Assassin's Creed was a good game that suffered from a case of jack of all trades but master of none syndrome (applicable to every open-world game really). I quite enjoyed the first AC despite complaints from critics about its repetitive nature. The free-flow combat system was an elegant combination of satisfying core mechanics and a beautiful cinematic style. There was a rhythm to the combat where you blocked, parried, and countered, forming an intricate dance of death.
From an objective standpoint, AC2 addressed every problem with the first game. Mission types are more varied, terrain is more layered and interesting to navigate, and a lot more subsystems have been implemented to enrich the experience. This include a dash of collectibles with glyphs, eagle eye scans, and weapons. The addition of a town that you can improve and renovate gives you an excuse to spend money on things other than killing instruments.
With the problems of mission structure and gameplay variety addressed, I'm sad to see the combat system suffer from an increase in arbitrary difficulty with the introduction of enemy types that can't be instant killed with one fancy counter. While the new system requires more patience and thought, creating a more strategic combat environment overall, the elegant rhythm of the old system has now disappeared. What was once a dance is now a stop-and-pop affair with lots of waiting and circling. I enjoyed the old combat much better.
Despite that, Assassin's Creed 2 is an improvement in every aspect. The storyline, deeply intertwined with real-life historical figures and political intrigue, is multi-layered though not terribly riveting on a personal level. The characters are fantastic from a design standpoint but threadbare in terms of depth. The narrative arc encompasses a couple decades which lends the story a bit of grandeur. Renaissance-era Italy is a great playground for the player's assassin shenanigans. Tools and abilities granted during the course of the game allow the player to interact with the world in a manner of interesting ways, such as flying over the cityscape with a pair of artificial wings.
In summary, AC2 is a good game. It has enough content to easily entertain for 30+ hours. Although the game is slick, polished, and packed with things to do, one can't help but feel that the game is...shallow. It's a better jack, but it still ain't a master.
