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Assassin's Creed II - The |OT|
- Thread starter Costanza
- Start date
Stumpokapow
listen to the mad man
Falt said:
There are currently four DLC maps.
1. uPlay, 40 points. (Auditore family crypt)
2. Gamestop pre-order (Palazzo de Medici)
3. ULTIMATE SUPER LIMITED EDITION PRE-ORDER (Santa Maria del Frari)
4. Best Buy pre-order (Shipyard Arsenal)
... Yes, the second/third are only available at Gamestop and the fourth only available at Best Buy.
firehawk12
Subete no aware
To be fair, Ubisoft has given away free stuff for their Tom Clancy games before... here's hoping they continue the tradition.
Didn't someone from the Assassin's Creed 2 team say that the pre-order DLC would eventually become free someday?
http://kotaku.com/5360664/dont-worry-about-missing-assassins-creed-ii-retailer+tied-bonus-levels
http://kotaku.com/5360664/dont-worry-about-missing-assassins-creed-ii-retailer+tied-bonus-levels
CrunchinJelly
formerly cjelly
Pretty sure they've put that stuff up in the past... I'm sure EndWar was the same.Merguson said:
Stumpokapow
listen to the mad man
Nemesis556 said:I'm so happy that I got everything with my Black Edition.
*shakes fist* EUROPE!!!!
matrix-cat said:
Big Heavies are the easiest ones to beat. You got to disarm them and kill them with their own weapon on 2 blows only. In a group you should deal with the biggies first, lure them by hitting them once, getting little distance and taunting. Remember that to disarm you have to fight without a weapon, bare fists.
The special DLC Templar Lairs definitely count towards the sync %.
I preordered the Limited Edition version from a U.S. Gamestop, and downloaded the UPlay map.
I finished EVERYTHING that can be done in this game except for the Secret Location reserved for the Shipyard map (BB only), and have a 99.2% sync rate. The only thing missing in my DNA schematic is the Shipyard. Everything else is done, including the Platinum trophy.
I would HOPE that the Templar Lairs will become free DLC within a few weeks/months, as we already know that Memory Sequences 12 and 13 are coming as paid DLC in January and February of 2010.
I preordered the Limited Edition version from a U.S. Gamestop, and downloaded the UPlay map.
I finished EVERYTHING that can be done in this game except for the Secret Location reserved for the Shipyard map (BB only), and have a 99.2% sync rate. The only thing missing in my DNA schematic is the Shipyard. Everything else is done, including the Platinum trophy.
I would HOPE that the Templar Lairs will become free DLC within a few weeks/months, as we already know that Memory Sequences 12 and 13 are coming as paid DLC in January and February of 2010.
Kuro Madoushi
Unconfirmed Member
Bliddo said:
yeah it did seem kinda stereotypical. But since I don't speak a lick, I can't tell.
One thing I don't agree with, and Inglourious Basterds did this too, was include unnecessary subtitles. Example in AC2 They say "nonsense" in Italian, and then repeat it in English...wtf?!
I did what that poster suggested and turned on the Italian subtitles. It takes getting used to, but I like how it adds to the overall feel. Now, instead of people speaking Eng in an Italian accent, they just speak Italian.
Kuro Madoushi said:
Lol, that'd be bizarre.
I'm not convinced that blending the English speech with all the Italian words was such a good idea. I played the first few minutes with no subs until I realised I was missing key dialogue, now I have to play the entire game with subs which detracts from the cut-scenes for me.
N
NinjaFridge
Unconfirmed Member
Any word on a patch to allow story mission replay yet?
I rented AC2 and just finished the main campaign today. Is there anything else I should check out? I skipped all the races, beat-em-ups, courier missions and assassination sidequests....are they any good or just more of the same?
