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Assassin's Creed II Totally Officially Official

Key takeaways here: Roman numeral II, not Arabic numeral 2.

Pictured: Ezio in his previous line of work as a backup dancer.
Pictured: Ezio in his previous line of work as a backup dancer.
Despite all the recent back-and-forth speculation and rumor-mongering about Assassin's Creed II, the game's maker Ubisoft hasn't chimed in with any official comment--until today. An Ubi rep sent out a press release confirming the game's existence and holiday 2009 release window. And here it is.

Assassin's Creed II is the product of over two years of intensive development by the original creative team behind the Assassin's Creed brand. In a vast open world environment, the game invites players to incarnate Ezio, a privileged young noble in Renaissance Italy who's been betrayed by the rival ruling families of Italy. Ezio's subsequent quest for vengeance plunges players into a captivating and epic story that offers more variety in missions, surprising and engaging new gameplay elements, diverse weapons and a profound character progression that will appeal to fans of the original Assassin's Creed as well as entice players new to the brand. 

"Our creative team is working hard to top the experience of Assassin's Creed,” said Patrice Desilets, creative director at Ubisoft. "We've made improvements to every aspect of the game. We've plunged ourselves into the stunning history of the Italian Renaissance so that we can offer fans a unique, varied and innovative Assassin's Creed experience.”

Desilets is a smart guy, and I'm glad to hear he's heading up Ubi's efforts to expand on the ambitious but sparsely utilized framework of the first game. Joystiq dug up a teaser trailer which shows you, well, not much about the game. But watch it anyway.

  

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Brad

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Edited By Brad
Pictured: Ezio in his previous line of work as a backup dancer.
Pictured: Ezio in his previous line of work as a backup dancer.
Despite all the recent back-and-forth speculation and rumor-mongering about Assassin's Creed II, the game's maker Ubisoft hasn't chimed in with any official comment--until today. An Ubi rep sent out a press release confirming the game's existence and holiday 2009 release window. And here it is.

Assassin's Creed II is the product of over two years of intensive development by the original creative team behind the Assassin's Creed brand. In a vast open world environment, the game invites players to incarnate Ezio, a privileged young noble in Renaissance Italy who's been betrayed by the rival ruling families of Italy. Ezio's subsequent quest for vengeance plunges players into a captivating and epic story that offers more variety in missions, surprising and engaging new gameplay elements, diverse weapons and a profound character progression that will appeal to fans of the original Assassin's Creed as well as entice players new to the brand. 

"Our creative team is working hard to top the experience of Assassin's Creed,” said Patrice Desilets, creative director at Ubisoft. "We've made improvements to every aspect of the game. We've plunged ourselves into the stunning history of the Italian Renaissance so that we can offer fans a unique, varied and innovative Assassin's Creed experience.”

Desilets is a smart guy, and I'm glad to hear he's heading up Ubi's efforts to expand on the ambitious but sparsely utilized framework of the first game. Joystiq dug up a teaser trailer which shows you, well, not much about the game. But watch it anyway.

  

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DisAbiLityFisHy

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Edited By DisAbiLityFisHy

Assassin's Creed II, huh?
Definitely better than normal 2. ;)

ReTarDedFisHy can't wait for more on this game. The trailer looks great!

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DannyJ

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Edited By DannyJ

Eyyy, first comment. If they make it less repetitive it should be really awesome. I cant wait for this new era

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mikemcn

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Edited By mikemcn

Nice i might actually be able to play this game when it comes out!  Looks good too!

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Al3xand3r

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Edited By Al3xand3r

So magazine previews and teaser websites don't count? People thought it's not coming until a press release is sent out? Where's the logic :S

Nice to know it's coming to PC like the first one, it's hopefully a better game though.

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CL60

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Edited By CL60

Can't wait.

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MordeaniisChaos

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Edited By MordeaniisChaos

WAH??? No. That logo needs to CHNGE. the II needs to be CENTERED. God it looks horribly awkward.. otherwise awesome teaser

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SoothsayerGB

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Edited By SoothsayerGB

Can't say much, can't see much.   Looking forward to more AC2.  Just hope they make it less repetitive and install a much better combat system.  Coupled with MUCH better AI. 

The game's foundation was built nicely thoe.  Great graphics, decent story, amazing and unique movements.  Two, when built on all that should at least be decent.

09 is definitely the sequel to 07! 


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V_Ben

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Edited By V_Ben

yeah, if they fix the problems of the first one, we should be looking at a killer xmas this year!

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FLStyle

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Edited By FLStyle

Is it to assumed that you'll be reliving these memories again like in AC1?

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Karmum

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Edited By Karmum

Holiday lineup is slowly getting better and better. Can't wait for this.

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x52z

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Edited By x52z

Yo Giant Bomb, I want royalties for my Prince joke!

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Death_Burnout

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Edited By Death_Burnout

hurray! something cast in fuckin' stone for once! (Bar the website) i was gettin' a little annoyed before.

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BiggerBomb

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Edited By BiggerBomb

So...no more guild of Assassins?

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Nasar7

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Edited By Nasar7

For a game that relies so heavily on history, you'd think there wouldn't be inaccurate generalizations in its trailer. The Renaissance was a rebirth for Europe, not the whole world. Science, mathematics, art, philosophy, and culture were alive and well in the Middle East and Asia. 

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Magnus_Bulla

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Edited By Magnus_Bulla

This is awesome, I loved Assassin's Creeds 1 through 10.

