Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (7GB)

ABOUT GAME

There are a number of key differences between Assassin's Creed II and its follow-up, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, but if there's one that some PC enthusiasts will appreciate the most, it's that Ubisoft's stringent copy-protection scheme has been jettisoned. This is cause for celebration in itself, though it's the captivating beauty and joyous exploration that make Brotherhood another standout in this ever-evolving franchise.

The Assassin's Creed games have gone to great lengths to depict their environments and circumstances with painstaking historical authenticity, and Brotherhood is no exception. Its stunning re-creation of Rome will have you occasionally gasping at its beauty--the sun so bright, you can almost feel it warming your skin. A disappointing story, some audiovisual glitches, and a few other missteps might occasionally yank you from your reverie. But if you worried that a direct sequel released so soon after Assassin's Creed II would feel rushed or incomplete, then rest your mind: Brotherhood is a big, high-quality sequel deserving of both your time and money.

Brotherhood doesn't quite have the same emotional impact as its fantastic predecessor, however. Once again, you don the robes of master assassin Ezio Auditore. After a battle at the family's villa in Monteriggioni, Ezio's nemesis, Cesare Borgia, steals the all-important artifact known as the Apple of Eden. With the help of Caterina and other old friends, Ezio heads to Rome to retrieve the Apple and rid the city of Borgia influence. There's a bit of drama when an associate is accused of betrayal, but for the most part, Brotherhood's plot is the most straightforward in the series, and because Ezio exhibits little personal growth, there's a hint of staleness to his escapades. You don't play just as Ezio, however: you once again take on the role of Desmond, the modern-day bartender-turned-lab-rat who relives Ezio's memories inside a machine called an animus. He has a greater role to play in Brotherhood than in the previous two games combined, and his endgame actions lead to an astounding finale that rivals Assassin's Creed II's for pure shock value.

The plot may not be intricate, but a cast of excellent characters makes it easy to stay invested. One of them is Salai, Leonardo da Vinci's assistant and a mischievous rascal who enjoys flirting with Ezio as much as he does playing dice. You meet him in a set of missions called The Da Vinci Disappearance, which were released as premium downloadable content for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game. Salai's impish grin and cascading curls make him an excellent addition; however, most of Brotherhood's leading players are returning ones. You once again spend time with Caterina Sforza, Nicolo Machiavelli, and Ezio's sister Claudia, though the game's most memorable presence is that of a new character: Lucrezia Borgia, Cesare's sister--and lover. Lucrezia's sharp tongue is matched by her severe, almost vampiric appearance, and she isn't afraid to test the boundaries of human decency in the pursuit of power. Wonderful voice acting brings all of these characters to life. When Claudia stands up to her overbearing brother, you hear the strength in her voice and appreciate how much she has grown. Salai's overt lustfulness might make you squirm, but a charming voice-over gives him too much clever twinkle for you to ever lose patience.

THE GOOD

• Exquisite, detailed reproduction of Rome   
• Great voice acting makes you care about the eclectic ensemble cast   
• Lairs are a pleasure to explore   
• Online investing makes economy even more meaningful   
• Long adventure stuffed with lots of varied missions and exploration.

THE BAD

• Forgettable story   
• Assassin recruitment is contrived and ultimately meaningless  
• Some audiovisual glitches and other troubles.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

* OS: Windows® XP (32-64 bits) /Windows Vista®(32-64 bits)/Windows 7® (32-64 bits)
* Processor: Intel Core® 2 Duo 1.8 GHZ or AMD Athlon X2 64 2.4GHZ
* Memory: 1.5 GB Windows® XP / 2 GB Windows Vista® - Windows 7®
* Graphics: 256 MB DirectX® 9.0–compliant card with Shader Model 3.0 or higher (see supported list*)
* DirectX®: 9.0
* Hard Drive: 8 GB
* Sound: DirectX 9.0 –compliant sound card
* Peripherals: Keyboard, mouse, optional controller
* Supported Video Cards: ATI® RADEON® HD 2000/3000/4000/5000/6000 series, NVIDIA GeForce® 8/9/100/200/300/400/500 series