The Glade 4.0

I've put probably 15 hours into the game so far and here are my thoughts:

AC 2 is better, in every single way, than part one. The story is more interesting, the graphics are better, the kills are more varied, you don't have to do any side missions before assassinations, but let me clarify that.

Side missions and information collection have in large part been replaced by actual story-relevant missions. Escorting thieves to a certain spot to create a distraction during your infiltration/assassination, for example, has taken the place of "listen to this conversation" or "pickpocket this note". All of your missions have some kind of point to them, and you are never going to run around collecting flags just so you can get info on your target. This is the best improvement to the game.

Equipment, money and upgrades:
AC2 brings an economic system into the game. You earn money for all missions (instead of information) and there's a ton to spend it on. Weapons (22 of them), armor sets, medicinal items, renovations to your hub town, grunts/whores for distractions, different costumes... the list goes on. Being able to invest in and customize all of this **** really helps to elongate the game and give you a focus other than killing people for a while. A welcome addition IMO.

Travel:
Climing, first of all, is faster. Also, there isn't really an "overworld" like part one had. There are fast-travel stations available from the start and it's great. Tuscany has countryside you can roam but it's nothing like the last game. When walking around towns, you have a "notoriety" meter that shows how well people recognize you. You can tear down posters, kill officials, or bribe heralds to bring your rating down and if it's at zero you can run/climb do whatever without guards giving a ****. Much better than having to hold "A" all the time in part 1.

Collectibles:
Every town has like 300 treasure chests to find, the whole game has 100 feathers (like the flags from part 1) to collect as well as some storyline collections. Codex pages hold the keys to equipment upgrades (hidden blade, etc). Assassin Seals (which require going through unique dungeons and solving puzzles/obstacle courses), once you've collected six of them, will unlock Altair's armor for you.

Assassinations:
I haven't been able to pull off a clean one yet! Haha. Every time I'll be sneaking and then I'll **** up and just end up chasing the guy down. Whatever, though, they've all been cool.

Modern Day:
You don't see as much of Desmond, but you do more with him. I don't think it would surprise anyone for me to say that I believe the third installment will take place in modern-day.

Overall, 9/10. Haven't been able to put it down.

Oh good. Glad to hear they addressed my absolute biggest problems with the first game. I hated the pointless and repetitive tasks you had to do before an assassination. I don't mind mini quests as long as they are fun, have a point, and aren't a "one of three possible miniquests to complete.... over and over."

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Les Zombis et les Loups-Garous!

This game got me to dust of my 360 after an extended downtime.

I'm excited to try it out.. hopefully this evening if work isn't too crazy.

Still looks and sounds just as tedious as the first one. Aside from the graphics, I honestly don't see what is so great about these games.

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Los Angeles Kings 2014 Stanley Cup Champions

"I love this **** team right here."
-Jonathan Quick

Not *nearly* as tedious as the first one, thank goodness. Plays a lot more like a sandbox-like adventure game rather than the errand boy feel of the first one.

Rented this one to be on the safe side after having to struggle to finish the first one; don't see myself struggling to complete this time around.

Hmm, I don't know why I never bothered to give the original a try.

I may grab a used copy and then add AC2 to my Xmas wish list.

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This must be Thursday. I could never get the hang of Thursdays.

I didn't know this was out.

MW2 holds my attention in the meantime.

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“The duty of a patriot is to protect his country from its government.” - Thomas Paine

Mech Warrior 2?

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The Dude abides.

Modern Warfare 2

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“The duty of a patriot is to protect his country from its government.” - Thomas Paine

If you try to do everything, the first one can get very tedious. You pretty much do the same thing nine times. It's fun to play the beginning and understand the mechanics, but after the first 3 assassinations you might want to just read the wiki plot summary and move on to the much improved part 2.

LOL, I just did exactly that. AC2 is definitely on my wanted list now....

Now, to get my 360 safely out to repair and back before Xmas.....

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This must be Thursday. I could never get the hang of Thursdays.

I just beat it after about 25 hours. I had my villa at 92% completion (missing feathers, some paintings, last weapon). I really have to emphasize that this game is a 100% improvement on the original. The story ends up spanning like 10 or 15 years and the ending was miles ahead of AC1.

damn it.. stop giving good reviews of a game I really want when I am on a purchasing hiatus. =P

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Darksiege
Traveller, Calé, Whisperer
Lead me not into temptation; for I know a shortcut

Why would you DO that to yourself during this month of ALL months?? Go on purchasing hiatus in July or something, nothing comes out then!

Some people do it so as not to rob potential gift-givers of good gifts. Others to help better afford gifts for others...

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"Aaaah! Emotions are weird!" - Amdee
"... Mirrorshades prevent the forces of normalcy from realizing that one is crazed and possibly dangerous. They are the symbol of the sun-staring visionary, the biker, the rocker, the policeman, and similar outlaws." - Bruce Sterling, preface to Mirrorshades

Oh I understand, I'm just saying, adjust the timing. Take that break at the summer drought, not the winter flood!

Amongst my friends, there is pretty much a mandatory video game purchase moratorium after Thanksgiving for precisely this reason.

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The Dude abides.

Yup. I impose this, too. Except, mine has to extend through January to cover my birthday, too.

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"Aaaah! Emotions are weird!" - Amdee
"... Mirrorshades prevent the forces of normalcy from realizing that one is crazed and possibly dangerous. They are the symbol of the sun-staring visionary, the biker, the rocker, the policeman, and similar outlaws." - Bruce Sterling, preface to Mirrorshades

Hehe, me too because my birthday's in January.

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The Dude abides.

I am on a non voluntary hiatus from Halloween to New Years. It allows for better purchasing of gifts for others AND allows others to know what to get me.

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Darksiege
Traveller, Calé, Whisperer
Lead me not into temptation; for I know a shortcut

I'm looking forward to playing this game

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Ron Paul 2012

I really want this one, along with Dragon Age: Origins.

I never finished the first game, but then, I almost never finish games period, so that's not a reflection on my opinion of the game's quality.

I finished the first game but it definitely was tedious. It looks like all of the issues are addressed and then some. A huge improvement. Maybe I'll get it for Christmas this year

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Ron Paul 2012

I just wish there had been more real assassinations in the AC1 and now only the what 12 that there actually were.

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Darksiege
Traveller, Calé, Whisperer
Lead me not into temptation; for I know a shortcut

I don't think I performed any of the 12 as an assassin, I always ended up blundering something and rarely even go close enough to even feel like I was assassinating the marks.

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Gorse