It’s rare for a sequel to improve upon every single flaw of its predecessor. The first iteration is often notoriously brilliant in concept and design, but falters in execution and game play. Ubisoft’s original Assassin’s Creed is a perfect example, attracting some of the most diverse criticism from video game journalists.

Tremendous media hype lead to gamers proclaiming either euphoria or harsh disappointment, often dependent on personal immersion and patience. The setting was gorgeous to explore, but lacked any kind of heart. Thankfully, Assassin’s Creed 2 leaps forward from this groundwork in every possible way.

Ezio seems to have appeared from the shadows. Rather like its subject matter, the online buzz for this title was fairly mellow, with many gamers too pre-occupied with the monumental release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.  Yet give it half a chance and you’ll be pleased to discover one of the most enjoyable, historical and lengthy depictions of renaissance Italy on a home console.

Admittedly Assassin’s Creed 2 takes an hour to get out of the starting blocks. The science fiction plot begins in present day and you’re trapped spending most of it with the mundane voice of Kristen Bell by your side. The Matrix-esque narrative about travelling back in time is commendable, but lacks the conviction and drama to really drag the player in.  At least some good groundwork has been made for the development team to expand in future sequels.

Once you’ve been thrown into Florence the game immediately begs attention. The draw distance, detail and personality of the city is breathtaking, opening further as you explore all the individual districts. The open world may not be as large as Grand Theft Auto IV, but each street is recognisable and has its own flavour. The terracotta palette used to paint Italy feels significantly fresh in comparison to the dark, muddy browns used to portray many modern first person shooters. Citizens will walk by with purpose and chatter, bards will chase after you with melodic music and masked doctors will linger with potent poisons.

The story of Ezio Auditore is fed slowly but surely, only truly opening up once you receive the cloak and hidden blades of your father. From there it becomes a tale of classic revenge, as you open up a Templar conspiracy that far exceeds your original expectations. Voice acting is particularly strong, with a fantastic mix of English and Italian dialogue. Cut scenes can be a little stilted due to basic facial animation, but luckily Ubisoft rectifys this by portraying many conversations in game. Trailing a couple of government officials from afar and listening to them confess to one another never becomes tiring. Some scattered comic moments, such as your Uncle exclaiming “It’s a me, Mario!” are also nice scriptwriting touches.

The action is split into two main features; parkour style free running and medieval combat. Not much is fundamentally new in the latter, but a dizzying array of weaponry and assassination techniques ensures that the ‘brawler-ish’ combat never becomes too repetitive. Using your hidden blades from the cover of a nearby hay bale or smoke bomb adds to the potential creativity and open ended nature of missions. You’re very rarely told to kill in a specific manner, leaving plenty of scope to try various battle plans.

Climbing, leaping and balancing your way across Italy’s cityscape feels slick and fluid, rivalled only by the likes of Uncharted 2. Every kill is split by a dose of exploration and platforming, giving you time to take a breath and absorb some of the tense atmosphere. The wealth of side quest activities, including races, assassination contracts and courier assignments are all welcome distractions from the core plot – but are perhaps expected from a blockbuster adventure title. Some of its original modes, including the codex pages, glyphs and tomb searching are much more interesting.

For every 10 viewpoints you claim at the top of recognisable landmarks, a codex page location is offered on the map. If you can distract the guards and claim this sacred text, Leonardo Da Vinci will upgrade your health bar or weaponry. By entering Eagle Vision you can also spot red cryptic glyphs, which unlock puzzles that assist in your knowledge of former time travelling assassins. All of these layers are optional extras, but add to the scope and depth of gaming that you can participate in.

Sleeper hit. It’s the tag word etched on everyone’s lips this year and Assassin’s Creed 2 is a shining example. The scope, beauty and length of this game deserves your attention, especially if you’re looking for a focussed single player campaign. I have to give admiration to Ubisoft for turning a modest franchise into contender for Game of The Year (and Golden Thumbstick!); none of us could have seen this one coming.