Assassin's Creed 2 Issues

[GammaZord]

I'll just jump right in:

Combat
-shallow, repetitive and random
-hold r1, wait for a guy to attack (one at a time of course), and press square
-maybe unequip your weapon for the big guys who you can't parry
-that's it

Overall there's a very small degree of player control:
-Ezio can do pracically anything--and it's fun to watch-- but I didn't find it very engaging.

Now, the free running aspect is great. As with combat, there's little player control (r1+x+ forward), but at least it has a visceral, exciting feel. With the free running, I felt like an athletic, elite asassin. With combat I just felt like a robot waiting for his turn to press square.

Mission structure/Plot
The missions got real old, real fast. First of all, the plot has no momentum. Most of the missions comprise of arbitrary tasks that are really just filler between plot points. They're there strictly for the purpose of making the game longer. I mean there are a few epic, rewarding missions. But they're few and far between.

And, this would be somewhat forgiveable if the narrative offered enough payoff to excuse the missions issues. It doesn't however. Without going into excessive detail, AC2's plot is preposterous. I was initially intrigued by the whole Renaissance setting and the historical tie-ins. But the pseudo-philosophical BS that the game threw at me is just over-the-top and absurd. Further, the plot takes itself waaaay too seriously. And I know that it's purely escapism (all the more reason to not take itself so seriously) but (no spoilers) seriously? Really AC2?

And the thing is, the narrative would have worked great if given a satirical slant. You know, how about poking fun at the post-Dan Brown/Da Vinci Code consiracy hooplah, instead of falling into self-parody.

Anyway, those are my thoughts; yours?

BTW: This may belong in "user-reviews," I'm aware of it. There's no need to split hairs over it.

 

[Pimppeter2]

Yeah, a decent review, at least on the critical side.

However you should expand on each issue.

 

[SonicKoala]

I agree that the combat is repetitive, but I really enjoyed the small animations that it showed when you successfully countered an enemy and finished them off with some sweet move. Same goes for the story - yeah, it's absurd, but I enjoy a little absurdity here and there; the whole global-conspiracy concept is a difficult idea to pull off, but I thought AC 2 did a good job with it. Something else you didn't mention which I enjoyed tremendously were the glyph puzzles; some were easy, but some were rather challenging and I had fun trying to decipher them. I also enjoyed the fact that you had the option of doing a hell of a lot more assassinating than the previous game allowed with the assassination side missions; the various ways to assassinate guys was another enjoyable aspect.

So, yeah, the game isn't perfect. Honestly, the biggest problem I had with the game was Ezio's tendancy to jump in random directions, as opposed to where I told him to jump, something that led to some unnecessary frustration and delays in gameplay. Other than that, I got a good 28 hours out of this game, and I consider those hours time well spent.

 

[Elf Defiler Korgan]

Gammazord I am right there with you. I returned the game after five days. The reasons were because of what you mention above, and that I was lied to. I know, I know, I shouldn't take this so seriously. I remember reading that no two missions were the same, that two were similar but that is it. Well, I am reminded of two identical missions in Venice.

Rescue and escort the thieves in cages guarded by guards.
Rescue and escort the guards in cages guarded by guards.

Or, I could go on about the races, or the beating up of cheating husbands, or tearing down posters.

On PS3 there was also the matter of not being able to remove all armour. You could change it across sets, but it could not be removed entirely. I've checked forums, it can't be done. Apparently an assassin looking like a space marine is a good thing, accept it dam you! This wouldn't be a problem except the armours fuck with the dyes you buy, making certain sets look awful.

Controls were not nearly as good as claimed (and as they were rated). I see SonicKoala has had the same problems I have. Been playing platformers for years, and I did not tell him to jump there.

Far too easy. With two daggers you are unstoppable. Otherwise, counter, disarm etc. Supposedly great fights I lost once, and then easily dominated.

Fucking treasure hunting. Yes, I really do want to wander around like a terrier with vertical-ascending ability and find all of the goodies. Just sickening really.

Also, you can't remove the hood. Any sensible assassin would buy a fancy beret and blend right in. Since his identity is known and the reason he is hunted, why draw attention to himself. Why not a beret, fake beard and fake nose. That would be funny as well as possibly effective.

