Duel review. Both are sequel video games to games I really enjoyed. I've enjoy the AC series since the first Assassin's Creed came out in 2007, and I try to downplay how much of a Star Wars nut I am. I'm also a rabid video game fanatic. How'd they stack up?
1st up, Assassin's Creed Brotherhood.
AC2 as compared to the original, forget it. AC2 blows it out of the water. Excellent and engaging storyline, and enhanced action. Assassin's Creed Brotherhood is the continuation of the story of Ezio Auditore from AC2. Rehashed game to sell a few more units right? Basically, yeah. The story is severely lack luster, to the point of infuriating for those that enjoyed AC2.
AC2 ends with Ezio taking the Apple of Eden from Rodrigo Borgia, aka Pope Alexander VI. The problem with these stories is that they use historical characters. In AC2, Ezio doesn't execute Rodrigo for reasons unknown. It's very uncharacteristic of him after annihilating every other person in the way including hundreds of drones. To try to align these historical characters with Ezio's ruthlessness is proving to be difficult. AC: Brotherhood is the story of Ezio losing the Apple of Eden to the Borgia-clan, and his attempts to reclaim it.
This game shines from the additions it brings to the action. The "BAM" system (Brotherhood Assist Move) is truly fantastic and addictive & engaging. Remember those annoying dudes on the rooftops? Press a button and an assassin recruit will come popping, hopping and flying out of nowhere to drop the guy before he has a chance to sound the alarm. Recruit people of Rome to the Assassin's, train them, send them on missions throughout Europe, and call on them to assist you in fights.
This is the best part of this game. For the first time in these games, it allows you to not be the only one of a larger society actually doing the work. For the most part, Ezio can handle things by himself, but your recruits will be able to do a better job of enemies on horseback. If you have a target to assassinate that's on a horse, calling your recruits will ride them in on horseback, they'll get right next to the target, and will have them dead before anyone notices. Ezio seems to be on the radar and typically can't get close (this is useful for 1 or 2 Borgia Towers captains). Recruits also do a better job of taking attacking riders off their horses and bringing them to the more manageable level of fighting.
Another new addition is Multiplayer. Never played it. Read a review on it, not interested. Personally at least.
I'm not a fan of the feather or the flag finding. I can do without it. Leonardo's War Machines? Love it. Romulus Shrines (similar to Assassin's Tombs)? Love it. Rome? Eh. I'm a fan of taking Ezio and just free-running him across the cities walls/rooftops. Rome is too large and expansive to do that. Large roads and waterways throughout the city. It's definitely a plus that for this game you primarily stay in one area, rather than half-exploring a few different locations.
Overall, this game is a B.
Now, Star Wars Force Unleashed 2.
Let's try to look at this game through the proper lens. The developers of the series wanted to create a game where you could simply fuck shit up using the force. Unleash it mofo's. To everyone's pleasant surprise, the first game brought a pretty awesome storyline to the game, and supposedly has become part of the Star Wars canon. SWFU was a great success.
SWFU told the story of Vader's secret apprectice, Starkiller (who for those familiar with George Lucas's original works was actually the last name of Luke Skywalkers fellow Jedi friend, Annikin Starkiller). SPOILER ALERT - in the two endings of the first came, the Light Side ending is canon. It results with Starkiller sacrificing himself against the Emperor to save the Rebellion (the Dark Side ending results in Starkiller facing Vader and taking his place as the Emperor's Sith Assassin). To have a sequel with a dead main character is a bit difficult. Enter the cloners on Kamino.
Force Unleashed 2 begins with Vader talking to a supposedly cloned Starkiller, waiting in a cell on Kamino. Supposedly, he is a clone who has survived longer than any of his predecessor clones. Fine. Whatever. If the first game is canon, then I can buy that all the Force Unleashed sequels are not, so long as someone tells me so. In SWFU, Starkiller dies having established the players in the Rebellion, giving them an opportunity to mount counter attacks - this is reasonable, leading to the events of Episode IV (told you I was a SW nerd).
I'll get back to issues with the storyline shortly, now to talk about the gameplay. If I could describe the ability to unleash the force in one word, I'd go with "fantastic". It's just the tits, man. Everything is back from the first game, except Force Shield (which I can't even remember) in favor of Jedi Mind Trick, which turns enemies to your team for a short time or makes them jump of a ledge. Very handy. This turns the tables on fights where bosses call in additional underlings to bother you. It actually is to your advantage if Mind Trick is amped up to affect 3 enemies at once, and it gives you an opportunity to get cheap shots in on the boss.
