Topic: Assassin's Creed 2

[Pugnate]

The day when the internet came to the consoles was the day when developers got lazier with their bug testing.

[iPPi]

As I mentioned earlier AC2 is definitely not as polished.  The game has more bugs.  On my playthrough, the game froze about 3-4 times for me... I got stuck in the Animus load screen indefinitely as well (the level wouldn't load).  But those are minor issues compared to this gamebreaking issue mentioned in the link.  Hopefully they fix it soon.  Luckily, I did not encounter it.

[MysterD]

Ugh @ more and more console games coming out w/ game-breaking bugs and also just more mior bugs than in the "good old console days" of gaming. Though, as Pug mentioned w/ the Internet here for that "release game now and patch it up later" mentality (which is already too common in the PC gaming world); game becoming bigger and bigger; games often becoming more and more complex - yeah, we can see why games are getting much buggier on the consoles.

Hell, X360 acts like a mini-PC, anyways.

[iPPi]

The 2 DLC packs detailed

First one in January at $3.99, second one in February at $4.99.  Each will be 1GB, so it appears to have quite a bit of content.

[MysterD]

The 2 DLC packs detailed

First one in January at $3.99, second one in February at $4.99.  Each will be 1GB, so it appears to have quite a bit of content.

I wonder how short/long these two DLC's will be - especially since the DLC's might be coming in at 1 GB and all...

It'd be good if someone as big as UbiSoft w/ something as big as Assassin's Creed sets a new standard for giving the player some meat in these DLC packs for a cheap price.

[iPPi]

Potential standalone multiplayer edition to come out in 2010

That could actually be kind of interesting.  The free running and assassination mechanics could work decently for MP.  The combat system will need to be revamped though.  We'll see how it goes.

I'm still waiting for the two DLC packs they have planned to be released.

[idolminds]

Multiplayer could be cool, especially if they are smart about letting players blend in. It could be like that mod I posted ages ago. Assassins have targets, but drawing your sword/killing someone causes the crowd to panic and give you away.

Having epic rooftop chases would be so fun.

[MysterD]

Multiplayer could be cool, especially if they are smart about letting players blend in. It could be like that mod I posted ages ago. Assassins have targets, but drawing your sword/killing someone causes the crowd to panic and give you away.

Having epic rooftop chases would be so fun.

I'd so win those epic rooftop chases against you, Idol.
Your dial-up is no match for my DSL!

[iPPi]

The first DLC, 'The Battle of Forli' priced at $3.99 will be released on January 28.  I guess Ubisoft really meant it when they said the first DLC would come at the end of January.

[Cobra951]

As I mentioned earlier AC2 is definitely not as polished.  The game has more bugs.  On my playthrough, the game froze about 3-4 times for me... I got stuck in the Animus load screen indefinitely as well (the level wouldn't load).  But those are minor issues compared to this gamebreaking issue mentioned in the link.  Hopefully they fix it soon.  Luckily, I did not encounter it.

I really, really want this game, but it seems the most prudent approach to console games now is to wait a while until early buyers finish the beta-testing stage for developers.  After 6 months and a patch or two, you can get the game in the state it should have on release day.  With a bit of luck, it will be cheaper then too.  Waiting a year for Fallout 3 sure worked wonders.  (The bugs were patched out and DLC still priced at $50 was included in this GOTY version.)

[idolminds]

PC release date, requirements, and price announced.

Minimum Configuration:
SUPPORTED OS: Windows XP (32-64 bits) /Windows Vista (32-64 bits)/Windows 7 (32-64 bits)
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo 1.8 GHZ or AMD Athlon X2 64 2.4GHZ
RAM: 1.5 GB Windows XP / 2 GB Windows Vista - Windows 7
Video Card: 256 MB DirectX 9.0-compliant card with Shader Model 3.0 or higher (see supported list)
Sound Card: DirectX 9.0-compliant sound card
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0
DVD-ROM: DVD-ROM dual-layer drive
Hard Drive Space: 8 GB
Peripherals Supported: Keyboard, mouse, optional controller
* This product does not support Windows 98/ME/2000/NT

Recommended Configuration:
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E6700 2.6 GHz or AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ or better
Video Card: GeForce 8800 GT or ATI Radeon HD 4700 or better
Sound: 5.1 sound card
Peripherals: Keyboard, mouse, joystick optional (Xbox 360 Controller for Windows recommended)

Supported Video Cards at Time of Release:
ATI RADEON X1950, HD 2000/3000/4000/5000 series
NVIDIA GeForce 7/8/9/100/200 series

Price:
Standard: Main game + Extra sequences Battle of Forli & Bonfire of the Vanities: $59.99 [Retail and Digital]

Black Edition: Main game + Extra sequences Battle of Forli & Bonfire of the Vanities + additional content: $64.99 [Digital Only]

Requirements dont seem bad, but what the fuck is with $60 on PC now? And then the special digital only version with extra content? I hate that shit.

