Remarkably more engaging than the first game. Kinda overstays its welcome after a certain point, but I anticipated that simply from it being a Ubisoft game. For how much I complained about "binary stealth" in my review of the previous game, I was elated to find that you can simply walk along with a crowd to blend in. It's so seamless, and it enabled one of the funnier moments of my playthrough: casually walking into the audience of my target and firing a bullet into him at close range. They never saw it coming.

The story actually left an impact on me this time, but probably for all the wrong reasons. Being a pseudo-historical recreation of sorts, there are murals hidden on major landmarks that serve as glitches in the Animus. Locating these prompts you with a puzzle to solve that unlocks a piece of "the truth". All these puzzles are a bunch of fictional nonsense, tying the conflict between templars and assassins to non-fictional figures and events throughout history. It's fuckin' silly, but it delivers on expanding the conflict that was merely alluded to in AC1: The conflict between the templars and assassins never ended, and it continues in present day.

I must be getting soft. Never would've imagined that I would be enjoying Ubislop, but here we are. That being said, I am not playing another one of these games for at least a couple of months, "Ezio Trilogy" be damned.

AC2 pretty much improves upon everything the original game tried to do.

The parkour is leagues more fun than in the original, the story is full of charm and manages to find a sweet spot between more light hearted and serious stuff unlike a lot of ubisoft games and features some of the best and most memorable characters in the series.

It feels like a really fast paced game, there isn't much downtime where you just do useless quests. Throughout the game you consistently unlock new areas and abilities to keep the game fresh all the way to the end. Also there's some ridiculously fun missions like the one where you fly into the enemy base.

My only issue with this game really is the combat which yes is a bit better but still not perfect, it turns into smashing attack really fast, after a while I noticed that sometimes if you don't engage in the fight and you have allies fighting you can just go behind enemies and kill them as if you were playing stealthily and it's kinda cheesing the game but oh well it saved me some time so I won't complain too much, also the game is really easy 90% of the time, I don't think I ever bought an upgrade or new weapon or anything throughout my playthrough and still beat it no problem.

Honestly wanted to give it a 10 because even with the combats flaws, I still enjoyed it, but my god did the game fuck it up at the end, basically it doesn't let you do the last mission until you get all of these codex pages, there's around 30 in total and I only had half of em so I had to spend half an hour getting the rest, idk I never liked when games just tell you fuck off, come back when you collected all of this shit

Oh well, still an amazing game though, hell I'd say it's worth it for the story and parkour alone.

Finished the ezio trilogy again recently (for nostalgia purpose and to give a proper review) and to my surprise,i enjoyed the games more this time around.

Gameplay still holds up fine and i found the story to be even better than what i remembered.Part of it is because i emphasize more on story/narrative nowadays and they really did a great job on those categories.Best in the franchise imo.Also,my dumbass completely forgot how good a plot twist Assassin's Creed 2 had at the end.Good ol' me not paying much attention on the cutscenes as a kid :P

All things considered,i do think ac2 holds the no.1 spot for me (tied with black flag ofc <3)

Firstly achieves the incredible task of passing the torch of the distinctive lead Altair to an apparent nobody like Ezio only to fuel our hearts with a gutteral need for vendetta and secondly marvels you with a toolbox of polished weaponry wonderlands. Takes the gears of parkour and close-combat as building blocks to mystifying freedom complexities. If you felt annoyed beyond-convincing about the first one's parkour, in this one you'll find yourself enamoured of statuette scouting. You'll actively seek to climb towers like they're Rubics Cubes. Side missions are gratifying and skill growth feels rewarding as fawk. Invigorating rennaisance, a bit of a weightless apocalypse closure - it still had no business getting me to spend so many hours punching through it's secondary quests like everyday bread. Requiescat in pace.

"There is no book or teacher to give you the answers, to show you the path. Choose your own way.
Do not follow me. Or anyone else."










I love that quote because I feel like it symbolizes Ezio's development just as much as it does AC2 itself.

AC1 was a weird ass game to general audiences. A story about a middle eastern asshole who spent his life hunting the soldiers of God during the Crusades isn't exactly your average triple A game material. It was a unique vision that was so in love with itself that for some that could be a turn off on its own.

Point being that AC1 never tried to prove anything. Assassin's Creed was just Assassin's Creed, nothing more, nothing less.

AC2 picks up exactly where AC1 (weirdly) left off, sparring no time to rest with an extremely intense opening section followed by one of the most iconic starts to any story.

Ezio Auditore da Firenze is born and in about 2 minutes of screen time every human being with a heart falls deeply in love with him.

