The Hidden Blade Assassin's Creed in Depth

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

• Terminology

• Controls

GAME INFORMATION

ASSASSINATION TARGETS

GAME SEQUENCE

COMPLETION RATING

ACHIEVEMENTS / TROPHIES

ABILITIES LIST

• Non-Combat
• Combat

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• Can I replay memories?
• Can I unequip armor?
• Can I unequip/drop my dagger/sword/mace?
• Where is Leonardo?
• What are the Keys for?

GAME MECHANICS

• Enemy Health / Hit Points
• Damage Dealt in Combat
• Instant Kills
• Counter Attacks
• Disarming Opponents
• Grabbing and Tackling
• Dodging and Strafing
• Unarmed Finishing Moves
• Falling / Dropping Damage
• Running Off Ledges
• Break-Fall

CONTENT AND EXTRAS

• Exclusive Maps
• Game Updates (Patches)
• Downloadable Content (DLC)
• The Giant Octopus

BUGS, EXPLOITS AND OTHER ODDITIES

• "Airwalk"
• Can't pick up the box!
• Altaïr and the Tower of Impossibility
• There is No Spoon

INTRODUCTION

This FAQ is a compliation of information and game mechanics for Assassin's Creed II. Its purpose is to bring all of this useful information into a single location for easy reference.

Please note that the information contained in this FAQ has been written prior to the release of the two downloadable content (DLC) packs. This FAQ will be updated to reflect the changes and additions from these packs once they have been released.

Terminology

Many terms used in this document are interchangeable for the purposes of this FAQ. For example, the following words are considered to carry the same meaning:

• dead
• desynchronized
• knocked out ("KO'd")

If you are unsure about any terminology used below, post your question in this thread.

Memories will typically be abbreviated as S#M#. For example, Sequence 2, Memory 3 would be abbreviated as S2M3. Present-day chapters are abbreviated as P#.

Controls

As the button names vary between the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles and the PC, button commands will be listed generically as follows:

• [High Profile]
• [Weapon Selector]
• [Target Lock]
• 
• [Armed Hand]
• [Empty Hand]
• 
• [Quick Inventory]
• [Map]
• [Pause]

If you are unfamiliar with these button references, please consult the game's instruction manual.

GAME INFORMATION

Assassin's Creed II was released for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 game consoles in November, 2009. It was released in each region as follows:

• North America – November 17
• Australia – November 19
• Europe – November 20
• Japan – December 3

The PC version was released on March 9, 2010 in North America, Europe and Australia.

Assassin's Creed II was developed by Ubisoft Montreal and carries an ESRB rating of Mature.

ASSASSINATION TARGETS

Below listed are the game's main assassination targets. There are nine additional targets in Sequence 13, but they do not have names. They are covered in S13M2 through S13M10.

• Uberto Alberti – S2M3, "Judge, Jury, Executioner"
• Vieri de' Pazzi – S3M4, "What Goes Around"
• Francesco de' Pazzi – S4M6, "Farewell Francesco"
• Antonio Maffei – S5M4, "Town Crier"
• Francesco Salviati – S5M5, "Behind Closed Doors"
• Bernardo Baroncelli – S5M6, "Come Out And Play"
• Stefano da Bagnone – S5M7, "The Cowl Does Not Make The Monk"
• Jacopo de' Pazzi – S5M8, "With Friends Like These"
• Emilio Barbarigo – S7M9, "Everything Must Go"
• Carlo Grimaldi – S8M5, "Infrequent Flier"
• Marco Barbarigo – S9M8, "Having A Blast"
• Silvio Barbarigo & Dante Moro – S10M5, "Two Birds, One Blade"
• Ludovico Orsi – S12M3, "Godfather"
• Checco Orsi – S12M5, "Checcomate"
• Girolamo Savonarola – S13M12, "Mob Justice"
• Rodrigo Borgia – S14M2, "In Bocca Al Lupo"

GAME SEQUENCE

Following is a list of the game's sequences in chronological order, including the chapters that take place in the present. An asterisk (*) after the memory title signifies a story-based assassination.

• Present 1 – Arrivederci Abstergo (2012)
  • Part 1 – The Birth Of An Assassin (Abstergo, 2012)
  • Part 2 – Welcome To The Animus 2.0 (Warehouse, 2012)
• Sequence 1 – Ignorance Is Bliss (1476)
  
  • Memory 1 – Boys Will Be Boys (Florence, 1476)
  • Memory 2 – You Should See The Other Guy (Florence, 1476)
  • Memory 3 – Sibling Rivalry (Florence, 1476)
  • Memory 4 – Nightcap (Florence, 1476)
  • Memory 5 – Paperboy (Florence, 1476)
  • Memory 6 – Beat A Cheat (Florence, 1476)
  • Memory 7 – Petruccio's Secret (Florence, 1476)
  • Memory 8 – Friend Of The Family (Florence, 1476)
  • Memory 9 – Special Delivery (Florence, 1476)
  • Memory 10 – Jailbird (Florence, 1476)
  • Memory 11 – Family Heirloom (Florence, 1476)
  • Memory 12 – Last Man Standing (Florence, 1476)
• Sequence 2 – Escape Plans (1476)
  
  • Memory 1 – Fitting In (Florence, 1476)
  • Memory 2 – Ace Up My Sleeve (Florence, 1476)
  • Memory 3 – Judge, Jury, Executioner (Florence, 1476) *
  • Memory 4 – Laying Low (Florence, 1476)
  • Memory 5 – Arrivederci (Florence, 1476)
• Sequence 3 – Requiescat In Pace (1476 - 1478)
  
