More than a decade after its initial release in 2009, open world action-adventure titleAssassin’s Creed 2remains one of the most beloved titles in the now long-running franchise. Following the mixed reception of the originalAssassin’s Creed,the second game is seen by fans as establishing a number of gameplay and story elements now considered franchise staples, such as enhanced interaction options with NPCs, overhead Eagle Vision, and a nonlinear story with multiple cities to explore. Since 2009,Assassin’s Creed 2has spawned several direct sequels and seen multiple re-releases, including as part of the 2016Ezio Collection, which brought the title to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Assassin’s Creed 2introduces Ezio Auditore da Firenze, the son of a wealthy Florentine family during the Italian Renaissance. Like the firstAssassin’s Creed,the story is presented as Ezio’s modern-day descendant,Desmond Miles, who began as the series' primary character before being phased out in later titles, experiencing his ancestor’s memories via a device called the Animus. Ezio, who begins his journey by seeking revenge on the men who murdered his father, eventually becomes a skilled assassin who opposes the Templar organization. His journey continued in two direct sequels,Assassin’s Creed: BrotherhoodandAssassin’s Creed: Revelations,which are collectively referred to as the “Ezio Trilogy.”
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Game designer Stanislav Costiuc, who also goes by “Farlander” online, released a 90-minute video to his YouTube channel in which he reviewedAssassin’s Creed 2(specifically theEzio Collectionremaster) from his unique perspective as an industry professional. Costiuc, who currently works as the Senior Game Designer at Firebyte Games, has previously worked for Electronic Arts, Peak Casual, andAssassin’s Creedfranchise publisher Ubisoft. He has taken the lead on games includingTrials Rising, Watch Dogs: Legion,andTom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction,which is anticipated to release in early 2022.
In his review, Costiuc challenges the commonly held notion thatAssassin’s Creed 2is “everything the first game should have been,” arguing instead that it represents a major departure in the series' style and themes in a way later titles such asOriginsandOdysseyare often cited as being - evenfeaturing sneaky hints towards those later titles. He argues that, though the game adds many new gameplay elements and mechanics, these elements do not actually fix many of the problems identified with the originalAssassin’s Creed.Costiuc also argues that the game can be quite difficult and frustrating to play if players do not memorize and remember all the random and sometimes bizarre ways guards and NPCs will react to Ezio’s various actions.
However, despite his criticisms, Costiuc ultimately givesAssassin’s Creed 2a fairly high score - 78 points out of 100 using his personalized “Stasocritic” system, which considers design, context, aesthetics, cohesion, and emotions. In particular, he praises the game for being a truly enjoyable and satisfying experience to play, despite its many flaws. While he personally felt disappointed that the game hewed closer to mainstream trends rather than maintaining what made the first title unique, he acknowledges its place within gaming history as astandard-setting open world gameand the title that made so many people into fans of the franchise.
Costiuc has reviewed a number of other titles from a game designer’s perspective; these videos are all available to watch on his YouTube channel. He is currently working on reviewing each title in theAssassin’s Creedfranchise in order, including spinoffs and expansions.
Assassin’s Creed 2is available for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.The Ezio Collectionis available for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
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