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Assassins Creed II (PS3) Review
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Publisher: Ubisoft
Genre: Action-adventure / Stealth
Release: 2009
Assassins Creed II is a major evolution from the original Assassins Creed, expanding almost every aspect of its predecessor. It introduces the memorable Ezio Auditore, a much larger variety of missions, improved combat, economic systems, collectibles and a richly detailed Renaissance Italy. While some repetition and technical issues remain, the combination of exploration, stealth, parkour and storytelling makes it one of the strongest entries in the series.
Gameplay & Mechanics
The core gameplay revolves around exploration, parkour, stealth and assassination. Ezio can freely climb buildings, leap across rooftops and navigate the cities of Florence, Venice and other locations.
Parkour remains one of the game's defining mechanics. Climbing buildings is fast and intuitive, allowing players to approach objectives from multiple directions.
Combat has also been substantially improved over the original. Ezio can use swords, daggers, hidden blades, heavy weapons and various other tools. Counter-attacks remain particularly effective, although the combat system can become relatively easy once the player becomes familiar with it.
Stealth provides more variety than in the first game. Players can blend into crowds, hire groups to distract guards, use hiding places and approach targets from different directions.
A new economic system allows Ezio to invest in and upgrade his family villa. Renovating buildings generates additional income that can be used to purchase equipment and upgrades.
Strengths
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Excellent parkour system
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Improved combat
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More varied stealth mechanics
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Large selection of weapons and equipment
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Strong character progression
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Useful economic system
Weaknesses
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Combat can become too easy
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Stealth is not always necessary
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Some mission objectives are repetitive
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Enemy AI can be inconsistent
Exploration & World Design
The Renaissance setting is one of the game's greatest strengths.
Florence, Venice, Tuscany and other areas are filled with historical architecture, crowded streets, markets and landmarks. The cities feel substantially more alive than those in the first game.
The vertical design works particularly well. Buildings are not simply scenery; they are routes through the environment. Rooftops provide shortcuts, hiding places and alternative approaches to missions.
The game also encourages exploration through collectibles, treasure chests, viewpoints and hidden locations.
The addition of the Villa Auditore provides a central hub where players can purchase upgrades and interact with characters.
Story & Themes
The story follows Ezio Auditore da Firenze, a young nobleman whose life changes dramatically after his family becomes involved in a political conspiracy.
Ezio eventually becomes an Assassin and begins pursuing those responsible, taking him across Renaissance Italy.
The narrative is considerably more personal than the first game. Ezio develops from an inexperienced young man into a skilled Assassin, and the player sees his relationships and motivations evolve over the course of the campaign.
The supporting cast is also memorable. Leonardo da Vinci, Claudia, Federico and several other characters contribute to the story, while the relationship between Ezio and Leonardo provides some of the game's lighter moments.
The modern-day storyline involving Desmond Miles continues as well, connecting the historical events to the larger Assassin-Templar conflict.
Mission Design & Progression
Mission variety is a significant improvement over the original Assassin's Creed.
Instead of repeatedly investigating targets in similar ways, the player is given assassination missions, races, escort missions, combat sequences, stealth objectives and story-driven activities.
Assassination missions can often be approached using different routes, although the game still contains plenty of scripted sequences.
There are also optional objectives and collectibles for players who want to explore more thoroughly.
The pacing occasionally suffers from slower sections, but overall the campaign maintains a much better rhythm than its predecessor.
Pros
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Excellent story
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Memorable protagonist
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Beautiful Renaissance setting
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Excellent parkour
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Improved combat and stealth
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Great soundtrack
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Strong mission variety
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Extensive exploration
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Large amount of optional content
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Excellent supporting characters
Cons
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Combat becomes relatively easy
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Some missions are repetitive
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Enemy AI can be inconsistent
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Collectibles can become tedious
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Some technical limitations are noticeable
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A few slower story sections affect pacing
Final Verdict
Assassins Creed II is a substantial improvement over the original game and establishes many of the elements that would become central to the franchise. Ezio is a much more developed protagonist, Renaissance Italy is an outstanding setting, and the combination of parkour, exploration, stealth and combat creates a compelling open-world experience.
It is not without weaknesses. Combat can become predictable, some activities are repetitive, and the PS3 presentation occasionally shows its age. However, these shortcomings are outweighed by the excellent world design, strong story, memorable characters and enormous amount of content.
Score: 9/10
