For those of you who are already well-versed in the ‘Assassin’s Creed’ Universe, let’s just for a moment pretend that we’ve gone back in time to the days of the first couple of installments in the series…you know, the ones that were good. Are you firmly implanted in the glorious past? Alright, let’s continue on.
The original Assassin’s Creed game was released on 2007, and introduced us to an interesting new story idea. In the game, a young man named Desmond Miles is kidnapped by a company named Abstergo and forced to use their creation, the ‘Animus’. The Animus machine allows a person to relive the memories of their ancestors, and Abstergo wants to use it, and Desmond, to comb through the memories of an assassin named Altair, who lived during the time of the third crusade. I won’t reveal the reason for Abstergo’s curiosity, because if you haven’t played the game it really is worth finding a copy and playing through the story for yourself. Besides, I’m not talking about Altair’s story today.
In the sequel, Assassin’s Creed II, Desmond returns to the past to visit the memories of another ancestor: Ezio Auditore da Firenze, a young nobleman from 15th century Florence who finds himself pulled into the world of the assassin’s. While the first game was excellent and Altair was a wonderful character, I personally feel that Ezio is the best character in the Assassin’s Creed series. He starts out as an all-around likeable character, a young man who loves women, having fun, and getting into trouble. He is a good son and a good brother, and an all around good guy in general, if perhaps a little cocky. Then this character, whom you’re really starting to like a lot, gets his life turned upside down when his father and brothers are executed by order of a corrupt official working for the Templars (hint: not the good guys). Ezio escapes Florence with his mother and sister, and they all flee to his uncle Mario’s villa. This is where Ezio begins to train and learn the secrets of the assassins.
Again, I won’t say too much about the game itself, because it really is worth playing if you haven’t already, and I don’t want to ruin what is an excellent story.
Ezio continues the story in Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, and Assassin’s Creed: Revelations. I only really played up to about halfway through Brotherhood (what can I say…I’m awful at actually finishing games), but I can vouch that the character continues on a path that I really enjoyed watching him travel. I love how Ezio starts out his journey as a handsome young man with hardly a care in the world and a smile always on his face, and becomes a powerful, well-trained killing machine. But what I love about Ezio the most? While he grows and changes, becomes stronger and harder, and goes through a lot of horrible things, he always managed to continue to be Ezio. Even in the later games when he is older and has a hell of a lot more responsibility on his plate, you can still see the personality of the young man that you first started out with. He’s an excellent character who is easy to love, and I wouldn’t at all mind hearing more of his story, even in a non-game medium.
Have you played any of the Assassin’s Creed games? Which character is your favorite? Were you a fan of Ezio in particular? Please share!
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Haven’t played it. The games look stunning visually though.
It really is, and at least the first couple are quite a lot of fun to play. š
Thanks for not spoiling – I’m still on the first one haha. I had the same “not finishing games” problem for the longest. I’m only recently fixing that habit. Which why I’m playing Assassin’s Creed the whole way through right now.
I’m still pretty awful at not finishing games. lol I’m better with my Vita because I can truck it around with me wherever I go, but when it comes to home console games I just find it so hard to convince myself to sit down and play. The second I get into it I start feeling like I should get up and do something productive, you know?
That said, keep playing! At the very least the first two games are so worth the story. ^_^
“Iām awful at actually finishing games” Same!
Have not played any more than Assassin’s Creed, though. Knowing that there is a way better character waiting makes me interested in Assassin’s Creed 2! Will have to give that a look.
I loved Altair too, but I thought Ezio was a much more enjoyable character because he had a loveable personality. ^_^