Assassin’s Creed 2
Some of the mystique is gone, but in its place a more energised sense of adventure. In every respect Ubisoft looks set to deliver a superior experience this autumn with Assassin’s Creed 2.
With the benefit of hindsight the original Assassin’s Creed has proven itself influential beyond the initial wow and subsequent disappointments. Games on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 now routinely feature breathtaking vistas as far the eye can see, and heroes with free-running, sky-scraper scaling capabilities – two of AC1’s biggest claims to fame. True, there was scant gameplay variation throughout AC1, but what did survive are a compelling theme and a template for action-oriented, historically informed sequels. Assassin’s Creed 2 aims to prove that the series has moved on.
We compared the original Assassin’s Creed to a Ridley Scott production, along the lines of Gladiator or Kingdom of Heaven. Assassin’s Creed 2 has more of a Wolfgang Peterson flavour, using Troy as an example here.
Ubisoft Montreal’s newest hero, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, is an elaborately dressed, unashamedly wealthy man in contrast with the unassuming if not rather bleak persona that was Altair. He doesn’t mind drawing attention to himself, because the more guards he can fight the merrier, thanks to a deeper combat system. There will be much less time spent avoiding trouble, blending into the crowd and so on, and more time dedicated to leaping around rooftops and, another first for the series, large-scale interior spaces.
A mission called “Novella’s Secret” is one of the additional quests Ubisoft has built into the game as self-contained challenges to promote the new mechanics. Clambering, balancing and leaping around buildings are still handled automatically but players have more route-finding options – a bridge might collapse for example, but the opportunity to swing from the rafters is available if you search around.
The route-finding element is linked to one of our favourite new features; the use of three archetypal enemies: Agile, Seeker, and Brute. The latter put up more of a fight. Seekers don’t fall so easily for Ezio’s stealth tactics. An ‘Agile’ literally gives rivals a run for their money, whether he is somebody that needs to be stopped or happens to be the one in pursuit. He’s very hard to catch and difficult to evade. In the case of “Novella’s Secret” the Agile in question is a messenger fleeing to inform his Templar masters of your presence within the giant catacombs beneath an old church.
Throughout 120 missions, comprising 50 mission types, equal to approximately 30 hours of gameplay, Creed 2 seeks to offer more depth and variety of gameplay to keep you hooked. Ezio’s basic abilities include swimming and rowing a boat – since locations include Venice and Florence you’ll probably need these quite a lot.
In combat there are more types of Counter Kill helped impressively by the addition of an extra hidden blade up Ezio’s second sleeve (Altair carried only one). In a brawl the new guy is faster on his feet, circling enemies to grab them from behind in a flash. There are more types of blade to choose from, in fact buy, each with Damage, Speed and Deflect parameters forcing a change in tactics.
On that point (excuse the pun) there is now an economy system, encouraging players to search for hidden treasures to exchange for new weapons, fancy items of clothing, or modifications to those already owned. Clothing also adds a level of RPG-like strategy, affecting the balance of agility versus protection – the ideal pair of boots for example. The shopkeepers are quite entertaining too, a nice touch.
Our hands-on time with AC2 was brief at this stage. We dived from rooftops into canals from improbable heights; admired the fantastically detailed Firenze Duomo from afar before scaling its walls and bell tower. We tested our combined agility and combat potential against a series of Borgia archers perched high above the city streets, dealing combination blows to a couple and enjoying our Counter Kills against a couple more. While not as engaging as the recent Batman Arkham Asylum as a showboating opportunity, fighting is certainly more fun than in AC1.
We feel assured that our hands will be kept very busy for the duration of Assassin’s Creed 2 now that it feels more of a complete experience to rival the likes of Batman Arkham Asylum – no small compliment by the way.
But we’re equally intrigued by the storyline that is promised to reveal emotionally-charged secrets of Ezio Auditore’s past, the kind of thing that drives a man to abandon a life of sheltered luxury and commit to a perilous crusade.
Assassin’s Creed 2 is coming to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on 20 November.