  • Memory 1 – Roadside Assistance (Monteriggioni, 1476)
  • Memory 2 – Casa Dolce Casa (Monteriggioni, 1476)
  • Memory 3 – Practice Makes Perfect (Monteriggioni, 1476 - 1478)
  • Memory 4 – What Goes Around (Tuscany, 1478) *
  • Memory 5 – A Change Of Plans (Monteriggioni, 1478)
• Sequence 4 – The Pazzi Conspiracy (1478)
  
  • Memory 1 – Practice What You Preach (Florence, 1478)
  • Memory 2 – Fox Hunt (Florence, 1478)
  • Memory 3 – See You There (Florence, 1478)
  • Memory 4 – Novella's Secret (Florence, 1478)
  • Memory 5 – Wolves In Sheep's Clothing (Florence, 1478)
  • Memory 6 – Farewell Francesco (Florence, 1478) *
• Sequence 5 – Loose Ends (1478 - 1480)
  
  • Memory 1 – Four To The Floor (Florence, 1478)
  • Memory 2 – A Blade With Bite (Florence, 1478)
  • Memory 3 – Evasive Maneuvers (Monteriggioni, 1478)
  • Memory 4 – Town Crier (Tuscany, 1478) *
  • Memory 5 – Behind Closed Doors (Tuscany, 1479) *
  • Memory 6 – Come Out And Play (Tuscany, 1479) *
  • Memory 7 – The Cowl Does Not Make The Monk (Tuscany, 1479) *
  • Memory 8 – With Friends Like These (Tuscany, 1480) *
• Sequence 6 – Rocky Road (1480 - 1481)
  
  • Memory 1 – Road Trip (Florence, 1480)
  • Memory 2 – Romagna Holiday (Apennine Mountains, 1480)
  • Memory 3 – Tutti A Bordo (Romagna, 1481)
• Present 2 – An Unexpected Journey (2012)
  
  • Part 1 – Bleeding Effect (Warehouse, 2012)
  • Part 2 – Bloodlines (Acre, 1192)
• Sequence 7 – The Merchant of Venice (1481 - 1485)
  
  • Memory 1 – Benvenuto (Venice, 1481)
  • Memory 2 – That's Gonna Leave A Mark (Venice, 1481)
  • Memory 3 – Building Blocks (Venice, 1481)
  • Memory 4 – Breakout (Venice, 1481 - 1485)
  • Memory 5 – Clothes Make The Man (Venice, 1481 - 1485)
  • Memory 6 – Cleaning House (Venice, 1481 - 1485)
  • Memory 7 – Monkey See, Monkey Do (Venice, 1481 - 1485)
  • Memory 8 – By Leaps And Bounds (Venice, 1481 - 1485)
  • Memory 9 – Everything Must Go (Venice, 1485) *
• Sequence 8 – Necessity, Mother Of Invention (1485)
  
  • Memory 1 – Birds Of A Feather (Venice, 1485)
  • Memory 2 – If At First You Don't Succeed... (Venice, 1485)
  • Memory 3 – Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained (Venice, 1485)
  • Memory 4 – Well Begun Is Half Done (Venice, 1485)
  • Memory 5 – Infrequent Flier (Venice, 1485) *
• Sequence 9 – Carnevale (1486)
  
  • Memory 1 – Knowledge Is Power (Venice, 1486)
  • Memory 2 – Damsels In Distress (Venice, 1486)
  • Memory 3 – Nun The Wiser (Venice, 1486)
  • Memory 4 – And They're Off (Venice, 1486)
  • Memory 5 – CTF (Venice, 1486)
  • Memory 6 – Ribbon Round-Up (Venice, 1486)
  • Memory 7 – Cheaters Never Prosper (Venice, 1486)
  • Memory 8 – Having A Blast (Venice, 1486) *
• Sequence 10 – Force Majeure (1486)
  
  • Memory 1 – An Unpleasant Turn Of Events (Venice, 1486)
  • Memory 2 – Caged Fighter (Venice, 1486)
  • Memory 3 – Leave No Man Behind (Venice, 1486)
  • Memory 4 – Assume The Position (Venice, 1486)
  • Memory 5 – Two Birds, One Blade (Venice, 1486) *
• Sequence 11 – Alter Egos (1488)
  
  • Memory 1 – All Things Come To He Who Waits (Venice, 1488)
  • Memory 2 – Play Along (Venice, 1488)
• Sequence 12 – Forlì Under Attack (1488)
  
  • Memory 1 – A Warm Welcome (Romagna, 1488)
  • Memory 2 – Bodyguard (Forlì, 1488)
  • Memory 3 – Holding The Fort (Forlì, 1488)
  • Memory 4 – Godfather (Romagna, 1488) *
  • Memory 5 – Checcomate (Romagna, 1488) *
  • Memory 6 – Far From The Tree (Romagna, 1488)
• Sequence 13 – Bonfire of the Vanities (1497)
  
