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Video-gamers know about heartbreak.

You finally get your hands on that game you’ve been hearing about for years. You dive in and … well, sure, the beginning’s a little slow, but it’ll heat up. But as you dig further in, it slowly dawns on you that the more you play, the worse it gets. And in just a few hours, excitement turns to despair — not just over the $60 you wasted, but also the idea that something so promising could turn out to be so worthless.

Last year, “Brutal Legend” nearly destroyed my faith in everything I thought I liked about games. Earlier this year, my Twitter feed exploded with the howls of angry “Final Fantasy” fans who felt betrayed by the radical changes in that series’ latest installment.

The failure of “Alpha Protocol” (Sega, for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, $59.99) is nearly as crushing. It combines two of my favorite genres — role-playing game and spy thriller — and the developers at Obsidian Entertainment have contributed to some of the best-loved RPGs of the last 20 years.

What could go wrong? Nearly everything.

The titular Alpha Protocol is one of those top-secret government agencies that takes on the jobs that are too hot for anyone else to handle. Its current goal is the assassination of a Middle Eastern terrorist, and the agent on the case is a cocky recruit named Michael Thorton. You can adjust some of Thorton’s traits at the start — you can make him a gunslinger or a tech expert, or give him a beard and glasses — but he’s essentially a charmless creep.

You’d think contemporary spy craft would put a premium on stealth, but most of the missions in “Alpha Protocol” devolve into mindless shooting. That might be tolerable if the shootouts were well-executed; instead, they’re bogged down by glitches, from sloppily programmed opponents to an inconsistent cover system that leaves you all too open to enemy fire.

Early in the game, Michael isn’t supposed to be that sharp a marksman, which leads to one weird effect: Even if you shoot a villain in the head at close range, it takes four or five bullets to bring him down. It’s easier to kill an enemy by running straight at him — even if he’s armed — and punching him.

That doesn’t mean the hand-to-hand combat is satisfying, since it consists of simply pounding one button as quickly as possible. And “Alpha Protocol” is further bogged down by hacking and lock-picking minigames that seem designed for maximum tedium.

“Alpha Protocol” does live up to its promise of giving you choices that have substantial impact on the rest of the game. For example, early on you have the choice of killing an arms dealer or letting him escape, in the hope that he’ll lead you to bigger fish, and either option leads to surprising consequences.

But that’s about all “Alpha Protocol” gets right. From its dated graphics to its confused story to its two-dimensional characters, it bears all the signs of a project that never had a strong guiding hand. The Read the rest of this entry »

WASHINGTON – The Entertainment Software Association, a trade group for video game companies, spent $1.2 million during the first quarter to lobby on the regulation of video game content, First Amendment protection, copyright enforcement and other issues, according to a recent disclosure report.

This is up 23 percent from $980,000 spent in the same quarter a year earlier and even with the amount it spent in the fourth quarter of 2009.

The group, whose members include Microsoft Corp., Disney Interactive Studios Inc., Electronic Arts Inc., Sony Computer Entertainment America, and Nintendo of America, among others, also lobbied on piracy, industry ratings and immigration.

The ESA opposes efforts to regulate the content of entertainment media, including the creation of government-sanctioned ratings systems. The video game industry has its own ratings system run by the nonprofit Entertainment Software Rating Board, which was established in 1994 by the ESA.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a California case that pits free speech rights against a state law, which never took effect, banning the sale or rental of violent video games to minors.

In the January-March period, the ESA also lobbied on broadband deployment, green cards for skilled foreign workers and the H1-B visa program, which allows temporary employment of foreign workers in specialized and advanced-degree positions. Read the rest of this entry »

Nick Barber Nick Barber – Fri Jun 4, 1:20 pm ET Steve Spohn is wheelchair-bound, on a ventilator and can barely move because of muscular dystrophy, but he’s still able to play video games. He participated in last week’s Games for Health conference in Boston, where the AbleGamers Foundation hosted the Hardware Hackers Challenge, a contest to build a handicap-accessible game controller in under two hours.

The result was a very rough, but functioning prototype of an Xbox 360 controller that had buttons and joysticks that could be moved around and assigned functions.

To see a video report, click here.

“I think the controller itself is important because when you’re disabled, sometimes you’re bed-bound … and really, video games are your escape and controllers allow you to get to them,” said Spohn.

The prototype, built from Xbox 360 controller parts, duct tape, Velcro and a bag of rice, was designed with Spohn’s limited range of motion in mind.

