I prefer a sneak action or something when assasinating enemy from behind . Just walking up slowly doesn't give it a same effect ( 2 ) Tackle a thief seems buggy . Pressing ' O ' near the thief doesn't work all times ( Probably try different strategy again later ) ( 3 ) I was stealing , hiring distraction groups , reaching viewpoints , etc long before the storyline actually explains how to do it . Figured it out myself as I was doing randomness things . So storyline sort of retro active and takes away the forward progress of the game . Like the 2 steps forward 1 step back analogy .
• 399 4  I was finally able to track down a limited edition version for Ps3 thru Gamestop . After looking at other popular websites that sell AC2 there was mass confusion to say the least . Hong Kong versions w / a figurine and no bonus levels , Canadian sellers listing a bilingual version and so on . I even had one Gamestop employee tell me there was no master assassin edition only a limited version . Well , it says it right here on the side of the plastic case . So here are the true details . The true master assassins edition should measure 8x6x10 inches . It comes in a nice mostly clear plastic casing that slips around a metal tin that has pictures of enzio on the front and back of tin . Front pic is close up of Enzio's face and back is full body pic of Enzio . Inside you get the game shrinkwrapped , dvd-rom of bonus stuff w / soundtrack and more , hardcover art book w / sketches and the like plus 2 pre order bonus things : Medici map ( preorder bonus ) & Santa maria map ( limited exclusive ) . Both are in-game maps . Also comes with 8.5 ezio statue incased in plastic . So many people are trying to pass fakes and knock-offs of this thing I just wanted to give true fans a verbal discription to go by for the offical USA NTSC release . will be back later to update the review as I play the game ! Now , on to the game : I've played it for hours and here are my feelings compared to the first game . So far I have mixed feelings . There are tons of side missions that you can accept or deny depending on how thorough you want to complete the game . Enzio just got his assassins robe at the point I'm at so kep things like that in mind . This is a slowly building story w / tons of dialogue and as of right now you do more non-killing tasks than anything else . There are doctors , blacksmiths , and equipment salesmen that you need to visit throughout the game and buy stuff from . You rob people , find hidden treasures and earn money completing certain tasks . It gives the game a slight Oblivion nod in that respect . Your health doesn't bounce back after major hits - you gotta reapir yourself or die . Tons of side missions to choose from and the upgrade to double hidden blade kills , and grabbing someone while hiding in a haystack is pretty damn cool . The scenery is great , townfolk look accurate and you can bribe prostitutes to distract pesky guards . For some reason there seems to be too many distractions in the form of early timed races , massive dialogue w / thick Italian accents ( yes , I am Italian ) and a lack of fluid movements when trying to climb and move on the bldg . Could be just me as i am not an avid or constant gamer . I'm a big fan of Uncharted 2 if that helps . There is no more in and out of Animus but both Desmond and Lucy look radically different this time around . It also gives a nod to InFamous in the form of picking your weapons . There is no save button but it seems to get it close enough when you power the system back up.i could see certain people getting frustrated w / this game . There is a lot of building up and explaining . The feathers to collect in the game can be a bit tricky even witht the gps you are given . You still climb tall places and synch your vision . There is the hidden blade and throwing stars as well . Ride horses to the next village and protect your remaining family . All in a days work for Enzio !
