Assassin's Creed 2 opening chapter hailed as one of gaming's very best

Assassin’s Creed II's opening chapter has been hailed as one of gaming’s very best by fans of the series.

Originally released in 2009 for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360, Assassin’s Creed II not only corrected many of the gameplay kinks of the inaugural game of 2007, but it was a near-perfect sequel in almost every way.

It had improved visuals, gameplay, and missions, and you could even level up your homestead of Villa Auditore. What’s more, it also featured a new protagonist in Ezio Auditore da Firenze who oozed limitless charisma and charm. There’s a good reason why fans consider the Ezio trilogy to be the pinnacle of the Ubisoft series.

Assassin’s Creed II was certainly a gift to fans and what better gift than Ezio being delivered from his mother during the opening moments of the sequel? I doubt baby Ezio being popped out is the reason why fans believe this chapter to be the best, but I could be wrong.

Before we had enough time to welcome baby Ezio into the world, we were swiftly taken to modern-day protagonist Desmond Miles, who awakens from the Animus fleeing from those pesky Templars at the Abstergo HQ.

At the earliest opportunity, Desmond recoups, and we are soon taken back to ancient Italy - more precisely, the year 1476 in Repubblica Florentina - and it's here when we’re also introduced to Ezio’s brother, Federico. Thus, we truly begin our unforgettable journey with the soon-to-be most famous member of the Brotherhood of Assassins.

Fans on Reddit have been discussing what Assassin’s Creed II means to them. “What a game it was. Ezio's story is one of the best I've seen, Revelations still hold a special place in my heart,” said OrganizationLast4313. “Might be my favourite gaming trilogy,” replied National-Exam-8242.

“Definitely one of the best openings to any game, I feel like AC2 gets a lot of goodwill just from how beautifully-crafted its world and opening story beats were, it really nailed how bittersweet and melancholy the game would be,” agreed DMS_David. “A lot of AC games have surprisingly good openings (or at least 'dramatic moments just before the titles') now I think of it, but AC2 really set the standard.”

“Started this game again the other day and that whole opening sequence just made me say (as I always have) that it's one of the best games ever and still the best AC game,” said a reminiscing Corby_Tender23.

However, having an enticing story and an intriguing cast of characters are just two parts of the many ingredients that make for a compelling video game. Another vital element is the supporting soundtrack. Assassin’s Creed II has arguably the best soundtrack in the series.

“And don’t forget how Jesper Kyd’s music elevated this opening scene!” 2ap_guy expressed. “The whole music throughout AC2 was phenomenal,” replied National-Exam-8242.

If for whatever reason you’ve never played the Ezio trilogy, then fear not, because you can pick up Assassin’s Creed The Ezio Collection for PC, PS4 and Xbox One. Better still, this collection of remasters performs and looks even better on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

On the other end of the series spectrum, while fans say that Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is a great RPG, it apparently makes for the worst AC game.