Although we’re big fans of the original Assassin’s Creed here at Bizarre, there’s always been a nagging sense that the game could be a hundred times better if it gave players more freedom to leave the beaten path and tackle the adventure in any way they like. And with the sequel, it looks like the developers have realised the true potential of this action-packed licence.
 
Set in ancient Venice – but with weird twists that will be familiar to fans of the first game – Assassin’s Creed II is shaping up to be a thrilling action adventure, allowing you to freerun across crumbling rooftops, use stealth to creep into forbidden areas, and figure out the most toe-curlingly brutal ways to kill your targets. And after losing yourself in the game for a few hours, don’t be surprised if every ledge, windowsill and drainpipe you see in the real world will become a potential handhold to help you scuttle up the wall like a chimpanzee.
 
Unlike the rather pedestrian worlds of the first game, Assassin’s Creed II offers richer, more realistic cities to explore, each street bustling with life, colour and busty hookers who you can hire to distract enemy guards. And while the original Assassin’s Creed tended to funnel players down a narrow path, the sequel features a wider variety of missions that rarely become repetitive and a less linear approach to storytelling, in turn giving you more control over your digital fate.
 
As before, the complex controls may bewilder less experienced players who’ll find themselves in an awkward tangle of fingers and thumbs. But take our word for it – stick with it for an hour or two and the rewards the game offers are worth the effort required to master it.