• 401 4  The first Assassins Creed is notorious in it's reputation . Alot of people felt it was a nice tech demo for graphics , but otherwise it just a platformer game with a few simple objectives that went on way too long . I agreed , but still enjoyed it , and was curious to get through to the end to find out where the story was going . I was a mollified to see that in the interest of making a larger game , the graphics in 2 have been simplified to run more smoothly . AC2 is full of blurred edges and textures and a muddy color palette . The shadows are blocky , and don't move realistically ( especially on faces in some closeups ) . Character models show some weird artifacts . Distances are flattened in a perpetual haze . One thing I really loved about AC1 was how you could stop and look at any street and appreciate all the fine detail . Not so here . There ARE more people types in the street in AC2 , but otherwise this is a graphical downgrade that seems to want to conjure up comparisons to an oil paint ' look ' . AC1 may have had hiccups and slowdown , but it ' popped ' and looked alot cleaner on my hi-def TV than this . The gameplay . . . might be a matter of taste . If you wanted more step & fetch , this game has it . You'll do alot more running back and forth , getting letters , documents , delivering boxes , carrying bodies , beating up philandering boyfriends , following people , etc . Having to manually follow someone who you are having a conversation with was a little weird . There is also the addition of an ingame economy , so you can now rob dead people , pickpocket , buy paintings , change the color of your clothing , repair your armor and weapons , hire prostitutes to lure guards ( fun ! ) , throw money in the street to draw a crowd . . . Point to point races against local couriers will challenge your ability to find the quickest route across the rooftops and pray Ezio doesn't ' stick ' to the wrong surface . Simple Puzzle segments scattered throughout the game world will illuminate more of the games backstory . A notoriety ' system ' will force you to remove wanted posters ( never on the street , always on second story balconies , for some reason ) and kill local police . Visit Leonardo Da Vinci who will create weaponry for you if you have the right design sketches and later unlock a nice flying mission . . . The core experience of the game hasn't changed at all , though . The running over rooftops is still a breeze ( unless you're on a clock ) , and the combat is workable and fun , though the context sensitive scheme will occasionally frustrate , BUT - just like AC1 , you don't ever get to perform a stealth kill on any of the games main-story targets . . . you track them , listen to a speech , run them down , run them through in front of a huge crowd , and then run like hell as dozens of screaming guards chase after you . It's hardly stealthy and you've done this already . The story ? You're the lusty son of a proud nobleman , wronged by a conspiracy involving the Assassins and the Templars , and nothing is what it seems bla bla bla etc . . . I will give that Ezio is a little more likable than Alta'ir of the first game . . but it didn't make me care about him or his family , or what was going on , and Desmond simply switching teams to be exploited by Lucy and her friends instead of the evil Abstergo Company didn't impress me much , either . I thought Desmond was a dullard in the first game , but the Holy Land story was more crackling than this . AC2 ' s story gets lost in the volume of chores you have to do very quickly . If you didn't like the first game , there's no way I would recommend this .
• 418 4  I'm about 2 / 3 through the game ( a few missions into Venice ) and the game is now freezing my PS3 ! The screen will freeze but sound remains and none of the buttons work ( not even the PS button to quit or shutdown ) . I've tried to manually shutdown which works , but when I start playing the game again it freezes anywhere between 5 - 15minutes of play . The disk is clean and my PS3 is new . Both the PS3 and game have the latest updates / patches . I've googled the issue and it seems like this is a common occurrence . . . . The game itself if very good - gameplay , graphics and sound are all great . Normally I'd rate this 4 - 5 stars if it weren't for the freezing issue . I was enjoying it very much until now as its virtually unplayable . . . . . If you are one of the lucky ones who played the game through without any issues , I'm jealous . Buyer beware , if you get a screen freeze during play , your game is most likely over . . . . ( unless they develop a patch ! ) UPDATE : after speaking with Sony , I tried deleting the game data and resetting the PS3 system and it seems to be working again . Still a frustrating experience . . . I updated my stars - prob would have given it 5 if not for the time fooling around with the freezing issue . . .
