Game of the Year: Assassin's Creed II

What can I say about Assassin's Creed II that will truly deliver a good reason why I chose it for Game of the Year? In truth, it is a very odd pick if you look at the other games of this year. Some people will choose Modern Warfare 2, or Uncharted 2. Those are great games, and deserve the recognition they are getting. Why would I pick Assassin's Creed II?

Maybe it's because of the extreme dedication of the studio that made the game. Ubisoft Montreal made an amazing game in Assassin's Creed, delivering one of the first real next-generation experiences. The story of Desmond and his Assassin ancenstor Altair left a mark on the rest of games, and to this day it's known as a one of a kind game. But Ubisoft Montreal wanted more. They wanted many things, in fact. They wanted, first and foremost, to adress their fanbase. Many complaints were made of Assassin's Creed. Many people said it was too repetitive in mission structure. Many said they didn't like the abrupt break in story with Desmond. Ubisoft Montreal wanted a better experience that would live up to their imaginations. Things like true crowd blending and the real experience of being and assassin. They wanted to create historical accuracy. Real cities and real people would be the only way Ubisoft Montreal could justify and complete a sequel. Ubisoft Montreal, as many others, knew that wants are one thing and action is another.

So they took action. They literally began with a record-breaking act. They gathered the biggest development team in history, leveling off at a whopping 450 members, all lead by a previous producer of the first Assassin's Creed game, Patrice Desilet. This number has never been seen in a game. EVER. Ubisoft Montreal began with their want of historical connections. Teams spent almost a year in Italy's famous cities of Rome, Venice, and Florence taking notes, pictures, and studying up on each and every significant building's history, look, feel, and overall presentation and historical significance. They studied the countryside of Tuscany, noting the customs and culture. They studied famous historical figures of the Renaissance era. Names like Da Vinci, Machiavelli, Sforza, Medici, Pazzi, and even Pope Alexander VI were extensively researched. In short, they wanted to do everything right.

So they had the stuff, they just needed to put it into a good video game. This is where they filled one more want: listen to the fans. They wanted to fix what the loyal fans thought could be better. More importantly, they wanted to fix the things that turned people away from the first game. They did this by mission variety. Assassin's Creed II would not be the same "investigate, plan, kill" structure of the first. Each mission would be different in some way, and it would be applicable to the story, not just part of a video game. They would also fix things like fluidity in the story, with much more of the overall story taking place in the animus, making it unneccessary to make Desmond come out of the animus as much. Ubisoft was dedicated to fixing the things other felt they did wrong, so this time they could know they listened.

The game was shaping to be a great sequel. But it had to more than that. It had to be better, bring things in that gave it that "wow" factor. Here, Ubisoft Montreal once again fulfilled a want. Make a better experience all around. They wanted the Italian Renaissance setting they picked to bleed fun in a video game. They created awesome setpieces, like a flying machine mission, a carriage runaway mission, and others. They gave players the ability to assassinate in several ways with several different weapons. Players could choose how they wanted to kill, much like real assassins. They gave awesome customization like clothing and armor. They gave the game a complete overhaul with an economics system and crews like courtisans to hire to distract guards. They even put new gameplay elements like cryptic free-running sequences and the ability to blend in any crowd, not just monks like the first game. They were on the fast-track to make a great sequel, better than the first.

Thus, the game was released. Ubisoft had done a phenominal job in putting Assassin's Creed II out. Sadly, this isn't the reason I picked the game for Game of the Year. It helps a lot, and it certainly is a great accomplishment, but not my reason. After all, it must have been the game itself that actually pushed me to pick it as Game of the Year.

It could have been that the story of the game is true art. The game contains plot twists, turns, suspence, thrills, love, and everything else you could ask from any good story. The story of Desmond introduced in Assassin's Creed was instantly one of great mystery and intrique. Through Altair Ibn La'Ahad we learned the conspiracy of the Templar and modern Abstergo to control all minds under their corrupt ideas. The end of Assassin's Creed left everyone with a look of wonder and awe. What was the wall all about? Assassin's Creed II's choice to pick up EXACTLY after this moment was wise, and makes the two games seem as one blended story, which is evident as the game goes on. Desmond's escape from Abstergo with Lucy shows the true growth of this sequel, as the previously captive and week Desmond is now on the run, beating up enemies, and even doing some free-running. The introduction of more great characters like Shaun and Rebecca along with the great character of Lucy and Desmond give the game the great supporting cast it had in the first game. But what happens when Desmond goes back into the animus?

What happens is a natural growth. Desmond's new ancestor, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, is quite different than Altair, as is his story. Desmond experiences becoming an assassin through his ancestor, as the tragedy of family death strikes Ezio to become what his father and relatives are: assassins. This learning experience takes the story from small beginnings to large outcomes. The story of revenge turns into a story of learning. Ezio initially wants to learn enough skills to kill the man who killed his father and brothers. Ezio soon learns he has much more potential, and begins to continue to learn more. As this unfolds, he learns of a bigger conspiracy, and that the man who killed his father was part of a much bigger operation, and that the death of his father was part of this operation. Ezio begins to learn of the Templars, and the pieces of Eden hinted and teased from the first game. The story takes highs and lows as every story does. Of note is the amazing number of supporting cast. Not just the number, but the fact that they are all extremely different and strong characters. A person like Leonardo Da Vinci serves as your confidant. He aids and helps you, and he feels like a true friend. People like Lorenzo de' Medici show nobility and honor. Even small supporting cast like Caterina Sforza show the humor and free-willing spirit of the renaissance.

