"The same procedure as last game" ...

..., This impression could arise prematurely, you would go solely by the first game hours. But "Assassins Creed: Brotherhood" (ACB) is not fixed within one year then clapped copy of its predecessor. The action sets directly to the cliffhanger of "Assassins Creed 2" (AC2), whose playful basic principles remained, for improvements, enhancements and new features but was still enough space and time. Likewise, the term "add-on" is here completely wrong, because even if ACB contains no clause in the title, when it comes to the scope and gameplay puts Ezio's quest for vengeance against the Borgia pretty much every other "stand-alone" product of a common game series loosely in the pocket. In my eyes, ACB is not invariably better than AC2, but has definitely the same class. Each has its individual strengths and (few) weaknesses, but at the end are both games par. So if this does not bode well, then I do not.

In Memory Of:
By means of the Animus, a technically sophisticated apparatus, Desmond Miles lived through the adventure of his Italian Ur-ancestor Ezio Auditore da Firenze, witnessed the loss of father and brothers and the resulting war against the Templars and the Pope, a member of the Borgia family , A battle for vendetta and freedom, with the discovery of Eden splitter, a mighty artifact ended and at the same time revealed a new mystery in the form of a divine prophecy. Dernach stands in 2012 before a catastrophe global scale that can stop just one Assassin's descendant. It all boils down to Desmond's own person, but he has to (also called the apple "), see first, which is housed in a secret hiding place for centuries the Pieces of Eden.
With the support of its allies Lucy Stillman and her team Desmond has yet to dig deeper into the life of Ezio to get the apple on the track. For this purpose the long and bitter struggle Assassin vs. Templar / Borgias reopened ...

Normally, I am not inclined to praise Publisher on all dimensions. Especially not when those such as EA or Ubisoft provide customers with unfriendly copy protection mechanisms, online coercion or account access for discontent in the PC gaming community. For Ubisoft speaks at least, that criticism has arrived and the copy protection has been relaxed in the form of a permanent Internet connection. That's what happened at AC2. And that should fortunately be no exception, since ACB can, as desired, the game enthusiasts, be gambled completely offline, and I gather it from other reviews, it is also true for the recently published "Assassins Creed: relevations" (whose purchase fixed is scheduled * g *) to.
A first step to win old confidence back. Hopefully not the last.

Regardless, Ubisoft as a developer but one thing: Damn tell good stories and this packaging exciting. The new Ezio chapter has the same width and depth as the old and takes players immediately caught: Rasant, spectacular, brutal, in between always with a touch of eroticism and laconic humor. Tragedies, friendships, alliances of convenience, religions, politics, power games ... And of course keeps the mystical / Futuristic, which the Middle Ages scenario and present events together. The men and women behind the story understand it wonderful to stage cinematic cutscenes or give most orders a special background. Properly stunned I was at a lush mission that is linked to a play about the passion of Christ in the center of Colloseums. Interesting introduction, dramatic event, a brilliant finale.
A wonderful motivational drive that emanates half of the plot, half of job design. However, it exaggerates Ubisoft with its open ends. Hardly are old questions from AC2 answered, occur already the neighbor on the mat. In the long run it's not nice, left hanging in the air to be, after one has worked through to the grand climax. I sincerely hope that "relevations" a degree place, which is named as such and equitable.

Toscana, Venice, Monterrigioni, Florence, Forli - Bot AC2 still several cities from diverse infrastructures and architectural styles, it leaves ACB in Rome as the only giant metropolis where everything is colorful mixed: city centers, suburbs, green landscapes, castles, ruins landscapes, river and mountain valleys ... pretty much every corner offers the player eyes special attractions and heritage sites.
I will nevertheless be honest: The offer from AC2 liked a little bit better, simply because the contrast between the different cities of different regions was much more pronounced me. Who is traveling eg from densely built Florence from crisscrossed by canals Venice, might know what I want to express it. The level designers is still a pictorially beautiful and very detailed Rome succeeded without question.

