Assassin's Creed 2 Review
By - Richard J.
Remember back to 2006 and 2007 when everyone was so excited for 'Assassin's Creed', set to be released for the Xbox360 and PS3? Gamers around the world were so excited for a game that was set to change the way we thought of sandbox games. The hype coursed through the internet, and it coursed thorough our veins in anticipation, but something happened. Eager gamers rushed through Assassin's Creed and were met by disappointment. The game looked great and played fairly well, but the terrible repetition killed the game for many.
Fast forward to November 2010. The sequel, Assassin's Creed 2 is finally released. Many gamers, including my self, were cautiously optimistic of this game. Ubisoft told us again and again that they changed what made the first game terrible, and they were set to deliver what the original was supposed to be. Luckily, Ubisoft came through with that promise and released Assassin's Creed 2, which was always a contender for Game Of the Year contests on every gaming site and blog. They really did take what ruined the first game and improved on it, which I will explain here.
Let's start with the gameplay. This part remained mostly the same from the original Assassin's Creed. You're an assassin who runs through crowded streets and scales large buildings, assassinating those who have wronged you. The main gameplay change in Assassin's Creed 2 is the ability to swim. This is a great addition to the game, especially towards the end. The swimming controls are easy to use and don't cause any major problems. Sometimes you won't swim exactly where you want to go, but that is a gripe you can also have with the running and jumping. The other addition is the ability to sail boats. This is a great addition to the game in the sense of how it mixes up the gameplay a bit, but the game doesn't really utilize it. There are only a handful of missions that use it and it's always just more convenient to run. You'll really have to force yourself to use the boat if you are interested in it.
While that isn't a big change from the original, the variety of missions is. In the first Assassin's Creed, you're missions were basically to either pickpocket, follow to gain intelligence, kill a group of guards, or assassinate someone. Not to mention collecting flags. That got really boring and ruined the original for most people. In Assassin's Creed 2 however, the missions are much more varied. You'll do everything from caring boxes for someone to flying. The game does a much better job of keeping the player interested and engaged. I did however have some problems with the first missions. For most of the first section of memory, you're spent doing very boring and rudimentary tasks, such as caring boxes. If you're like me and were on the fence about Assassin's Creed 2, then this definitely doesn't help your purchasing decision. Luckily, if you stick with the game, you'll find the missions become much more interesting and rewarding.
Another great addition to Assassin`s Creed 2 is the monetary system. Now you have the ability to purchase weapons and medicine with money which you can collect throughout the game world. This will have you ruthlessly stealing and looting. You`ll be stealing from peoples houses as if you were in a JRPG (Zing!).
The story in Assassin's Creed 2 is much more interesting than that of the original. In Assassin's Creed 2, you play Ezio Auditore and you're goal is to assassinate those who are responsible for the death of your father and two brothers. This is the main idea of the story, but it branches out to much more. Desmond also has a bit of a story outside of the animus which is a welcome addition for this character that you don't know much about in the first game.
The graphics in Assassin's Creed 2 are still top notch. The animations are smooth and the frame rate rarely drops, even with so many NPCs in a small area. The water glistens and the buildings shimmer. Assassin's Creed 2 is without a doubt one of the best looking games out there. The music that you will here in the background as you play also adds a lot to the game and is the icing on the cake that is this wonderful game.
As for lasting appeal, this game doesn`t have much. Once you are completed all the missions, all you can do is run through the city as you are unable to replay missions. There is some DLC for the game that has been released, but it`s pretty poor and is not necessarily worth your time and money. Assassin`s Creed 2 is one of those rare sequels that is better than the original. Fans of sandbox and stealth games will love this game and those who don`t will still enjoy it. It`s one of the best of last year and a welcome addition to any gamers collection.
PROS
- More Mission Variety
- Interesting Story
- Addition of Monetary System
- Amazing Graphics
- Delightful Music and Audio
CONS
- Can Be Boring At First
- Sometimes It`s Hard To Control Where You Want Ezio to Jump or Swim
- Need to Buy DLC to Complete the Entire Story
- Not Much Replay Value
RATING: 8.75/10
