Assassin's Creed 2 - Page 4

I would much rather track down the Truth video in the game than looking at it online. It's much more satisfying if I have to piece it together myself.

Clearly Nathan Drake is a descendant of Ezio, then.

You know, I'm watching my co-worker play this at the store, and things are getting pretty weird plot wise in the game as he gets near the end (I think)
I never finished the first game, so Im not sure if this part of the series narrative or some twist they are throwing at the audience...guess the Dan Brown comments early on the thread were riht on the money.

I'm slowly making my way through this game. I spend way too much time running around looking for treasure to advance the plot quickly. The fact that Ubisoft included some treasure maps this time around only makes me want to find them even more. I can certainly see how the plot will end up going to some strange places. The side quest of finding the glyphs certainly seems to be going somewhere odd. I guess I'll just have to keep playing to find out.

Yeah, for the first time since, I think, Portal, i have no idea where theyre going with any of this, plotwise. Its kinda exhilarating.

Also, i gotta say, the post~kill monologues have been awesome so far.

Beat it last night, so here's spoilers....



After the final scene Desmond says "what the fuck" and I am completely with him. Weird golden gods with a laser light show telling you that the humans kicked their ass due to numbers during the war against each other. But for some reason they still want to warn us that there is some big cataclysmic event that is going to happen, and apparently it's some kind of 2012 prophecy about the tides turning and earthquakes wrecking shit. And the crew is off to a cabin!

I could deal with the odd sci-fi story, and the reason we were hooked to the animus and all, but a god locked away under the Vatican soothsaying 2012 even though we murdered all the gods? It gave me a headache.

hahahahahahaha GREAT STORYTELLING GUYS

I have to say that Venice is a lot of fun to navigate. Hell, a couple of times, I hijacked a gondala just to go for a joyride through the canals.

Thanks to a generous contribution from my mom to the EKF (Entertain Kate Fund), I was able to purchase this game yesterday. Let me say a few brief things, based upon my impressions from yesterday. I played the game from 3 pm to 2 Am, and only stopped because my eyes were in alot of pain (eye strain?) and I felt like passing out

This is pretty much EXACTLY what I wanted from the first AC. Now, that's not to say I didn't like AC1. In fact, I love that game. It's just that the sequel includes more of what I'd hoped to find int he first one. I love that I can own and decorate my own city. That's so effing cool

The sad part is that it's clearly a left over idea from the first game. Very much like Orlando Bloom going to Ibelin and turning it into a party hot spot in KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. Instead it's in Italy. Oh well

I'm also sad it's about the MIDDLE AGES (wtf?!!?!?). Why do a game in Italy if you're not going to do Ancient Rome? I wanted to take in the view from the Capitoline hill, or walk the forum.

Oh well...


Anyway, I still have some bud left and am going to have a blast playing tonight. Do you get to Venice pretty quickly?

It all depends on how much of the side quest stuff you do. Even if you restrict yourself to just the story missions, Venice still takes a while to get to.

Arrrg....


I hate when games do that. Open up the game world ASAP, then let me decide what I want to do next. Like FC2. The map had two giant sectors, adding up to 50 square miles. The second half opens at the 50 percent mark, but the game doesn't spend the first 25% in only 1/4th of the map. As soon as the game begins, you can do what you want.

I know, but it was also the age of repressive Christianity. I prefer the lusty paganism of ancient Rome to the saintly popes and dignified churches of Rome in the middle ages


PS: I know the renaissance is not the middle ages, but whatever. I went to a Renn-Faire once, and it was about the worst time I've ever had in my life (for reasons mostly unrelated to the renaissance, but I still carry a grudge)

Gametrailers uploaded the whole "The Truth" video, but i havent seen it in case i actually end up playing this during a dry videogame period.
heard its one giant WTF moment, though.

Picking this up next week. Cannot wait to dive in.

Apologies if this has been asked before.

I'm not sure if the game editions here are the same as in the states, but here we have this white edition collectors version of the game with a bloody Enzio statuette and extra game content.

Now I couldn't give a shit about a statuette, but I am interested in the extra content so here's my question - can you buy the bare bones edition and then purchase the extra content seperately as DLC or is it only available if you're prepared to buy the extra wizzbang game with a giant action figure as well?

Here in the States, different retailers had new sections available as pack-in bonuses. More than likely, they'll be DLC in the future.

