Assassin's Creed 2

Assassin's Creed II is a phenomenal achievement and is a game that you should play regardless of what system you own.

87%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

grinding, stability

87% User Score Based on 18,525 reviews

Critic Score 85%Based on 6 reviews

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Assassin's Creed 2 is a single player and multiplayer open world action adventure game with fantasy, historical and science fiction themes. It was developed by Ubisoft Montreal and was released on March 3, 2010. It received positive reviews from both critics and players.

Assassin's Creed II Game of the year edition + Assasin's Creed Double Pack Playstation 3

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87%

Audience ScoreBased on 18,525 reviews

story3.4k positive mentions

grinding147 negative mentions

Assassin's Creed II features a rich, emotionally engaging story centered on Ezio Auditore's transformation from a carefree youth to a skilled assassin, with strong character development and compelling historical context.
The game boasts a beautifully detailed and immersive Renaissance Italy setting, enhanced by exceptional art direction and Jesper Kyd's timeless, atmospheric soundtrack that perfectly complements the narrative and visuals.
Gameplay improvements over the original include smoother parkour, refined combat mechanics, diverse mission types, and enjoyable stealth elements, making exploration and combat more engaging.

The game suffers from repetitive and grind-heavy missions, especially in the latter half, which can lead to pacing issues and player frustration.
Technical problems such as poor PC optimization, graphical glitches, performance issues, bugs, and occasional crashes detract from the experience and sometimes require mods or fixes.
Gameplay mechanics, including parkour, combat, and stealth, feel clunky and outdated by modern standards, and some players find the side missions and exploration lacking in depth and meaningful content.