• 420 4  As much as I'd like to give Assassin's Creed II five stars , I just can't . I'll try keeping it brief by describing the good and then following up with what I felt were shortcomings of the game when I was finished . I mean , who wouldn't enjoy being an assassin in Italy during the Renaissance ? You play the role of Ezio , a newbie who is about to learn that he's a descendant of a noble line of assassins . Without getting into any spoilers , you find out your family / bloodline has been wronged by the corrupt church / government in a mobsterish type of way , and you seek training and revenge . Given the proper equipment , you set out to assassinate targets and find special items . You even get some quick action along the way , nice . Finding items is ACII's way of making full use of its controls and forcing you to explore the lush environment . The game really shines in these respects . Ezio is like a monkey on steroids , but he's very smooth in his movements . You climb / jump / traverse / relay pretty much everything while solving platform puzzles ( Prince of Persia comes to mind ) feeling very cool . Combat is pretty cool too , to a degree . I liked the various assassination techniques unique to each weapon . Wielding a dagger is not the same as wielding a sword . These sutbleties help make ACII a thorough game in addition to its beautiful environment and smooth character controls . That's about it though . For the most part , you are really just parrying and assassinating guys . I know this is the basic idea , but okay , now I need to go there , climb up that building , and kill him became a little repetitive to me , no matter how hard the game designers tried to tie the story to the objective . All those techniques you learned early on , like sitting on a bench to remain anonymous or blending in with a group of strangers to stay hidden , aren't really used at all later as the game progresses . By the end of the game , I was running around town dispatching anybody whenever , however I wanted without repercussions . So where's the stealth aspect and why am I wearing a concealing hood and cape then ? The story could have used some work as well . Kudos for the creators to try to weave a deep storyline , but I seriously thought I was playing the wrong game for the first 2 hours . So I'm this modern day dude , who doesn't really know what's going on , running around a science / robotic facility , and then I strap myself to this Matrix-type chair and tap into Ezio's thoughts ? Um , sure I'll buy that . . . It also couldn't have helped that ACII was released around the same time as Uncharted II ( equal to better graphics , excellent story , good multiplayer ) , Call of Duty MW2 ( no explanation necessary , killer multiplayer ) , and Demon's Souls ( super-sleeper RPG w / tons of replay value ) . That is just very strong competition , and even though ACII is a huge step forward for the series and is a fine game , it falls just short of the top tier of games out there for the PS3 .
• 422 4  there were a lot of things wrong with the first game : it was endlessly repetitive , the combat system was annoyingly simple , and it was near impossible to get soldiers off your tail once they were clued off to your presence . in AC2 , they changed all that . or most of it . kind of . AC2 was a hell of a lot better . the mission structure remains basically the same , while providing much more variety and more ability to carry out assassinations the way YOU want to , rather than how the game wants you to . you have access to a million different weapons , all with varying strengths and weaknesses . in addition to your basic melee weapons , you also now have a pistol attatched to your hidden blade . there are many different side missions , as well as some thing where you collect feathers to get some reward ( still don't know what the reward is ; the feathers are damn hard to find ) . the one-button combat system is still the same , except that you can now disarm your opponents . disarming guys with spears is very fun . counter-combos with a spear are awesome in every imaginable way . the combat system feels much more immersive than in hte last game , and the sound effects ( ie bones crunching , blood burbling as you stab a guy in the back ) are awesome , and very realistic . on a lesser note , your massive amount of health combined with a rediculous number of healing potions and near-invincibility make it seem almost too easy to fight like a score of guys at once . the story is well-played and intriguing , with great voice-acting . there are fewer breaks from the animus , so the story feels less boken up . your ability to hire whores , thieves , and mercenaries to help you out is a cool new feature , and being able to swim is very cool . i just wish the guards could follow you into the water . it just seems wierd that you're the only guy in the world who can swim . overall , it is a great game and a vast improvement on the first . if you hated AC1 , you're probably gonna love this one ; if you loved AC1 , don't even go near AC2 cuz it'll be like giving meth to a guy in rehab . one thing though : the blood effects suck in this game . seriously . i actually got to the point where i thought it looked so bad that i had to turn the blood off . that's pretty much the only criticims i can think , other than the aforementioned thing about too much health .