[MysterD]

I'm trying to think like Ubi here on why they'd charge $60.

1. Probably $60 b/c it actually comes with The First Two DLC's, which cost $5 a piece - so there's the extra $10 right there.

2. I guess Ubi figures if Modern Warfare 2 PC costs $60 (without any DLC included), why not AC2 PC cost that price (which includes two DLC)?

[W7RE]

I wouldn't be surprised if more and more PC games start off at $60. Consoles have been doing it for a while now. Developers probably already feel like they're making less money off the PC versions just from lower sales (many have expressed as much and blamed it on piracy), so charging $10 less is another hit to how much they're making off that version.

I mean obviously I'd rather buy a game for $50 than $60, but I'm sort of surprised PC games haven't been pushed to the $60 mark already.

[MysterD]

I wouldn't be surprised if more and more PC games start off at $60. Consoles have been doing it for a while now. Developers probably already feel like they're making less money off the PC versions just from lower sales (many have expressed as much and blamed it on piracy), so charging $10 less is another hit to how much they're making off that version.

I mean obviously I'd rather buy a game for $50 than $60, but I'm sort of surprised PC games haven't been pushed to the $60 mark already.

I wonder if the PC crowd might revolt and try to pirate the game just b/c PC versions are starting to cost $60. I hope not, but hey - you never know.

I'd rather them just wait until the price is at their liking - then go grab it.

[idolminds]

PC games tend to drop in price fast enough that it wont bother me much. I rarely pay full price anyway. The problem I see is $60 will turn a lot of people off, lowering the sales made in the first few weeks/month, which the publishers will take as "PC gaming is dying!"

Its lose-lose.

[MysterD]

PC games tend to drop in price fast enough that it wont bother me much. I rarely pay full price anyway.

Same here.

The problem I see is $60 will turn a lot of people off, lowering the sales made in the first few weeks/month, which the publishers will take as "PC gaming is dying!"

Its lose-lose.

Not only that, they'll blame "piracy", too.

[iPPi]

Launch Trailer for 'The Battle of Forli' DLC

It should be out in the next 12 hours or so. 

[W7RE]

Launch Trailer for 'The Battle of Forli' DLC

It should be out in the next 12 hours or so. 

I find it funny that I had to watch an Oreo advertisement before I could watch the AC2 advertisement.

[iPPi]

Adblock plus in Firefox removes ads at the start of the video.  I get so used to not seeing ads that I found it odd to see an ad before the video when I used my parents' laptop the other day.

[W7RE]

I liked AC2 enough that I'll probably get the DLC, especially since it's cheap. I'm busy with other games at the moment though.

You know what? I'm actually more interested in stuff directly related to the main plot of the game. So to me these 2 DLC packs are a chance at more gameplay, but don't get me really excited because they probably don't even reference the spoilery type stuff that I was excited about when AC2 ended.

[iPPi]

IGN gives the first expansion 7.4

The complaint is that it is very short.  At just 1 hour of additional gameplay, and no ability to replay story missions, once it's done, it's done.  Also, it's apparently 600 MB, which is baffling at how large it is for such a meager amount of content. 

That said, the price point is not too steep.  It's only $3.99, which isn't bad at all.  But the lack of additional achievements or trophies and the length hurt it from being a satisfying piece of DLC.

Now I'm not so sure if I'm gonna pick it up.

[Quemaqua]

Four bucks for an hour of gameplay is pretty awful, IMO.

[iPPi]

The second piece of DLC, 'Bonfire of the Vanities' is scheduled for February 25.

This one will include 3 'exclusive missions,' aka. Templar Tombs (Palazzo Medici, Santa Maria Del Frari and Arsenal Shipyard).  Keep in mind that two of the listed three are from the collector's edition of the game, so this DLC will unlock those two for the general public.  I believe the last one, 'Arsenal Shipyard' is completely brand new.