  • Memory 1 – Florentine Fiasco (Florence, 1497)
  • Memory 2 – Still Life (Florence, 1497)
  • Memory 3 – Climbing The Ranks (Florence, 1497)
  • Memory 4 – Upward Mobility (Florence, 1497)
  • Memory 5 – Last Rites (Florence, 1497)
  • Memory 6 – Port Authority (Florence, 1497)
  • Memory 7 – Surgical Strike (Florence, 1497)
  • Memory 8 – Hitting The Hay (Florence, 1497)
  • Memory 9 – Arch Nemesis (Florence, 1497)
  • Memory 10 – Doomsday (Florence, 1497)
  • Memory 11 – Power To The People (Florence, 1498)
  • Memory 12 – Mob Justice (Florence, 1498) *
• Sequence 14 – Veni, Vidi, Vici (1499)
  
  • Memory 1 – X Marks The Spot (Monteriggioni, 1499)
  • Memory 2 – In Bocca Al Lupo (Rome, 1499) *
  • The Vault – Rome (1499)
• Present 4 – An Old Friend Returns (2012)

COMPLETION RATING

In order for Desmond to reach 100.0% overall synchronization with Ezio's life, all of the following must be completed/collected on a single save file:

• all story missions
• all side missions (courier, beat up, race, assassination)
• 100 feathers (and placed in the chest)
• 8 statues (and place on the pedestals)
• 20 glyphs (and solve the puzzles)
• 66 viewpoints (73 if you have the Bonfire of the Vanities DLC)
• all weapons purchased (does not include the six PS3 exclusive weapons)
• all armor pieces purchased
• Altaïr's Armor unlocked
• all pouches
• all villa upgrades
• all paintings
• all Assassin tombs*
• all Templar lairs*

* These include the exclusive pre-order and special edition content, as well as the U-play-exclusive map.

The DLC packs containing Sequences 12 and 13 are not necessary to reach 100% synchronization. The percentage will be based on whether or not you have the packs. For example, if you had 100% sychronization and then downloaded Sequence 12: Battle of Forlì, your percentage would be reduced to accommodate the new story missions that DLC pack brings with it. Completing the missions will bring you back to 100%.

ABILITIES LIST

Below is a full list of Ezio's abilities, sorted by when he first acquires them or can first use them.

Keep in mind that some skills may be used before "learning" them in a particular mission. The order of this list is based on the point at which Ezio can first use the ability, not when he receives official instruction.

Non-Combat

Sequence 1

• Memory 1:
  • Movement (Walk / Run / Fast Walk / Jump / Sprint)
  • Gentle Push / Shove / Loot
  • Eagle Vision
• After Memory 1:
  
  • Hide
  • Steal / Free-Run
  • Pick Up Body / Drop Body
  • Drop / Grasp / Pounce / Tackle
  • Speak
  • Swim (Fast Swim / Dive / Scramble)
• Memory 3:
  
  • Throw Money
• Memory 4:
  
  • Medicine
  • Leap of Faith
  • Synchronize / Shop
• Memory 9:
  
  • Interact

Sequence 2

• Memory 1:
  • Blend
  • Hire
• Memory 4:
  
  • Bribe

Sequence 3

• After Memory 3:
  • Ride Horse (Mount / Dismount / Walk / Gallop / Jump / Attack / Rear)

Sequence 6

• Memory 3:
  • Ride Gondola (Row / Walk)

Sequence 7

• Memory 7:
  • Climb Leap

Sequence 13

• Memory 1:
  • Sprint Jump

Combat

Sequence 1

• Memory 1:
  • Unarmed
  • Unarmed Counter
  • Grab ► Head Butt / Punch / Throw / Knee
  • Block / Deflect
  • Strafe
  • Taunt
  • Escape Fight
• Memory 11:
  
  • Throw Sand (Unarmed Special)
  • Medium Weapon
  • Combo Attack
  • Counter Kill
  • Grab ► Kill

Sequence 2

• Memory 2:
  • Hidden Blade / Assassinate

Sequence 3

• After Memory 1:
  • Pick Up Weapon / Drop Weapon
• Memory 2:
  
  • Small Weapon
• After Memory 3:
  
  • Throwing Knives
  • Flying Knives (Throwing Knives Special); learn at the Fight Ring in Monteriggioni
  • Smash (Heavy Weapon Special); learn at the Fight Ring in Monteriggioni
  • Sweep (Long Weapon Special); learn at the Fight Ring in Monteriggioni
  • Disarm; acquired upon arriving in Tuscany*

*Ezio can disarm Brutes right from Sequence 1, long before he acquires the ability in Sequence 3. As there are very few accessible Brutes prior to acquiring the ability, it seems likely that the game design did not anticipate fighting any before that point.

Sequence 4

• Memory 1:
  • Air Assassination
  • Assassinate from Ledge
  • Assassinate from Hiding
  • Double Hidden Blades / Double Assassination

Sequence 5

• Memory 2:
  • Poison
• Memory 3:
  
  • Dodge
• Memory 7:
  
  • Smoke Bombs

Sequence 9

• Memory 1:
  • Pistol
• After Memory 1:
  
  • Intimidate (Pistol Special); learn at the Fight Ring in Monteriggioni

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can I replay memories?

Story memories cannot be replayed. This function was originally part of the game, however the game's release date deadline did not allow for sufficient testing of this feature, therefore it was removed prior to retail release. This capability may be included with the second downloadable content (DLC) pack which will be released mid February, 2010.