• 438 4  This was my first PS3 game . I actually use the thing as a blu-ray player mostly . I have XBox 360 and Wii , but I've not seen a more visually beautiful game than this on either of those platforms . I am not a hard-core gamer . I play occasionally , but certainly not daily but this game had me hooked from the start . My only small complaint is the exposition that goes on between game play . I understand the spirit of the game and why the cut scenes are there , I just could have used a a tiny little bit less . Expect excellent graphics , excellent game play , and terrific sound , just be prepared for some downtime between game play .
• 449 4  I got this as a Christmas present from my wife cause she needed to get some stuff done and wanted to keep me busy for a couple days . . . it worked . I had been excited about the game and when it came out I couldn't wait to get my hands on it . I opened it up and immediately was hook on the story line . . . I related to the character ( which is something I really like . . . it pulls you in and you can forget you are playing a game you are that into it ) , and the climbing and attacks are just awesome . Your fighting skills increase as you progress through the story line . . . so it never gets stale . The puzzles and symbols are a fun sidetrack if you decide to pursue them . I completed the main story line content in 3 days of 20 + hour a day playing . . . way over board and wouldn't recommend it . . . but I had the time and I was just that into the game . This is a must have game ! Downsides : Well I'd like to complain about mechanics but I really can't so far . . . most of the issues I had with the game were mostly me not playing to the best of my ability . Operator error doesn't count . The only real bummer are the minstrels in this game . . . minstrels like guards in my opinion should be fair game . . . kill as many as you want . . . but alas they are not and they are constantly bugging you and bumping into you and ruining your missions . . . but hey . . . ubisoft had to screw with us somehow right ? I know this is a candy coated review . . . but I have just been that pleased with it . . . . don't believe me . . . try it yourself it's an awesome game .
• 460 4  This title was my first introduction to Assassins Creed universe as I had not played the first edition . I got the game Wednesday , and put it in sometime on THursday . I don't remember much of Thursday and a lot of Friday as I found myself doing ' one more mission ' for hours on end . The storyline so far has been quite fun to follow yet time to run the little sideline things with it are also really exciting . The gameplay is extremely smooth and the free running around town jumping from thing to thing can be quite entertaining . Though sometimes the movement between things can be annoying as hell as you ping pong around and I've found myself screaming at the screen a few times over this . It's made me go back and pick up the first version to see what the story was . I'm about 50% the way through the trophies on the PS3 version .
• 472 4  The last games I enjoyed were multiplayer RPG's 25 years ago on primitive networks . Since then I have tried to find console games that Ive liked but have never found any . Things like final fantasy 10 , legend of zelda twilight , morrowwind etc . The last game I enjoyed and finished was diablo I on a pc . I saw my 12 year old nephew playing assassins creed I and it looked awesome so I bought a PS3 and on the recommendation from the guys at game stop got ACII . ACII is awesome , it has a nice blend of interesting story , good cut scenes and open ended play . Im still in the middle of it , but if you do all the side tasks you could spend a lot of time playing . The play is open and you can basically do whatever you want . The main plot is linear , but you have options to assassinate for $ , find treasure , courier jobs etc . You can use the money to buy weapons and armor but also improve your city . The puzzles are actually pretty good and are pretty well integrated into the story . You are looking for the truth which is a series of puzzles which give you short animated clips . You are also putting together a codex . You can also collect art , weapons and armor to improve the galleries in your city . The combat system is phenomenal . I dont like 1st person shooters because I like to relax . the combat system is the first one Ive played where Im able to do more than just hit the fight button . They have block counter attack , disarm , attack from behind to insta-kill , throwing dirt to stun , evade , dodge , assassinate from ledges , from hiding places etc . There are multiple ways to kill your targets vs just charging in to kill them . The controls and movement are excellent , I only hit one bug , but otherwise the controls are extremely well done and feel completely open . EDIT : 2 / 8 / 2010 . I finished the game and the total time I believe was around 25 - 35 hours . Now that Im done with it I have a few more comments . I still love the game but there are definitely some downsides . 1 ) After awhile I wished there was a larger variety of weapons 2 ) I still like the combat as it wasnt too complex for me , but had enough variety to be interesting 3 ) money became a non-issue for me , but not until late in the game after I had built my town . 4 ) The game wasnt that hard which was good , almost like an interactive movie but not too linear 5 ) the ending was quite confusing so I had to read up on the internet to understand what the whole point was 6 ) I didnt bother finishing 2 - 3 portions of the game that got to be very repetitive . You are putting together snippets of a video by finding clues on buildings and solving a puzzle . It might have been easier if I had done it while playing the main line game , but it was too painful to try to do it afterwards . Note when you come to a new building you can hit the select button and it has a story . It will also tell you if there is a clue to be found there . If you try to do it later it is extremely difficult . 7 ) not sure there is replay value - I sold it right away and am eagerly waiting the next installment I still loved this game !