Plot is Da Vinci code garbage. A friend of mine who loves conspiracy theories thought the game was flawless and captivating. This is where we disagree. Problem is, I was actually reading good literature (Chekhov) in the time I wasn't playing it. So when a bad story takes itself too seriously, and falls far short of its heralded greatness, I laugh and return.

 

[Cherry Cola]

Wow, someone who actually shares my feelings on the game.

If it weren't for the ridiculously easy trophies you can get, I wouldn't have kept it for more than a day or two.

 

[Elf Defiler Korgan]

Can you imagine how more interesting it would be, if opponents had exceptional moves of their own in game? Make it quicker, force player response or butchered by the swordsmen you thought you could just walk over.

I am reminded of one of the Kengo games on 360, if you were not careful you could be taken off balance during a combat, and be instant-killed. In Creed 2 being surrounded by groups of enemies should have been something to be afraid of.

 

[Cmwissy]

Am I the only one who NEVER felt like an assassin but always felt like a Charming Love-able rogue with knives.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

I find it amuzing how ever since Yahtzee started using the word 'arbitrary', it's popping up everywhere.

OT:
The combat was indeed rather dull, but not half as bad as in the first game.

I still can't fathom why Ubisoft stubbornly refuse to expand on the wonderful SOT Trilogy combat style. They really had that nailed by the time Two Thrones came along.

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

Yes the game wasn't perfect but complaining about the plot after playing the first game is a bit stup[id the plot is supposed to be out there and taking the piss of the Da Vinci Code in fact that is basically the point of the game.

Yes the combat is repetitive if you wait around and count but if you get off your ass and attack enemies you wouldn't have this problem to the same extent you have mentioned.

I did not find the mission thing that bad yes they were a bit repetitive again but there was much more to do compared to the first game, a lot less to do in between mission the problem here I think is more to do with the pacing of the game that makes it seem just a lot more repetitive.

Everything is just lumped at you which is where I think most of your problems stem from or become amplified as you spend most of the game in the Animus and fuck all with Desmond getting back story which leads to your plot issues as well. In the first game every few mission you had to get out of the Animus which added a decent pace to game and kept general parts of the game seperate and distinct like levels. In AC2 this doesn't happen and you end with a more persistent world which would cause the problems with the plot if you don't read into back story.

 

[Poofs]

you forgot about when you are free running you seem to lose control of the charachter and jump off a roof
also when you run up a wall and fall down you go back a few feet and in certain circumstances can lead to certain death

otherwise you hit the nail on the head

i still love the game though

 

[Viruzzo]

I mostly agree with Glademaster on everything. The plot is a direct continuation of the first game, and I fully expected the what became the revelation in AC2 when I was halfway through AC1; actually, AC2 has a lot less philosofical plot than AC1, and a much more personal one (I probably actually preferred the style of the first one).

The problem with combat is widely agreed upond, basically because of the enemies attacking in turns, and of the counterattack (which is a lot less powerful than the one in AC1). Personally, I think that the real problem is not the effectiveness of the counterattack per se, but more its superiority compared to an offensive approach.

 

[4242564]

Eh. I agree with some of the more critical aspects that you described. The gameplay is pretty standard: keep free running and climbing until you can't. I however, found this incredibly engaging. I loved watching Exio climb dizzying heights (even though I got vertigo a few times) and jump from rooftop to rooftop. It reminded me a bit of Mirror's Edge. However, like Mirror's Edge, the plot was extremely lacking. I mean seriously, the stuff at the end was out of no where. I think Assasin's Creed, at least plotwise, tried to cram too much stuff into such a small window. The plot was extensive enough as it is, but they just keep adding to it, almost as if to see how much they can get away with. I also agree that a lot of the missions could have been taken out, just as with the first game.

But all and all, I had fun playing it. Sure, it could be better in a lot of ways, but the fighting and exploring aspects where pretty solid, the environments were beautiful, and the sidequests were oddly addicting. There just wasn't enough bad stuff about it for me to dislike it.

 

[EMFCRACKSHOT]

I agree with you on amost every point, yet i still thought it was a great game. I had a ot of fun playing it, and i got to fight the pope.
Am i the only one that noticed the popes staff was covered in norse runes?