Assassin's Creed 2 game review
Test: Assassin's Creed 2The saga of the Assassins at war with the Templars continues. Goodbye distant Crusades, hello to the Italian Renaissance for a second opus which attempts to correct the few shortcomings of its big brother. Note that this PC version integrates the two downloadable contents of the console versions.
Assassin's Creed first of the name had fairly divided the crowds. Either we loved being ready to forgive him for his obvious faults, or we were blocked by his repetitive side and cities a little empty of activity. The leitmotif of the development of this second part will have been the correction of this kind of problem. Bigger, richer, less repetitive, will Assassin's Creed II be able to convince those who had abandoned the first episode? It is possible, however, that no one expects a complete revolution even if a lot has changed. To start with the framework since the Animus takes us this time to Italy in full Renaissance. Another time, other customs, another hero descending from Altaïr. Ezio Auditore is presented to us when he is only a sycophant with a big face, impetuous and insolent who will discover at his expense his assassin's destiny which he finally kisses only in order to avenge the execution of his father and his brothers. A death obviously linked to the Templars.
The change of mood is radical, and ensured by the hero. Goodbye proud and sober Altaïr, hello Ezio the charmer who will however become less and less frivolous in the course of his quest which spans more than 10 years. Ezio, it's kind of the Latin type, either you hang on, or you want to stick slaps on it as soon as it releases a "going dumpster". For some, his change of temper will not be a luxury. Fortunately, it begins when he puts on his assassin's costume for the first time, which does not happen for some time, this second part is significantly longer to start than his big brother. It is also generally longer, there are more cities, of a larger size, Venice alone can occupy for hours. If Assassin's Creed had relatively few side missions, here we will find something to pass the time. Free races are of course back, but we will find sympathetic secondary assassination missions, the tombs of assassins to which we will return, assistance to citizens, searching for codex pages or secret glyphs and above all, Main missions in greater number, sometimes short, but which guide the player in his progress.
If we proceed in stages, we will start by dwelling on the changes relating to Ezio. To make it progress, it will first of all be enriched. Everything gets changed here. We pay to improve our armor and our health, we pay to buy better quality weapons, to provide treatment and ammunition. So, we are paid for our missions, we make the pockets of passers-by, we steal chests and above all, we maintain his villa. Villa Auditore is nothing more than a source of regular income. We go there to invest a little money in its renovation, for example by enlarging the bank and presto, money flows freely. Later we come back and do a little touch-up. The idea is good, but we must admit that banging back and forth at the villa can quickly become cumbersome. And since you can get money very well otherwise, there are many who risk forgetting it quite regularly.
Other changes in the character's abilities include his new assassin moves, the guy now being able to kill a target by hanging from a ledge or from a hiding place. Ezio is also equipped with two secret blades thanks to the genius of his comrade Leonard de Vinci who later even gives him a firearm or smoke bombs very practical for playing ninja. He will even lend him his flying wing during a mission. Incidentally, our assassin is finally able to swim instead of drowning like a moron when he puts his foot in the water. But Ezio is also a super sociable guy. Or in any case super crisp, suddenly, it can make lots of friends. If he is, like his ancestor Altaïr, able to merge into a group to go unnoticed, he does not need to attract their favors to achieve it and can even mix in any crowd. Better still, with his money, he can enlist certain factions. The mercenaries will be able to help him to massacre soldiers, the thieves will attract them far from their station and will be able to follow you on the roofs, finally, the prostitutes will take care of entertaining the guards to leave you the field free. So many possibilities to make diversion which enrich the missions. In the same genre, when being chased, for example, try to throw a few guilders on the ground to see passers-by rushing over and blocking the passage to your attackers.
All of this serves a progression that has changed somewhat since the first installment. If the cities are more full of activities and that we keep a great freedom of movement, the main quest is nevertheless more interventionist. The murders, much more numerous, no longer need to go through investigation missions but come as the end point of a succession of various missions. There are, however, some complicated spinning by smarter guards and passers-by who don't hesitate to make a splash when you shake them up a little too much. To minimize these inconveniences, it will be necessary to monitor your notoriety. When it increases too much, think of pulling out some wanted notices, liquidating witnesses or even bribing the heralds who make you bad press. Your work will be made easier.