I'm kind of torn about AC2 in general because in so many ways it is superior to the original -- yet rarely is there any challenge or tension like in the AC1. It also seems like most of the assassination missions are set up so that you can't really get a perfect stealth kill.....target NPCs are always in Restricted Areas and surrounded by guards, so that there's nothing you can do but set off an alarm and kill them as quickly as possible. IIRC the AC1 actually had an Achievement for a perfect assassination (kill target without alerting any guards whatsoever), but they didn't even bother with it in AC2.
The story also seemed like a lot of gibberish.....though maybe that's just because there are a bunch of hard-to-follow Italian names and I generally don't take much interest in story. Alls I know is that there were some bad guys fucking up things in Italy and I had to kill them, and somehow take revenge on a dude that killed my family. Of course I had the opportunity to kill the evil Borgia dude many times, but for some reason never did until the end of the game.
I'm kind of torn about AC2 in general because in so many ways it is superior to the original -- yet rarely is there any challenge or tension like in the AC1. It also seems like most of the assassination missions are set up so that you can't really get a perfect stealth kill.....target NPCs are always in Restricted Areas and surrounded by guards, so that there's nothing you can do but set off an alarm and kill them as quickly as possible. IIRC the AC1 actually had an Achievement for a perfect assassination (kill target without alerting any guards whatsoever), but they didn't even bother with it in AC2.
The story also seemed like a lot of gibberish.....though maybe that's just because there are a bunch of hard-to-follow Italian names and I generally don't take much interest in story. Alls I know is that there were some bad guys fucking up things in Italy and I had to kill them, and somehow take revenge on a dude that killed my family. Of course I had the opportunity to kill the evil Borgia dude many times, but for some reason never did until the end of the game.
Assassination sidequests are better than the main story assassinations. They let you be much more creative and deliberate in your approach. Definitely worth doing.border said:
You could do without the beat up missions, but the courier missions have some nice story content in the letters. Also, if you didn't collect all the glyphs, those are an absolute must.
As for your complaints about the story, I think I see where you're coming from (though I'm not finished with the game). The story's much less finely wrought compared to the first game. It's a bit messier, more poorly paced, and more convoluted than it needs to be. And as many of us have already said in this thread, this game misses the great story arcs of the first game. The first game was able to build tension, build to a climax, and release tension in each of the assassinations since they were more like complete chapters.
In contrast, AC2 is more meandering (kill this guy, go here, kill this other guy, go here, go here, do this, kill this guy, etc). The lack of story structure makes it much more like GTAIV. I may be in the minority around here, but playing this game really makes me miss the first one.
conman said:
My rental is already overdue, but I'll give the assassination missions a try.
What makes glyph collection a must? My impression was that they merely add to the story, but the story is already so batshit crazy and incomprehensible I doubt it'd do more than muddle things further.
I feel the same way sometimes, but I also think that's because you're remembering all the good things about AC1 and forgetting all the bad. I don't see how AC2 is any more meandering, considering that AC1 actually forced to to complete a bunch of those meaningless side missions just to actually advance the main story.
I'm only halfway through Sequence 5 and I feel that way. The game ultimately still feels repetitious, they just got slightly better in the story-telling where it wasn't always about doing the investigations and then carrying out an assassination. Unless there is something far more compelling down the line (a plot twist or two even would do), I feel like I'm going to be exhausted with the game before I complete it. I put a lot of time in AC1 so AC2 can get old faster for me.
Troidal said:
Yep, exactly how i feel. At the moment, I'm doing about 20-40mins per day, just to prevent myself from completely dropping the title. Story is delivered and executed far better than AC1, though i don't think I'm blind, but i see nothing that i could attribute to being "immensely improved" from the original. As expected of a sequel, the execution of everything is far better, though the core foundation, to the very feel of completing tasks, and how they're handled feel much in the same way.
The main problem i see with this series, is that to truly immerse yourself and get the most out of it, it'd be necessarily to force yourself into playing the game how you see it should be played. Such as ignoring the pathetic AI and performing tasks in a way which doesn't always come down to a 'sense of disbelief' and lack of immersion.