AC2 was the game that put Assassin's Creed on the map full force and I'd argue the sole reason that happened was because of Ezio. His captivating personality and extremely compelling journey entranced everyone in a way that Altair's just couldn't.

A grand story through the beautiful Italian renaissance with one of the most iconic larger than life MCs of all time, how could anyone resist?

Weirdly enough though most people would assume such a move was deliberate to appease to a larger crowd but it never really comes across that way. Ezio is clearly written as a subversion of how Altair operated. We meet him during his youth, he's initially guided by his emotions and about 60% of the narrative is devoted to the connections he makes with the extremely charismatic cast. Mechanically the game operates about the same way AC1 did but supercharged with added depth. It’s a sequel that builds upon the previous game, respecting its legacy almost like a legend, while carving its own path.


I could go on and on about the impact AC2 has but this is a review so how is the game?

Well, it feels like being transported alongside Desmond by the animus.

The setting is gorgeous, the atmosphere is fantastic, the characters are so loveable and charismatic, Ezio is absolutely perfect and the gameplay feels about 10 times nicer than in AC1 (combat honestly feels a bit weaker at times but still sports big improvements overall). It’s a piece of art with an energy that very few other games have.

The soundtrack is absolutely stellar, Jesper Kyd’s best work by a longshot. Salvation of Forli (my personal favorite), Ezio’s family, Earth, Venice rooftops… so many fucking bangers. I’m a big fan of Kyd’s work for AC1 but AC2’s OST is just out of this world.

Voice acting is excelent as usual but Roger Craig Smith as Ezio really steals the show. Once you get past the goofy italian accent (which is a charm in its own right) it's impeccable how well he captures Ezio's emotions.

Outside of the Animus the improvements are HUGE. Desmond’s side of the story is way more interesting with way fewer obligatory interruptions, plus whenever you are forced to go back to the real world it’s way more engaging since he now actually gets to do some action with a proper control scheme instead of just slowly walking around an office.

The climax much like AC1 is really trippy and interesting with yet another abrupt but this time honestly hysterical ending.


I have a few issues with it, mostly minor aspects.

I’m not the biggest fan of the codex pages hunt since it’s a classic Ubisoft fetch quest that is mandatory for progression but it’s not THAT bad since the number of them is not high and you get an excuse to chill around the rooftops of Italy for a few more hours. Unlike AC1 this game features some missions where being undetected is mandatory and early AC’s stealth is just too poor so those can be really frustrating. A lot of story elements in this game get greatly improved by Brotherhood which leaves them a tad underused on their own here. Much like AC1 this game has a very clear loop (decide next target, go to location, meet new side character, help them for a few missions to be able to get their support, kill target with side character’s support) which also like AC1 has a cool little thematic tie later in sequence 11 that makes everything come together really well but still, it’s a repetitive cycle nonetheless and the templars in this game especially are honestly even more one note than the ones from AC1 (Rodrigo Borgia aside, he's cool).


In summary. AC2 is still just as magical as it was back in 2009. It’s a monumental game and respectably for some the peak of the series for a reason. A game that bleeds with passion and a unique vision few could compare at the time and ESPECIALLY nowadays. Not my favorite AC game but still one that I can whole heartedly say I absolutely love.

eu tenho uma relação muito de conforto com esse jogo. eu joguei ele numa época da minha vida que tudo tava horrível e eu só queria desistir, um amigo me recomendou esse jogo, baixei a tradução pirateada e só fui e porra, isso aqui foi minha felicidade por meses, por mais que ele seja curtinho.

amo tudo nele, a ambientação principalmente de veneza e monteriggioni, o combate por mais que tenha ficado datado eu acho tão divertido e a mecânica de parkour também, até este verme deste vilão eu acho bom, só não gosto muito da história fora do animus como a grande maioria, mas não estraga o jogo em momento algum pra mim.

parece exagero mas eu amo muito muito o ezio, pra mim ele é top 3 protagonistas da história, ter de amadurecer tão rápido pela família, não só por vingança mas por amor, eu amo demais este filho da puta!!!!!!!

jogo de conforto da minha vida, vou jogar e rejogar várias e várias vezes e acho que nunca vai enjoar <3

AC2 is the best game Ubisoft will ever make.

