Here are details for the long awaited Assassin's Creed II. DISCUSS. Overview While not much is known of the plot yet, it has been confirmed that the player will assume the role of a young nobleman-turned-assassin named Ezio Auditore di Firenze. In an interview with Patrice Desilets, the games creative director, it is revealed that the main character's family has been killed and that the essence of the plot is to get revenge on the rival families that killed them.Like the first game, Ezio is an ancestor of Desmond Miles, the modern day bartender who was captured by Abstergo, with Ezio himself being a descendant of Altaïr who lived in the Holy Land. He is shown to have dual hidden blades. In addition to the hidden blades Ezio is shown to have a firearm of some sort concealed near his left hidden blade. The game is set to take place in Renaissance Italy in the year 1486, which is 295 years after the first game. Like Assassin's Creed, characters based on historical figures will be present in the game including Leonardo da Vinci, Niccolò Machiavelli, Caterina Sforza, and Lorenzo de' Medici. Unlike Altaïr, Ezio has no removed fingers, and this innovation is primarily due to the technical advances brought on by Leonardo da Vinci, who helps Ezio throughout the course of the game. Locations mentioned thus far as being included in the game are Venice, Florence, the Tuscan countryside and Rome.[10] Specific landmarks include St Mark's Basilica, the Grand Canal, the Little Canal, and the Rialto Bridge. Gameplay It has been revealed by Game Informer that Assassin's Creed II will enable the player character Ezio to swim, allowing the player to use the canals of Venice as hiding spots for as long as the character can hold his breath, and to drag guards into the water as a means of assassination. At E3 2009, it was also confirmed by the creative director that Ezio will be able to "drive small boats." Leonardo Da Vinci will be featured in the game, providing a host of new weapons and contraptions for Ezio to use. At one point in the game, the player can access Leonardo's flying machine, keeping airborne using thermals from fires lit by friends gathered previously in the game.It has also been announced that there will be many more mission types (approximately sixteen) for the player to engage in. According to ScrewAttack, there will be many new weapons to choose from including an axe, a hammer, a pistol, a mace, a spear, two different sword types, a halberd, and two smaller blades. In the PlayStation 3 version there are an extra 6 weapons that can be gained by linking the PS3 to the PSP game. Ezio will not be able to carry each weapon all the time (except for his hidden blades and throwing knives) however he will have the ability to disarm his opponents and use their weapons against them.The game will apparently have a much more sophisticated combat system. The player will have to use a variety of tactics depending on what type of enemy he is fighting. According to Game Informer, dagger wielding enemies are quick and can use the same parkour techniques that Ezio utilizes. Brutish armored troops are strong and heavy, and can do lots of damage. Halberd wielders are "paranoid" and "keen of their surroundings", they will probe hiding places if they think the player is nearby. [1] Ezio can also stab two people at once, as shown in the E3 2009 demo. Archers will have better eyesight, being able to see you on buildings, as well as be able to better take into account for their surroundings. The demo also showed a new type of enemy called a Seeker. While bales of hay soften landing from jumps off tall buildings like it did in the first game, it isn't always the safest place to hide. A Seeker is shown getting ready to poke the hay with his spear and will require players to act quickly as to not get caught immediately. The health system has been adjusted to allow for a more dynamic and participatory experience, meaning that the "memory sync" system used in the first game only helps to recharge your health up to a point. More grievous injuries will require a trip to one of the many street-side doctors, who can help you return to full strength. As well as using water as a hiding place, Ezio can hide in a pile of wool or a fish cart or other places. Unlike in the first game, the player can now blend in with any crowd rather than a group of scholars dressed in white. Like in the game Hitman: Blood Money, there will be a notoriety system, and the player will become more notorious as Ezio completes more missions. However the player can go on missions to decrease his notoriety, such as assassinating witnesses, using bribes or getting rid of posters of Ezio's face. Also, a day and night cycle has been added to the game, giving the sense of a passage of time. The trailer, which débuted at E3 2009, displayed many new things such as improved parkour mechanics. The main reveal of the trailer involved Ezio withdrawing his hidden blade to access a rudimentary gunpowder-based firearm on his wrist to execute a target from a distance. It has also been confirmed at E3 2009 that Desmond himself will "do more" in this game than previously thought. Youtube Links E3 Trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xkCPNECud8 E3 Commentary Game play - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xIzAs_XkGs&feature=channel