Assassin’s Creed II
As a collector of video games, I have every game in the Assassin’s Creed series save Rogue, and the PS Vita Liberation. I will be getting Liberation, and waited to buy Rogue since there are rumors it is being brought out for ps4. As I do tend to buy a lot of games, and normally don’t spend all day playing them, I take a while to get around to beating them. I recently decided to get back to the Assassin’s Creed series. I beat the first and rather enjoyed it, yet found some things lacking that the second, I have found thus far, is doing a far better job with!

Whereas Altair Ibn La Ahad was a very serious character, the protagonist of Assassin’s Creed II, Ezio Auditore Da Firenze is different. He is very suave, a bit of a playboy, and has a sense of humor only matched by his sense of loyalty to his family and friends, and his fearlessness. I did like Altair, but I am finding Ezio I like even more. He has a large family and is Italian, and often speaks in Italian during the game where it actually does fit well. For those of you wondering: yes, Assassin’s Creed II does continue where Assassin’s Creed left off. You still play as Desmond, and I love that now you can run, fight and do more as Desmond where you didn’t do much with him in Assassin’s Creed. Yes, you primarily are Ezio. Yet the parts that you are Desmond are significantly more enjoyable.

One of the things I really love about this game is the attention to history and art. Art is a large focus in Assassin’s Creed II. There is a ton more to do than simply collecting flags in the first game. You collect paintings, treasure maps, treasure, statues, codex pages, and feathers. I love that the paintings are actual paintings from history. Also, Leonardo Da Vinci is one of the main characters in the game whom is friends with Ezio and his family. The cities you visit are detailed and I’m enjoying climbing the buildings and looking around.

In the first game you did unlock weapons as you progressed through the levels. However, in this game, you have the ability to hunt down treasure and loot bodies as well as pickpocket for money. You use this money to buy better armor and weapons. Collecting codex pages also allows you to upgrade your arm blades with Da Vinci’s aid. I really liked this, it gives another focus to the game, and yet it doesn’t stop there, there is even more to do!

You can also spend hard-stolen–er, earned!–money on upgrading the villa and mansion where you reside with your uncle, mother and sister. Paintings, weapons and armor that are bought and collected increase the value of your villa. You can also rebuild or upgrade the shops and a few other buildings. As you do renovations, the money that goes into a chest at the mansion keeps increasing. Every 20 minutes money goes into the chest and you can withdraw it. The limit on how much can go in, and how much you get, goes up as you better the villa. It really is a great little addition to the game which I am thoroughly enjoying!

I didn’t like that the controls for Assassin’s Creed, which I own for ps3, were not that smooth. Also, falling in the water resulted in death, where you can now swim in the second installment of the game. The controls in the second are smoother and the graphics got a very nice upgrade, and are far more detailed and enjoyable to look at! There are more side missions like races, courier jobs, and assassination jobs to keep you busy. You can lower your notoriety by pulling down wanted posters, bribing heralds or assassinations. You can buy smoke bombs, potions for increasing health, throwing knives and poison for your blade so far. That said, you do require potions to heal, so I recommend keeping stocked up on them if you find you are having issues with your health. If you have too much of a problem with it, you can buy the large medicine pouch as soon as you can afford it and you should be perfectly fine.

There are tailors where you can buy dye to change the color of your outfit as well as pouches. The art merchant sells treasure maps and paintings. The blacksmith repairs your armor–which I recommend doing frequently–and sells armor and weapons. There is a doctor who sells the potions and poison for your hidden blade. All in all, there is a lot to buy, see and do! I love the fact there is so much to do. I’m not done the game, just a ways into it, so there is probably more to come! One of the best things so far is that you can collect relics from caskets as an optional side quest, and it allows you to unlock Altair’s armor and wear it. I assume it will be the best armor in game, and you can bet I’m busy visiting the necessary locations to unlock it! Fortunately they are easily seen on the map, you just need to discover how to enter. Be prepared for lots of climbing.

As I’m not done the game, no spoilers please! Like always, feel free to comment and discuss how you felt about this game. No spoilers on the story, but if you want to mention other things it will be possible to unlock or do later, feel free. I’m really loving AC: II and I am really looking forward to the next one! I may mix it up and play something else after this, or continue on the AC bender I’m on. c;

Yours truly,

Tales of Souls