“The real benefit is that all these buttons are actually considered blank, so you can assign any function you want to them,” said Adam Coe, president of Evil Controllers, an Arizona-based company that modifies existing controllers to bring more functionally and flexibility to gaming. “You can make them all the ‘A’ button, you can make them all the ‘B’ button, you can do whatever you want.”

Coe helped build the controller along with Ben Heckendorn and Suzanne Papajohn.

The controller also included a T-shirt that had buttons in the shoulders so that when a user shrugs, buttons are activated. Read the rest of this entry »

By Barry Collins

Posted on 27 Apr 2010 at 10:49

The UK security industry is launching a series of online games in a bid to identify the next generation of security experts.

The scheme is being run by Cyber Security Challenge UK, a consortium of security organisations that include the Metropolitan Police and the Institute of Information Security Professionals. The scheme is supported by the Cabinet Office.

The challenge hopes to identify young people who have the necessary skills to forge a career in IT security.

Judy Baker, the director of the Cyber Security Challenge, told PC Pro that there’s a desperate shortage of IT security experts in the UK. “Companies can’t get the people they need, they’re just not good enough,” she said. “Raising awareness [of IT security] is part of our aspiration to draw in talented people.”

The Challenge will consist of two stages. The first round involves a series of online games designed to identify candidates with specific security skills. The games will concentrate on topics such as network defence, forensics and identifying website vulnerabilities.

The winners of the first round will progress to face-to-face challenges at a yet unnamed venue. Prizes for the eventual winners will include scholarships with security companies or IT training courses. “It has been suggested that we’re blind dating here!” said Baker, noting how the scheme matches up future security professionals with companies.

“We’re targeting people from age 16 upwards. Younger people often do better than experienced professionals [at solving security problems],” she added.

The challenge is expected to start in the autumn.

Sly Cooper was one of the three popular platforming franchises on the PS2, the other two being Ratchet and Clank, and Jak and Daxter.

The Developers, like the other two, have gone on to bigger and better things on the PS3, but can we expect anything for the future?

Sly Cooper came in a trilogy, as most good things do. Rendered in “Toon-shading”, the first game, Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus followed the eponymous, anthropomorphic Sly and his two friends Murray, a pink Hippo and Bentley, a Turtle. Together, they sought to take down the Fiendish Five, a group who killed Sly’s father and stole his family’s book, the Thievius Raccoonus.

Using a cane as an all purpose weapon and swinging device, Sly battles his way through the each of the Five’s lairs, collecting and unlocking new powers along the way. He also uses ‘thief senses’ indicated by blue sparkles, which allow him to perform special moves, like walking on narrow objects (ropes, wires etc.), balancing on points and shimmying along ledges.

Stealth was also an important factor of gameplay, Sly could be defeated with one hit, so sneaking through levels was very important. The music was also used an intuitive system, becoming faster and louder when Sly was discovered and helping to indicate when things were quieter again.

“If you can’t see them, they’ll go away.”

Sly was also followed by interpol agent and love interest, Carmalita. Carmalita, who wants to be the agent to capture Sly, usually turns up at the wrong moment for Sly and his gang, but occasionally they use her to their gains, tempting her with other villains and distracting her.

The second game saw the return of Clockwerk, the main antagonist of the first game. A large cyborg owl, a malicious gang was collecting and assembling the parts and it was up to Sly and his gang, who knew the real threat Clockwerk posed, to stop them.

New features in this game included a health bar, instead of the one hit kill in the last game, pickpocketing, as well as hubs in each area which acted as safehouses providing missions and upgrades as well as a save point.

An interesting feature was the utilisation of the USB microphone, which registered sounds made and incorporated them into gameplay by attracting guards. This could be used as a distraction, but it also added another layer of immersion to gameplay as the player had to keep quiet when playing. This is something not yet seen on the PS3.

The third and final game, Sly 3, followed Sly as he attempted to defeat the evil Doctor M, who had taken over the Cooper Vault in an attempt to break in and steal the riches that lay within.

The gang practice their ‘action’ poses.

This game introduced 3D sections, playable with the glasses that came with the game. 3D was optional, but it was incorporated into the game in an interesting and innovative way, often using depth as an extra layer of gameplay rather than just showing it off.

Multiplayer was also included and featured playable characters from the games.

Sucker Punch, the developers of the Sly series, didn’t say or do much from that point, until they announced inFamous for the PS3.

This popular game allowed you to play as Cole, who gains electrical superpowers through what appears to be a freak accident.

