Assassins Creed II Review

20 November 2009

An assassin of a different color
So the sequel to the uber-popular Assassin romp has arrived! Assassins Creed II is here, and although you have been just oozing with expectation, you can't help but wonder how this new installment in the series has evolved. Assassins Creed II follows the same formula in terms of game play but in terms of style and story telling, that is an assassin of different color!

A renaissance assassin
Desmond is back but this time he is jacking into a significantly cheaper Animus and exploring the history of an entirely different member of his Assassin lineage, Ezio who was Assassin in Renaissance Italy. Desmond must follow the life of Ezio to learn his Assassin ways in order to help bring down the templar.

What I Loved

Platforming - Is just as fluid and enjoyable as the last game. The controls are fairly good and simple to use, and the camera angles are pretty reasonable. Ezio is a much more agile Assassin who can get around more easily and quickly, so you have much more you are capable of doing while platforming.

The Setting - Renaissance Italy is a much more colorful and vibrant environment than the last game. Not only is it perfect for your platforming, it is filled with much more interactive crowd of people.

The Story - Add one part historical mystery and one part revenge, and you have story telling gold! It is an absorbing story but enlightening as well. You will meet a number of historical characters, one of them Leonardo Davinci, who is your weapon designer. His scenes are some of the most enjoyable and interesting of the game.

The Customization - You have an excellent amount of options when it comes to customizing your character. You will have a good amount of weapons, clothing, and armor to choose from to better equip your Assassin. Not to mention your own villa that you can renovate to your liking.

What I Hated

Facial modeling - As gorgeous as this game is in terms of style and environments, it is a huge letdown to see how poor the facial modeling is on your characters. It makes the majority of cut scenes awkward.

My two cents
Assassins Creed II will meet all of your expectation for a platformer, an adventure, and even a history lesson. It has improved on almost every flaw of its predecessor. The platforming is more realistic and fluid, your setting is more interactive, and the story is much more absorbing. Although it has a few minor flaws it is overall a successful sequel. We give Assassins Creed II, 4 out of 5 stars!