[W7RE]

The second piece of DLC, 'Bonfire of the Vanities' is scheduled for February 25.

This one will include 3 'exclusive missions,' aka. Templar Tombs (Palazzo Medici, Santa Maria Del Frari and Arsenal Shipyard).  Keep in mind that two of the listed three are from the collector's edition of the game, so this DLC will unlock those two for the general public.  I believe the last one, 'Arsenal Shipyard' is completely brand new.

Those tombs were some of the best parts of the game. I would have loved to see a lot more of them. Not only are they fun, but they do a great job of breaking up the action so it doesn't get too boring.

For Forli, without achievements, and the fact that once you play it you're done (unless you play through the game again), just makes it really not worth it.

[iPPi]

I'm probably going to wait for them to bundle both DLC together before picking it up.  That way, at least you should be able to pull 2-3 hours of gameplay from it altogether instead of two separate 1 hour episodes.

I'm really hoping they will add in trophies and achievements for it as well.  I believe if they did they would probably boost sales of their DLC dramatically.

[iPPi]

The DLC Bonfire of the Vanities has had its release date pushed up to Feb 18 (tomorrow). 

[iPPi]

The DLC has been released and there are two separate downloads.  One is just the Bonfire of the Vanities (priced at $4.99).  The other is the Bonfire of the Vanities + the Templar tombs unlocked.

I've heard that this DLC is actually worth it.  You get 13 additional missions, and 9 additional assassination missions, so it does add a lot more to the game, as was expected.  So compared to the first DLC, it appears to be a vast improvement.  I think I'll pick it up (and the first DLC) once I finish up Mass Effect 2.

Lastly, the three tombs were the Collector's Edition bonuses.  The Master Edition came with two of those tombs; if you got the CE from Gamestop, the third tomb is also included.  I got the CE but not from Gamestop so I haven't played one of those tombs, but it's definitely not worth the price of admission there for 10-15 minutes of additional gameplay.

[PyroMenace]

Newegg as AC2 for $36.99, 360/PS3. I just ordered it for the 360.

[Cobra951]

I can't bring myself to support this company right now.  I'll wait until the game drops below $20, at least.

[MysterD]

I can't bring myself to support this company right now.  I'll wait until the game drops below $20, at least.

I bet at later said date, UbiSoft might release on the consoles an Assassin's Creed 2: GOTY Edition w/ all the DLC.

[MysterD]

GameSpot Review - PC Version.
8.0 from GameSpot.
Reviewed by Kevin Van Ord

Kevin Van Ord gives I think the review of his GameSpot career (so far).

Kevin does NOT hold back on his U-Play DRM complaints for SP game and the game's price-tag - as he experienced PLENTY of problems b/c of DRM and shows them off in the video. Those are pretty much his only complaints w/ the game.

Video Review - High-Def.
Video Review - Standard-Def.
Written review.

Kevin on U-Play DRM

Assassin's Creed II's most unusual attribute, however, is displayed in big letters on the front of the box: "A permanent Internet connection is required to play the game." This requirement wouldn't be so peculiar if it were an online-only multiplayer game, but Assassin's Creed II is a single-player, story-driven adventure. Whenever you play the game, you must sign into an online portal; if you aren't connected to the Internet, you cannot start the game, and if you lose your connection, the game will pause. Even your saved games are stored online, which is a boon if you plan on playing on multiple computers, but seems like an otherwise unreasonable mandate. This is a bold approach to digital rights management--and one that could unnecessarily hinder your enjoyment. If a storm knocks out your Internet connection, you're out of luck; if you want to play games on your laptop during an upcoming airplane journey, cross Assassin's Creed II off the list of possibilities.

And even if you maintain a solid connection, you might run into a few problems. Twice we had the game shut down while it was saving, and we ran into short but noticeable delays multiple times while the game attempted to load our profile and download our progress. Other times, our attempted login timed out, or the launcher incorrectly informed us that we had used the wrong username or password. These issues hindered our playtime for hours, and sporadically affected European players for days.

Kevin's closing statements

Assassin's Creed II is a fun and beautiful game that gives you the freedom to explore while still offering a focused adventure steeped in atmosphere. It's also an expensive one, retailing at $60, a full $10 more than most PC games sell for at launch. The two additional missions offered as downloads to console owners don't seem reason enough to justify the extra cost--not for a single-player game that has value only if you can connect to the Internet, and only if Ubisoft's servers are working. Yet if these factors don't affect you (and that's a big "if"), you'll probably fall in love with Ezio's escapades. Assassin's Creed II is a picturesque and jubilant romp that will keep you glued to your monitor, marveling at the details that make its historical world such a delight to inhabit.

