Assassin's Creed II - first impressions

[Art Blade]

thank you, guys :) JRD and I will have to wait... it's just good to know the game is even better than its predecessor. So we can really look forward to buying and playing it  :)

[JRD]

Also, I like to think that any flaw that eventually pop up can be fixed in the PC version, like what happened in the first AC! My copy was like a "Director's cut" or something like that with better side missions than just eavesdropping and pickpocketing!
And no bugs whatsoever!!!

[Art Blade]

same :) The PC version had been enhanced. Different (more) side mission types  :)

Maybe they'll enhance it again?


DROOL

[JRD]

Check the official forums (if you can stand reading for more than 3 minutes) and see what are the top complaints... if they are reasonable, maybe they fix it in due time!  ;)

[PZ]

Well guys, all I can say is that I'm not having any problems with the console version, but am having a great time in the game.  I hope my luck continues.

Although I don't typically play before I go to w@&k on the weekdays, I did this morning because I just couldn't resist - and it was well worth it even though I only spent about an hour in the game.

**SPOILERS**
I followed spaceboy's advice and focused on the main missions (exclamation icons) and finally completed the mission to speak with my father, who is imprisoned in a high tower.  He told me to find his hidden room, and take everything in a chest I'd find there.  In the chest, I found my hooded outfit, my sword, and a couple of other items.  Once I exited the house, two guards immediately assaulted me and we had a sword fight - was quite fun!

Can't wait to get back into the game - visiting 15th century Italy is a blast  :-X  ;)

[spaceboy]

glad you're liking it PZ!  I liked that mission - hanging from the barred window, speaking with my father.  Did you heed the advice of the pop-up info and practice throwing the guards on the tower into the wooden platforms?  Grab with the Circle button and then throw by aiming your left stick and hitting Circle again.  You can chuck them off buildings of course but apparantly the wooden platforms are quite deadly as they kill the guard when they break down and fall on them.  :)

[PZ]

Dang it - I must have missed that prompt!  No, I just beat both guards senseless and then stole their money.  I'd like to have seen them fall down to the ground  ;D

I too liked the setting - it was night time, and the view from that high up was very good!

Thanks for the tip on throwing people - have seen the prompt to do so in another place, but was too slow to catch how to do it.  ;D

[PZ]

A few more impressions:

**SPOILERS**

• I was finally able to pick up dead bodies, however because there were guards everywhere, I did not throw it off the roof - instead, I hid it on a rooftop.
• It is interesting (and a bit disappointing) that I cannot pick up the swords of the guards I had slain.
• When Pauola finished training me in blending into the crowd techniques, she gave me a broken concealed dagger - told me to visit with Leonardo to get it repaired.  I went to his place and he initially told me that he could do nothing, then exclaimed "wait!" because he had found a scroll giving him complete instructions on how to complete the repair.  Evidently these scrolls are found elsewhere because he wants me to bring any I find back to him.  They reveal a technology that is unknown to him.
• It turns out that a man who I trusted (Umberto) sentenced my father and brothers to death by hanging - my revenge will be exacted.  After donning the concealed dagger, I made my way to an art show where Umberto was said to be - he was there, and his blood stained the courtyard before I was through.
• Because my notoriety was so high, I then began tearing down wanted posters - initially difficult to find, these are high off the street, above a wooden scaffold-looking device.  Taking down four of these reduced my status to incognito, which allowed me to casually stroll the streets without being molested by every guard I encountered.
• Eventually I was instructed to escort my mother and sister safely to the villa - but bad guys intercepted me along the way.  My Uncle Mario jumps in to help - handed me a sword and we went to town killing the rogues.
• Continuing to the villa following my Uncle Mario, he gave us a short tour of the place after which he instructed me to visit with the blacksmith for useful items (I purchased armor and another dagger) and with the doctor (for syrettes)

Next item on the todo list is to take self-defense lessons under the guidance of Uncle Mario.  ;)

[PZ]

... one other thing - I woke up this morning to play AC2 with almost the same sense of excitement as when I first began playing FarCry 2  :-X

[spaceboy]

You should be able to pick up the weapons.  I've gotten the prompt to do so before, but never have because I had newly purchased weapons.  I'm not sure if weapons degrade actually, but I know armor does.  The blacksmith can repair your armor.

Now that your at the villa is where the game really starts opening up.  Like I said, as soon as you can start upgrading the villa - you'll get more income for everything you upgrade. (you gotta spend money to make money...)  Last night I finished upgrading everything at the villa.

The codex pages Leonardo will decipher for you are on your maps (after scaling viewpoints) and are really easy to obtain - always seems like two guards in front of a room guarding it. 

On the contrary the Assassin's tombs and glyphs are a bit harder.  The Assassin's tombs (6 of them) consist of a little platforming section with only a couple guards to kill.  The guards are the easy part.  There are some checkpoints along the way but sometimes the platforming can be a bit tough (for me).  I've gotten 3 of them so let me know if you get stuck - you can always exit the memory and redo it later.

Glyphs aren't too bad to find using Eagle vision but they're getting harder to unlock - they consist of a series of little puzzles you have to figure out such as finding hidden things in historical pictures or paintings.  They're an interesting change of pace and I normally figure it out before I get too frustrated.  The video segments they are unlocking are quite intriguing so that's what keeps me going on those.

hehe - just saw your second post - I know that feeling of excitement as well - really glad to hear you're enjoying it as much as I am.

[PZ]

Maybe you can't pick up weapons until you get past the villa point?  I've tried many times to pick up weapons and armor (the golden knight-type guys), but no interact button other than "loot" was available.

I'm now looking forward to the game opening up - there has been much to do so far that was preparing my skill set in order to progress in the game.  I just hope they are not beyond my poor hand/eye coordination skills.