However, all side missions and Assassin tombs/Templar lairs can be replayed at any time after first completing them. They made be activated as follows:

1. Pause the game to go into the Animus Desktop Menu
2. Select 'DNA'
3. Move to the right of the story sequences until you pass the part that says 'Secondary Memories'
4. Select the category of memory you want to replay
5. Select the specific memory you want to replay
6. Press the button corresponding to 'Replay Memory'

For Xbox 360 players, there is a great way to replay any story mission if they are willing to put some work (and money) into it first. The following YouTube video describes the method in detail. The video uses the original Assassin's Creed as its example, but it works just the same for Assassin's Creed II.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9tGJ0hca1w

A similar technique can be used for the Playstation 3 version of the game. However, it is not nearly as convenient as the AC2 save file on PS3 is locked and cannot be copied. The only way to back it up is to back up the entire PS3 hard drive. This is a very slow process. Restoring the hard drive image is equally slow, and it will also overwrite any changes you have made to any other games since your last hard drive backup. This technique will not be useful to most players.

Can I unequip armor?

Armor cannot be unequipped. Individual armor pieces may be swapped with others, but not removed.

Pieces of Altaïr's Armor cannot be swapped individually; the entire set must be equipped simultaneously. When swapping any individual piece of a set with a piece from Altaïr's Armor, both sets will be completely swapped.

To swap armor pieces, do the following:

• Travel to Monteriggioni
• Enter the Villa via the front door
• Enter the room to the left
• Move north into the next room, the armor display room
• Approach any armor display and press the button to Interact
• The individual pieces of the set are listed; selecting a piece shows its statistics
• Select the piece you want and press the corresponding button to 'Equip'

If you desire to play the later portions of the game with no visible armor, the only method is to simply never purchase any armor throughout the game. In S3M2, Ezio is required to purchase the Leather Greaves; this is the only required armor purchase in the game. As these are the same boots in which Ezio is wearing in most publicity art for the game, it still gives the appearance that Ezio is not wearing any armor. Simply do not purchase any other armor pieces and Ezio will retain this look throughout the game.

This is also compatible with Altaïr's Armor, as equipping the Leather Greaves will remove all of Altaïr's Armor and only equip the boots.

Can I unequip/drop my dagger/sword/mace?

Small and medium weapons currently equipped to Ezio cannot be unequipped or dropped. However, they may be swapped with others at the villa, and they may even be forcefully removed from Ezio's grasp by Agile and Brute guards during combat.

To swap weapons at the villa, do the following:

• Travel to Monteriggioni
• Enter the Villa via the front door
• Enter the room to the left, the weapon display room
• Approach any weapon display and press the button to Interact
• The individual weapons in that category are listed; selecting one shows its statistics
• Select the weapon you want to equip and press the button corresponding to 'Equip'

There is a simple trick which allows Ezio to drop his equipped medium weapon:

• Travel to Monteriggioni
• Initiate Fight Practice at the Fight Ring in Monteriggioni
• Select 'Moves'
• Select 'Picking Up Weapons'
• As the tutorial instructs, stand over the weapon and press the [Empty Hand] button to pick it up
• Attack the opponent once with the [Armed Hand] button to complete the tutorial
• Press the corresponding button to 'select another tutorial'
• Exit the Fight Practice menu

Ezio's medium weapon will now be at his feet and his medium weapon slot will be empty. Alternatively, you may pause and quit the game as soon as the tutorial starts and upon reloading the save, Ezio's medium weapon slot will still be empty.

Where is Leonardo?

Leonardo is in Florence up until the end of Sequence 5. For Sequences 7 through 11, he will be in Venice. After Sequence 11, he can be found in Monteriggioni in the villa.

Leonardo's exact location will be shown by an "L" icon on the map of the city he is in. The icon will only show up when Ezio has encrypted Codex pages to hand over to Leonardo.

Most of the confusion over Leonardo's location comes from players starting Sequence 14 without having first played Sequence 12 (available via DLC). At the beginning of S12, Mario invites Leonardo to come stay at the villa, where he remains until Ezio heads off to Rome in Sequence 14. Without having the S12 DLC, players wouldn't be informed of Leonardo's new location and assume he is still in Venice.

What are the Keys for?

The Keys are unusable. They do not show up in Ezio's inventory in the Animus Desktop Menu and they do not have any noticeable purpose in the game. It is assumed that they served a function in the game at some point during the development process, but their functionality has since been removed. It is also possible that future DLC will provide a use for these items.

In order to find Keys, complete all of the assassination side missions. On the very last one available in Venice entitled 'Hunting The Hunter', complete the mission as normal. The decoy dummy Ezio found near the end of the mission can be looted during the mission or immediately after its completion. Upon looting this dummy, Ezio will find Keys.

Leonardo's training dummies will also yield Keys upon being looted. However, it appears that the only training dummy that can be looted is in S9M1. It is the dummy up on the ledge. The others fall into the water when shot, so they are unlootable. Leonardo's training dummies in S4M1 each disappear as soon as you've "killed" them, so they also seem to be unlootable.

GAME MECHANICS

Enemy Health / Hit Points

The starting health (hit points) of the various enemy types in the game varies drastically, despite the fact that they all have six health blocks. The actual hit points an enemy has depends upon their class, the region in which they occupy and your current point of progression through the game's story. Venice guards have more hit points than Florence guards of the same class, Florence guards later in the game will have more hit points than Florence guards near the beginning of the game, et cetera. The curve is fairly linear; the further you progress into the game, the more hit points the enemies typically have.

Following is a list of basic enemy classes, organized from lowest to highest hit points:

1. standard citizen
2. offensive citizen (mission-based)
3. Agile
4. standard guard / archer
5. advanced guard / Seeker
6. Brute
7. story assassination target

Damage Dealt in Combat

The hidden blades deal little damage with normal strikes, just slightly more than attacking while unarmed with the Metal Cestus equipped. This damage does not change throughout the entire game.