Let's talk about what you already know:
Our dearest Assassin fights against opponents as usual masses, sprinting over the rooftops, climbing everything is to climb and what mopst treasures, flags, pens, among others valuable items that crisscross distributed, but are well hidden. What formerly were the six Assassin Tombs, underground Romulus Catacombs are time the same number that unlock a precious armor after appropriate mastery. Ezio must / must make repeated on a builder; place of residence Monterrigioni it hits logically the Italian capital. Initially rich looted treasures only for minor renovations to barns, forges or banks; over time the cash bubble and you can make equal or more major investments in order to help Roma to its former glory. Already after less than half of the total play time, the money machine runs by itself and you will soon no longer know where to put the gravel. With regard to financial matters Ubisoft has devised a rather impractical way this time, instead of a clear business card it says here: every business, every tunnel, every city landmark and, and, and einzelnd abklappern and buying or renovating what associated with many and long walkways is. On the horse skidding or over said tunnel systems it is indeed clearly fixed as on foot, the stores in one place (as in AC2) to manage I found ultimately comfortable.

Now about the new features:
The Gildenssystem (courtesans, mercenaries, thieves) persists, with the recruitment of Assassin's members come to a fourth fraction. This support Ezio on command against larger opponents troops or are sent across Europe to weaken the Knights Templar in other countries. In very simplified Rollenspielart this gathering if successful experience points and levels and can be upgraded with better weapons / armor. Due to its efficiency and strength Ezio novices are quickly into a powerful tool and make the other guilds sooner or superfluous. I got it a habit to ask the Brotherhood only in extremely difficult situations for help, otherwise it survives any confrontation also single-handedly. The fights run even a bit raw and easily than previously, because El Assassino is once a bloodlust, he mows itself easily through dozens Templar guards and leaves on Mother Earth huge amounts of blood and corpses.
The Borgia rule over large parts of Rome, each region has its own Templar Captain together tower. To suppress the Borgia influence machgeblich and so ever to do business, it requires the elimination of these persons together with arson on already called towers. The task is always the same, turning off the target person because of changing conditions is not, here it requires changing tactics / planning.

The largest and best improvement is the repeated increase of main and side missions. We know first not what you want to do first, because a plurality / -falt threatened to kill seemingly on orders and employment. Ordinary citizens as well as allies and friends asking for personal favors, especially Leonardo Da Vinci keeps ready very nice sabotage missions, where you must also control surface and flight efficient vehicles. As a very special treat (on which I was charmed right) wait for the player memories around a sad love between Ezio and a beauty named Christina, who act at times of AC2. Great moments in which even the death of his family members will be taken up again. The only is Stupid and Desmond remains, except for game start and end has this intermission. Its role should be expanded but please in "relevations" of him you know even after three games far too little.
In short, the main plot and side quests to keep for at least 35 hours at the bar. If you want to otherwise just go on an expedition, goes even more playing time.

Technically's remains as before:
Besides tiny improvements to the appearance (clothing sharper textures, beautiful lighting effects, day / night cycles) you can get enough of a very pretty, big world, with the finest motion animations of the characters and impeccable mime game. Pop-ups and fringed shade is also ACB can not shake about to fans of the first hour annoy but at the very least. The sound pampers the ears with an extremely harmonious soundtrack, professional (and still does not always lip-synchronous) Speech and magnificent soundscape.
Control remained unchanged and gets with increasing progress still a few minor extra features added, among which among other things includes the Call of Assassin recruits or Herbeipfeiffen a riding horse. The only oddity: Ubisoft has failed to incorporate a start tutorial, just to make newcomers to the handling of the alter ego trusts. Personally, I was able to get only through trial and error and some random memory shreds again all actions (and how this triggers) memorize the last time that I have touched AC2 was namely already a scarce resource more years back.

Conclusion:
The enthusiasm remains unabated even with the 2nd Ezio sequence. ACB continues the exciting plot of its predecessor and makes like this Ezio Medieval Adventure at a premium "OpenWorld" -Spielerlebnis. Who is not a fan yet, and it would still be, should / but must first take up the first two parts, otherwise you can not look through despite the plot summary at the beginning.