Assassin's Creed II Review (Flavius Claudius Julianus)
“Your sister seemed quite satisfied with the handling I gave her earlier” - Ezio Gigachad
Assassin’s Creed II is the kind of game you play when you’re depressed to relive some of the best moments of your life… it just turns out I’m depressed once a month every year, damn.
Remember when AC brought emotions to the table? Yeah me too, and I miss it.
AC II feels like it’s made of love and passion…
AC Valhalla just feels like it’s made of emptiness… and greed.
I accidentally didn’t hug Leonardo when I was younger and I still regret it to this day.
It is indescribable how iconic this game was. Everything was absurdly perfect. It is deep, beautiful, multi-layered, improved upon nearly all facets of the original, and is a treat for history lovers such as myself. The atmosphere, the backdrop of game setting, the voice, emotions running at all time high.... it's on another level. Back in the day it was so revolutionary. Back when Ubisoft actually had passion for AC.
Part of what I loved so much about the AC2 trilogy is seeing basically the whole professional life of Ezio. We get to see him as a headstrong young man becoming an assassin, growing into a master, and as an older man ready to settle down. It was very satisfying and gave me a connection to Ezio none of the other games have been able to replicate. I wish they'd have a new installment that would span some actual time, even if it's within one game. I honestly wish more games did that. It allows for so much character growth.
Now I’ll admit It’s a 13 year old game. Everything about the game is outdated, and people who replay it like myself probably do so for nostalgia’s sake. At the time we played this game, it was the greatest thing in the world so in our heads we put it on a pedestal ... and thats where it lives. It’s still my personal favorite AC game, but it’s showing it’s age. A very late 2000s game with mechanics and gameplay that is frustrating by today’s standards.
I still miss this game all the time, it’s magic, the simpler, happier times in my life when I played through it and the rest of the Ezio trilogy. I’m sure one of the last things I’ll reminisce about as I’m on my deathbed will be how I spent hours going around Venice, Florence, Rome, Constantinople (Chad’s call it by its real name), taking in… a virtual environment, listening to the incredible ambiental music, etc.
I’m so happy I got to experience the original/early AC games, concepts, ideas, worlds and characters. However, it also makes me super depressed to think about how good it used to be, and also how much better recent games could have been. They had everything to build upon, the perfect foundations, sadly a steady decline post Patrice. I still consider the AC games the biggest waste of potential I’ve ever experienced in gaming, and possibly entertainment in general. I hope Mirage proves me wrong.
Current AC games need to take a step back and listen to their fan base more instead of catering to mass appeal and breaking sales records. Good sales should be the product of a well-crafted game and should not be the only driving force for creation and inspiration. Maybe I’m just too idealistic.
One day I’ll be able to forget GTA V, but I’ll never be able to forget AC II and Ezio Auditore de Firenze. I might never play AC Syndicate/Chronicles/Odyssey again but I'll forever listen to all versions of Ezio's Family on Spotify till death.
“It is a good franchise we get to enjoy, friends.”
“The best! May it never change.”
“And may it never change the community.”
10/10