Assassin’s Creed II Review

Going back to the fighting, the game really nailed this down. Every fight you join brings with it some dramatic music and scenes as you fight your way out of trouble. The animation of a simple swing of your sword looks amazing. So imagine how good the animation will be when you block the enemy, throw him on the ground before finishing him off. You now can attack an enemy from higher ground or even while hiding. At one level, the target we are after was hiding in a building with a number of guards around him. Ironically enough, the easy and faster way to get to him was stealth. If you really want to have fun though, try sneaking behind and killing each guard before confronting your target one on one.

The game no longer follows a strict mission structure. You now have the right to accept or reject a mission thanks to the large number of side missions scattered around the game. The main missions will be clearly highlighted, just in case you are in a hurry. The side missions have you collecting certain items for someone or delivering a package and so on. Most of the side missions are really nothing special. But taking a break from the main story at times can prove to be beneficial.

AC2 somehow managed to beat the first game in the series in the graphical department as well. The developers made it happen and their hard work can be seen in every corner and street in the game. AC2 looks great and the cities look and feel more alive compared to the cities in the first game. Like we mentioned earlier, each city you will visit will leave a different impression on you thanks to the number of key locations in each area. What is even more impressive than the graphics here is the fantastic colors. AC2 in a nutshell is masterpiece similar to the paintings you can buy playing it.

With everything thing else clicking, the pressure was on the music to support the drama and action going on in the game. Do not worry as the music delivers that and even more. A regular confrontation in the game will turn into a major event thanks to the way the music plays out. The fights will be fueled by the music and its dramatic shifts depending on what’s going on in the fight itself.

We already played a ton of good games in the last few months. So walking into this one, we knew only an impressive game will manage to turn our heads around yet again this year. Fortunately for us and gamers worldwide, that is exactly what AC2 did. The game is not perfect, but it’s very darn close to perfection. The missions will not get boring even after 15 hours of playing the game. The story itself is interesting and long. Add the diverse side missions and you have a value packed title to pick up and enjoy. What more can the developers do to improve this series even more? We guess you have to wait for AC3 to answer that question for you.  Until then, enjoy this Italian based piece of art while you can.