Facets of gameplay present in inFamous were similar to those in Sly, like running on wires and balancing on points, which suggest that Sucker Punch could be planning to utilise this engine for a possible PS3 Sly game, which is also suggested with subtle hints. For example, on a cinema sign in the game, there is a listing for Sly Cooper 4.

Cole feels grounded.

It seems like Sucker Punch are planning for a Sly game, even though no announcement has yet been made. Where would it start off though?

A cliffhanger at the end of Sly 3 *spoiler alert* was that Sly was living with Carmalita, Sly’s love interest, feigning amnesia. Would the next story follow an new story arc, or be a “one last heist”?

Personally, I think the format would work well on the PS3. The part free-roaming, part mission-based action-stealth gameplay would be a welcome change to the sandbox games, not to mention the cartoonish, animated graphics would look absolutely stunning in HD.

If the first three games proved anything, its that Sucker Punch consistently delivered fun, diverse games with style and lasting appeal. If there’s one thing we need, its more anthropomorphic cartoon characters in this realism based world and after inFamous, Sucker Punch showed they could still produce fantastic and extremely playable games.

Personally, the idea of an anthropomorphic Raccoon that goes around stealing stuff with style is something that hasn’t been utilised to its maximum appeal, and still has a lot to give. Will Sucker Punch give it to us? Who knows. But I’ll bet Cole does. Git.

Fan of Furries? Or too old for cartoons? Post a comment below!

Back in the early 90’s Final Fight was the game to play at the arcades. This classic beat ‘em up allowed for you and a friend to pummel waves of thugs. What wasn’t there to like? The concept was simple and it was really fun.

Capcom is re-releasing the original Arcade version of Final Fight on April 15th for the PlayStation Network. Final Fight: Double Impact will also feature Magic Sword, another classic sidescrolling arcade game.

There’s a little over two weeks left until Double Impact hits the PSN and we were given the opportunity to get our hands on the game and provide some details and impressions.

If you have played Final Fight before, then this game needs no introduction. This is the same game that was originally released in 1989. If you’re new to the series, you can play as three different characters. Cody, Guy, and Haggar each have unique moves to perform. Despite there being three characters, there is only support for two players.

The controls are pretty basic. You can attack, jump, grab, and move around. By pressing the attack and jump buttons at the same time you can perform a character specific special move. Since this is an arcade game it seemed appropriate to use a Street Fighter IV Fight Stick. If we’re going to play an arcade re-release, we might as well try to replicate the experience as much as possible. It’s nowhere near necessary but playing with an arcade stick adds to the nostalgia.

Haggar is a Mayor that literally Piledrives thugs off the streets.

We don’t remember playing much of Magic Sword back in the day so it’s practically a new game. It’s faster than Final Fight and there are more levels, although they are pretty short. Instead of being able to walk in the background and foreground of a stage like in Final Fight, you can only move from left to right and jump onto platforms.

In Magic Sword you play as a barbarian equipped with a sword and shield. An interesting twist to the gameplay is the ability to rescue allies trapped in dungeons. These characters can then assist you in your quest, but you can only have one ally out at a time. The arcade version of the game supports up to two players and this gives you the benefit of having an additional ally. Like Final Fight, the game has aged pretty well.

It’s surprising how good both games look on an HDTV. By default there is an arcade cabinet border that surrounds both games. There’s also a unique visual setting that looks just like an actual arcade monitor. You would think that having scanlines and a phoshor glow would be bothersome, but it’s really not. It’s actually pretty neat.

If you’re not a fan of the borders you can actually change the screen size to your liking. You can also modify the upscaler to various settings such as Crisp, Classic, and Smooth. It’s pretty similar to the options found in Marvel vs. Capcom 2, so if you’re familiar with that then you have the right idea.

The cabinet display is pretty awesome

We didn’t get a chance to play online yet but Capcom promises that the experience will be worthwhile. Due to the fact that Double Impact uses the popular GGPO netcode, you most likely don’t have to worry about dealing with unplayable lag. Playing with a friend is an absolute must and the online component is the biggest feature the game has to offer. Thankfully, both games allow for drop in anytime online play and offline co-op support.

Capcom included tons of unlockables for both games. The bonus content mainly consists of art, but there are some extras that fans will definitely enjoy. The music has also been completely remastered and you can even switch back to the original soundtrack.

Final Fight: Double Impact will hit the PSN on April 15th for $9.99. Expect our full review to be released on the same day. Until then, check out the gallery below. These are promotional images so ignore the Xbox 360 buttons that are displayed in some of the screenshots.