They got rid of Force and Lightsaber Lock, so there is slightly less button mashing. There are also less enemy types, which is nice. The first game felt like there were too many enemy types. This game has clear enemies, and it's clear how to defeat them. Unfortunately, the only real variation comes in the combination by which they have been organized to fight you. Certain enemies can be dispatched in any way you see fit, others only are affected by lightsaber, or only by force powers. Still, the game is about destroying enemies and objects, and this allows you to this in spades. Well, for as long as you are playing the game.
It's very short. I started playing on a Friday night at about 9pm, stopped playing around midnight, played the next morning for a bit and had it beat a few hours later. Total play time, 5 to 6 hours to complete the game, Light Side Ending baby. Enjoy this game as a rental, because it's awesome. But it will take you almost zero time to finish.
For the most part, the gameplay is fantastic. It responds well. Sometimes there are issues with Jedi (double) jumping and Jedi dashing. Sometimes it works when it should, others time for no apparent reason it doesn't. I only wish you could jump like Starkiller does in the cut scenes. Why can't I double jump as high or as cool as Starkiller does in the cut scenes? Doesn't make sense. If he can dash in mid-air, why can he only do it in the horizontal direction. I'm a fan of the Star Wars Battfield 2 method of Jedi dashing and jumping. Dashing infinitely on the ground (fast running really), and not just double jumps, but infinite jumps as long as you have Force power.
I'll say it quick, but the graphics are phenomenal. Level designs are a little repetitive. But the cut scene graphics (movies) are not so much better than the actual in-game graphical scenes and interactions. That's not a knock on the movies, that's a testament to how excellent the graphics of the actual game are.
Back to the story to close. Supposedly people are upset about this game, and they are considering not having another one. I think that's foolish, but I agree with people that are upset about the length of the game and the overall storyline. Starkillers whole thing is that he's in it for himself to (mini-SPOILER Alert) find and save Juno Eclipse. The problem is, he's fighting along the way the whole time to get to her, performing obvious tasks to aid the rebellion. The issue of "who is the real Starkiller" is also unfortunately never answered in this game, depending upon the ending. This will be a major spoiler alert, so read at your own risk, but it will only take you 5 hours to get there yourself, no worries.
SPOILER ALERT
Starkiller fights his way to the top of Kamino's tower (yes, he returns) to face Vader who has Juno held captive. I honestly thought that when Vader had the Force Choke on her and Starkiller said he'd be Vader's apprentice that you'd get the chance to go out and do damage as the dark side assassin. Opposite of the first game, start bad, end good versus start good and end bad.
Two seconds after Starkiller pledges his allegiance, Juno does something retarded and gets herself Force Lighting and tossed out to the stormy Kamino night and her head rests looking at the camera with a blank stare. This killing of Juno obviously sets Starkiller off - after more fighting and cut scenes you are allowed to make a choice, Light or Dark. Your Jedi mentor General Kota wants you to let Vader live, and you are fighting to strike him down or not.
First of all, that's retarded. How are you going to let the representation of the Dark Side live? Honestly? That's retarded. Canon or not, the Empire's archduke has got to go. Light Side Ending, you let Vader live and surprise surprise, Juno is not dead. Vader is taken captive. I thought this ending sucked. Vader would never be held captive, he'd break out of any chains they'd hold him in. Also, Juno got rocked, no way she lives. If this is canon, how does this fit in? Vader has to break free, Starkiller, Kota and Juno eventually have to die, and you have to pretend that Princess Leia never revealed herself to be part of the rebellion prior to the events of Ep. 4.
Dark Side Ending, kill Darth Vader. Obviously this can't be canon. Starkiller pulls his saber back to strike down Vader, BOOM, red lightsaber through the gut from behind from a cloaked figured. I thought it might have been the Emperor. Apparently it is the Perfect Starkiller clone. In this ending, Juno, Kota and this games Starkiller are dead, and the Perfect clone is sent to defeat the rebellion leaders.
This brings about some problematic questions - Kota says throughout the game "no one can clone a Jedi", which leads you to believe that possibly the original Starkiller is actually you, and you're not a clone at all. Obviously the Dark Side ending proves cloning Jedi is possible, because even if one of you is the real Starkiller, one's a clone.
The easiest way to deal with this is to not make this be canon. I like the Dark Side ending, because it's so bad ass. Either way, SWFU2 is an obvious bridge for SWFU3 (which may or may not be made). For that, the developers and writers should be smacked. Make a game, end the game, make it a game in and of itself, not as a jerkoff between stories.
In case you don't have any intention of playing the game, here are the two endings that I've just spoiled for you. Might as well watch them now. In fact, I'll also provide you with the first part of the games cutscenes...
Cutscenes Part 1 - good to see the beginning before you see the end
Light Side Ending
Dark Side Ending
That's all I got. I'm out.
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