• 488 4  I never played Assassin's Creed 1 nor did I want to . Although it got great reviews , there were a fare amount of complaints regarding its repetitive gameplay . I did however want Assassin's Creed 2 , but did not want to have to buy AC1 to get the whole story . If you're like me then there's no worries . You can either watch someone else play the whole game on Youtube ( walkthrough ) or read the whole plot on [ . . . ] . Wikipedia is quicker and easier but you miss various plot points , so Youtube is probably better . The game is fantastic . I won't go into detail as you can read that from other reviews here or from gaming sites ( [ . . . ] ) . I will say that this game is FREAKING HUGE ! I actually got a little tired 3 / 4 way through the game , not in a bad way mind you . I just kept expecting it to end soon and this sucker just kept on going . I am always asking myself if a game is worth the price and this one definitely was . 1 con worth mentioning though is that the gameplay ( or rather the movements of the character ) is rather slow . Don't expect to be plat-forming with Mario like reflexes or killing hordes of guards in seconds , this ain't no Ninja Gaiden . The story is great though be warned , it gets a little atheistic . . . actually its very atheistic . It is however just a game and it is explained via a message at the beginning that the game was created by people of various religions , faiths , and beliefs . If this isn't a deal breaker for you then I strongly recommend this game .
• 497 4  Having never played Assassin's Creed , I found the sequel to be a great experience . The concept and storyline are profound . I was impressed that developers used the culture of 15th century renaissance Italy to construct a game . It is set up for another sequel - which I am already eagerly awaiting . The graphics are beautiful , particularly while synchronizing viewpoints ( you take the character to the top of a structure to expand the viewable area of a map ) . Allowing free-play use of Ezio ( your player ) to complete missions , while not original , is an exceptional idea . There is a lot of interaction with artifacts / figures of the time period ( though I was expecting to see some reference to the Black Death given the time period ) . I also like how the developers rewarded trophies in this particular game . Some of the puzzles try your patience , but that really is the point of a puzzle . For improvement : - Allow the player fast travel within a city . It can take awhile trying to get from one part of town to another , especially without a horse . - Jumping and grabbing can be improved . Given the PlayStation controls , it's too easy to jump backward while hanging from a ledge . This is something that is not used as frequently as jumping forward . Falling to your death and starting over is not so fun . - Allow more use of money . About 3 / 4 through the game , I had more money than I could spend . Users always love new weapons and fighting techniques . - The camera movement can be a bit odd at times . You might be facing Ezio , hiding what is in front of him and it will take a few seconds to reset his view . - Make the guards smarter . The same distraction tricks would work continuously through the game . Throw in some new types of distractions and it makes the game more interesting . Overall , clearly a good buy .
• 499 4  This is another excellent game i would recommend everybody to buy ! It has a lot of improvements over the first one which make it a lot less tedious . It's just one of those games you will be dying to finish but , when you do , you wished it would continue ! There is also some downloadable content and , from what i heard , there should be some expansions in about a year or so ! Buy this game , you won't regret it ; o )