Assassin’s Creed II Review

I don’t generally play action games but I did give Assassin’s Creed a chance shortly after purchasing my PS3.  I wanted to like it; it was an awesome concept and I loved the aesthetic of the game.  Despite a strong presentation, the game failed to wow me and quickly settled to the list of “games I would probably get to or something,” ultimately being sold on eBay.

The sequel promised fans a number of improvements and the part of my being that wanted to like the first title resurfaced, so I gave it a chance.

WE BUILT THIS CITY ON LINGUINI AND ROLLS

Possibly the most successful (and simple) improvement is the inclusion of a currency system.  There are a number of places where you can find cash in Assassin’s Creed II — this includes pickpocketing, looting corpses, treasure chests and so on.  Even if you may not be progressing in the story, building up cash still feels like you’re getting something done.

If you have money, then there are places to spend it.  Purchasable items include weapons, armor, medicine and more that become available as you progress in the story.  I should note that changing armor does slightly alter Ezio’s appearance which is always a big plus for me.  The weapons are distinct and intricate as well.

If you buy things, you need to put them somewhere, right?  This leads into my favorite element of the game: your villa.  After a few hours into the game you’ll become the proud, semi-owner of a house and a down-and-out village.  You can then pour your florins into fixing up the place, which attracts new residents who spend money at the shops you’ve helped out — meaning you’re entitled to a cut.  I found myself terribly addicted to working on my town and basically bought every upgrade as soon as I could afford it so I would earn more money when it came time to collect.

Upgrading your village also changes its appearance and gives the player access to new areas.  The system was terribly fun but I was disappointed when I had maxed all upgrades so quickly.  Especially in the late-to-post-game, I was just sitting on gobs of money but had nothing to do with it all!  Perhaps the average player wouldn’t attack this system with the same ferocity I did.  I guess I would have liked more upgrades to be available as the player progresses or maybe even some DLC.

I JUST KICKED THE POPE IN THE DICK

The setting for Assassin’s Creed II is absolutely one of its greatest selling points.  I really started to appreciate the research put into the game when I became aware that nearly every building, person, and town you will encounter is part of the recorded history of 15th century Italy.

Possibly more impressive than the research put into the historical characters is the way the writers piece them together to form a new “unwritten” part of history.  The validity of the true elements makes it seem that much more interesting — like a Dan Brown book, only not lame.

I was never a fan of the reality which serves as a frame for the actual meat of the game in both titles.  Desmond’s life of asking, “Huh, what’s going on?” and other people replying, “We don’t have time for this, Desmond!” gets kinda old.  Still, I suppose it is an effective way of connecting the two titles.  I also get the feeling that the creators have some big plans as to where Desmond’s story is going, or so I hope.

□ ASSASSINATE, □ ASSASSINATE, □ ASSASSINATE

All games are basically made up of a number of goals that lead to a boss: rinse and repeat.  Some games make this more painfully obvious than others.  A big way to prevent the player from feeling this cripplingly simplistic formula is with some variety in goals.  This was where, many would also argue, Assassin’s Creed failed.

The creators of the sequel definitely took this issue to heart.  I never felt as though my actions were repetitive and I frankly appreciated the creativity behind them, especially toward the end of the game.  One particularly creative assassination required me to don a golden mask allowing me to sneak into a masquerade to time a shot from a wrist-pistol with the blast of an exploding firework.  That’s just plain sexy.

I will admit, however, that the level of difficulty was rarely a concern for me.  I wouldn’t flinch at taking on upwards of ten guards since by the end of the game, I had so much HP and fifteen vials of medicine ready to suck down at a moment’s notice.  If a higher difficulty was unlocked the second time around (a la Demon’s Souls) I would gladly replay the game, but since there isn’t I can’t say there is much replay value.

CONCLUSIONS — REQUIESCAT EN PACE

Assassin’s Creed II is a shining example of developers recognizing how a game can be improved and implementing that knowledge.  The result is a game which is significantly more enjoyable than its predecessor.

These improvements, in my opinion, blur the line between an action game and an RPG, which is a big part of why I enjoyed it.  My only real complaint is the lack of any deeper or more challenging game-play, especially post-game.  Still, the main quest is great, and with some DLC on the way Assassin’s Creed II promises to entertain into 2010.

Share this!

Hide Sites