Small and medium weapons (not including the aforementioned Metal Cestus; see below) deal varying amounts of damage depending on the damage rating of the specific weapon equipped. Small weapons typically have lower damage ratings than medium weapons.

Like the hidden blades, the amount of damage Ezio deals to opponents while unarmed is the same throughout the entire game. The only way to change the amount of damage dealt is by purchasing the Metal Cestus weapon.

While the Metal Cestus is categorized as a small weapon, it technically is not. It is a unique case; its only purpose is to permanently increase the damage Ezio deals while unarmed and it cannot be removed/unequipped once acquired. Consider this fact carefully before making the decision to purchase the cestus.

Instant Kills

Ezio can kill guards, couriers, pickpockets and civilians in a single hit if he stands very close and attacks them while they are not actively in combat mode. The most common usage of this technique is to simply walk up to an unsuspecting target and assassinate them with the hidden blade. However, this also works with any melee weapon Ezio is currently equipped with when the [Armed Hand] button is pressed. Simply approach the target and assassinate them with your mace, spear, et cetera. Ezio needs to stand very close; standing further than a certain distance will result in him swinging the weapon and merely dealing a single hit of damage, rather than instantly killing the target. This range depends on the weapon being used.

When a target is actively engaged in combat, attacking the opponent from behind with the hidden blade or any weapon will result in an instant kill as long as the target is not locked-on to Ezio. This works best if the target is panicking and about to flee, or if they are locked-on to one of Ezio's allies. Simply position Ezio behind the intended target and attack for an instant kill. This is a very quick method to dispatch groups of guards when Ezio has the luxury of help – have him send in some mercenaries to initiate combat with the guards, then stroll into the battle and walk around back-stabbing the guards with the weapon of your choice. As long as Ezio stands directly behind them and doesn't draw their attention, he can continue to take out his opponents one by one with little effort.

Another sneaky way to capitalize on this is to have Ezio throw an opponent to the ground. He can move around behind his target as they are standing up and initiate an instant kill move simply by attacking them from behind.

Counter Attacks

Counter attacks are performed by holding the [High Profile] button and pressing the [Armed Hand] button right when an opponent's attack is about to hit Ezio. Timing is important as the window of opportunity for a counter attack is brief. The length of this window depends on the type of weapon currently equipped. The hidden blades have the shortest window. Small weapons have a slightly longer window while unarmed and medium weapons have the longest window of opportunity.

Counter attacks come in two main varieties – damaging and instant kill. This is dependant on the opponent's hit points at the time the counter move is performed. If the opponent's current hit points are low enough, the counter attack will automatically kill them via a fancy counter-kill animation. If the opponent's current hit points are too high, the counter attack will fail and the opponent will block Ezio's attack.

This blocked counter still deals damage to the enemy, despite some of the animations implying the opposite. The amount of damage dealt to the enemy is usually a minimum of one block of health (1/6 of their hit points); when using weaker weapons or fighting unarmed, this damage is often significantly higher than landing a regular strike.

For enemies who have too many hit points to counter-kill, simply damage them via any method until their hit points are low enough, at which point any further counter will instantly kill them. For tougher enemies, this counter-killable state is visually indicated by the enemy assuming a tired-looking stance, rather than the usual energetic attack stance.

The hit point level required for an enemy to be subject to a counter-kill remains the same throughout the game. Early in the game, most standard enemies can be killed immediately with a single counter. Later in the game, enemies will need to be damaged significantly before they are subject to a counter-kill.

None of the above applies to the hidden blades; hidden blade counters will always result in an instant kill to any enemy when used successfully as a counter. The only enemies who do not instantly fall prey to the hidden blade counters are some of the main assassination targets, particularly ones in which Ezio is not supposed to kill yet at that point in the game.

In order to counter attack an opponent while Ezio is unarmed, the enemy also must be unarmed. Countering while Ezio is unarmed and the opponent is armed performs the disarm move instead.

Enemies using large weapons (Brutes and Seekers) will only succumb to counter attacks from the hidden blades or other large weapons, no matter how high or low their health may be. Attempting counter attacks against large weapons with small or medium weapons will fail and Ezio will take a hit.

Disarming Opponents

To perform the disarm move, simply counter attack an armed opponent while Ezio is unarmed.

The disarm move is technically a counter attack and follows most of the same rules. A disarm attempt will deal damage to the enemy whether or not it succeeds in disarming the opponent. The disarm will only succeed when the enemy's hit points are low enough. Although a successful disarm deals damage, it will never deal the killing blow.

Upon successfully disarming an opponent's weapon, there is a brief moment where the opponent staggers; this opens a short window of opportunity for a one-hit kill. Simply attack with the newly acquired weapon immediately upon disarming the opponent for an instant kill.

To drop any weapon that Ezio acquires from an opponent (or picks up off the ground), simply press down on [Quick Inventory] to 're-equip' the unarmed style, do anything that could be considered 'free-running' (sprinting, jumping, climbing, etc.) or travel to another zone/area. Ezio will also automatically drop an acquired weapon once combat naturally ends (when the last enemy dies or flees).

When performing a killing blow with an acquired weapon, some animations result in the weapon being left stuck in the enemy's body. Pick up and drop the corpse to free the weapon to make it available to pick up again.