But with all that said though, similar to AC1, i absolute love it. Fascinating game world.
This game is fantastic as far as I'm concerned, aside from the combat getting repetitive and some frustration with the controls I've been really enjoying it.
Something amusing to do: poison a group of guards in a crowded area, throw coins towards them and watch as they belligerently swing their weapons around and take out at least a dozen civilians, it's some funny shit.
Something amusing to do: poison a group of guards in a crowded area, throw coins towards them and watch as they belligerently swing their weapons around and take out at least a dozen civilians, it's some funny shit.
GillianSeed79
Member
God damn, if you are OCD like me this game is looooong. I have one more assasination left, but I'm really at the point where I want it to end. It's a great game, one of the best of the year IMO, but there's almost too much stuff to do. Venice is almost as long as most reatail games. The glyph puzzles, assasination side contracts, villa, paintings and tombs are great, but stuff like the treasure chests seem pointless. You max out the Villa way too soon IMO.
While there is variety it does get repetitive by games end and, honestly, AC1 felt a little more focused and cohesive.
Sadly, as I near the end, the game has left more questions than answers. The story starts off strong but the last half just seems to drag. I honestly don't remember why I was supposed to assasinate half the people I did in Venice. Also, I actually miss Desmond parts. It was a nice break in the action in AC1.
While there is variety it does get repetitive by games end and, honestly, AC1 felt a little more focused and cohesive.
Sadly, as I near the end, the game has left more questions than answers. The story starts off strong but the last half just seems to drag. I honestly don't remember why I was supposed to assasinate half the people I did in Venice. Also, I actually miss Desmond parts. It was a nice break in the action in AC1.
GillianSeed79
Member
Also to add to my last post, I fucking hate the crate carrying dudes. It's like they are magnetically attracted to me. Why is it I can shoulder block a bard and no one cares, but if some asshole carrying a crate bumps into me the entire city garrison is on me like I shanked a pregnant woman?
On a more important note, I feel they missed a lot of opportunities with the story. Mario virtually vanishes later in the game, there's a romance subplot that is barely explored late game, the glyph truth was not a great payoff, as was deciphering the codex wall, a severe lack of Desmond to give context to the other story going on and the vengence plot line is largely muted and unfullfilling since the conspiracy isn't revealed till late game and a lot of the story is hahazardly pieced together.
These are all nitpicks to a stellar game, though.
On a more important note, I feel they missed a lot of opportunities with the story. Mario virtually vanishes later in the game, there's a romance subplot that is barely explored late game, the glyph truth was not a great payoff, as was deciphering the codex wall, a severe lack of Desmond to give context to the other story going on and the vengence plot line is largely muted and unfullfilling since the conspiracy isn't revealed till late game and a lot of the story is hahazardly pieced together.
These are all nitpicks to a stellar game, though.
Yup. I've been collecting and buying everything as I go. I'm at about 25 hours and I'm still working on getting all the chests in Forli. Then it's on to Venice...GillianSeed79 said:
Totally. Each assassination was its own sub-plot with its own beginning, middle, and end. The Desmond sections were a nice break in the action and emphasized the "chapter" change. There's no such break in the action in AC2. It's just go, go, go. That's poor plotting IMO. I love so much about the game, but they really dropped the ball in figuring out how to structure the story. More than anything else, that's what makes AC2 inferior to AC1.
So far, the most egregious pacing problem was the sudden jump from Forli to Venice. You blast through Forli with absolutely no pause and almost no story missions. Seems like they cut a bunch in that section (presumably ended up as the forthcoming Forli DLC pack). But the story's already so patched together and sloppy that you almost don't notice.
conman said:
You know what? I just noticed that now that I am at the part where
you HAVE to have all 30 codex pages to advance
achievement for getting all the view points. WTF.
Animal
Banned
I'm enjoying this game so much!
