Assassin’s Creed II is an upcoming third person action-adventure video game being developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. The sequel to Assassin’s Creed, it is set to be released in North America on November 17, 2009 and in PAL regions on November 20, 2009 on iPhone OS, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
Assassin’s Creed II takes place in an open world with nonlinear gameplay, allowing the player to free-roam the city at will. An article published in Game Informer reveals that Assassin’s Creed II will grant the player the ability to swim and use the canals of Venice as hiding spots and will allow the player to drag city guards into the water as a means of assassination. At E3 2009, it was also confirmed by the creative director that Ezio (the character that the player assumes control of during gameplay) will be able to “drive small boats.”
While not much is known of the plot yet, it has been confirmed that the player will assume the role of a young nobleman-turned-assassin named Ezio Auditore di Firenze. In an interview with Patrice Desilets, the game’s creative director, it was revealed that Ezio’s father, a banker, had been murdered; thus, the essence of the plot is to get revenge on the rival families that murdered him whilst Ezio watches over his mother and sister. Like Altaïr in the first game, Ezio is an ancestor of Desmond Miles, the modern day bartender who was captured by Abstergo, with Ezio himself being a descendant of Altaïr.
Historical figure Leonardo da Vinci is recreated within the game, as an aid to the player who provides a host of weapons and contraptions available for use. At one point in the game, the player can access Leonardo’s flying machine which he actually built, keeping airborne using thermals from fires lit by friends gathered previously in the game. The game will also feature a host of new mission types for the player to complete.
ScrewAttack revealed that there will be many weapons included in the game such as halberds, axes, long pikes, swords, daggers, and numerous others. Six additional weapons can be unlocked by players who completed Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines by linking their PSP to their PS3.
Additionally, the player can disarm opponents and use their own weapons against them. The game is stated to have a much more sophisticated combat system; the player will have to use a variety of tactics on different enemies and – as demonstrated in E3 2009 demo – can now assassinate two people at once by means of Ezio’s dual hidden blades.
Besides the main city of the game, the player can access hidden locations such as catacombs and caves, the contents of which have been compared by the developers to the Prince of Persia series. Exploring these locations rewards the player. It has also been said that the player can choose to throw money to the ground, which attracts the attention of nearby civilians, creating a distraction. Additionally, the eagle vision from the first game has been improved, now giving the option of remaining in third person with eagle vision initiated, allowing the player to spot targets while moving.
