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Placing Assassin’s Creed II in 15th century Italy was nothing short of a masterstroke by UbiSoft. Though we like to think of the period as an enlightened era of intellectuals (after all, it did give us the Renaissance), it was an era marked with bloody family feuds, takeovers and attempted coups – the perfect place for an assassin.
First, forget everything you thought about Assassin’s Creed. Though it managed to deliver a solid experience, the gameplay came up just short of amazing. The one word that came up the most during my play demo was “organic.” Strict, linear quests plagued the original game’s structure and detracted from the fun of an open world game. With the sequel, UbiSoft is working to deliver an experience that is unpredictable while still offering a structure progression.
Missions are no longer doled out by the Assassin’s Guild. It isn’t even around. Instead, you take on the role of Ezio Auditore di Firenzi, a well-to-do noble who for currently unknown reasons has stumbled into the life of an assassin. Compared to his Crusades counterpart, Altair, Ezio is more extroverted and personable, a trait that allows him to escape pursuers. You no longer have to look for random groups of monks to hide among; instead, you can hide in specially marked crowds, provided you are in good standing with them. Though not shown in the playable demo, the trailer suggested Ezio can also ask local courtesans to distract guards by seducing them.
Ezio’s status in society comes with some of the greatest benefits the Renaissance has to offer, the Medicis and Leonardo da Vinci. It isn’t clear how the Medicis will aide in Ezio’s quest (but having a powerful banking family in your corner isn’t a bad thing), but the demo revealed that Leonardo will provide Ezio with tools, such as a winged glider. During the demo, Ezio used a glider to gain access to an otherwise impregnable courtyard. As Ezio glided towards his target, he needed to swoop down above well-placed fire pits to gain altitude. The trek was marked by bow-wielding guards that Ezio could dive towards and kick. The sequence showed off one of the many ways UbiSoft is attempting to add new elements to the game.
Even with help from the locals and a genius, escape isn’t easy for Ezio. Guard A.I. is smarter and will check bales of hay and other hiding spots if something looks suspicious. A new notoriety system will also influence Ezio’s on the job difficulties. The more “noise” you make (i.e. randomly killing innocent people), the more likely guards will notice you in the streets. There’s a cool down period, so nothing is permanent, but success comes from thinking and acting like an assassin. However, you’ll need to gain some level of notoriety if you want the aristocracy to notice you, presenting a tightrope act between anonymity and attention.
Ezio’s skills aren’t limited to a silver tongue and the king of all gadget men. Ezio is every bit as spry as Altair and comes equipped with two arm blades instead of Altair’s one, perfect for taking down two unsuspecting guards in one shot. If stealth fails and you’re forced to fight, Ezio is a master at hand-to-hand combat. Combat follows the same path as the first game, but the road is smoother. Ezio can disarm any guard and use their weapon.
Another oft-emphasized phrase throughout the demo was “meaningful choices.” The first game was marked with dull, meaningless side-quests such as searching for flags and killing Templar Knights. UbiSoft is working to remove instances like this. Though tightlipped on what side-quests involve, everything you do will somehow impact the game’s core gameplay.
The entire experience with Ezio will, of course, revolve around his modern-day relative Desmond. The telltale signs of the virtual world are still present (and look really killer), but Desmond’s journey will involve more than laying on a table this time around. Again, UbiSoft wouldn’t reveal any details about Desmond’s side of the story, but clues he uncovers in Ezio’s memories will factor into a much larger threat involving Desmond.
It is still way too early to tell if Assassin’s Creed II will deliver the experience the first game strived for, but based on the short demo, it looks like UbiSoft is taking past criticism seriously. |