If Ezio does not currently have a weapon in the small or medium weapon slot, the next small or medium weapon he picks up will remain as a permanent equip in that spot until disarmed, dropped or switched at the villa.

Grabbing and Tackling

Like countering and disarming, grabbing an enemy can only be done if their health is low enough or they are naturally vulnerable to that attack (like unarmed Brutes).

Grabbing and simply holding an enemy can be useful to block incoming attacks from other enemies. However, once the victim has been hit, Ezio will automatically release them. Grabbing an enemy while equipped with a medium weapon will cause Ezio to hold them like a human shield, and is more effective than when equipped with any other weapon. Another benefit of this is that pressing the [Armed Hand] button causes Ezio to slice his victim's throat with the sword for an easy kill. Even when equipped with a blunt medium weapon, Ezio will still 'slice' the enemy's throat.

Attempting to grab while running results in Ezio tackling his target to the ground. This move will cause both Ezio and his target to completely stop moving until they both stand up again. Be careful when performing this move on rooftops, as Ezio will tackle his target over the edge of a roof and they will 'land' in mid-air and then rise to their feet. At that moment, they will both fall. Be prepared to grab for any nearby ledges to avoid a nasty fall.

Tackling works a little differently when used against a path-blocking guard. Guards who are attempting to stop Ezio from escaping will raise their sword/mace handle above their head and stand in a poised position. Tackling a guard when he is in this animation will cause Ezio to knock them down, but Ezio will roll and quickly get back up on his feet to continuing running. This is a handy way to get through human roadblocks without slowing down too much.

Dodging and Strafing

Dodging and strafing allow Ezio to nimbly move around during combat. These moves can be used for positioning, to avoid attacks or to simply move around more quickly without breaking out of combat.

Strafe is the more basic move that is available right from the beginning of Ezio's adventures. Its purpose is for positioning. Ezio can use strafe to freely and nimbly move around during combat to ensure that he is always in a favorable position.

Strafe is performed by pressing the button while in combat. Holding a direction on the analog stick while pressing the button will allow Ezio to step in that direction. Pressing the button without using the analog stick causes Ezio to step away from his opponent, the same result as holding backward on the analog stick.

Dodge is a version of strafe that is used for avoiding attacks. Ezio acquires this ability in S5M3. Dodge is a much more effective means of avoiding attacks than strafe as dodge moves Ezio further and slightly faster in the given direction.

Dodge is performed by holding the [High Profile] button and pressing the button while being attacked in combat. If Ezio is not currently being attacked, the dodge move will fail and he will briefly crouch instead. This is similar to a failed counter attack. Like strafe, dodge can be used in conjunction with the analog stick to direct Ezio's movement.

Another key difference between strafe and dodge is that when close to his opponent, if Ezio strafes to either side he will step around the opponent and end up behind him. If using dodge in the same situation, Ezio will leap directly to the side rather than around the opponent.

Unarmed Finishing Moves

While fighting unarmed, Ezio is capable of performing brutal finishing moves on his opponents when the circumstances are right.

To perform a finisher, Ezio must deliver an unarmed attack as the killing blow while the opponent is staggering, panicking (but not yet fleeing) or has just missed an attack. In other words, during a vulnerable animation. This will only work when they are just a single hit away from death.

The window of opportunity for performing a finisher in this manner is often short as the length of the animation is short. Proper timing is crucial. Note that continuously tapping the [Armed Hand] button while an opponent begins staggering will not work; the button press must be timed right.

To make a guard stagger continuously for several seconds, have Ezio throw sand at them. This will give him a wide window in which to set up a finisher.

Another easy method of performing an unarmed finisher is to move behind an opponent who is standing up after being thrown to the ground and attack them while unarmed. This works regardless of their health, but Ezio must be locked-on to them to initiate the finishing move.

A more difficult way to perform a finisher is to disarm the opponent, drop the weapon and perform an unarmed attack while they are still in the staggering animation. The timing is very tight, and other battle factors will also play a part in the success or failure of this maneuver. You also cannot be holding toward the opponent on the analog stick to perform a finisher in this situation; if you do so, the move will not work.

The disarm method does not require the opponent's health to be low, but the lower it is the longer the enemy remains in the stagger animation, making it easier to initiate the finisher.

Which finishing move animation plays out is determined by Ezio's position in relation to his opponent's at the moment the [Armed Hand] button is pressed. Obviously, the throw-down method will only allow for the animations based on Ezio being behind his opponent, while the disarm method will only allow for the animations based on Ezio being in front of his opponent.

Falling / Dropping Damage

Falling or dropping a certain distance will cause damage to Ezio when he lands on the ground. We will measure this distance in stories, based on the height his feet are at when the drop begins.

Ezio must fall at least two full stories to incur damage. This means that he must drop from a height in which his feet are level with or above the height of the third story's floor.

The following represents how much damage Ezio incurs when falling various distances.

• 2 to 2.5 stories = 30% damage
• 3 to 3.5 stories = 50% damage
• 4 to 4.5 stories = 75% damage
• 5 or more stories = 100% damage (instant death)

Ezio will never die from a drop of less than five stories no matter how much health he had prior to the fall. However, such a drop will leave him a single hit from desynchronization.

Running Off Ledges

Ezio has the ability to step off a ledge and drop straight down by holding [High Profile] while moving toward the edge. This only occurs when the drop is short enough for Ezio to not take damage from a normal landing. In other words, only when the drop is less than three stories.

