(Mild) Spoiler Warning: The following article discusses elements of Assassin's Creed II. Specific storylines are NOT discussed. However, elements of the game may be revealed or construed from hints below. You have been warned.
Bodies are piling up all over Italy. Gold chests are just lying around, waiting to be looted. And that sound up on the rooftop? It ain't Rudolph, and it definitely ain't St. Nick. That can only mean one thing: No, not Lara Croft. OK, that can only mean two things: But in this case, it's... Assassin's Creed II!
Part clanging swords, part button masher, all engrossing. It's the game that will make you laugh and, unfortunately, cry. (YouTube has the details, if you want to know what's in store for THAT level. Buona fortuna!) As if all that wasn't enough, you've got to balance inventory and bring home the Florins for a vaguely Sim City section of the game. In other words, something for everyone - a platformer tonight!
Having spent enough time with the game to actually feel my thumbs go numb (I only wish I were making this up), I've come up with some tips to help you get more from your game. Last chance to turn around: SPOILERS AHEAD.
Do the weird stuff early... and often
AC II is partly a sandbox game, with side missions, collections and random encounters floating around. It's more Grand Theft Auto than Fallout 3 though. So far, I haven't run into any random character who asked me to do a favor. It's more about knowing the options and taking advantage of them early - before the main quest turns you into Italy's Most Wanted poster boy.
Here are some things to knock out first:
- Take to the sky. Registering viewpoints will open new missions and locations around town. More importantly, it unlocks huge chunks of town, which means more escape routes when you are being pursued. Note that rooftop guards will order you to get down and eventually chase you - it's up to you whether you ignore them or... oops! They slipped and fell off the roof. With a little help. I'm just sayin'.
- Watch out for pigeon droppings. A generally good practice for city dwellers, a must for AC II players. When up high, watch for droppings - these indicate a safe place to jump, assuming you use the not-so-secret ninja Leap of Faith combo. Because a small bale of hay on a cobblestone path will break any fall, whether three stories or the top of the Duomo, right? (Hint: Don't try this at home, kids.)
- See how they run. Your success or failure will rely largely on how well you can maneuver on rooftops. Other characters, including guards, pickpockets and messengers will fly across roofs, albeit sometimes while chasing you. Practice your roof jumps and test short cuts (e.g., jump diagonally instead of running the full L shape of a rooftop). These skills will pay off later.
- Go the distance. Races will occasionally appear on your map - take advantage of them as soon as possible, as some will disappear when you advance the main quest. Tip: When you inevitably fall/get lost/know you can't win, drop to street level and pickpocket the hell out of the area. Yes, guards might appear and come after you, but they'll magically disappear when the clock runs out. And you get to keep the loot.
- Watch the birdie! As you advance through the game, the platforming action gets hot and heavy... and dark. Take your time, plan your moves, and when in doubt, look for pigeons. Those proverbial rats with wings are cooing a sweet siren song to show you exactly where to go next.
You'll need Florins to maintain your cosmopolitan assassin lifestyle. Health, armor and weapons don't grow on trees, and unlike other games, they don't get hidden in trees or shrubberies, either. And a man of your stature is going to want to "patronize the arts" occasionally as well. (And, yes, you can take that any way you want.) Here are some ways to make fast coin:
- Rob from the rich, so you won't be poor. We'll start with an obvious one. Well-dressed people and clergymen carry more bank than poor folks - but everyone has something to give up. To pickpocket, Fast Walk (not run) through the crowd. Aim for large groupings for maximum return.
- Rob the robber. You know who else has a lotta dough? Pickpockets. Because of these bastardos, the folks below don't have much to cough up. Watch for people tearing through the streets with an arrow over their heads. If they appear as a moneybag on your map, hunt them down, put them down and take what is not rightfully yours. Warning, the cops will also be chasing 'em down, too. If you're not discreet, you may have to fight to collect your booty.
- Leave no body behind. The guards get paid about the same as cops today - which is to say, pretty poorly. But coin is coin, and those 3 and 5 Florins do add up. Later, you'll have more advanced money-making opportunities and may be willing to skip the time-consuming looting, but starting out you'll want to grab every Florin you can. Plus guards will start coughing up health and weapons later in the game if you're low.
In the spirit of giving - we do a lot of that here - here's how to get the Street Cleaner achievement or trophy in five minutes or less. After you get a weapon, but before you use it for its intended purpose, find a large haystack in the city close to a large group of people. Identify five targets who won't be missed, or if you feel particularly macho, pick a fight with a group of guards. Take them all down and loot the bodies. The witnesses will be all talk - no one is going to go Rambo on you here. After you finish looting, pick up each body and dump it into the haystack. Voila - instant achievement. Any extra bodies (over the 5 needed for the hay bale task) can be dumped into the river by chucking them over the bridge for extra dramatic flair.
Oh, and don't panic if you accidentally follow the body into the river - this time, you can swim like a fish, which means more looting opportunities in the gondolas. Grazie, Ubisoft.
