You could spend many hours wasting
time in Assassin’s Creed II, and not once will it feel like a waste. There are
numerous side missions and distractions that can – and inevitably will – keep
you from sticking to the main goal, which is always noted on the map with an
exclamation mark. Like the original, Assassin’s Creed II is a big game that’s
made up of several little objectives. But unlike the first, this time around
there is very little room for boredom.
Some people use
environment-mimicking camouflage to hide from their enemies. Ezio, the game’s
hooded anti-hero, takes a different approach, using whatever – and whoever – he
can find to stay under the radar. This goes deeper than sneaking through the
shadows, and is more expansive than hanging from the ledge of a cliff that,
should you fall, will be much more painful than a leap of faith into a six-foot
pile of hay. Assassin’s Creed II enhances your ability to sneak around with
heightened awareness, starting with the power to immediately gauge your level of
disguise.
Any group of people – even a group
as small as two – can be used to blend in. No, you won’t suddenly disappear or
become transparent. But in this game, enemies only see the things that stand
out. While standing in a crowd or walking with a few people, enemies are not
likely to notice your presence. It’s easy to know for sure if they will or not
because the color of Ezio’s clothes – along with the group he’s using to blend
in – will fade out, turn slightly gold and highlight the ground whenever he is
completely hidden. If no one is around, Assassin’s Creed II gives you the option
to hire a wide range of groups – including prostitutes that can be used to
distract the enemy – to surround Ezio as he makes his way through the most
dangerous locations.
With the exception of specific
missions that must be completed without being caught, Assassin’s Creed II is
really good at letting the player deal with the inevitable. Compared to God of
War or Devil May Cry (two of the only other adult-oriented action games that
aren’t shooters), the enemies in Assassin’s Creed II aren’t overly strong.
However, they patrol frequently enough and are dispersed in such large
quantities that you will still feel threatened by them. Not so threatened that
you’ll be scared to fight– quite often you may save time by cutting their
throats before running off. (Your pocketbook may also benefit from extra duels
since you can examine dead bodies for cash and items.)
But if you’re up for a run, the game
will give you one in a way that’s only rivaled by Mirror’s Edge. As you climb
the ledges, awnings, uneven bricks and other structural indentations, Assassin’s
Creed II is fast, seamless, and intense. You can’t jump off a roof without
direction and expect to land safely. You won’t be able to leap from building to
building just because Ezio is lined up properly before the jump is executed.
When it comes to climbing, the game is rough and realistic – yet soft enough to
eliminate the possibility of an excruciating death (big drops won’t deplete a
full health meter), and exaggerated in just the right way to prevent any hints
of ennui. In short, this means you can climb easily (just hold two buttons like
before), but it’s not so quick that you feel like a superhero, and it’s not so
difficult that you feel like you don’t have a chance. It’s just the right speed,
and when you consider the amount of work that must have gone into perfecting
this aspect, you could almost justify the inclusion of a glitch or two.
Glitches – such as walking on air
after a landing a fall (it’s just like it sounds) – are slightly more common in
Assassin’s Creed II than you might expect. Airborne oddities are the most
frequent glitch and often appear while climbing or landing. There was also a
brief moment when an enemy got caught up in a glitch as well (he too appeared to
be suspended a foot above ground).
And though they aren’t technically
glitches, clipping and object pop-in – where certain objects materialize out of
nowhere as you walk through an environment – are insanely common in this game.
The stiff facial expressions, though again not a glitch, are further proof that
the developers cared more about creating great gameplay than anything visual.
This might surprise fans of the original Assassin’s Creed, who spent nearly two
years anticipating what looked to be one of the most breathtaking games of its
time (and it was). After playing Assassin’s Creed II, some players may wonder if
the graphical limits of this generation have already been reached.
Assassin’s Creed II kicks off with
plot advancements, movie-style camera angles, lots of dialogue, and movie
sequences that cannot be skipped. If you didn’t know better, you’d mistake the
game for an RPG. However, this introductory element – and the zillions of story
sequences that follow – is merely a necessary addition to a big sequel competing
in a marketplace that’s flooded with lengthy stories. Those who care to pay
attention will discover a tale that is solid, usually well acted, and is
wholeheartedly impressive for a video game.
But if your mind wanders when one of
the characters starts to ramble, or if you lose interest when the lower-quality
voice-actors appear (it happened to me, so I’m speaking from experience), never
fear: while several of the sequences hold clues to your mission, you don’t need
to follow the story to know what’s going on. The game caters beautifully to
those who only care about the gameplay. The latest objective can be viewed at
any time via the pause menu, and with significant characters clearly noted (and
often glowing) within the environment, it’s highly unlikely that you will become
lost or confused.
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Gameplay: 9.0
Just like the first Assassin’s Creed but several times more exciting, more
engrossing, and free of all the time-wasting nonsense. In this game, when you’re
wasting time you won’t even realize it.
Graphics: 8.4
A beautiful game… Two years ago. Today, Assassin’s Creed – I mean
Assassin’s Creed II (boy, it’s hard to tell them apart!) – is attractive. But
attractive really doesn’t cut it, especially when you factor in the glitches and
unnecessary graphical flaws.
Sound: 9.0
Great music that isn’t used nearly enough. The sound effects are stellar,
and the voice acting is mostly good. But be prepared for a few disasters: not
every actor in this game is worthy of being called an actor.
Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Assassin’s Creed II isn’t really an "easy" game, but it’s not a hard one
either. It was definitely made for the mainstream, slightly skilled gamer,
allowing just about anyone who played the original – or any other recent action
game – to survive on the basics alone.
Concept: 8.7
It’s not stealth-action redefined, but it is stealth-action that has been
taken much further than the original Assassin’s Creed.
Overall: 9.0
Assassin’s Creed II is more than a great sequel because it does things the
first game couldn’t even hope to accomplish. There are tons of surprises in
store, so if you enjoyed the original – or even if you only kind of liked it –
this is one of those sequels that absolutely must be played.
