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To put it simply, Assassin's creed II vastly overshadows the original. The first Assassin's Creed attracted gamers with its innovative gameplay but the sequel to this brilliant game takes it to a whole new level. Acre is gone (but not forgotten) and replaced by a vastly dissimilar Renaissance Italy full of new characters, new experiences and a background so deep, you quickly find yourself immersed in it.

Assassin's Creed II continues from where the original left off. Desmond is locked in a cell at Abstergo labs, staring at a wall of complex Glyphs with an ominous message. Abstergo is the modern-day headquarters of the Templar's, who are after Desmond's genetic memories. However, whereas the original Desmond could do little more than walk slowly between his cell and the Animus, he is quickly thrust into  a dramatic escape scene; finding himself running past security guards and hammering door panels in a scene evocative of the Matrix.

Desmond is whisked away to the Assassin's HQ where Rebecca Crane, an Animus developer, introduces Desmond to the Animus 2.0 which, according to her, is "twice as awesome" as the original. The improved comfortably and upgrades mean that time in the Animus can been prolonged. However despite these enhancements, the "bleeding effect" cannot be contained. The Animus on and Desmond strapped in; the real gameplay begins.

The main protagonist this time around is a young Italian called Ezio. Whereas Altair was simply a man behind a white hood, Ezio has a family, purpose and a whole lot more witty repartee. Ezio is not an extremely likeable character, but he is a lot more versatile than the original. We are introduced to him first as a baby, then as a young man, who has found himself in a brawl. It is after the brawl that we are introduced to a new and exciting game concept; Money in the form of Florins. Collectable from chests, pickpocketing and completing missions this opens up a whole new world for the player. New weapons and upgrades can be bought from Blacksmiths, medicine ,and later, poison from doctors, and Florins can be thrown on the ground to cause a distraction to enable you to sneak past guards.

While new weapons are available to you, so they are to enemies and you soon find yourself battling guards holding swords, spears and axes. However, now you can disarm the enemies and use their weapons against them. You can do this during combat or you can pick up the weapons afterwards for use later. This is an exciting new feature that makes combat less repetitive, although the enemies still take turns attacking you and battles can be a little arduous. A new health system has been introduced. You no longer regain health from waiting, you must heal yourself using medicine bought from doctors scattered throughout the map. This ensures you will be using a lot more defence in combat.

Two knives are better than one

However, with the introduction on new stealth options, needless fighting can be averted. No longer must you walk slowly between a bunch of praying priests, Ezio blends in with any large crowd of people and simply walking in a group can be enough to slip past guards. You can also pay prostitutes to distract a group of guards, throw smoke bombs for a quick escape, or throw money to create a distractions as peasants flock to the loose change.

Movement has been sped up and this has led to more fluid "free-running" sequences. However, at some points in a running sequence I found the camera view to be a little awkward and this resulted in some very long falls. Ezio, unlike Altair, is able to swim and before long you find some missions depend on this ability. It also results in some very dramatic leaps of faith into the river below.

This becomes a familiar scene

The dialogue is far superior to that of the originals. However, Ezio's uncle, Mario, still managers to deliver one cringeworthy line. There is just the right mixture of informative, in-depth conversation and citizens crying out about Ezio's lewd behaviour. The backing soundtrack used is full of emotional music that does not overpower gameplay, but complements it.

The main complaint of  the original Assassins Creed is that the missions were too repetitive. Assassins Creed II has rectified this issue and there are vast differences between the tasks set. From beating up his sisters cheating boyfriend, to driving a horse and carriage, to shooting at The Doge on a boat during Carnevale with a Pistol (courtesy of Leonardo Da Vinci, a prominent figure in this game), Ezio engages in some exciting, plot-thickening, gameplay.

It's well worth stopping to enjoy the view

There is a lot to do in Assassin's Creed II and many may find enjoyment in exploring the tombs. Here you climb walls, run along beams, and swing on chandeliers in large, sometimes timed, free-run sequences reminiscent of the Prince of Persia titles.

The only concern with this compelling sequel lies not in its gameplay but in Ubisoft's Digital Rights Management. The DRM forces you to maintain a constant internet connection whilst playing. So forget your big plans to have an 8-hour Assassin's creed fest on that long haul flight, a test conducted by myself can conclude that gameplay ceases as soon as the internet connection is lost. Those without a stable internet connection may have to give this game a pass. While this remains a controversial practice (Ubisoft's DRM servers went down directly after launch restricting access to new gamers), there is no way to sidestep the problem. That said, I had no connectivity issues while playing this game.

Assassin's Creed II is leaps and bounds ahead of its predecessor. The gameplay, character, presentation and amazing bonus features will leave you wanting more even after the main storyline is complete. The only downside to the PC version of the game is Ubisoft's DRM protection strategy which has meant some people cant enjoy this beautifully constructed title. However, that aside, Assassin's Creed II was well worth the wait.

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