In Yakuza 3 you play as Kazuma as he comes out of retirement and returns to Tokyo. As a former chief of the Yakuza Mafia family, he had been thoroughly enjoying life away from the criminal underworld, even finding time to set up an orphanage after growing up as an orphan himself – or so he thought.

But it isn’t long before his world turns upside down and he has to return to a world that he thought he had completely put behind him.

Yakuza 3 is a game that has taken over a year to spread its wings to the west after pressure from fans everywhere, and it isn’t a minute too soon.

It’s clear straight away that this title is one of the finest games of late to be developed from within the shores of Japan. It provides a pleasant blend of RPG, open world, and Beat ‘em up that you can sit and play for hours on end.

It’s all about bright lights!

Obviously many people will compare this game to Grand Theft Auto as many elements of it are very familiar. The title is set in a fictional district of Tokyo, allowing you to explore it at your own pace with many activities to do outside of missions such as a round of Karaoke, Bowling, or even filming for your blog. These mini-games may not be the most exciting, but it just proves how far SEGA have gone to offer new and different experiences to keep gamers interested.

Walking down the streets, gangs and thugs will regularly meet you and try to pick a fight, naive of what Kazuma is really capable of. Surprisingly despite his age, Kaz definitely still has what it takes to be a great fighter – he certainly is no granddad!

On first impressions the combat system has a simple arcade-style to it but in reality it is very intuitive as it provides a variety of attack combinations and counter moves. Plus you can also pick up objects or use the environment such as walls to assist in toppling your opponent. By successfully completing attacks your heat metre will fill up, making your moves even more deadly and adding another dimension to the conflict.

That should make a permanent impact on his face!

As you progress through the game, your character’s abilities will improve as Yakuza 3 features an RPG-like level system to reward you for successfully completing challenges. This will help you even further at defeating your enemies and makes this title very gratifying and of course wonderfully addictive.

As this game has been catapulted straight from Japan with only a few changes, there is no English voicing. Instead the game is full of subtitles which will naturally put people off, but if you’re used to watching a lot of foreign films we don’t see why the title shouldn’t earn your attention.

However it would have been nice to have English speaking voicing as an option, but then we would have to wait even longer for it to release over here, which is a prospect that fans couldn’t let happen.

One of the things we notice straight away is that the cut scenes in Yakuza 3 are quite long. Of course if you’re a fan of Kojima’s Metal Gear Solid series you will be fully used to this notion, although we should point out that they don’t quite reach to the extent seen in those games – a good or bad thing we can’t decide. It’s a shame that there isn’t at least an option to pause the scenes in case of an urgent toilet calling though, as many keep on going just when you expect them to finish. Of course you can skip them once you switch on this option in the menu, but you’ll miss most of the story if you do and so it isn’t recommended.

You cannot be serious!

This title is much more story driven than most games that come out of western developers. A lot of the plot is about character development and as a gamer you feel a strong bond with many of the individuals you see on the screen. This makes Yakuza 3 more than just a game that has simply been jammed with a variety of gameplay options, and is why it isn’t an experience that you can simply drop in now and again.

If you’re looking for a visually stunning game then this is it, although that’s largely thanks to the bright colourful textures used rather than any outstanding graphics. After playing games like Uncharted 2 and God of War III, you can’t help but feel that Yakuza 3 looks a little outdated, and it makes you really appreciate just how talented Santa Monica and Naughty Dog really are!

One of the few problems we have with this game is the use of in-game sequences in addition to the regular cut scenes. These sequences involve repeatedly clicking and reading through lines of text at the bottom of the screen while the characters stand there motionless. This really does slow down the pace of the game and is the most frustrating aspect of it. A few years ago in the PS2 days it probably wouldn’t be so much of an issue, but for today’s market we find it inexcusable and it sadly dampens the quality of an otherwise unforgettable game.

All killer no filler

Now we have a feeling that many of you may have never played the previous two games. This isn’t a random inclination; we’re just basing it on the fact that unfortunately outside of Japan this franchise hasn’t had so much recognition. Therefore if after reading this review you’re interested in playing the game, but are worried you need knowledge of the previous two to make the most of it, we can put your mind to rest. Although it isn’t essential that you know about the previous titles, it does help and so that’s why the developers have included highlight footage of the first two games on the disc so you can catch right up to the series so far. However having said this, the game will still demand you to give it time so you can fully settle into the Yakuza universe.