story
7,790 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
51%
5%
Assassin's Creed II is widely praised for its rich, engaging, and emotionally resonant story that follows Ezio Auditore’s transformation from a carefree young noble to a seasoned assassin. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Renaissance Italy, the narrative is complemented by well-developed characters, memorable historical figures, and a compelling blend of personal revenge and grand conspiracies. While some players note mission repetition and pacing issues towards the end, the overall storytelling depth and Ezio's charismatic character development cement the game as a standout and essential experience in the franchise.
- “Ezio’s story is incredibly engaging — from a personal tragedy to becoming one of the most iconic assassins in gaming.”
- “Assassin's Creed II delivers a captivating story, enhanced gameplay mechanics, and a richly detailed world. Ezio's transformation from a young nobleman to a master assassin is compelling and well-told, with strong character development and historical intrigue. The game balances action, exploration, and storytelling nearly perfectly, offering an immersive Renaissance Italy experience.”
- “The story is rich, thrilling and gripping, following Ezio Auditore’s journey from a carefree young man to a deadly assassin seeking justice for his family. The Renaissance setting is brought to life with incredible characters, atmosphere, and music that pulls you straight into the story.”
- “The worst part is the number of missions that only serve to drag things out before the ending, which some players might find frustrating, potentially leading them to quit the game.”
- “The missions that are way less repetitive than ac1, monterrigioni that served as your own little personal kingdom that you could upgrade and earn passive income from (op but a great concept that was later expanded on in acb).”
- “Many hold this game as the pinnacle of the assassin’s creed franchise because it excels at something barely any other assassin’s creed does: story. But the evolution in terms of the story tends to blind people towards some flaws of this title.”
gameplay
2,793 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
55%
6%
Assassin's Creed II significantly improved upon its predecessor with smoother, more responsive parkour, refined combat mechanics, and a broader variety of missions, making gameplay more engaging and less repetitive. While some controls and mechanics feel dated or occasionally clunky by modern standards, the overall gameplay loop remains enjoyable, complemented by innovative additions like weapon variety, side activities, and stealth elements. The game's combination of immersive world design, fluid movement, and satisfying stealth-combat balance delivers a classic experience that still holds up well today.
- “Assassin's Creed II takes the series to a whole new level with refined gameplay, smoother parkour, and a world that’s a joy to explore.”
- “A massive improvement over the first game, AC2 improves upon the original in every possible way: story, gameplay, characters, setting, and more.”
- “The gameplay of Assassin's Creed II builds upon the foundation laid by its predecessor, offering a seamless blend of stealth, parkour, and combat mechanics. The addition of new weapons, abilities, and customization options enhances the depth of gameplay, providing players with a variety of strategies to approach each situation.”
- “The gameplay hasn’t aged well, the parkour and controls feel clunky, and the combat is mid or even below average at best.”
- “The gameplay is suuuper clunky in every aspect; combat, stealth, parkour, traversal.... and even if they weren't clunky they'd still be pretty mid.”
- “Combat is too simple, stealth mechanics are lacking (keep in mind that just because it came out in 2009 doesn't mean there weren't other games with refined stealth mechanics, for example Metal Gear and Ubisoft's own IP: Splinter Cell) the open world is very mediocre when it comes to what you can do in it, it's basically filled with collectibles.”
graphics
1,573 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
49%
8%
The graphics of Assassin's Creed II, while dated by modern standards given its 2009 release, still hold up surprisingly well due to their artistic style and detailed recreation of Renaissance Italy, with many reviewers appreciating the vibrant cities and atmospheric presentation. Some technical issues and graphical glitches are noted, especially in the PC version, but these can often be mitigated with mods. Overall, the art direction and setting create a visually immersive experience that complements the game's acclaimed storytelling and gameplay.
- “I do not think this game is perfect but it has elements which are perfect, a few being the world (its artstyle and general vibe, still hold up and always will as they effectively look like paintings, its visuals just speak to the soul its hard to put into words) the music, obviously, is exceptional and go hand in hand with the look of the world to create a truly special atmosphere, a world thats perfectly in sync, all aspects working to the fullest degree.”
- “Graphics hold up impressively, and the art direction elevates every frame into a painting.”
- “Even though the graphics are a bit dated, they still hold a certain beauty — the detailed cities and landscapes of renaissance italy really come alive in their own charming way.”
- “The game has a lot of bugs, performance issues with modern PCs and I had to download a mod to fix some graphical bugs. If you have the opportunity to buy the console version (Ezio Collection) instead of this, do it.”
- “Graphics look worse than in the first game, in my opinion, and yet I cannot play the game on highest graphics settings like I did in AC1.”
- “The graphics surprisingly hold on well despite the game being around 15 years old, helping to show the various cities in a beautiful Italian setting.”
music
921 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
38%
1%
Assassin's Creed II features an exceptional soundtrack by Jesper Kyd, widely praised as one of the best in video game history, with iconic tracks like "Ezio's Family" deeply enhancing the immersive Renaissance Italy setting. Reviewers consistently highlight the music's emotional depth, atmospheric quality, and perfect synergy with the game's visuals and narrative, often describing it as a timeless and soul-touching masterpiece that elevates every moment. The soundtrack's blend of Renaissance-inspired compositions and dynamic action themes not only complements gameplay but also leaves a lasting, nostalgic impact on players.
- “Jesper Kyd's music perfectly captures the emotion, atmosphere, and scale of Ezio's journey, making the soundtrack timeless even years later.”
- “The soundtrack is absolutely amazing and is probably my favorite soundtrack from any Assassin's Creed game, with iconic tracks like 'Ezio's Family' becoming the theme of the entire franchise.”
- “The music not only complements the stunning renaissance-era visuals but also enhances every moment, from quiet strolls through markets to intense rooftop chases, creating a truly immersive experience.”
- “The soundtrack that plays while you are in combat needs improvement.”
- “I'm starting to become convinced that the sound is just plain broken as even the wrong background music will often start to play in the background and then quickly fade out.”
