Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (ACB hereafter), is a continuation of Assassin's Creed 2 plain and simple. The events of ACB pick up directly where the previous title left them, but don't rush to write this one off as a mere expansion to AC2. ACB adds a number of enhancements to the elements that worked well in AC2 and revives some missing elements from the original Assassin's Creed that culminate into what feels like the most well rounded Assassin's Creed title to date.
Story/Gameplay/Presentation
Ezio is back to wreak havoc upon the world of the Templars in ACB, and this time he gets the chance to prove he is the master of his craft. The game literally picks up after the ending scenes of AC2 after Ezio successfully freed the outlying territories of Templar rule. Alas, all is not well in Italy. The Borgia Templars seem to have a stronger hold on the governments of Renaissance Europe than the assassins had imagined, and it is Ezio's job to root them out one by one. The collective action of ACB takes place in Rome this time around rather than moving from city to city to complete missions. Florence is accessible through in game flashbacks (memories within memories......weird) but the main action is played out in the vast expanses of Rome.
The city itself is gigantic by game standards, and the varied geography still provides the same challenges that previous titles employed without the necessity for loading screen between environments. Large open fields, ancient ruins, and small outlying villiages provide ample exploration opportunities for players this time around. In fact, the explorable area is so vast that ACB allows players to ride horses through towns and across the entire playable map rather than limiting their use to trans-city travel. The economy system of ACB has received a bit of a tune up with this installment as well, and money is a bit harder to come by. Missions, sidequests, and looting all provide income, but most compensation is earned by rennovating shops and by purchasing landmarks around Rome. All Ezio's earnings can be withdrawn at any number of unlockable banks throughout the city for his own use which is an improvement over having to return to his villa each time a withdrawl is required.. The biggest change to how money is spent is perhaps in the shops themselves. Certain items (weapons, doctors supplies, clothing) are only unlocked when collectable items are obtained to be redeemed at a given shop. Earning money is no longer enough, and collectors are likely to be thrilled with this prospect.
There are many more enhancements to be noted, but perhaps the most significant is the introduction of the assassin recruitment mechanic. As Ezio sets up shop in Rome, it is obvious that he needs to start rebuilding the Assassin's Guild, and he does so by recruiting those who have been persecuted by the Borgia Templars. The process of recruiting assassin's is initially tedious, but after setting up a base of operations, the mechanic is extremely rewarding. As players add more assassins to their stable, they become available to summon to Ezio's will. Assassins can be deployed against guards or assassination targets at will during regular game play or during missions. Additionally, each recruit's skills can be improved by sending them on remote missions that take them temporarily out of action. This function takes a bit of critical thinking at times as some missions will have a lower probability of success if an assassin's rank is low or if more than one assassin is needed. Every assignment increases a recruit's experience and lethality. If a mission is failed, it may lead to the death of recruits, and assassins can be killed in battle if not properly equipped as well.
The tomb sections make a comeback in this installment as well with Ezio raiding underground chambers a la Lara Croft in search of keys to unlock ACB's ultimate suit of armor. There are six of these sections, but there seemed to be less of an emphasis on puzzle solving this time around. Instead, most sequences require free running accuracy or blending and stealth to be completed successfully. The tombs in AC2 felt a little more challenging, but their inclusion in ACB was a welcome diversion from the main memory sequences of the game.
Desmond's story takes a back seat this time around as well as players only need to leave the animus when they choose to. Modern day Monteriggioni is available for exploration as Desmond and more collectables are available in the modern day. However, it is clear that ACB is here to prvovide more closure for this chapter in Ezio's life. Visually, the presentation of ACB has not evolved much from the previous title, but the scenery is still as breathtaking as ever.
Control
If there is anything that players have complained about in this series, it would be the combat controls. There are still some quirks to the combat system in ACB, but a few nifty additions have smoothed things out substantially since AC2. The addition of a "kick" function helps to break through tougher enemies' defenses for a quick execution follow up. This is particularly valuable against the tougher "brutish" soldiers that weild spears and heavy weapons. In AC2, the clumsy "disarm" ability was the only way to dispatch these combatants in some circumstances, but the addition of this new technique helps to alleviate some of the frustration of combat sequences. Free running is still much the same with a few bugs here and there. It would be nice to see a command that could speed some of the shimmying sequences up a bit, but this still works well.
Final Impressions
ACB delivers an experience that takes the best elements from its predecessors and incorporates them in a way that makes this game a more polished and satisfying product overall. Though it felt more like a continuation of AC2, it still holds it's merit as an advancement in how Assassin's Creed games should be made in the future. In no way did it feel like this game was pushed out to fill a gap between sequels, and in fact this title was more satisfying than the second intallment in many ways. ACB felt like it was the game that AC2 should have been, and the official sequel should only improve upon the mechanics in place without detracting from the already impressive quality that was achieved here. The only thing that could be found at fault with ACB is that it may try to do too much in one game. However, taking out too many elements would have shortened the game significantly. Nevertheless, ACB is an outstanding title that deserves recognition as a standalone game.
Game Score: 9 out of 10 (Excellent)
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