Some Amazing things about the Video Game Assassins Creed 2

This article is partially a review of Assassins Creed 2 but it is also a look at some amazing things that the developers have done to make this game. If you are a game designer or want to make video games there are some wonderful lessons to be learned from this game.

I bought my son an Xbox for Christmas. You may have seen the youtube videos about this.  How to make an Xbox for Christmas . Well, the first thing he did, was to go out and get the Game Assassins Creed II and I spent a few hours yesterday watching him play it. And frankly I was stunned. This game is remarkable for a few different reasons.

First off, it takes place in 15th century Italy which was smack dab in the middle of the Renaissance. So, did the developers of the game take advantage of this fact? Darn right they did.  Italy of this time is wide open to you - from Venice to Florence, Tuscany and much more. This is great but there is so much more. I was stunned by how much research Ubi Soft did for the making of this game. The weapons, and armor are all accurate to the time and place. There were plenty of Glaives, pikes, warhammers, and battle axes. Everything is just so amazingly accurate in the game. And, the various weapons and armor are all affected by the opponents weapons and armor. Battling a well armored knight? Better put away the dagger and use a warhammer on him.

But the game goes well beyond just the weapons and armor. It also delves deeply into what Italy was like during this period of time. While playing we stumbled into a character named Leonardo and accompanied him to his workshop (DaVinci of course). And while riding on his horse drawn wagon I noticed a very familiar looking piece of equipment hidden in the back. Looked to me like it was the famous DaVinci flying machine and I have a hunch that it will come into play later in the game.

How much fun would it be to make this a reality in a video game? Is there some serious juice in this? If only Leonardo DaVinci knew about this. He would be amazed.

But also, there is an important plot point in Venice where we have to get into a  church called "Santa Maria dei Frari. And of course this church is a beautifully rendered exact  model of the actual church in Venice. You can learn about it in the game - it gives you the history of it and tells you a little bit about it. Which is just amazing. Supposedly there is a burial tomb inside that we need to get into.

I also learned about a new weapon. My son purchased a weapon called a Metal Cestus.  It is a metal glove similar to a brass knuckle. He asked me if this too was real to the period and I had to admit I didn't know for sure but judging by the rest of the game I figured it probably was a real weapon of the time period. Looking it up I found out that it sure is. Cestus Battle Glove

All in all I was simply stunned by the beauty of the game, the realism of game play and the careful attentioin to detail that Ubi Soft put into it. It is really wonderful to learn a little bit while playing. Does it get much better than this?

Developing a Video Game

The world is truly wide open to you if you want to develop your own video games. And you can have a heck of a lot of fun while doing it. I don't just mean game playing fun. I mean that it is a very good bet that some of the team members undoubtedly traveled to Italy and plenty of them spent lots of time research Weapons, armor and architecture of Renaissance Italy. OMG! And got paid well for it. Then of course there is the joy of seeing it all come together as a great video game.

Assassins Creed II -

• 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

Assassin's Creed 2: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides)

Assassin's Creed Altair Majestic Medieval Sword Assassin's Creed fans will love the detail on this medieval style sword. Inspired by Altair's favorite close range weapon, this sword features a double edged 440 Stainless Steel blade, hard wood handle, and cast metal guard and fittings. The winged skull is one of the most terrifying guards we have ever seen! The tribal artwork on the handle followed by the clawed pommel complete this work of art. For those times when you need this trusty sword by your side, we include a stunning belt sheath, designed specifically for this sword.