EDIT:
8.9 from IGN for AC2 PC
David Clayman is reviewing here.
Written review.

The PC version was released months after the game came out on consoles, and much has already been said about the digital rights management issues that have affected the experience since its release. The DRM measures require users to maintain an internet connection while playing Assassin's Creed II in any mode. If you lack a constant, reliable connection, you might want to give this game a pass, even though it's a single player experience.

Ubisoft's DRM servers also went down directly after launch, restricting access to new gamers. However our recent experience with the game remained uninterrupted. We did purposefully cut off our internet connection to confirm that the game will pause until a new connection could be established. It does. While disconnected, we were also unable to access the "bonus content" from the game's main menu due to an inability to reach Ubisoft's servers.

[Xessive]

Well, I finally played it. I finally finished it too. I basically ran right through it and that was a good 20 hours at least. A definite improvement over the first overall.

Story-wise, it was alright. It's much more intense than the original story and it plays off it well. Apparently the game's timeline spans 22 years! Which I found odd as no one ages or anything.

(click to show/hide)

Well, Ezio grows a beard following a 9-year leap. Actually it's more of a rough stubble.

All other characters don't change at all. So, that kinda sucked.

Honestly though, if it weren't for the year listed at the start of each Memory Sequence I would not have known that much time had passed. Sometimes the time lapse doesn't make much sense:

(click to show/hide)

following one mission the Piece of Eden is stolen from Caterina, Ezio recovers it but is wounded and passes out, the piece is taken by a random monk. When Ezio regains consciousness he says he has to go get it immediately, he searches in the nearby abbey, he's told to go to Florence --time lapse-- 9 years later.. I'm thinking WTF?! It took him 9 years to find the guy in Florence?! Holy crap!

Aside from these little oddities it's a great game. It's a real shame Ubi had to mar it with their DRM (Draconian Restrictions Management) scheme. I like the word Draconian. We don't use it often enough or do we?

[Cobra951]

Yes, great word, and perfect application of it too.

Microcenter has been advertising prices 20% below Gamestop on used games.  That may be my best bet to get a copy of this.  I really do want to play it.

[scottws]

I thought it would be hard to follow through on my promise to myself not to buy games with overly restrictive DRM, but I've done it quite well so far.  As tempting as Mass Effect and its sequel and Assasin's Creed and its sequel are, I have yet to come close to buying them.

The closest I got was around Christmas when GoGamer.com had ME on sale for like $6.00.  At that price I was willing to put up with it.  But it was sold out and has been since.

[Pugnate]

Wait, I am pretty sure they removed the ME DRM?

[gpw11]

Oh shit, ME has one of those revoke schemes doesn't it?  Both times I played through I just uninstalled after. Well....the good news is I'll probably never install it again.

[scottws]

Wait, I am pretty sure they removed the ME DRM?

I'm pretty sure they haven't.  They did something where if you get it off Steam you just have Steam do deal with, but that's it.

[Xessive]

I never revoked either. Once I just uninstalled and two other times I had to format my drive and I forgot about revoking. Although I think I can still revoke tokens using my legit key not sure. Although the game doesn't need a disc in the drive I still use a crack because I'm not comfortable with the phone-home crap.

[MysterD]

Oh shit, ME has one of those revoke schemes doesn't it?  Both times I played through I just uninstalled after. Well....the good news is I'll probably never install it again.

You can reinstall it on the same exact PC w/ the exact hardware as much as you like - it should NOT ask for an activation. And you should NOT lost an install.

Securom Internet DRM asks for reactivation ONLY when the hardware is different - which will lose an install, if you agree to then activate the game.

[gpw11]

This game is awesome and a hell of a step up over the original.  Not as much of a step as ME2 over ME, but not too far off either. My one gripe so far is the way they implemented the "glyph" system.  Don't get me wrong, I love the glyphs and for me it's probably the best part of the game so far.  The bitch for me is that they're not marked on the map at all and that little popup thing isn't going to do anything for me when I'm inevitably running around looking for the last one.

I don't really see the reason either.  Feathers kind of act as the games "blind hunt"...you don't really need another.