- “- this one awful song (named 'The Vault') - I've rushed through most of the game, until I had to collect codex pages, then I stopped and decided to make all sidequests, viewpoints etc. My main quest at that moment was 'collect codex pages' and I guess the creators of the game connected that one song to this quest and I had to listen to this awful song for 15 hours, over and over again, with little breaks.”
atmosphere
253 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
40%
2%
Assassin's Creed II is widely praised for its rich, immersive atmosphere that vividly brings Renaissance Italy to life through detailed architecture, vibrant cities, and a beautifully crafted world. Jesper Kyd’s exceptional soundtrack perfectly complements the visuals, enhancing the emotional depth and historical setting, making exploration and story deeply engaging even years after release. The blend of music, setting, and character-driven narrative creates a timeless ambiance that remains a standout aspect of the game.
- “I do not think this game is perfect but it has elements which are perfect, a few being the world (its artstyle and general vibe, still hold up and always will as they effectively look like paintings, its visuals just speak to the soul its hard to put into words). The music, obviously, is exceptional and goes hand in hand with the look of the world to create a truly special atmosphere, a world that's perfectly in sync, all aspects working to the fullest degree.”
- “From the moment you step into renaissance Italy, wandering through Florence, Venice, and the Tuscan countryside, you are surrounded by beauty and atmosphere that few games have ever matched.”
- “It's a thoroughly atmospheric, immersive delight that will transport you straight into this time period and make you want to do nothing but walk the streets of Florence and pole through the canals of Venice for hours on end, with no goal in mind more than collecting a few treasure boxes, seeing the sights, and listening to Jesper Kyd's wonderful score.”
- “And the game feels visually inferior to the first game because AC2 fails to capture the same grim atmosphere of the first game.”
- “Generally you are overpowered and that ruins even more the atmosphere, the survival feeling and every need to hide.”
- “All this poetic atmosphere of the lonely assassin that sits at the top of the highest buildings is lost.”
grinding
225 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
33%
65%
Grinding in Assassin's Creed II is widely regarded as tedious and repetitive, with many side missions, collectibles, and exploration feeling like filler that can detract from the overall experience. While some players find certain tasks satisfying or manageable, the game often requires extensive time investment, sometimes described as "you'll need a second life for grinding." Despite this, the story and core gameplay remain engaging enough to keep many players invested.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Not grindy unless you want it to be.”
- “Renovating Monteriggioni and gathering treasure is rewarding, not tedious.”
- “There may have been a point close to halfway through this game where I could have said 'oh, it's pretty good.' All of that was completely exhausted by the latter half of the game which just exacerbates every meddling issue with the game with an arduous infinity hall of missions that are just unfun and tedious.”
- “You need to complete one of the side activities in order to unlock the last set of missions and then it's a lot of tedious assassinations, some of which are designed in a very mean way that's easy to screw up, but take a long time to restart.”
- “The side missions for example at some point just feel extremely tedious and about 15 hours in I started skipping them as I had enough money to buy everything available and there was nothing really relevant in terms of the story within these side missions as most of them just had one or two sentences of what to do and maybe one or two lines of generic monologue from the NPCs involved.”
stability
218 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
2%
92%
Assassin's Creed II is generally stable on modern systems with solid performance and improved controls compared to its predecessor, though it still suffers from occasional bugs, glitches, and technical issues, especially in parkour, AI behavior, and certain missions. While these problems can cause frustration and require troubleshooting or third-party fixes, they rarely break the game completely, and the overall experience remains enjoyable for most players. However, some users report severe crashes, freezes, and launcher-related issues that may significantly impact playability.
- “Game still runs great after all these years.”
- “Runs great even on low-end machines.”
- “The game runs great on my Windows 10 laptop getting a constant 60 fps.”
- “The buggy controls make it effectively unplayable.”
- “Too many glitches make the game unplayable.”
- “The game freezes when Leonardo da Vinci fixes the hidden blade.”
emotional
183 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
97%
3%
The emotional aspect of Assassin's Creed II is widely praised for its compelling and heartfelt narrative, centered on Ezio Auditore's journey from a carefree youth to a seasoned assassin. Players consistently highlight the game's strong emotional investment through rich character development, touching moments of loss and growth, and an evocative, immersive soundtrack. While a few note pacing issues or mechanical distractions, the story's emotional depth and memorable protagonist remain standout strengths that resonate deeply with players.
- “The story is on another level emotional, powerful, and unforgettable.”
- “His story is emotional without being overdone, and it’s easy to get attached to him as you follow his life, his losses, and his search for meaning.”
- “Ezio’s tale begins with family tragedy and evolves into a compelling revenge narrative that gives the game emotional weight and lively renaissance charm.”
- “Everything takes forever, especially in the boring story.”
- “Don't get me wrong, Ezio Auditore is an amazing character and I love him in Brotherhood and especially in Revelations, but I cannot understand how they were able to butcher him with a very boring story.”
- “However, at other times it'll demand you complete some boring story mission or worse flying mission, filled with annoying pre-requisites and arbitrary 'stealth' sections, which have insta-fail conditions.”
optimization
174 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
40%
37%
Assassin's Creed 2 suffers from poor and inconsistent PC optimization, with frequent stuttering, frame drops, and performance issues even on modern hardware, often requiring user tweaks or mods to improve stability. Console versions generally run better, and while the game performs smoothly on some systems, many players report graphical glitches, controller mapping problems, and crashes that detract from the experience. Despite these technical flaws, the game is praised for its strong narrative and gameplay, though a remaster or improved PC port is widely desired.
- “Performance: smooth as silk.”
- “Performance-wise it's excellent too, very well optimized.”
- “Good optimization, very stable 60 fps on 1440p-ultra on a GTX 980 (overclocked).”