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arcinguy

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Edited By arcinguy

The official info about AC II was on the in the lastest issue of game informer, which i got about a week ago. Was on the cover too.

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giyanks22

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Edited By giyanks22

I hope they keep the same atmosphere, style, and rhythm to the game, but instead make it less repetitive, and the visuals need some touching up.

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pawsoffury

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Edited By pawsoffury

Vitruvian man with a concealed dagger at the end, how quaint!

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Hector

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Edited By Hector

I still haven't played the first one. I need to get on that now!

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ZeroCast

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Edited By ZeroCast

Ain't those Arabic Numbers awesome?

 Assassin's Creed II, more missions, more amazing areas to visit, lets hope there will be a preview on E3.Hope...

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JoelTGM

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Edited By JoelTGM

I am curious, but nowhere near sold yet.

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Jayzilla

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Edited By Jayzilla

this bums me out. why not just pick up where they left off with Desmond's story? It's a perfect place to start. The only "Assassin" skill he had was the vision skill. You could totally start off with him breaking out of the facility and being trained. Hopefully, the Assassin's have an animus of their own and need him to unlock some secret, but I would totally rather just play the same style game in Desmond's time.

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Alphazero

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Edited By Alphazero

Hell to the yeah!

Teaser trailer, not so good, but I'm really looking forward to the game. They did some much, much better trailers for the first one.

Cello
Bird of Prey
Lonely Soul

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addictedtopinescent

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I want to play it now, I think the Italian Rennaissance is a pretty good time period for this game, but I would have liked the french revolution also.

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InFamous91

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Edited By InFamous91

Can't Wait either....hopefully this isn't going to be as short as the first one

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aaox

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Edited By aaox

Okay, colour me intruigued. I wonder if a) everyone (except Ezio) will speak with annoying stereotypical Italian accents and b) Ezio will speak with an annoying american accent.

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dsplayer1010

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Edited By dsplayer1010

As much as I liked the first one, I don't think i want to play this.

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LiquidPrince

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Edited By LiquidPrince

I WANT MY CREED!

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Linkyshinks

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Edited By Linkyshinks

That teaser was tight and light, still, anything that throws around Da Vinci's name excites and inspires me.

Cannot wait till we snippets of footage from E3. Thanks Brad

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otzlowe

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Edited By otzlowe

@ Alphazero


I hope they make some short videos like those as well. The ones they made for AC were completely ace, and made me really want to play the game.
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MeatSim

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Edited By MeatSim

Hopefully they will expand off the first game a bunch more.

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Edited By ImperiousRix

This one is going to have to do a whole lot of impressing to wipe that bad taste out of my mouth from the first one.
I'm skeptical at best.

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Beechbone

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Edited By Beechbone

Oh my, I can't wait to play it. One of my most anticipated titles of this year.

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Edited By RHCPfan24

Assassin's Creed II Totally Party

I am totally down with this game. If it mixes up and improves the original's mechanics, we are in for a stunner.

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daniel_beck_90

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Edited By daniel_beck_90

Gameplay variety and a more focused story was all Assassin's creed needed . I guess the second game will fulfill that .

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drok17

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Edited By drok17

Whoo! I've been looking forward to this game since i beat the hell out of the first one. Can't wait

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Media_Master

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Edited By Media_Master

Assassin's Creed is now $20

Looking forward to AC2

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Thunder

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Edited By Thunder

i hope its not as repetitive as the first one.

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Giuseppe

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Edited By Giuseppe

According to the Game informer (Spoiler maybe) they actually went to Italy and tried their hardest to make exact duplicates of anicent buildings. Beside the light it's pretty accurate cept for the bridge, lol.

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Edited By Giuseppe

Got some more info from a newspaper article apparently. Explains some difference between Altair and Ezio.

1. Ezio Auditore di Firenze, the new hero of this adventure, is very different from Altair. " Being Italian, we wanted to give him a big attraction for women. He's a seductor(...) he's also more warm and free than Altair, following his ambition for revenge instead of only obeying orders.

2. The first game was criticized for being to linear. That's why this one will have over a dozen new types of missions, with a lot more liberty and surprises. For example, you can decide to kill some witnesses if you feel they we're watching you too much during your assassination.

3. Desmond Miles is back again, but this time the modern areas of the game will be more exciting.

4. The new hero is a much better swimmer than Altair, he can even hide underwater or kill his victims after bringing them into the water canals.

5.You'll meet historic figures in this game, some victims other allies. da Vinci will be playing a very important role as your mentor and will create gadgets for you to use.

6. Having more than your secondary knife, you'll be able to defend yourself with your fists. You are a master of death, so you have to know every way to defend yourself

7. The clothes of Ezio are a mix of noble Italian families from the renaissance (he's a privileged man who's been betrayed by the head families of Italy) and feathers typical of assassins in that time. Unlike the first, you'll be able to blend in with more than just the priests.

8. Big jumps are back from the first, but with your new ability you'll be able to dive right into water.

9. One of Leonardo biggest contribution will be a flying machine helping you getting into normally unaccessible locations. You'll also need it in some of the missions.

10. The criticized ending of the first will not change the way they look at this one. I don't think a direct ending is the best choice because it leaves no place for imagination. One thing is for sure, we will eventually get an AC3.

The 1st one made me laugh.

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IVIorpheus

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Edited By IVIorpheus

Hopefully the ending on this one will not be as confounding as the first....