Assassin's Creed II: Discovery (DS)

GameSpot editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 3.5 stars Very good
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 7.0 (3.5 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Kevin VanOrd
• Reviewed on: 11/23/2009
• Released on: 11/17/2009
• Originally published on GameSpot: Assassin's Creed II: Discovery (DS) Review

It's hard to imagine how the freestyle climbing and satisfying stealth kills of the Assassin's Creed series could be successfully translated into a 2D platformer, yet developer Griptonite has done exactly that. Fantastic animations and fast-paced running and leaping make Discovery both fun to watch and fun to play, and familiar visual and audio touches will make franchise fans feel right at home. Nevertheless, Ezio's first handheld adventure is somewhat of a missed opportunity. The last few levels are stale rather than stimulating, and the story fades away just when things start to get interesting. But even if Discovery isn't all it could have been, its enjoyable mix of sneaking, jumping, and dramatic kills is entertaining for the few hours that it lasts.

6241116Run, jump, and kill: a classic combo.None

The most essential difference between Discovery and its cousins is that while every game in the franchise has thus far been rendered in 3D, this one sticks to two dimensions. Given the troubles apparent in the other handheld Assassin's Creed games, this was a smart move. Rather than being shoehorned as is onto a platform that can't replicate them properly, the series' signature features have been rearranged to suit the DS, and the results are solid. Ezio still leaps fluidly and scales tall towers, and in a nod to Sonic the Hedgehog, he picks up speed as he runs, which enables him to leap across wider chasms. Unfortunately, the snappy platforming takes a back seat to stealth and combat in the second half of the game, but there are multiple chances for you to build up speed and zoom across the rooftops in the earlier levels. As long as you don't mistime your jumps and plummet to your death (or leap onto a lower ledge and have to do the sequence all over again), there's a bit of sprightly fun to be had as you sprint your way toward the next objective.

Assassin's Creed's combat mechanics have also been faithfully interpreted. If an enemy's back is turned toward you, you can slink up and assassinate him in a single move. The camera zooms in, Ezio plunges his blade into his foe, and the victim slips to the ground. When face-to-face with your target, you can slash, block, and counter. Standard attacks don't feel quite right; you can't string your swings together into combos, and Ezio appears to sheathe his sword after every swipe. But timing-based counterkills are enormously satisfying and are treated with the same cinematic flair as stealth kills. The satisfaction is almost entirely due to the terrific animations that accompany these deadly moves. Not only do they resemble those seen in Discovery's console counterparts, but they're fantastically slick on their own terms. Watching Ezio leap onto an archer during a high-profile assassination or plunge his sword into a Templar during a well-timed counter is always a treat.

It's raining arrows. Hallelujah!

Where to buy

store	price	in stock?	rating
	$29.82	Yes
	$27.99	Yes

see prices from 2 stores

Compare prices for Assassin's Creed II: Discovery

	Amazon.com	$29.82
	Newegg.com	$27.99