It is fair to say that Yakuza 3 will not be to everyone’s liking. The lack of English voice acting and heavy use of text will disappoint many as it asks you to do a lot of reading, which may or may not be a problem. It’s also a game that may look daunting due to the rightful influence of Japanese culture, use of several different gameplay formats, and its deep storylines. But if none of those deter you then we think you are guaranteed to be playing it for a long time. The developers have succeeded at providing an experience that will last you many hours, providing great value for money. So if you get your hands on it, make sure your schedule is clear before sitting down in front of the TV and picking up the controller.

At today’s Nintendo Media Summit, Nintendo announced the release date for the hotly anticipated Team Ninja / Nintendo collaboration Metroid: Other M for the Wii.

Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of sales and marketing, claims that the game is one that “requires complete immersion,” but while there was no demo of the game to go along with the announcement, the game’s release date, June 27, puts the game on store shelves long before the holiday season, a time that many felt was more likely to receive such a large release.

Here’s a short rundown of what to expect in the game, via a company press release:

“Metroid™: Other M, the incredible new Metroid game developed for Wii through a collaboration by Nintendo and the world-renowned Team Ninja, launches June 27. The game looks at the classic franchise from a new perspective: While much of the game is reminiscent of 2-D side-scrollers, players can switch the perspective into 3-D at any time as they explore the twisting passages of a derelict space station and delve deep into a cinematic, never-before-told story of bounty hunter Samus Aran’s past. This new approach uses a new control scheme in which players use the Wii Remote™ controller held sideways to battle enemies and navigate the expansive, gorgeous environments in classic Metroid fashion, then aim at the screen with the Wii Remote pointer to blast foes in first-person and hunt the world for clues and hidden passages.”

Today’s Nintendo Media Summit was full of announcements, perhaps none so exciting (depending on your viewpoint) than the announcement that Super Mario Galaxy 2 will be released on the Wii not this holiday season as many had predicted, but instead this Spring – May 23, to be exact.

To go along with the launch date announcement, Nintendo also released a trailer for the game, which you can check out after this short summary of what to expect within a game, via a company  press release:

“Super Mario Galaxy™ 2, the sequel to the smash-hit galaxy-hopping original game, launches May 23 for the Wii™ console. The game includes the amazing gravity-defying, physics-based exploration from the first game, but is loaded with entirely new galaxies and features to challenge and delight players. On some stages, Mario™ can pair up with his dinosaur buddy Yoshi™ and use his tongue to grab items and spit them back at enemies. Players can also have fun with new items such as a drill that lets our hero tunnel through solid rock.”

Over the years, the Final Fantasy series has continually impressed RPG fans by the masses. Each Final Fantasy gives the player something new, whether it be an epic tale or an innovate battle system. Ever since its announcement at E3 2006, I’ve been closely watching this game, keeping it on my highly anticipated list. Once I got the chance to import the game from Japan, I didn’t think twice.

Final Fantasy XIII starts out the same as the demo. Lightning and Sazh are riding on a train into Cocoon City, which is being attacked by PSICOM soldiers. After the stylish and action-packed opening cinematic, Lightning and Sazh are forced to fight a mechanical scorpion. It’s here where the battle system is introduced.

The battle system in XIII makes many nods to how Final Fantasy X-2’s worked. The combat is fast-paced and keeps a nice flow. There’s still a party of three, but as opposed to having direct control over all three, you’ll only be able to direct the party leader. The other party members will be acting on their own, but you can change their Optima at any time, with Optima being what class, or job, a character will possess. For example, two characters could be Attackers while one is a Healer. Blaster (magic), Enhancer (status buffs), Jammer (debufs to enemy), and Defender are the other Optima to choose from.

In addition to having different Optima strategies, there’s also an opportunity to make the enemy more vulnerable by attacking and making its Break gauge fill. Once the Break gauge is filled, attacks will be more effective, and you’ll be able to do a lift attack that keeps the enemy in the air for the duration of a combo.

When the game first begins, you’ll only be able to choose two attacks each time the ATB bar fills up. When the ATB bar is charging, you’ll be able to choose a certain amount of attacks, depending on how big the attack is and how much the ATB bar will allow. Later on, the ATB bar will expand, allowing for more attacks. After the ATB bar is full, the characters will unleash all of the planned attacks, displaying a stylish and flashy style of combat that is always fun to look at.

Final Fantasy XIII doesn’t feature a traditional style of leveling up. Similar to Final Fantasy X’s Sphere Grid, the Crystarium allows you to upgrade a character’s Optima by spending CP. The stats upgraded in the Crystarium are pretty standard – HP, attack power, and new skills being only a few. In addition to the Crystarium, items can be upgraded by using certain items on them to enhance their quality (and give them experience). Once the item being upgraded has enough experience it too will level up and, depending on the item, will give the holder more HP, attack power, etc.