Ezio undergoes a profound transformation throughout the game, evolving from a carefree young man to a skilled and wise Assassin. The player witnesses his growth as he learns about his family's tragic fate, leading him to seek revenge and eventually becoming part of the Assassin Brotherhood. His charisma, charm, and wit make him a relatable and likable character for players to connect with. Ezio's journey is not just about revenge; it's about self-discovery and understanding the larger purpose of the Assassin Brotherhood. The emotional depth in the storytelling is evident as Ezio grapples with the consequences of his actions and begins to question the meaning of his existence. This emotional resonance elevates the narrative beyond a simple revenge tale. Assassin's Creed II employs a cinematic style that enhances the storytelling. The use of atmospheric music, well-voiced characters, and visually stunning environments contribute to the overall immersive experience. Cutscenes and dialogues are carefully crafted to keep players invested in Ezio's journey.
The soundtrack reverberates an angelic symphony in which 5-year-old me will never forget.

Thank you, Assassins Creed 2.

I went out in the snow in 2009 to get the last copy of this. I was super excited after its reveal at E3. After the lacklustre first game, I was stoked that this one actually worked.
I love Ezio. For once, we had a protagonist who actually had a personality. In this instalment, Ezio is juvenile and hot-headed, and it details his journey into responsibility and a purpose that is the creed.
The gameplay is better, more brutal, and slicker for its time; the navigation around the respected cities is refined; and the assassinations are much more enjoyable this time around.

I absolutely loved the soundtrack and how well it complemented the historical setting. Desmond becomes more interesting here, but not by a huge margin. In my opinion, the best AC has yet to be surpassed.

this game is so GOOD BRO GODDAMN. everything is amazing, such a great improvement from the first. i literally went for 100% completion a second time because of how much i love this game. the story is so so good, you learn so much more about the lore compared to the first. the gameplay is absolutely amazing, the soundtrack is awesome, and everywhere you go feels alive. the only things that i got annoyed with were the combat at some points, it got really repetitive and annoying when i would spam attacks and the enemy would perfectly block them like 5 times in a row. the other thing that was inconvenient at times was the parkour, sometimes the game just tosses you off a building when you clearly meant to jump on a ledge or something, but that's probably just skill issue tbh. 9.5/10, love this game so much

🎮 Platform: Geforce NOW - PC - Ran amazing. I was in most optimal wired + <20ms ping.
⌚ Time to finish - 15.5h Story
🏆Trophy completion - did not bother. The activities are already repetitive going through the 15h story I had 0 motivation for trophies.
🤬Difficulty - easy
🌄Graphics – Very nice and still holds up. I did have GFN 3080 tier which is the best. I believe since I got it recently I believe graphics were remastered since original release.
🌦 Atmosphere/Music – Nice. The music was great and reminded me of my trop to Italy a decade ago. A nostalgic feeling. :)
📚 Main Story / Characters – I liked ALL the characters in this game and there were a few of them. They make all the interactions meaningful. I really like Ezio. He is fun. I overall liked the story, though nothing ground breaking it was fun and adventurous.
🤺 Combat – Boring. Way better than 1, but still boring. I found myself just parry and 1 shotting everyone over and over and over again. ugh.
🧭 Side Activities / Exploration – Movement is much more improved over 1, but still you run up randomly on walls, camera still swings when you didn't want it to. Side activities are repetitive and boring. The best side activity was upgrading your villa and making a shit ton of money! that was the best. :)
🚗 Movement/Physics – manageable but has issues. Can be frustrating because he randomly climbs up a wall, doesn't grab what he should.
📣 Voice acting – Excellent.
🥇 Best thing about the game - Just a fun sense to Ezio personality and voice acting. I really liked the voice acting of Ezio its awesome with his italian accent. Upgrading your villa.
👎 Worst thing about the game - The game play itself. After half way point its repetitive.
💡Final Thoughts:

If this is the best game in the Creed series I am surprised how so many games after this were released and still milking the $$. I played brotherhood but after that thankfully i feel I do not need to touch this series again. This game is a fine game but after the half way mark its repetitive and gets boring. The story is what keeps it going. The integrated DLC really drags the game and doesn't add anything. The fundamental issue with this game is that the activities in the game are just boring over time.
1) Combat - how much can you hold parry and kill over and over again?
2) Follow - How many times can you follow people in clunky stealth mechanics?
3) pickpocket - really?
4) Climb towers - the cracks of parcour start to show.

Modern games iterated on this so I appreciate this for being a fine game and really improving on the unplayable AC 1. This did spawn a lot of games but I think maybe Prince of Persia deserves that credit and not this game.

| What I Like |
- One of the best written characters in gaming
- Very fun open world without having too much to collect
- Many fun weapons and cool outfits
- Amazing soundtrack and voice work
- Charming graphics
- Amazing lore
- Really feel like an assassin

| What I Don't Like |
- Outdated controls and design, its an old game but I'd love a remaster/remake
- May not be as good on replay

| My Score |
4.5/5 - An extremely influential game not only to AC but to open world games as a whole featuring extremely influential AND well written protagonist to go along with an amazing journey that its crazy to think this is only the start of....

