Desmond Miles present life was pretty boring, but he’s learning his past lives were amazingly complex and secretive. ACII introduces Leonardo da Vinci as a helpful cohort, anxious for you to test his inventions.
Two years ago, I flew through summer doing anything (drinking, gun-running, photo journalism in Kathmandu, wake boarding) to get my mind off the release Assassin’s Creed. Now, I find myself in the same predicament, however I am much more enthusiastic this time around. Assassin’s Creed 2 is looking to not only continue the story of Desmond Miles’ past lives, but expand on the already solid gameplay witnessed in the original with new features, an actual economy, and – believe it or not – swimming.
Hold on kids, it’s story time. ACII’s story kicks off a bit differently than the previous title’s. You control a nobleman, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, in the Italian Renaissance that through some twist of fate has been turned into an enemy of the state. Durning your fall from grace, you learn that those clinging to the undesirable social facets (prostitutes, thieves, assassins) are your true friends – just like in real life! These ne’er-do-wells will help you escape and hide you after a fresh kill, and paying off prostitutes to distract guards should be quite entertaining.
A good counter can lead to the taking of a weapon
Generally speaking, all the new features are improvements – but there are some that raise the evil little hairs on the back of your neck. Beginning with the hidden blade, or should I say blades – I should! One of the most satisfying elements of Assassin’s Creed was sneeking up behind someone and burying the blade through their spine, then walking away casually as if nothing had happened – I often whistled to complete the effect. There will also be a wide range of weapons that you’ll be able to purchase including halberds, axes, long pikes, swords, daggers, and even a gun. That’s right a gun, sure it may not be as stealthy as the throwing knives that Altair used, but c’mon it’s a gun!
Next would have to be the improved battle system, it’s now possible to disarm your attackers and use there own weapon to cut short their digital life. It’s one thing to take away a person’s weapon, but it’s deliciously devilish to then kill them with it. Stealth kills have been improved as well, and make full use of the dual hidden blades. Check out Ezio sneaking up on two guards, dispatching both of them simultaneously by jetting his arms out, plunging the blades into the soft flesh of the guards’ necks. Stellar.
Ezio didn't have to sacrifice any fingers for his blades.
Finally, da Vinci. He seems to be popping up a lot lately in our media-heavy lives, in this case you actually get to play around with some of his toys. At the moment, only the ‘Flying Machine’ has been announced (it’s a glider) – but it should be quite the experience flying around Ubisoft’s recreations of Venice or Florence. Sadly, at this point the glider has only been confirmed for one mission, mostly due to the fact that it requires lift generated by ground based fires to stay aloft, something that may be hard to come by in 1486 Italy. However, with mention of ‘other weapons and contraptions’, da Vinci is likely to provide more entertainment than one can fit into a single mission.
Around the time in which the game takes place, wealthy Italian families were beginning to invest in the developing banks, which were a new institution that lead to the coin becoming common place, outing trade as the prominent exchange for services. This means that most everyone you bump into will have something to steal, the pick-pocketed loot can buy you a bevy of weaponry, small and large. The ill-gotten-gains can also be used to put citizens in your employment, after taking out a guard you may feel inclined to hide the body Metal Gear, but why do it yourself when there are people to do these things for you, my boy? Tossing a few dollars to the locals eases Ezio’s troubles, allowing him to walk away while they clean up the mess. Sounds like every other wealthy guy I know.
For some reason in games, water kills. It could easily be explained by saying “Well, the player is carrying a sword, 2 guns, and a rocket launcher – you try swimming with all that…” But who wouldn’t just ditch all that stuff and swim to the surface? Luckily, Assassin’s Creed 2 allows you to stay afloat and keep your gear, but it also entices you to perform water based assassinations. Swimming through the Venice canals is a great way to cool off, however they provide a sneaky way to do away with the guard that is standing just a little to close to the waters edge. Launching yourself out of the water and grabbing a guard effectively drowns the poor soul, but the canals can be used for more than just murder. Rooftop chases no longer require you to find a well place hay cart, a swan dive into the surrounding water makes for a quick escape.
How's Ezio going to get dry? Hard to be stealthy with squishy shoes.
Still there is no word on whether the questions from the previous Creed will be addressed, likely some mysteries will be revealed while others will be left for, the yet unannounced, Assassin’s Creed 3. Seems like a long time to wait for answers, but anyone who was living when Star Wars first hit theaters can understand the satisfaction that comes after a long wait for some resolution. Too long ago for most? Think Hobbits and Orcs then, Frodo.
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