Okay, I have to tell you at the outset that this is the first game I've actually played (and dominated) in three years. With that being said, what an awesome way to throw myself back into the gaming world!
Assassin's Creed 2 takes you back to the 1400's where you are put into the life of Sir Ezio. You will also meet Leonardo Di Vinci, master inventor. Leonardo helps you bolster your arsenal of weapons, which ultimately helps you take out guards, archers, villains you're seeking revenge upon... and even the occasional guitar player who knocks you down as you're running after someone (Lets just say that almost every encounter with a musician ended with them dying).
I'm a big fan of the first Assassin's Creed, and the Prince Of Persia series, and Ubisoft didn't disappoint. Whether it be picking up some foul language in Italian (Spanish and Italian aren't so different), or seeing how fast you can run up on a group of guards and take them out.
This brings me to some of the things that I liked about the game. I loved the sounds they put into the atmosphere of the game. The soft music added to the level of sneaking around and taking out your enemies without mercy, which was my favorite thing to do, as well as for those around me that watched me play for countless hours. I don't know why they sat and watched (they said it was "Entertaining"). If it were me, I would want to be pulling off some of the sick kills that Sir Ezio reaps upon his enemy's myself.
I also liked the fact that you can disarm your enemy with your bare hands, take their weapon, and kill them with it. Talk about embarrassing!
You will find yourself contemplating how you're going to manage the guards that are around. You have many options to choose from including using the sweet ladies from the local brothel to lure your opponents away from treasure, targets, etc. You can also use thieves to distract the guards from your objective. Then there's my personal favorite... stabbing them!
I don't want to give away much of the story line, but I can say that I enjoyed it a lot. It is more than enough to keep you entertained for the full time that you are playing. The story revolves around Sir Ezio who, after watching something tragic happens to part of his family, seeks revenge upon those who were part of that tragic event.
There were a few things that bothered me, including the camera. They suffer from some of the same angle issues that the original Assassin's Creed had, as well as the Prince of Persia games. When you think Ezio is leaping one way, he leaps the other and ultimately falls to his death.
The unnecessary use of language was too much at times. I felt extremely awkward at moments when girlfriends would walk into the room and subject "16" (you know who it is) is talking about something pervasive and meaningless.
I wouldn't recommend that little kids play this game as it does have a lot of sexual references and is rated "M" for language (not to mention violence).
Would I recommend this game to friends? YES! I love the series, and this game in particular, and I can't wait for the next one (Yes, it leaves it open for a third installment). If you're a fan of the series, or just like taking pulling off wicked stealth kills, this game's for you!