Review
Graphics
On the surface, ACII really doesn't look that different from the original. However; finer details have been improved - substantially so concerning the environment. 15th century Italy is absolutely beautiful whether it be night or day, rain or shine. Venice, in particular stands out as a testament to this with its stunning architecture, serene canals, and overall beautiful city layout.
The true gripe I have with the graphics is that some NPC models can, at times, look no better than what we've seen in the past game. This is a small negative though when considering how much better and how much more amazing every else within the game looks.
Graphics = 10/10
Gameplay
The massive overhaul in the gameplay is where ACII really stands out apart from the first game, but also most contemporary games in general. No longer do players have to achieve the same side missions over and over and over again in order to get to their targets. While in the original, the player had the option of doing six different tasks, here players don't have to do any of them. If you wanted to, you could absolutely play through the story of the game without doing any of the side missions, but honestly you would lose out on some of the fun.
While AC had races, interogations, pickpocketing, eavesdropping, saving citizens, and climbing tall structures to map out the cities - this game keeps the races and the climbing but adds beat-ups, a long string of additional assassination missions (each vastly different from one another), and courier assignments. While it may seem as though they've just supplemented one thing for another each mission generally doesn't play out the same as the last.
Replacing the flag collecting and the templar killing is the collection of eagle feathers. Unlike the last game which gave no reward except maybe an Xbox achievement this time around when a certain number of eagle feathers are collected the player gains access to an additonal weapon, a cape, and a resolution to a portion of the story.
In addtion to all of this revamped stuff there are MANY new and different things this game allows the player to do. I will summerize them...
- The ability to hire Courtesans (which can distract enemies), Theives (which can cause enemies to give chase - leading them away from you), and Mercenaries (which will fight either alongside you or will engage whoever you send them against).
- A new blend system which allows the player to literally disappear into a crowd by simply falling in with two or three NPCs.
- A series of guards who each have their own weaknesses and strengths: normal (easy to kill, will flee if you kill a majority of their fellow soldiers), armored (a bit harder to take down), agile (who can free-run just as good as you if not better, but are fairly weak), seekers (who are armed with spears, are armored, and will actively check hiding spots and be able to spot you even when blended), and finally brutes (which serve as tanks - heavily armored and almost un-blockable with their two handed swords and axes).
- Many new weapons, over twenty in fact, ranging from swords, maces, knives, hammers, a metal glove to increase melee damage, the hidden blade (and a second one unlocked later in the game), a poisoned hidden blade, a small pistol upgrade to the hidden blade, throwing knives, smoke bombs, and other weapons that, while not available for purchase (like spears and axes), can be picked up and used during combat from dead enemies.
- An economic system, the player can now earn money that can be used to buy new weapons, new armor, different color schemes for their clothing, medicine to increase health, works of art for an upgradable Villa, treasure maps showing where treasure chests are located, and upgrades for their small city around their Villa
- A fast travel system
- Seven fully explorable locations each containing a number of districts: Florence, Tuscany, Monteriggioni, the Apennine Mountains, Flori, Venice, and the Vatican of Rome.
- A notoriety system, guards will be on higher alert if the player freely goes about killing people and the like. However; the notoriety can be brought down to zero by ripping down wanted posters, killing certain officials, and bribery.
- At least over 24 hours of play
As you can plainly see, the gameplay for
ACII has been massively overhauled including an immense amount of detail and adding a ton of more enjoyment to the game.
Gameplay = 9/10
Audio
The audio of this title is right on par with what we got with the original. The sound effects are pristine, the music sets the time period appropriately, and the voice acting is spot on if not vastly superior to what we hearded in the first game.
Audio = 4/5
Replay Value
Truthfully, there is little replay value in this title. After the story is completed the game does along you to still be able to play around in the world - but this would only be so that the player could either complete side missions, finish collecting treasures, feathers, upgardes, weapons, etc. But starting the game all over again could really only happen if you were dedicated.
Replay Value 3/5
Story/Plot
If you thought the gameplay was the only thing that was overhauled you'll be happy to learn that you were wrong. The story this time around is a massive improvement over the last. You'll play as Ezio Auditore - a young Italian man living in Florence at the tail end of the 15th century. Soon after starting the game you'll find Ezio's life falling apart as his family finds themselves on the wrong end of a conspiracy...
Seeking vengeance, Ezio sets out to bring those that hurt his family to justice - discovering a far more complex and dangerous plot behind what appeared to be a simple conspiracy. Along the way, Ezio will meet many different characters including Leonardo da Vinci, Niccolo Machiavelli, Caterina Sforza, Lorenzo de' Medici, and others both real and ficitious.
Meanwhile, Desmond has just narrowly escaped Abstergo with Lucy Stillman and has been brought to a modern day assassin's hideout. With Ezio's help, Desmond and the others hope to reveal further information on the work of the Templars both in the 15th century and in the modern day.
While inside the Animus, Ezio discovers a series of symbols upon buildings throughout the game. Behind each symbol is a complex puzzle which, when decoded reveals more info behind the works of the Templars, the Pieces of Eden, and the mysterious Subject 16 briefly referenced in the first game.
Overall, the story certainly increases in drama and complexity but the game does well in balancing the two and leaves you with a massive cliff hanger at the end that will put other self-made dramatic game to shame.
Story/Plot = 10/10
Conclusion
Assassin's Creed II is an amazing game. It's such a mass improvement over the first title, and it clearly shows that Ubisoft listened to what their players had to say - fixing a lot of previous issues with the gameplay of the original, and adding many new and fun things. This game is fun, exciting, and hands down one of the best games to come along in years. I highly advise picking this up the first chance you get!
Final Score = 36/40 or 90%
Assassin's Creed II
Originally Posted by Jesus pwned u
