Assassin’s Creed II (Xbox 360)

Much was made of Assassin’s Creed back in 2007 - even though ambitious, it had that Marmite effect where you either loved it or hated it.

Gaining rave reviews across the gaming-industry, it failed, nonetheless, to strike a similar cord with gamers - complaints of being boring and repetitive amassed, hampering what was without doubt one of the most daringly original games to have hit the console-market. Well, it seems publishers Ubisoft were listening as they’ve come back with a sequel good enough to be placed alongside The Godfather: Part II, be it that was the film-world.

Picking from where the original left, you retake control of Desmond Miles, but this time you are transported back to 15th Century Italy, where you adopt the role of Ezio Auditore di Firenze, a passionate character-creation like none other. And much like in GTA4, the ‘world’ of Assassin’s Creed II, engulfing, is a fully interactive one, teeming with life and vibrancy. Beautifully animated, the cities the game takes you through are packed with architecture and ‘folk’ going about their daily life. Never has an environment in a game been so attractive; it’s a novel experience.

The story itself is a whole new ballgame. From the offset, Ezio’s father and two brothers get murdered, hung for no apparent reason. As a result, the game really enables you to ‘feel’ involved, as you uncover the conspiracy behind it all. And, as earlier hinted, the missions you get given (thankfully!) are fresh and varied, breaking up the game successfully; so no more repetitiveness! Amongst the many assassinations you commit, there are artefacts to retrieve, enemies to chase, prisoners to rescue, and puzzles to solve. This combined experience makes Assassin’s Creed II the perfect sequel in that it is bigger, bolder, and all the flaws of the original have been erased.

One of the game’s joys is just how accessible everything is - with Ezio’s agility, you are practically able to swing, leap or climb any of the structures you come across. And with the new inclusion of being able to swim, there are very few things you can’t do. Amongst the other additions, you can now disarm opponents, making it easier to obtain weapons, and you require medical-packs since your health no longer replenishes. There’s a blacksmith’s where you can purchase weapons and upgrades, and there’s a villa which you can build upon, serving as a tourist-attraction for income - that’s right, Assassin’s Creed II boasts a whole new economy-system. And with an added day/night-cycle, and an authentic Renaissance score (wait until you experience the carnival-time), it’s difficult to find a way the game-designers haven’t improved their formula.

All-in-all, Assassin’s Creed II is everything you’d expect, plus more. There’s so much to do and see that it’ll leave you gasping for air once you put down your controller. Never has being in a computerised world been so comprehensive. It’s an escape; a journey. And well worth the effort.



Released on 19th November 2009 by Ubisoft for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC.

Written by Jaysen Ramasamy.