The first Assassin’s Creed received overwhelming praise from critics and gamers alike, and although it had some slight drawbacks in terms of repetition: its engaging storyline, beautiful visuals and innovative gaming mechanics made it a must-have for any console and PC owner. Assassin’s Creed 2 is finally here and set to blow away the expectations of fans and provide the gaming masterpiece we’ve all been waiting for. But is it up to the challenge?
The story follows the underlying plot of AC1. You play as Desmond Miles; a bartender who’s been outsourced to access memories of his ancestor’s who are assassins, through a machine known as the Animus. Where in the first AC players take control of Altair, this time round you’ll play as Ezio, a son of a noble family in Florence Italy, who after some tragic events, seeks revenge on the ones who betrayed his family. In the fashion of AC1, the plot is brilliantly crafted and some incredible storytelling is created through some stellar and surprisingly humorous voice acting and dialogue between the many interesting characters. The Italian dialect and feeling is all there and a compelling narrative provides a fantastic backing for the revenge-filled quest, as well as an intriguing atmosphere around the mystery of Desmond and the Animus.
Assassins Creed 2 is comprised of a number of different gameplay elements, namely free-running, combat and exploration. The melee combat has been refined and enhanced, as using Ezio’s fists, sword and hidden blade which is as slick and responsive as ever, as well as having the ability to now disarm soldiers and use their own weapons against them. This gives new depth and dimension to the combat.
The free-running mechanic still works in the same manner as the original AC, although the animations and movements have been vastly improved to provide more organic fluid running and acrobatics throughout the streets and rooftops of Italy.
The other side of the gameplay is exploration, and part of this is interacting with people amongst the cities. This introduces a new gameplay element as players can now hire certain factions or groups in order to aid Ezio in his missions. For example: Hiring courtesans will allow you to distract guards while thieves will assist you in fighting enemies and providing some often needed chaos.
Alongside the main storyline and side-missions, there are also hidden chests to find and loot which may contain a hefty or miniscule amount of money. There are also hidden glyphs and symbols to find, which require players to solve puzzles in order to attain a piece of the underlying story. There are so many things to do in Assassin’s Creed 2 that it’s difficult to explain without giving away too much. However, we can assure you that AC2 has some serious depth.
Italy couldn’t be a more beautiful setting for AC2. Amongst all the assassinations and bloodshed are gorgeous cities dripping with style and incredible architecture reminiscent of Italy in the 1400’s. Many of Italy’s landmarks and buildings have been recreated beautifully and there is even historical background information for many of the buildings and people. Who says you can’t learn anything from video games.
Going with the gorgeous architecture, the graphics are absolutely astonishing. Character animations and facial expressions are flawless, while the cities are incredibly detailed and full of life. This makes Assassin’s Creed 2 a very good looking game that undoubtedly tops its predecessor in every way and form.
Assassin’s Creed is back and the sequel has brought everything fans have been waiting for and more. The combat is slicker, the visuals are phenomenal and the storyline will leave players gasping in awe as it unfolds. The fast pace of the game and the sheer amount of things to do, will keep gamers captivated right until the end.
[starreviewmulti id=1 tpl=20]
