Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

40 to 100 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Masterpiece"

That was what i was thinking when i saw trailers and previews, i just couldnt grasp the idea that historical middle eastern assassins are moving to renaissance Florence. This is no longer about Nizari`s, this is turning from historic fiction to ordinary fiction. Why not vikings on Tatooine? But than, bam, by the end of the intro i was impressed. And the impression only got stronger towards the end.
Ubisoft dropped out story about Nizaris, they further fictionalized assassins, but, opposite to my expectations, historical value didnt dropped. On the contrary. The first sights of unveiling Florence are breathtaking. Spirit of Italia is captured remarkably, characters are real, living, and the story about new protagonist, Ezio Auditore, will become a Shakespearean ballad about jaunty youth, by fate transmuted to revengeful man, culminated with gloomy introspective graybeard in the sequels. And, in my opinion, the best written video game character ever.
In the first Assassins Creed game, cities had general feeling of historical likeness, which made excellent atmosphere. Now, atmosphere gets better with astoundingly precise models of famous buildings and sites, to the extent when the game even gets value as a travel guide. You will really learn a lot from this one. Its like roaming through 15th century google maps street view, with the exception that you can climb and enter the buildings. I think i spent an hour or so climbing around Santa Maria del Fiore just to see it from all angles i will never be able to reach in real life. And there are Venice, Forli, San Gimignano, Motereggioni. Gameplay is also enhanced, the open world gets more opened, as you can now swim, drive gondolas, interact more with the surroundings etc. Weapons are more diverse, so is the combat.
Another great feat of the game is that its bringing to life many famous renaissance people such as Borgias, Medicis, Machiavelli, Da Vinci, Catherine Sforza, Girolamo Savonarola, Bartolomeo d`Alviano, Pazzis, Orsi brothers etc. And they are not there just for the sake of it, they are carefully written to be believable and livable, though some freedom is taken in interpreting they historical roles, which is justified, this is a video game after all.
Some nice puzzles are included also, driving you around through different eras, and culmination is creepy, Von-Daniken like video of Adam and Eve in Eden. Soundtrack is another jewel among the ton of them.
Ubisoft made themselves an impossible task for the future, as this game cannot get any better. But again, who can blame them for that?