The general rhythm of the game is therefore more sweeping and the content more varied. Especially since the incessant returns to the modern era have ended and no longer break immersion. Escorts, release of prisoners, robberies, we are not going to do the inventory, just to clarify that the quest keeps the player on track and shows enough variety that the need to go through the side quests does not occur not even feel it. We regret, however, the disappearance of the investigations which enabled those who wished to refine the assassination. Be careful however, the thing is always possible. To overcome its target, we can opt for the club approach and then assume the consequences or better prepare and have fun by liquidating the archers, using a minimum of discretion and above all by correctly identifying the places. Here, you can for example try to jump like a bully on a target surrounded by his guard, it will work but it will lack class. If you open your eyes and ears, you will understand that she is going towards her boat, will find the ark which leads to the quay and will go to wait patiently on a beam to fall on her back while she gargles of to have escaped you. You will have as much trouble escaping, but at least you will be able to show off. The small problem is that one could easily think that the assassinations have become much more nags, which is not wrong but not inevitable and ultimately sticks well to the character of Ezio. Note that some missions require you not to be spotted and will therefore force you to find the best route and to make use of everything that we have made available to you. Often, preparing for a murder will also require setting up a whole system with the help of a faction. Kill archers for thieves to replace them, eliminate guard posts so that mercenaries spread panic in town and your target is devoid of protection etc.
The other notable new feature in Assassin's Creed is the Tombs of Assassin. We could see them as dungeons, 6 in number, containing seals of which we will not say anything here. Basically, these are Prince of Persia levels, indoors and in which you have to find your way exactly as in a Sands of Time. Acrobatics, puzzles, timed routes, the game takes on a whole new look that can confuse some. The levels are nevertheless well constructed and not excessively long. We will see them as a challenge, a break in progression or a nuisance, everything is possible and we will be careful not to give an opinion too decided on the issue.
So what to answer the question asked at the beginning? Let's say that Assassin's Creed remains Assassin's Creed. If you enjoyed the first one, you will not have a problem with this suite, even if some details can be disconcerting at first. As for those who did not hook the first time, they will find here corrections likely to seduce them more but if it is the very concept of the game that made you run away, do not dream. Especially since there are still irritating faults like an AI that is sometimes a little strange and a 3D engine that has curiously aged showing disappointing borderline faces and a clipping that can shock from time to time. We would also have liked a better optimization of this PC version which really does not take advantage of the slightly muscular configurations. on the other hand, we will appreciate the fact that the two downloadable contents of the console versions are included basic in the game. However, for a higher base price than the average on the support.
The notes
Graphics 15/20
We find the attention to detail in the architecture of the cities or the numerous animations, one per weapon and there is a package, the aesthetic choices and other coatings. On the other hand, small disappointment on the faces or the presence of quite a few small graphic bugs partly due to the consequent size of the environments. Too bad this PC version is content with the bare minimum and frankly does not take advantage of large configurations.
Gameplay 17/20
We find the handling of the first part, so that happiness, but which is enriched with some new possibilities inevitably welcome. The redundancy of the first part escapes thanks to a well-filled main quest, relatively interventionist, but seconded by a good plaster of side quests and the integration of the Tombs.
Lifespan 17/20
Allow a little over 20 hours, with a ladle, for the main quest, Tombs included. The cities are large and full of secondary missions, we will easily climb more than 30 hours.
Soundtrack 17/20
So there are two schools. The dialogues are dubbed in French, but Ubi found it wise to keep typical Italian expressions to do well. One can be indifferent to it or find it not only not very coherent but especially frightfully annoying. Affair of taste. For the rest, the musical themes are splendid and the sound atmosphere of the cities immersive.
Scenario 15/20
Tortuous, the scenario of Assassin's Creed 2 takes the time to reveal its secrets and literally hides it on the walls of cities. Suddenly, we sometimes get lost in this Italian conspiracy.
True to the first part, Assassin's Creed 2 changes course slightly. More punchy, despite a frankly long start, more full, he strives to keep the player on the rails of his main campaign varied, which is no longer limited to a series of investigations and an assassination, while leaving him the freedom to engage in more varied secondary missions. On the bottom, the game remains the same but the additions are far from negligible and make this second opus one of the major titles of the moment.
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