Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

Its beautiful vision of 15th-century Rome is just one of many reasons to get lost in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood.

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.

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.