If Ezio attempts to run off a ledge at a height of three stories or greater, he will simply swing around and grab the ledge and hang from it. This is identical to standing on any ledge and pressing [Empty Hand].

Break-Fall

Ezio can avoid taking damage from drops of a certain height by using the break-fall move. The break-fall is performed simply by holding forward on the analog stick as Ezio lands.

Break-fall works whether Ezio is dropping at a forward trajectory or falling straight downward. Ezio can perform the break-fall when dropping a distance of 1 to 2.5 stories. If the drop is any longer or shorter, the break-fall will not occur and Ezio will perform a normal landing (and take the applicable amount of damage).

CONTENT AND EXTRAS

Exclusive Maps

People who purchased a special edition of Assassin's Creed II for Playstation 3 or Xbox 360 received codes to unlock exclusive maps in the game. Many stores also offered some of these maps as a bonus for pre-ordering the game.

These maps come in the form of Templar lairs, which are essentially Assassin tombs but with a Templar theme. They are:

• Home Invasion
• Over Beams, Under Stone
• Shipwrecked

Home Invasion first becomes available in Sequence 4 and the entrance is located in the district of San Marco, Florence. Over Beams, Under Stone opens up in Sequence 7 and can be entered from the district of San Polo, Venice. Shipwrecked is available as of Sequence 10 and the entrance can be found in the Castello district in Venice.

There is also a Uplay downloadable Assassin tomb map entitled Paying Respects. This is the Auditore Family Crypt and is found in Monteriggioni any time during or after Sequence 4.

While all four of these maps count towards the game's overall completion rating, there are no rewards for completing them other than the additional money Ezio finds within.

Game Updates (Patches)

The console versions of Assassin's Creed II have received game updates in the form of patches. These patches include bugfixes and other tweaks to improve gameplay integrity.

Both the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 versions have thus far received the same updates. However, based on some reports, this may or may not be the case (see below).

Patch version numbers are not used in this FAQ as the numbers seem to vary by region. The very same patch might be labeled as v1.01 in one region and v1.02 in another region. The patches appear to be identical. It seems as though it is merely a labeling inconsistency.

First Update
The first game update was released on December 9, 2009. This patch included the following changes, per Ubisoft's official Assassin's Creed forums:

Second Update
A second game update was released on January 18, 2010. As Ubisoft did not release patch notes for this update, the changes are unknown. The most popular speculation is that this update was some sort of compatibility preparation for the DLC pack to be released the following week.

Third Update?
Some PS3 users have reported an additional update subsequent to the second patch. The filesize is identical to that of the second patch, so it is speculated that it is merely a re-installation of the second patch for an undisclosed reason. No additional game changes have been noted.

Downloadable Content (DLC)

In December 2009, Ubisoft officially announced two DLC packs for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of Assassin's Creed II. They are entitled Sequence 12: Battle of Forlì and Sequence 13: Bonfire of the Vanities.

Sequence 12: Battle of Forlì
Battle of Forlì was released on January 28, 2010. It provides players with the contents of the missing Sequence 12, containing six memories. The download size varies by region, but it is less than 800 MB on both systems in every region. It retails for $3.99 USD on the Playstation Network and 320 MS Points on the Xbox Live Marketplace.

This DLC pack features the return of Leonardo's flying machine, allowing players to use it as often as they wish, including in the post-credits gameplay. It can be accessed from the top of the tower at the north-east corner of Romagna. This is a boon for those who missed the Fly Swatter trophy/achievement during Sequence 8.

Sequence 13: Bonfire of the Vanities
Bonfire of the Vanities was released on February 18, 2010. It covers Sequence 13 and brings with it 12 new memories plus the previously blocked southern district of Florence. This DLC pack retails for $3.99 USD on the Playstation Network and 320 MS Points on the Xbox Live Marketplace. The size is slightly over 1 GB.

An alternate version of The Bonfire of the Vanities DLC pack is also available for $6.99 USD on the Playstation Network and 560 MS Points on the Xbox Live Marketplace. This version comes with the three special edition/pre-order Templar lair maps, Palazzo Medici, Santa Maria Del Frari and Arsenal Shipyard.

The Giant Octopus

In the sixth Assassin tomb in Santa Maria della Visitazione (Dorsoduro district, Venice), there is a hidden feature to catch intrepid explorers off guard.

Upon reaching the second half of the tomb (after completing the chase segment), there is a lever which engages a timed puzzle involving the entire underground room. If Ezio pulls this lever and then approaches the nearby edge and peers into the water, he will eventually see something he never expected.

There doesn't appear to be a specific purpose to the octopus's appearance. It seems to be something random that the developers threw in for us to find. The octopus will only appear in the two short sequences demonstrated in the video above. It will not show up anywhere else in the room under any circumstances. It will not attack Ezio if he swims in the water. It is purely for show, and a good (albeit brief) show it is.

BUGS, EXPLOITS AND OTHER ODDITIES

"Airwalk"

The original retail release of Assassin's Creed II for Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 contained a bug which allowed Ezio to literally walk on air. This exploit was removed from both console versions in the first update patch. It is assumed that the PC version and later retail prints of the console versions will already contain this update, so it will only be available for AC2's earliest adopters who refused (or removed) the update patches.

In order to perform the airwalk, you must have purchased the Flying Knives special ability from the Fight Ring in Monteriggioni. This cannot be purchased until after completing S3M3, so airwalk is unavailable prior to completing this mission.