The interior design of the buildings is spot on and reminds me alot of the castles and palaces I visited in Europe this summer. The landscapes outside villas are spot on. I really feel like I'm where they say I am. Ubi Montreal did an amazing job in this respect.
I'm playing very slowly and savoring everything I do and everywhere I go. The amount of detail in this game is jaw dropping. This game has a very strong feeling of discovery and rewards adventurism perfectly. I'm very happy about this.
There is also this random theif? that only shows up at night on Florence and he's very fast and hard to catch. He doesn't show up on my radar as a thief though. Can't wait to catch him and find out what all that is about.
I just finished upgrading my villa completely and now its time to upgrade my armor/weapons/skills. I just got my poison blades from Leonardo. I'm now on my way to Tuscany for the second time for my next "Memory Start".
The interior design of the buildings is spot on and reminds me alot of the castles and palaces I visited in Europe this summer. The landscapes outside villas are spot on. I really feel like I'm where they say I am. Ubi Montreal did an amazing job in this respect.
I'm playing very slowly and savoring everything I do and everywhere I go. The amount of detail in this game is jaw dropping. This game has a very strong feeling of discovery and rewards adventurism perfectly. I'm very happy about this.
There is also this random theif? that only shows up at night on Florence and he's very fast and hard to catch. He doesn't show up on my radar as a thief though. Can't wait to catch him and find out what all that is about.
I just finished upgrading my villa completely and now its time to upgrade my armor/weapons/skills. I just got my poison blades from Leonardo. I'm now on my way to Tuscany for the second time for my next "Memory Start".
POWERSPHERE
Member
"It's a me, Mario" was pretty funny.
N
NinjaFridge
Unconfirmed Member
TTP said:
I'm surprised you of all people managed to play it considering the terrible tearing.
Dave1988
Member
Patch 1.01 is up.
Changelog here.
Fixed most of the bugs. Still no mission replay option. They're looking into it.
Changelog here.
Fixed most of the bugs. Still no mission replay option. They're looking into it.
CrunchinJelly
formerly cjelly
Did they fix the AI. :lol
To sully your unstained ears, check a few posts above yours to see at least one criticism: the pacing of the story is pretty jacked up.CRD90 said:
I know it's tough to tell a well-paced story in an open-world game, but the first one did such a good job of setting a good pace that AC2 feels choppy and haphazard by comparison (storywise). Otherwise, yes, it's a brilliant game!
Stumpokapow
listen to the mad man
Mejilan said:
I noticed my Dragon Age: Origins free DLC codes expire in May or June (which'd be ~6 months from release). That's around when I'd expect the game goes out of print and the market from then on is mostly channel clearing or used stuff.
Not that you can compare Ubisoft and EA because both hate you in different and subtle ways, but my instinct would be that nothing will become free and open until there's literally no incentive to keep it limited. I'd expect that to be next summer.
Kuro Madoushi
Unconfirmed Member
Hmm...just finished the story today
Granted, I still have assassinations and couriers and beat up ems and stuff to do, but I felt I got fair value for my money.
The ending...is...unsatisfying and felt really rushed. Perhaps it's a trend with Ubisoft games? Maybe there'll be a 'real' ending DLC or something a la PoP?
Edit: D'OH! Yeah, I meant I turned on the Italian VO with Eng Subs.
Granted, I still have assassinations and couriers and beat up ems and stuff to do, but I felt I got fair value for my money.
The ending...is...unsatisfying and felt really rushed. Perhaps it's a trend with Ubisoft games? Maybe there'll be a 'real' ending DLC or something a la PoP?
Edit: D'OH! Yeah, I meant I turned on the Italian VO with Eng Subs.
bodyofanamerican
Member
uh...where's the patch? i have had no DL prompt.
N
NinjaFridge
Unconfirmed Member
i_am_not_jon_ames said:
360 or PS3?
360 gets released later
bodyofanamerican
Member
PS3 over here, in the US. I shouldn't have to check anywhere else beyond booting up and being prompted, right?