OK....

Questions questions questions:


1) How do I switch primary weapon? I had this awesome sword with a fancy handle, and then I bought a club to try it out (thinking it was a separate category of weapon. Instead, it replaced my sword and I don't know how to get it back

2) How do I change costume? I see the place to select the Medici Cape or the plain cape, but what about the cool cape from the Carnival level in Venice? What about the totally awesome GOLDEN MASK? I want to wear that mask full time in the game.

3) Is Rome a level, and if not, why the heck not?

Oh my god...
Ok, this morning I ALMOST posted "Why no sea monsters? They'd have been alive during that time period" as a joke.


Then I learned the amazing truth:
Assassin Squid!

Giant Squid are among natures most terrifying aquatic foes, and the fact there is one in this game leaves me breathless and stunned. Too fricking cool!!!

More questions:

4) Why did they remove the knee breaking finisher move?
5) Why can't guards throw you anymore?
6) Why can't you assassinate people with the hidden blade who are wounded on the ground in pain?


Those are all things that happened in AC1. Why are they not in AC2? To make room for that retarded "jump climb" move? (I really hate that move, it's gimicky and the animation looks terrible)

Finished this yesterday. While I'd love for the 3rd one to be set in Feudal Japan, something tells me it's either set in the future or another place in Europe.

Ninjas would be badass with that type of engine. Tenchu was awesome in its day.

Why feudal Japan? I think that scenario's kind of played in gaming. I haven't played the latest AC yet (although I desperately want to), but I kind of like that a lot of it takes place in the West.

If anything, I'd like to see one set in the French Enlightenment. You'd have the backdrop of the coming revolution to provide the sufficient moral grey areas, some great fodder for historical figures that could fit into the story in some absurd way (I can see Rousseau as the weird conspiracy theorist character who's on to something, and Voltaire as the charming apostle of progress while secretly being in the pocket of King Louis ALL ALONG!). Also, baroque architecture in certain districts.

Unless Damscus, Acre and Jeruselam are in Europe now.

...and Spike, of course you were going to suggest revolutionary France.

I actually want to see someone make a game set in that time just to see you get all giggly girlie excited at this point.

If I get to see Robespierre scream in French and bark me around to execute royals, sign me the fuck up.

Throw in a mission where you push an executer into the guillotine after saving his victim, having Fouche as one of your contacts/employers and a "Let them eat cake!" achievement, and I'm buying this.
If not, playing one of the last ninja/samurai during the Meiji restoration era would be awesome, as i've said before.

I'd love to see some historical license taken with that and have you save a jaw-broken Robespierre right before his execution only to have him try and backstab you later in the game, resulting in a gruesome and bloody climax.

If AC3 were set during the French Revolution, I'd kind of like to see a retcon of the Scarlet Pimpernel put into place, where he's essentially there as an agent of the British to ensure either that 1) the elements are set in place for the return of the crown, or 2) the Revolution be as painful and bloody as possible. Instant recurring boss right there.

I have three excellent ideas for where the next Assassin's Creed sequel (I assume it will be called ASSASSIN'S CREED III, given the current naming convention) should be set


I will list them in order of relative Awesomeness

1) British Colonial India
*Tigers!
*Temples!
*Thuggee cults!
*Alexander the Great related stuff?!?
*Under utilized videogame setting!

2) Ancient Aztec or Mayan jungle empire. Possibly during time of Spanish invasion?

*Jaguars!
*Cool jungle setting, with waterfalls I bet
* Human Sacrifice!
*Under utilized videogame setting!

3) Victorian England!

*Obvious reasons, Alan Moore LXG/From Hell kind of atmosphere would be cool



And...... last but not least: I know they already did Italy... But is ancient Rome too much to hope for? You could have a level in Alexandria Egypt! (With a viewpoint on Pharos I'm sure )


Or..... is a Rome DLC possible for AC2? Given what GTA and games like FO3 have done, that doesn't seem so extreme






PS: I hope it's not in France. I'm sick of France in videogames. Do you have any idea how many games have levels set in France? Or, for that matter, take place entirely in that country? I can think of one big release that is already set there coming out soon anyway. The settings I've proposed (and other's already have suggested Vic. Eng. before me) are fairly under used as settings. Let's go with one of them


PPS: Also no Japan!! I'm sick of Ninjas.

