Citizen Game

Assassins Creed 2

Despite being only a few years old the Assassin’s Creed series has had an interesting history. After captivating gamers with a unique style and setting the subsequent PR campaign whipped people up into a frenzy and elevated Assassin’s Creed to blockbuster status before the game had even released. However, the game itself was a divisive experience, although the mechanics were solid it was ultimately a game based on an interesting but undeveloped idea with little gameplay to support it. The result was a long and repetitive experience. Fortunately the sequel is a far cry from boring, in fact it’s one of the finest games to come out this year.

Returning main character Desmond’s second entry into the Animus (a memory-retrieving virtual reality machine in which the historial action takes place) takes him to renaissance Italy and into the boots of ‘Ezio Auditore da Firenze’, a spirited Italian noble forced by an act of betrayal to uncover and embrace his hidden lineage as an Assassin. The game introduces Ezio at birth then quickly jumps to his time as an adult living as an ordinary citizen. While this is a somewhat slow start to the game it provides an opportunity for players to not only get acclimated with the controls and various mechanics of the game but to also spend some time with Ezio, simple tasks such as delivering messages, sneaking visits to girls and escorting his mother on errands go a long way in establishing Ezio as a character.

Unlike Desmond’s previous avatar Altair, Ezio as a character is far more likeable; he’s charismatic, carefree and a well-meaning mischief maker as an ordinary man, respectful, morally driven and relatable as an Assassin. Spending time with him before he relinquishes life as an ordinary man goes a long way in creating a meaningful connection between Ezio and the player.

Assassin’s Creed 2 features a number of varied mission types to keep the gameplay from becoming too repetitive, the various mission are comprised of simple tasks such as beating up an unfaithful husband or delivering messages, to more complex ones such as infiltrating and assassinating a mark without being detected. Ezio has various tools at his disposal which allow him to approach his tasks from different angles, poison tipped blades, smoke bombs, and the ability to hire thieves, mercenaries or courtesans to lure away or distract guards, allow the player to be creative in executing the mission. While the main story missions also use these gameplay archetypes they are usually more intricate in structure, often requiring the player to engage in the different activities consecutively. The inclusion of a narrative and a purpose tied in to the main story give these missions an edge that make them more enjoyable than the isolated side-quests.

The options for additional activities in the game are almost overwhelming, as well as the basic missions the game features a number of additional missions which explore the story further. The experiences of a previous Animus user who has discovered more about the relationship between the Knights Templar and the Assassin’s are encoded into Glyphs which are then placed in different locations around Italy, finding these trigger puzzle sequences which weave the story into real world historical events and incorporate real people, completing these unlock a short movie clip which when compiled together reveal an interesting ‘Truth’ about the two warring factions.

Italy is also home to a number of hidden Assassin’s tombs, these segments are Assassin’s Creed 2 at it’s best. The majestic tombs provide a more linear platforming experience and the controlled enclosed environments are utilised for puzzle sequences, the missions feel somewhat akin to the Prince of Persia games and overall serve as a good change of pace.

The setting in the game is it’s most unique feature. Renaissance Italy is a setting that has remained unexplored by games until now, it’s a place rich in culture and history and populated by important historical figures and the game more than does the setting justice. The level of  care and attention exhibited in the creation of an authentic renaissance Italy is awe-inspiring. The layout of Florence, Tuscany, Romanga and Venice and the key landmarks are not only beautifully rendered but also historically accurate throughout the different time periods the game takes place in. Information files detailing the significance and history of buildings and both fictional and non-fictional characters are provided, these small details give a deeper insight into the world and create an authentic immersive atmosphere.

The few shortcomings the game has are insignificant overall, minor presentation issues such as the occasional ugly character or jarring facial animation and the use of the same voice actors throughout all four of the cities while noticeable don’t affect the game in the long run, especially when weighed up against the detailed environments and characters, and the outstanding soundtrack. The one issue that may cause some trouble is the occasionally unwieldy controls, at times Ezio can become infuriating to control, especially when the camera causes a jump to be interpreted incorrectly resulting in a small hop to a nearby platform becoming a suicidal leap from a building towering over the city.

Assassin’s Creed 2 is an unforgettable experience. It’s aesthetically breathtaking, provides a deep and varied gameplay experience and presents and engaging and intriguing narrative.

Tamoor Hussain