- “However, it runs poorly, and the fps fluctuates wildly around 30 because the game was optimized mainly for consoles, and no amount of tinkering at my end and following technical guides allowed me to run it at a constant 60 fps.”
- “The graphics still hold up but my god is this game not optimized for pc; I do recommend buying this game because it’s one of the best games ever made but beware of micro stuttering and a lot of rendering issues with faces, trees, etc. Besides that, enjoy one of the best games ever.”
- “The game is nice but riddled with tech issues like extremely short shadow draw distance that is very jarring, texture pop, and occasional stuttering.”
humor
151 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
The game delivers humor through witty dialogue, charismatic and funny characters—especially the protagonist Ezio—and amusing interactions with historical figures like Leonardo da Vinci. Players appreciate the well-timed comedy in both main story and side quests, as well as humorous glitches and quirky NPC behaviors that add charm without undermining the narrative. Overall, the humor balances seriousness with levity, enhancing the immersive Renaissance setting and making the experience engaging and entertaining.
- “They nailed it with the dialogues and made it funny wherever they could.”
- “The voice acting is mad hilarious; Catarina's voice acting and dialogues were absolutely jaw-dropping to say the least.”
- “Ezio is everything Altair was not: charming, well-spoken, and funny.”
- “Funny bugs.”
- “Not funny when you try to enter an area and you receive the message 'unlock this map through the Ubisoft club'.”
character development
109 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
39%
3%
Assassin's Creed II is widely praised for its exceptional character development, particularly of Ezio Auditore, whose transformation from a carefree youth to a mature, skilled assassin is deeply engaging and emotionally impactful. The narrative effectively weaves historical context with personal growth, making Ezio one of the most well-developed and relatable protagonists in gaming. Overall, the game's character progression is considered a major strength that elevates the story and immerses players throughout the experience.
- “Ezio's character development is a triumph, transforming from a carefree youth into a skilled assassin with a deep personal vendetta.”
- “The character development is exceptional, with Ezio evolving from a brash young man into a formidable and wise assassin.”
- “The journey of Ezio Auditore is one of the best character developments in gaming, starting from a normal young man and slowly becoming a master assassin.”
- “Ezio is around 30 years old with zero character development from how he was right before the timeskip.”
- “Let's talk protagonists: after the initial 'he lost his family and he wants revenge,' what character development does he get?”
- “I had fun for the first quarter of the game where at least the character was very charismatic but it quickly became a repetitive slog with character development that you'll hardly notice by the main plot putting you to sleep.”
replayability
83 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
59%
6%
Replayability for the game is generally viewed as moderate, with its strong story, collectibles, and side quests providing some incentive for multiple playthroughs. However, many note limited replay value due to linear progression, a single difficulty setting, and lack of mission replay options, making it less appealing once the main story is completed. Overall, fans of the narrative and exploration find it worth revisiting, though replayability is relatively low for those seeking extensive variety or challenge.
- “The game's branching storylines and multiple side quests offer significant replay value, encouraging players to revisit the world and experience different outcomes.”
- “Ezio’s journey is iconic—emotional, immersive, and endlessly replayable.”
- “With its sprawling open-world environment and wealth of side activities, Assassin's Creed 2 offers ample replay value for players seeking to explore every corner of Renaissance Italy.”
- “There were two things they could do to fix the streamlining that took away nearly all risk: make it challenging (well, they do that some), or add RPG elements (they chose the latter). The thing is that, other than collectibles (the only source of replayability), the game has only one difficulty setting and a linear progression through the story. The only real resource you get is cash, which is easy to gain and there's hardly anything to spend it on.”
- “As it is very linear and ends up as a bit of a flat experience story-wise, the replay value is quite low, especially since there are already plenty of titles in this ongoing series.”
- “Replayability of the main missions is limited since they are presented in the order they are received and cannot be re-done once completed.”
monetization
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
29%
53%
The monetization in recent titles is widely criticized as overly aggressive and cash grab-oriented, with excessive microtransactions and ads detracting from the experience. Older games in the series are praised for focusing on fun without paywalls or intrusive monetization. Additionally, reliance on microtransactions in free-to-play games has led to issues such as loss of player progress when games shut down.
- “No microtransactions: check”
- “This is back from when games were meant to be fun instead of a hassle to make you buy microtransactions and it shows.”
- “However, some aspects feel slightly unbalanced: shops are more numerous, yet they lack diversity in their offerings; monetization is overly abundant, allowing players to accumulate wealth quickly and reach financial max-out too soon; and while villa auditore is a great concept, its renovation system feels somewhat limited, as upgrades are completed relatively quickly.”
- “Everything after the first four games (AC, AC II, AC: Brotherhood, and AC: Revelations) feels like nothing more than a cash grab.”
- “Shameless cash grab using what was one of the best games of all time.”
- “When AC was decent and not an underdeveloped lifeless cash grab.”

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85%Critics’ scoreBased on 6 critic reviews

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22h Median play time

23h Average play time

19h Main story

35h Completionist

10-33h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 75 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Assassin's Creed 2 is a open world action adventure game with fantasy, historical and science fiction themes.

Assassin's Creed 2 is available on iPhone, Windows, Xbox Series X|S, PC and others.

The main story can be completed in around 19 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 35 hours to finish. On average players spend around 23 hours playing Assassin's Creed 2.

Assassin's Creed 2 was released on March 3, 2010.

Assassin's Creed 2 was developed by Ubisoft Montreal.

Assassin's Creed 2 has received positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Assassin's Creed 2 is a single player game with multiplayer support.

Similar games include Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, Assassin's Creed Revelations, Assassin's Creed, Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag, Assassin's Creed III and others.

Assassin's Creed 2

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