PPPS: There is plenty is plenty of opportunity for intrigue and politics in the Mayan setting, you could be the son of the king and have to fight for your families safety in the backstabbing polotics of internal struggle as a result of the conquistadors. You begin to suspect they're going to bring down the empire and you have to work to take down their rule

Or have it set after the Revolution during the Napoleonic wars... and Spike's head explodes, so close yet so far.

Just read the Destructoid review, and it is completely on the nose. Except I would disagree with it about the combat system, since the game doesn't even bother telling you how to do some of the cooler things like throwing dirt in an enemies eye. Yea, this series needs a complete overhaul to be interesting anymore. Link

The Destructoid review actually makes me more interested, because Jim Sterling couldn't be more of a stupid asshole if he were Sarah Palin's rectum.

Do not be tempted. I know it's easy to want to know Sterling is wrong, but here, he is right.

Eh, I'm not really tempted, but Sterling is literally never correct about anything. He's pretty much the reason nobody takes gamers opinions seriously, but in something resembling a squat, goblinoid human form.

I know everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I really can't see where you're coming from on this. I just beat the game, and it's fantastic. Probably the best gaming experience I've had this year

To be fair, the game does tell you how to do that, you just need to talk to the trainer at the Villa. Course I never used that move plus the sweep move with a spear except to get the achievement (the latter takes too long to setup to be useful).

Come on Brad, dont give in...I almost did, but now I'm glad I was able to resist...thanks, Dragon Age!

What it really boils down to is, the game is boring. Everything that was fresh and new in AC1 is still here, but no better. They literally did nothing to improve upon AC1. Where I gave AC1 a pass on so many things (piss poor combat system, clunky free running, bad story telling) AC2 shouldn't be given such consideration. The engine was there, it just needed polish. Instead of polishing the free running and climbing engine (and jesus the climbing is mind numbing here, I actually avoiding climbing this time) Ubisoft just tossed in a bunch of side quests that require you to use these rough and unfinished mechanics. I'm actually pissed off at this game for taking 20 hours away from Dragon Age or MW2.

And if this is the game experience of the year for you, go immediately to Amazon and get Dragon Age for $39. Or Batman. Or Torchlight. Torchlight is much more fulfilling than AC2.

I should have figured as much. Ubisoft wouldn't bother having the fighting trainer actually teach us all the core mechanics of the system while teaching us the combat system.

That's just absurd. I loved AC1, but even I will admit this game is a million times better. You need a dictionary, because you literally don't understand how to use the word 'LITERALLY' in a sentence

PS: MW2 is not that great, in fact, IMO it's worse than COD:WAW. Also, I can't start DA till I finish FO3, which at the rate I'm going may be a few weeks before the sun burns out

Most of the criticisms I've heard from other places are valid. The game isn't as consistently pretty as AC1, there is still *some* repetitiveness, and yeah, the minimap is a clusterfuck sometimes. But Sterling's entire review could be summed up as "Doesn't include Batman. 3/10."

Yawn. That Destructoid review was stupid. AC2 improved over the original by leaps and bounds. The characters are written better, the new game mechanics work very well, the old ones (such as climbing and combat) are improved, and there is a variety of things to do. The mission structure is much more organic in the way it unfolds, a huge improvement over the first game. Overall, AC2 is a much more polished experience than the original game.

AC2 can be called many things, but boring is not one of them. For me, it is tied with Batman, Dragon Age, Uncharted 2, and Red Faction Guerrilla as the games I have had the most fun with this year.

You guys wont stop till Brad and I end up buying this one, eh?
Im tempted to watch the "The Truth" video on gametrailers; I've been told that its like being hit in the face with a Dan Brown book.

I'm not really planning on buying it.

Me neither, but i admit eachh chewer comments makes me more interested in it.
Still, that destructoid review was idiotic.

Well, Jim Sterling is a moron. Destructoid overall is pretty much the worst of the game news sites. I think the only one that tops it is Kotaku, and that's because they vocally want to throat rape anything with tits from Japan.

I still check them for news and articles, but I rarely even trust any game reviewers this day (Fuck you all, I LIKED Earth Defense Force 2017 and hated GTAIV); Gametrailers and Gamesradar are the ones I trust the most these days.

Also, i better tell my relatives and friends about my uninterest in ACII; I could end with another "San Andreas Christmas" in my hands.