Assassin's Creed II (2009)

Information

Assassin’s Creed II is a 2009 action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Montréal and published by Ubisoft.[1] It is the second major installment in the Assassin’s Creed series, and the sequel to 2007’s Assassin’s Creed. The game was first released on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in November 2009, and was later made available on Microsoft Windows in March 2010 and OS X in October 2010. Several minor game-related features could be redeemed on Uplay and three downloadable expansion packs were released on Xbox Live.

The plot is set in a fictional history of real-world events and follows the centuries-old struggle between the Assassins, who fight for peace with free will, and the Knights Templar, who desire peace through control. The framing story is set in the 21st century and follows Desmond Miles as he relives the genetic memories of his ancestor Ezio Auditore da Firenze to uncover the mysteries left behind by an ancient race known as the First Civilization in the hope of ending the Assassin-Templar conflict. The main narrative takes place at the height of the Renaissance in Italy during the late 15th century, and follows Ezio’s journey as an Assassin while seeking revenge against those responsible for the death of his father and brothers. The game features an open world comprising Florence, Venice, Monteriggioni, San Gimignano, and Forlì, and focuses on the player’s combat, stealth and parkour abilities.

Using a newly updated Anvil game engine, Assassin’s Creed II began development shortly after the release of Assassin’s Creed. The game received praise from video game publications for its Renaissance setting, narrative, characters, map design and visuals, as well as the improvements over its predecessor. It has sold more than nine million copies, is considered to be one of the best video games ever made and popularized the Assassin’s Creed franchise. The PC version was met with some criticism in relation to the digital rights management system, and thus had the always-online DRM permanently removed. The game spawned two direct sequels: Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood (2010) and Assassin’s Creed: Revelations (2011). Remastered versions of all three games were released for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on November 15, 2016, as part of the Ezio Collection. A handheld version titled, Assassin’s Creed II: Discovery, was also released along with game on November 2009, and takes place in the missing chapters of the game.