Assassin's Creed II



Game Info               

Publisher: Ubisoft               
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal               
Genre(s): Action, Adventure
Platform:  PS3               
Players: 1               
ESRB Rating: M (Mature)               
Release Date: November 17, 2009

Intro:  
The beginning CG and walk about gives the player a refresher course regarding the previous game’s story and the character of Desmond.  Players are able to briefly take control of Desmond and it becomes obvious that Desmond might actually play a bigger role in the story of Assassin’s Creed II and in actual gameplay.

Getting Going:
As players take control of Desmond, we find that he is able to do a few more things now, such as fight.  Beginning controls are taught through in-game tutorials that let the player learn the controls while taking the reigns in actual gameplay.

Fun:
It’s exciting to put the player characters through their paces again and pick up on hints about what may be new and improved in this sequel.  A race early on, while still learning the controls, does provide a bit of player frustration and trepidation about the rest of the game, however.

Visuals:
For a PS3 game, the visuals are horrendous.  Eyes go cross-eyed during conversations in both player characters and non-player characters or they seem to stare off into space.  Mouth animations are completely lacking in synchronization.  Desmond’s movements are wooden.  He walks with his hands and arms out, but barely moving.  Even when he is escaping and following someone, he can’t run.  The environmental art and architecture, on the other hand, is stunning and well-detailed, as is the period clothing.  Treasures are well-lit.  There is a lot to see and do here.  Everything is perfectly themed and seems to fit the period and the needs of the game.  

Sound:
There is nothing wholly remarkable, or unremarkable, about the sound.  The voice-acting is precise and easy to understand. You can hear the sounds of the city around you, as well as the hawks above you.  When you are being chased, you can hear your pursuers.  

Intelligence:
Everyone seems to be on high alert.  It would seem that the city is very small, although it doesn’t seem to be.  Ezio is a familiar face in a small town.  And, when he dons the assassin’s attire, he becomes a suspicious stranger in the same small town.  Either way, Ezio is a wanted man and, if he doesn’t stick to the rooftops, he’s likely to get noticed and chased.  Beyond that, there is plenty to do in Assassin’s Creed II.  Ezio can now choose to shop or visit with courtiers.   In essence, Assassin’s Creed II has become more of a sandbox game than Assassin’s Creed was.

Immersion:
During the heat of the chase, Ezio just doesn’t seem to do what you want him to do.  Once again, as I had for Altair before him, I found myself yelling at Ezio to “Get on the roof!  Go Up!”  Some of this is probably the player and adrenaline, but for some reason, the player character just doesn’t seem to control as well when being chased.  The frustration of this, as well as the odd character animations and high alert levels make immersive play rather elusive.

Rewards and Punishments:
If Ezio is spotted by a suspicious guard, and it seems that all of them are suspicious, an alarm is raised and Ezio must run for his life.  If the archers or guards take him down, it is called a desynchronization and the player is taken out of the memory and back to Desmond to try again.  There are plenty of shiny objects to find in the environment and many collectibles.  The story is more integrated into play, allowing the player more choices regarding which side missions to complete and when.

Cameras:
Players have full control of the camera and angles never really seem to be a problem when moving about in the game.  

Controls:
As stated in “Immersion”, during the heat of the chase, it seems as if the player loses a bit of control over Ezio.  There are times when he bounces off of a building instead of climbing it.  He doesn’t seem to move upwards, preferring to jump sideways.  Most of the time he just doesn’t seem to go where you’re steering him.  The controls, themselves, are easy enough to learn and use, however.  

Ideas:
Assassin’s Creed II steps up the concept of Assassin’s Creed by creating characters with more depth and giving the entire game a more integrated story.  Desmond is no longer a prisoner and victim, but has a richer role in Assassin’s Creed II.  Ezio has a story of his own; he’s not merely a “gun-for-hire”.  The player has also received a status upgrade.  No longer afraid of water and able to take part in the story rather than completing the same missions in every town, the player becomes more vested in the character of Ezio.

Memory:
Ubisoft created a more integrated story and there is no doubt that Assassin’s Creed has some of the best play mechanics I’ve ever experienced in a game.  The high alert status did put me off of this one, however.  Most tasks require Ezio to come down from the rooftops and be seen by a nearby guard.  The guards are plentiful enough that they are hard to avoid.