Once Ezio has acquired the Flying Knives ability, simply stand on any elevated surface, equip the throwing knives, press and hold [Armed Hand] and then walk, run or sprint off the ledge. Ezio will continue to move parallel to the ground in the same direction and at that same speed until one of the following conditions is met:

• releasing the [Armed Hand] button
• switching the equipped weapon
• Ezio gets hit
• Ezio is desynchronized due to crossing map boundaries

Once one of these events occurs, the airwalk will end and Ezio will plummet.

Ezio cannot change speed, height or direction during the airwalk, nor can he begin another airwalk while falling. As such, it is best to carefully plan your airwalks prior to performing them. You must find a clear path with no obstacles and a safe place for Ezio to land near your destination. It is also advisable to avoid doing this while notorious, as archers will attack much sooner after spotting Ezio and his inability to maneuver makes him an easy target to hit.

Once the airwalk has begun, only the [Armed Hand] button needs to be held; the other buttons and the analog stick may be released.

The two typical ways of ending the airwalk are to release the [Armed Hand] button or to switch the equipped weapon with [Quick Inventory] or [Weapon Selector]. Each has drawbacks, depending on the situation.

Releasing the [Armed Hand] button while Ezio is running along a stable surface will cause him to throw a knife and deplete his stock by one. Ezio will not throw a knife if his feet are not in contact with a surface when the [Armed Hand] button is released. Instead, he will simply fall. Prior to falling, there is a very brief moment where Ezio may change direction and add a small amount of forward momentum to his fall. This allows for greater freedom in landing on or grabbing a particular ledge.

Switching weapons while Ezio is running along a stable surface will not cause him to throw a knife, allowing you to conserve stock. However, ending the airwalk via switching weapons while airborne does not give Ezio the chance to change direction, causing him to fall directly downward. This makes it much more difficult to land on or grab the desired ledge. Due to this limitation, using the weapon switching method of ending the airwalk is not recommended when Ezio is not already in contact with a stable surface.

While airwalking, Ezio will not pass through any walls or objects that he normally could not pass through. If Ezio airwalks into a wall, he will continue to run on air in the spot, and (depending on his angle of contact with the vertical surface) he will slowly slide along the wall until he moves past the edge of the wall or is trapped in a corner. This mechanic can be useful to plot the destination of an airwalk; in most cases you can simply end the airwalk once Ezio contacts the vertical surface and then hold [Empty Hand] to grab any ledges or handholds as he falls down along the wall. This is usually easier to judge from a distance than aiming for a horizontal surface at a lower altitude than the beginning surface. It is also easier to give you a timing point at which to end the airwalk – you will not 'overshoot' an impassible obstacle.

Can't pick up the box!

Many players have noted having trouble picking up Leonardo's crate in the middle of S1M8, "Friend Of The Family". They press the [Empty Hand] button over and over, they stand on different sides of the crate and at different angles, and they even chant magic curse words in the hopes that our young friend Ezio will finally take the hint and pick up the damned box. But alas, it just doesn't happen.

This is an intermittent bug in the game. No one knows exactly what issues the game is having. Sometimes during your frantic and angry attempt to grab the box, Ezio will just listen to you all of a sudden and pick up the box for no apparent reason. Other times he will never pick it up no matter how long you keep trying.

Some people have had success by quitting from the pause menu and reloading the save. Others have had success aborting the mission and re-attempting it. Still others have had to shut off the system and turn it back on before Ezio returned from la-la land and came to his senses.

A tip that some people claim has helped them is to repeatedly tap the [Empty Hand] button while Ezio is standing right in front of the crate.

Whatever the case may be, if you encounter this bug, don't get discouraged. Ezio will wise up eventually, trust us!

Altaïr and the Tower of Impossibility

During the second part of the P2 chapter, you will gain control of Altaïr and one of your tasks will be to climb a familiar tower in Acre. However, there is some sort of issue with the collision detection of the horizontal post with the lantern hanging from it. Many players have issues directing Altaïr to climb up onto that post, which is a requisite step of climbing to the top of the tower. Some players have reported spending countless minutes trying to climb up this tower. Good thing Maria is a patient woman.

A simple and consistently successful method to climb onto that post is to have Altaïr first climb onto the railing and sit directly below the lantern. Press and hold the [High Profile] button and press and release the button. Do not press a direction on the analog stick. If done correctly, Altaïr will jump straight up and should grab the post. From here it is a simple matter of continuing the ascent.

There is No Spoon

While each zone in the game is vast, the game is only capable of rendering physical objects and NPC's within a certain distance of Ezio. If he moves too far away from something and it is not within his direct line of sight, the game stops rendering that object and it effectively vanishes from the game world.

Ever notice how on most missions, once a target has been identified, Ezio must remain within a certain distance of that target or face desynchronization? This is to prevent Ezio from moving far enough away that the game will stop rendering the target or the physical world objects he/she is interacting with.

In certain situations, this mechanic was overlooked and Ezio can move as far away from his target as he pleases. Moving far enough away could cause the game to stop rendering the very ground the target is standing on, causing them to fall to their death.

IanXO4 has found such a situation and demonstrates it in his video Dante Moro and Silvio Barbarigo - Assassination Variety Pack. By moving far enough away from Dante and Silvio, the ship they are standing on is no longer being rendered by the game, thus they fall into the water and drown.

It appears that this mechanic can also be exploited during several of the assassination missions in Sequence 13. Try it out and see what you can find.