Video Game Review: Assassin's Creed 2

Set in 15th century Italy, Assassin's Creed 2 picks up right where AC1 left off. You resume the role of Desmond Cooper, a man trapped in a facility that uses computers to place people back in time, to help shape the future. This time around, Desmond is placed inside his ancestor, Ezio Auditore. Ezio, the son of Italian nobility. He is a man whose family and life is demolished before the player's eyes as events force him to become an assassin who scours Italy for conspiracy clues and rightful victims of his vengeance.

When playing Assassin's Creed 2 you'll pretty much figure out from the get-go that Ubisoft listened to fans of the first games, as they have put a ton of work in to the gameplay and control mechanics. Gone are the glitches and bugs that made it much more difficult to pull off a kill. Ezio is more likely to sway and drop to his knees than he is to fall. You can free-run for minutes without ever having to stop, or at least once you get used to the landscape... which isn't easy to do, considering how huge everything is. The scale with which the developers modeled these classic Italian cities is astonishing. Venice, in particular, is a real marvel. The city is alive, colorful, and bustling at every corner. Fortunately, unlike the last game, Ezio is not harmed by water, so you will have fun diving and hiding in the canals. Adding even more excitement and fun to the mix, is how AC2 includes a bevy of real historical characters and events. You'll find a close ally in Leonardo DaVinci as well as the Medici family. It's fun to see what role Ezio plays in shaping history, or rather what role you play.

The story of Ezio is only briefly interrupted by the story of Desmond. Caught in the battle between Templars and Assassins he must make choices that will mold his own future, as well as the past. Suffice to say, there's a lot going on in this game, but it's very easy to keep up with. The action is great, and a lot of fun. You get a nice selections of weapons and armor, and the ability to customize and change up your appearance is fun. Ezio is left a Villa, and throughout the game the Villa will make money deposited to Ezio. As you go along, you can make upgrades to buildings in the surrounding village, as well as purchase art from all over the region to make it more attractive. Each city has a set of tailors, blacksmiths, and art dealers. Also, you'll find Doctors on almost every corner, who will not only heal you on the spot, but will also supply you with medicine you can take along with you. Each city's tailor has a variet of dyes you can buy for your clothing. The selection the blacksmiths carry progresses as you do throughout the game.

Assassin's Creed 2 boasts 200 side quests you will have to complete before getting that 100% achievement. These are comprised mostly of assassination contracts, codex pages, courier jobs, races, and assassin's tombs. The assassin's tombs really stand out as something you'll enjoy. Throughout the game there are 12 assassin's tombs. 6 of them contain special keys that unlock armor hidden in your Villa (Altair's armor, actually) while the other 6 contain large treasures. These are the places you really get to have fun with the free-run technology. Most of them will have you climbing, running, swinging, and climbing some more before you get your loot.

Overall, Assassin's Creed 2 took a great idea and premise from the first game (it's a direct sequel) and made it much, much better. The average play time clocks in between 15 and 20 hours, depending on how much time you spend on sidequests. I believe you can get through it in about 10 hours if you just stick to the story... but you'll have no fun doing that. Assassin's Creed 2 is available now, and would make a great Christmas present! Check it out! Played Assassin's Creed 2 yet? Let us know what you think in the comments!