Amazing sequel to the almost-a-prince-of-persia-game first one. Better scored because you can actually enjoy playing it nowadays, even though the tutorial of the game is stupidly long and hand holdy (but you can argue it's because most of the systems were really new at the time). The parkour play is at it's absolute best in this one, having to control the extremities of Ezio to jump around instead of pushing a button for up and another for down. The combat is pretty PRETTY bad, tough, but it gets..."cute" as you play. Just parry your way to the vatican with increasingly cooler looking swords, honestly.
The story is not really much out of the ordinary, but it's told really well and has some genuinely interesting characters, Ezio being a pretty good example that will be tried to remake in the following games with disastrous results.
Overall, one of the best in the series with lots of really good moments that sadly aren't studied by the team in future games. I'm currently planning of making a review of each AC games, 1 a day, and whoooo boy...the latter ones really makes the franchise as a whole feel more cheap.

Assassins Creed II deviates so greatly from AC1 but fans lump 1 with the Ezio trilogy, I personally think there is a major shift here with some good changes, and some bad.

Let's start with game play, this is no longer a stealth focused game. I know, this may sound crazy, but this is an action game more than anything else. A huge majority of missions involve big set-pieces and fighting large groups of enemies head on, I'm pretty sure out of all the villains you only stealth kill 2. This was a bummer to me personally as my favorite aspect of 1 was being elusive and disappearing from guards, but here there is almost no reason to as Ezio is literally an un-killable god in combat, and it takes more time to run away than it does to just fight and kill everyone. I'd reckon this is due to guard placements and how they are literally everywhere, it feels sloppy.

Combat is more in-depth than in 1 luckily, but not by much. It is still just mindless button mashing or just waiting for counter, it is simply boring and tedious. This is amplified by how spongy enemies feel, by the end of my play-through my finger actually hurts from having to press the attack button 1 million times on every enemy.

Parkour is pretty much on the same level as 1, with a few moves added. The problem with parkour though, is that cities are laid out in such a way where it is much more difficult to get around. Buildings are much taller, there is much more space between buildings in the streets, and Ezio cannot grab on to A LOT of things that look grabbable. Many times I'd have no way to progress through the city without just having to jump down to the streets then climb back up, which takes a lot of time due to how tall buildings can be.

And on mission objectives, they feel very repetitive at times, idk if it's just because I was getting burnt out or if it really is that repetitive, but doing like 6 fetch quests in a row wears on the soul. I personally found this game WAY more repetitive than 1.

Collectibles are far more aggressive than in 1, as there are like 4 different types, all pretty meaningless and not worth collecting. There is one type, the codex pages, which the player is FORCED to collect all 30, this is not brought to their attention until the end of the game, where they must collect all 30 to actually complete the game. Luckily I had collected 20 already so it wasn't a big deal, but man, pretty lame stuff.

Also, I like the assassin tombs, I thought those were really cool and more of what I'd like to see out of these games.

Now finally onto the story, it's OK! I personally see it as much more of a traditional heroes journey, which is less interesting than 1 in my opinion. Where the story in Altair's game is much larger than him and isn't personal to him, in Ezio's game most of the stuff happening revolves around Ezio. I also prefer the more serious and dark tones of 1 compared to this game. This is just personal preference really. The one thing I will argue is just a flat out downgrade though, is that the villains in this game are just comically evil. While villains in 1 had genuine philosophies and a cause, the villains in this game just want power, which is so boring. Big downgrade there I think.

I've done a lot of complaining, but this is still a good game I'd reckon. The world is beautiful and well crafted, despite the previous paragraph I think the story is entertaining enough, and the novelty of parkouring is still here. I'd suggest giving this game a shot.

Just some final thoughts, I think this game has been widely over-hyped as "the best in the series" from nostalgia or just mis-remembering what this game, or what all old AC games, really are. Combat was never good, stealth was always average at best, and the games always had a level of repetitiveness to them. The Assassins Creed fantasy, sub AC1 or Unity, has always been ignored for bombastic action-heavy titles where good beats bad, everyone's just been tricked into thinking stealth is more focused on because they give us hoods and hidden blades. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, I'm just saying, people don't look at these games as what they really are.

If you wanna see my rankings as I go through the series, click here.