It's these human connections you gain from the story of Ezio that make you love every moment of the game as it goes. But it's those climactic moments of the story that cause you to really invest something in the game. It's that moment where you realize things are bigger than they seem that makes you care about what you are doing. It's those moments that you are pulled out of the animus and forced to realize that you are part of something bigger that make you realize what you are trying to do in the game. It's the moment you realize when you turn off the game that you've come further in your abilities in the game that you realize the game actually is teaching you how to be an assassin in a way. That the story is rubbing off on you, and you realize that it's doing exactly what it should: being a story you care about, enjoy, and more importantly, a story you want more of.

I would hate to spoil and ending like the one in Assassin's Creed II. By far, it's ending makes me want to play a sequel even more than I wanted to play a sequel when I finished the first game. Once again, you realize that you are but a small piece in a much bigger puzzle, and just when you think you've solved the puzzle, you realize the puzzle was actually just a piece of a much bigger problem. And just like Desmond says at the end of the game, many players will find themselves saying a phrase at the end of the animus' story: "What the fuck?". It's the mystery that makes the game good, as it always has. By far however, it's the conclusion with Desmond that really makes the game a great experience. Desmond becomes a true assassin, in every sense. The player feels they accomplished what they sought out to do. Finally, all that training did something.

So, was it the story? Once again, no. It wasn't the amazing story that made me pick the game. The story was amazing, and I loved every moment. In fact, I picked it for Best Story for my awards post. There must be a reason then why I picked the game. Maybe it was because of the phenominal gameplay.

The gameplay is simply amazing in every way. Where the gameplay really shines is when it surprises you. This first is shown when Ezio is a baby, and the game prompts you to hit buttons to move your feet or arms as a newborn. That's just cool. The real refinement you see in the free-running shows that Assassin's Creed will ALWAYS be the king of free-running in games. Just like the first, if you think you can climb it, you can. It's this real freedom in the environment that makes you feel like you're actually in Italy. Of course, this wouldn't be complete if the game didn't feel like Italy. The recreations of famous Italian cities and landmarks is remarkable. The amount of detail and sheer beauty that the cities have in this game makes it worth just running around and spectating the surroundings. The amazingly crisp graphics and historical accuracy give the vistas real beauty, something not seen in video games very often.

Which is where this game's gameplay shines. It does things not often done in video games. Assassin's Creed II immerses you with it's gameplay. The assassin's blade initially is an ancestral gift, used for only the most dire of situations. As you go on in your assassin education however, you realize it's just a tool. A tool among many other elements to take down foes and serve justice. As you grow in theory and in thought of the assassin, so does your methods. The introduction of a double blade opens up possibilities like never before. When two guards before had to be dispatched in much harder ways, your new found experience give you the ability to assassinate two people at once, a skill which is extremely useful in the game. As you go, you learn to disarm foes, poison them to kill or distract, use mercenaries and courtisans to distract, and truly master several different ways to do things.

Gameplay gives you a real sense of how to act in the game, but it's the setpieces of the game that truly test your abilities. The carriage chase on the way to Venice or the aerial assault with an experimental flying machine throw you into new gameplay situations, where you either use your knowledge to succeed or you fail and suffer the consequences. The excitement given by these brief but lasting elements in gameplay makes the moments that may start to seem dull suddenly be brought back to life. These sequences come at the exactly right moments in the game to shift perspective and enjoyment, and give the game the extra push it may need at times to keep up excitement.

Gameplay, that must be it. Well, once again, I must confess this is not my reason. Although Assassin's Creed II's gameplay is near perfect, it is nowhere near my reasons or my choice. I think I've held my reasons long enough however. What was my reason for picking Assassin's Creed II for Game of the Year?

It's simple: if every game was made like Assassin's Creed II, and has the amount of fun, detail, and just sheer quality that it has, everyone would play video games. I have never seen in the entire length of time I have been involved with video games a game that has more quality and true dedication to being a good video game that Assassin's Creed II has. Ubisoft Montreal understands what video games should be: great experiences, fun experiences, and works of art. Assassin's Creed II shines in every way imagineable. Plain and simply, it is a darn good game. It immerses the player not like a video game, but like a work of art. Where games like Modern Warfare 2 and Left 4 Dead 2 may be great video games, they will never reach the potential and real quality that Assassin's Creed II has. A game like Modern Warfare 2 sets out to be a great video game, which is not a bad goal. But a game like Assassin's Creed II sets out to be a great experience, which sets it apart from other games this year. It doesn't aim at anything specific in terms of gaming. It's a phenominal experience, and truly proof that video games have the potential to be real works of art just as much as movies, paintings, or the dramatic arts do. Assassin's Creed II is an amazing experience, and it's a game that every gamer deserves to experience. For this reason, and this reason alone, did I pick Assassin's Creed II for my Game of the Year. The great things like the studio's dedication and hard work, the great story, and the amazing gameplay all give it merit as a great video game. But there has to be something that sets it apart from the other great studios, great stories, and great gameplay, and the thing that sets it apart is this element of overall quality experience. Assassin's Creed II is a great video game, but there is no justice served by just calling it this. It's a great experience, worth recognition past the veil of video games.

Here's hoping that 2010 brings us gamers as good of video games as 2009 did. Have a great New Year.