Ezio, the star of Assassin’s Creed 2 is back with more running, climbing, thieving and killing. Now set in Rome, Ezio has to battle the ruling Borgia and build up Rome to be a better place. The area of Rome is huge and is probably the same size as the previous game but all condensed into one giant area instead of separate areas.
Gameplay is largely unchanged from the previous games and there are plenty of things to do to keep you occupied, from destroying Borgia towers (which opens new areas) to collecting loot, carrying out assassinations, and collecting feathers and flags. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Brotherhood although I did expect some changes and beefed up gameplay which was simply more of the same from before. That is not necessarily a bad thing, the gameplay works as it does but there could have been some more improvements to mix it up a bit.
I would liked to have seen some improvements over the platforming mechanics but sadly the old problem of randomly jumping to your death still exists. A series of jumps may work well but the most miniscule of movements away from thumbstick forward may see you falling to your death – something which is most annoying when for example climbing the spectacle which is the Colloseum. But while this game is as frustrating as hell, it is one of those games which has a unique draw and addiction. So while I spent many a time falling to my death or surviving and having to make a climb over and over again, the charm of the game made this a non issue and there was a drive to complete it. Had this been any other game, no doubt I would have traded it in out of annoyance. But it is Assassin’s Creed, so it is okay.
Section 16 puzzles are back and are still as mysterious as before. If you like your brain tested, the glyphs are definitely something to search out. In a huge place like Rome though these glyphs can be hard to find. But here is a tip – Press start and go to database, then locations. Ensure Rome is highlighted then press Y to filter through to section 16 locations. Pick a location (I don’t recommend the first one early days as it is hard to access) and then you can add a map marker to take you to the location. Much easier to find them then.
I have finished the game now although not yet got 100% completion. I did complete buying all parts of Rome and was really disappointed not to get an achievement for that. I am not greatly into achievements, but it is really annoying when you get an achievement for watching a cutscene and then do not get one for something that actually requires effort. Note to developers: Make sure your achievements actually mean somethign to achieve please.
Anyway, all in all a good game and I look forward to some download content to extend the game. Oh and a BTW, what the hell was up with that ending? That was a major WTF moment.