"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.
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.