Assassin's Creed II

Reviewed by Mike Suskie (November 23, 2009)

I’d barely hesitate to call this to the most beautifully realized game world of all time, a feat attributed to both its considerable knack for detail and its incredible draw distance – prepare to be wowed the first time you see Ubisoft’s rendition of Venice circa 1484 unveiled before you. The very act of exploring these locations and admiring their beauty is so satisfying that there’s an entire game mechanic based around climbing to high places and enjoying the view. And whereas the three major locales of the last game more or less felt like the same set of buildings shot on a different color of film stock, visual landmarks and a genuine push to instill variety into each district gives every city in Assassin’s Creed II a uniqueness all its own.

Reviewed by Jason Venter (September 07, 2012)

There’s a lot of lore in the Assassin’s Creed series, but most of it was only generally alluded to in the first game. Assassin’s Creed II feels a lot like a remix of the first title, in that regard, only the story has evolved into something more than the curiosity that it was previously. The battle between the assassins and the Templars is explored more thoroughly and the principle characters are for the most part a great deal more compelling.