In addition to all of this, there are a lot of non-traditional things about this installment of Final Fantasy that really make it a different game. For instance, the only way to acquire money is to loot it from chests or sell items. Comparing it to Final Fantasy X again, the game seems to have an extreme focus on linearity. Not often will you be roaming vast plains. There is, however, Gran Pulse, which is an enormous open field where the hunting side-quests are introduced. Hunts are optional, but the rewards are usually worth it. Since these hunts are scattered literally all over Gran Pulse, finding them can be a quest on its own.

To sum things up, Final Fantasy XIII feels very different from other games of its kind, and the amount of care that went into the development of the game shines through in all aspects. The idea of having a linear RPG may be a turn off, but it keeps things flowing nicely even when the story jumps between characters. If anything, importing the game has made me even more excited for the English release in March.

Synopsis
Get ready to plunge into the lush and deadly world of the Italian Renaissance, an era of arts, riches and murderous conspiracy. Assassin’s Creed II introduces you to Ezio, a new assassin carrying on the deadly lineage of his forebears. Confront an epic tale of power and corruption as you hone your assassin’s art, wielding weapons and instruments designed by the legendary Leonardo da Vinci himself in this gripping and deadly sequel.

Key Game Features:

• Explore the deadly, shadowed world of the assassin with new assassin Ezio
• Roam freely through the lush and dangerous world of Renaissance-era Italy
• Do whatever it takes to complete your missions in the game’s all-new open world and mission structure
• Thrive in an environment rich with power, revenge and conspiracy
• Practice your assassin’s art with all-new weapons and instruments created by Leonardo da Vinci

Fans of the previous game will be very impressed with Assassin’s Creed II. I must say that the previous game was quite disappointing. I felt it had a lot of potential as a game but the repetitive gameplay and frame-rate issues made it a big let down. This time though things have changed drastically for the good. I have yet to complete the game but have played enough to formulate a review.

The first thing you’ll notice is that the game has a very cinematic feel. The cutscenes are a bit lengthy and drive the story very well. The voice acting is pretty good and the lip syncing is almost spot on. Graphically the game is stunnning. The first Assassians creed looked very pretty but this one seems a notch above it. There is no denying the beauty of it all.

The gameplay has a very GTA style feel to it. You go from place to place to do a variety of different things. Unlike the last game where the gameplay was very reptitive where each section of the game required you to gather information in order to assassinate your victim (which only consisted of 3 or 4 different ways). Ubisoft have completely revamped that flawed style into a more enjoyable experience. Basically, think GTA but in the 15th century.

The freestyle movement is well done and easy to use. Although sometimes I had difficulty jumping up walls, Pressing the X button sometimes makes Ezio jump outwards rather than up. Having said that, its still an enjoyable experience, very much like the last game. Its also quite easy to navigate around your map.

The combat system hasn’t changed that much. There are a few minor modifications. Ezio can do a few different things this time round like snatch enemy weopons while fighting and thrusting them down there body. The combat is a lot of fun and quite easy to learn. Also Ubisoft have added a currency system in the game. You can steal money from passing citizens or search enemies for money or earn money by doing errands and missions. The money can be spent on buying weopons and armor or upgrading current items. It makes the game much more enjoyable and interactive.

One thing of note is that this game is not for kids. There is a lot of sexuality in this game. Ezio can hire whores to distract gaurds and there is a bit of dirty talk. Its fun but some might feel it to be offensive. The ESRB does rate it at 17+, young children should stay away from this game.

There are a few minor glitches in the game but nothing major. I had a problem picking up boxes in the beginning of the game but nothing major so far. Hopefully these issues will be fixed with a patch.

Overall this game is a lot of fun. Its way better than the previous game. Anyone who enjoyed Assassins Creed should pick this one up. They will not be disappointed.

I loved AC1; loved it, despite the poor reviews. I saw the potential. Now, in AC2, the potential has been met. It’s not as repetitive; there’s more interaction with the people and city. Some aspects have really been improved such as weaponry, killing and missions; other aspects have been untouched, such as horseback riding, climbing, etc. The improvements make the game better, but it still has more potential. One downfall is that there is a lot of language in this one. But, the game is longer and crazier than the first. The storyline at the end will either be a hit or miss for many. I, for one, am intrigued and can’t wait till the next one!