Assassin's Creed II
General Info
| Awards | Best Writing in a Drama award, Game of the Year award |
|---|---|
| Genres | Action-adventure, Stealth |
| Artists | Mohamed Gambouz |
| Writers | Corey May, Joshua Rubin, Jeffrey Yohalem |
| Game Name | Assassin's Creed II |
| Composers | Jesper Kyd |
| Languages | English, Italian, Spanish, German, French |
| Playmodes | Single-player |
| Developers | Ubisoft Montreal |
| Directed By | Patrice Désilets |
| Game Engine | Anvil |
| Produced By | Sébastien Puel |
| Release Date | 2009-11-17 |
| Social Media | https://www.facebook.com/assassinscreed/ |
| Game Platforms | PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows |
| Publisher Name | Ubisoft |
| Country of Origin | Canada |
| Publishers Websites | https://www.ubisoft.com/ |
Screenshots
Overview
The game is an amazing combination of massive open world exploration and intense action-packed combat. Climb the amazingly detailed buildings of Florence and Venice, delve into secret crypts and catacombs, even take a gondola ride along the tranquil waterways while hidden in the shadows.
Unlike its predecessor, Assassin's Creed II adds more variety to its missions, avoiding the monotony of repetitive tasks. In addition to the main storyline, you can participate in various side quests, such as deciphering the mysterious puzzles left by the 16th theme, upgrading equipment, and even owning and managing a mansion.
Additionally, Assassin's Creed II introduces a new economy system that allows Ezio to purchase weapons, armor, and artwork to increase his abilities and influence. In addition, the game expands the assassin's arsenal with hidden weapons, smoke bombs and poison.
With a compelling historical backdrop, a versatile cast, and a deeply layered story, Assassin's Creed II is the pinnacle of video game storytelling, offering a gaming experience that is as intellectually engaging as it is entertaining.
Trailer
Gameplay
The gameplay retains the show's signature parkour mechanics of climbing and traversing the city, but now feels more fluid and natural. Buildings, streets, and rooftops are designed to give players multiple paths to explore. This freedom of movement extends to Ezio's combat capabilities. He can now disarm enemies and use his weapons against them, introducing new tactical options.
An important innovation of the game is the economic system. Ezio earns (and can spend money on) weapons, armor, and paintings at his family estate, which is the player's main base of operations. As you equip and upgrade the mansion, your income will increase.
Assassin's Graves is another new addition to the game. These are puzzle platformers set in historical structures that reward players with seals needed to unlock powerful equipment.
Assassin's Creed II also has a wide variety of side missions. Traditional assassination missions, races, courier missions and collectibles can be found. Each one helps make Renaissance Italy feel like a living, breathing world. In addition, cities are full of interesting NPCs with their own stories. Finally, the game introduces the Eagle Vision mechanic, a special ability that allows players to identify allies, enemies, and targets in the game world. It will become an essential tool for plotting assassinations and uncovering the rich history of the Assassin's Creed universe.
With these improvements, Assassin's Creed II offers a more complex and layered experience while maintaining the core gameplay elements that fans loved in the original.
Gameplay video
Plot
Ezio travels through various locations in Italy, including Venice, Florence, and Rome. Along the way, meet various historical figures such as Leonardo da Vinci, Lorenzo de Medici and Pope Alexander VI. Learn the killer's skills and the philosophy that drives them as he unravels the plot behind his family's tragedy.
The mystery is solved when Ezio deciphers the codes left behind by the legendary Assassin Altair, revealing a prophetic warning about the end of the world. The true nature of the Piece of Eden, an ancient artifact of immense power, is also revealed. The game ends with a direct confrontation with Pope Rodrigo Borgia himself, who is the mastermind behind all of Ezio's suffering.
At the same time, we see the journey of Desmond Miles, a descendant of Ezio who was kidnapped by the Abstergo Temple Organization, in the present day. Using a technology called Animus, Desmond revives Ezio's memories with the help of other captured assassins.
Assassin's Creed II offers a breathtaking open world full of historical detail and perspective. Through an intense interpretation of Ezio Auditore's life, the complexity of the conflict between the Assassins and the Templars is realized and the main influence on the work. Ezio's personal story of loss, love and revenge, interwoven with conspiracies and power struggles, offers an unforgettable gaming experience.
Development
One of the most significant changes was the change in environment. While the first game took place in the Holy Land during the Crusades, Assassin's Creed II took players to Renaissance Italy, with many historical events and characters. This era was the perfect playground for the war between the Assassins and the Templars, with class struggles, political intrigue, and rampant corruption. The main character was also the focus of the development team. Ezio Auditore da Firenze, unlike Altair from the first game, has a full-fledged storyline that describes his life from birth to becoming a master assassin. Ezio's charismatic and reserved nature contrasted sharply with Altair's serious demeanor, which caught the attention of fans and critics alike.
Game mechanics have also been improved. The team introduced a "lore" system, more varied missions, and an economy that allows players to upgrade weapons and armor. The parkour system has also been streamlined, with Ezio moving noticeably smoother than Altair. While the overall mechanics stayed true to the original game, these additions definitely gave Assassin's Creed II a much-needed overhaul.
The final product was a game that not only expanded on its predecessor, but established Assassin's Creed as a franchise capable of offering complex storytelling and compelling gameplay against the backdrop of important historical events.
Release
The game introduced some innovative features, such as an in-depth story based on real historical figures such as Leonardo da Vinci and Niccolo Machiavelli, as well as an economy system that allowed players to upgrade their equipment and complete additional missions.
The second part of the series also featured more varied gameplay with an emphasis on stealth mechanics. The main character, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, was able to blend into the crowd, commit murders and evade detection in much more advanced ways than his predecessor.
Assassin's Creed II was praised for its expansive open-world design, meticulous attention to detail, and ambitious narrative. Today, Ezio's legacy continues with a legion of fans around the world, a testament to the enduring appeal and versatility of the Assassin's Creed franchise.
Reception
The story was also highly praised and the creative team's interpretation of historical events and characters was found to be enjoyable by many players. The depth and breadth of side quests, as well as the main storyline, helped create a rich and immersive gameplay experience; they offer a mix of stealth, puzzle solving and exploration. The game also introduced new features like Eagle Vision, which enhanced the strategic aspects of the game and really brought the environment to life.
Despite these accolades, Assassin's Creed II still received criticism. The most notable concerns are some technical glitches, repetitive missions, and occasional control issues. However, these issues were widely considered minor compared to the game's overall craftsmanship. Overall, Assassin's Creed II's successful blend of story, action-adventure, and RPG elements allowed it to stand out in a competitive market and achieve commercial success. Players weren't just replaying story moments; they lived
Cultural impact
Assassin's Creed II also introduced Renaissance titans like Leonardo Da Vinci as characters that players interact with directly, portraying the story in an immersive way. This has led to a debate about how video games can be used as an educational tool, influencing trends in educational games.
The game has also intrigued historians and architects, creating the concept of "playable history education". The game's painstakingly detailed Renaissance Italian architecture is often cited by experts as an innovative learning tool for students of history and architecture.
The game's protagonist, Ezio Auditore, has become an iconic figure in the world of video games. His character development from brash youngster to seasoned assassin and eye-catching outfits have influenced cosplay culture.
Assassin's Creed II also made its mark on other video games. The parkour mechanics introduced in the game have been adapted to many other games. The open world design and mission inspired several game developers and set new standards for the open world genre.
In short, Assassin's Creed II has had a dramatic impact on popular culture, the video game industry, and even educational practices. Its importance continues to resonate and shape how we tell historical stories in video games.