The original Assassin’s Creed was quite the breakthrough title, considering it immediately became the fastest selling new IP, a record it still holds. It’s been two years since then and the highly anticipated sequel has arrive to continue the original’s cliffhanger plot, and deliver more content and refined gameplay on top of that. Does Assassin’s Creed II actually deliver on these aspects?

Assassin’s Creed II is a direct sequel to the events that took place in the original. The game follows protagonist Desmond Miles in a new journey to uncover the secret behind the company that kidnapped him, with the help of former employee Lucy Stillman. This time Desmond uses the Animus, a machine that takes people into a virtual reality of their ancestors, to tap into the past of an Italian ancestor named Ezio Auditore. At this point the player takes control of Ezio in the 1400’s through different locations in Italy. Ezio is a very charismatic sort of person, and it really comes through in the stellar voice acting, which is also true for the rest of the cast. Everyone speaks so passionately in their roles, and none of the accents come off as really fake; it helps keep the players immersed in the whole story. In fact, the whole game sounds great and keeps everything together really well. Everything from small grunts when climbing or characters dying, to the sound of the roof tiles beneath Ezio’s feet as he crosses rooftops – they all just sounds great.

Speaking of roof tiles, there are a lot of them to cover as the game progresses. One of the greatest things about Assassin’s Creed II is the exploration as there is a lot of area in general to traverse in the game. Taking place in famous cities such as Venice, there are major landmarks scattered throughout each level of the game. The high attention to detail is outright impressive, with all sorts of little history blurbs to see and read about as Ezio traverses the cities and villas. Hidden items scattered throughout the game range from statues, to feathers, to scrolls, which all benefit Ezio in one way or another. It’s made very clear that exploration is a key part of the game.

The second most important part of the game is the combat, by a hair. Ezio comes armed with a huge arsenal of equipment and weapons to unleash on his enemies. There are many ways to assassinate different figures in the game, whether it be nobles or guards. There’s the hidden blades, which have become a staple of the franchise, as well as daggers, throwing knives, swords and smoke bombs to do everything from execute, assassinate, or even escape conflict. The great thing about all these weapons is that they are all fairly unique in combat. Hidden blades perform a variety of really cool assassination, from a quick jab in the stomach to a leaping stab in the back of the neck. There is also a nice range of counter attack kills that Ezio can perform and the addition of disarming opponents is very welcome. The combat also holds up very well even when Ezio is facing a slew of enemies at once, which happens quite often throughout the game.

Of course, neither the combat or exploration would mean anything without some solid controls to back them up, and Assassin’s Creed 2 does this very well. The climbing and jumping is all very nicely animated and flows very smoothly. All of the moving and combat is also very stylized, which makes the attacks and jumps feel great and are a lot of fun to pull off. Everything moves as the player would expect for the most part, with the exception of a couple of cases where Ezio seemed to be very picky about where he was going to climb next. Sometimes Ezio will accidentally jumping off of a tower, occasionally leading to death, but for the most part it’s not really frequent enough to become troublesome.

The variety of the missions and the pacing continue to impress. There’s a huge amount of content to be had, and it never really gets boring. Even the main story missions vary so much that it just pulls the player in and doesn’t let go. Assassination missions are fun in the story, and there are a bunch on the side missions as well. There are also a plethora of different missions like races, and even festival games like capture the flag are thrown in for good measure. The game has such a nicely balanced reward system that none of it really feels like wasting time. For example, there is a whole town upkeep portion to the game that doesn’t do much in terms of gameplay, but allows an investment system to be introduced into the game, which allows players to earn more money every twenty minutes to buy new items and weapons.

Conclusion
There is a lot to be had in Assassin’s Creed II. Whether it’s the combat, the exploration, or all the side story, there is just so much to be done and it’s all just plain fun. Not to mention the great storytelling with top notch voice acting and smooth gameplay and animation. This is the complete package and a shining example of what makes a great game. This is a clear contender for one of the best games to come out in 2009.

A couple months back I sent some questions over to Freestyle Games regarding DJ Hero (Thanks Lindsay!).  I got them answered recently. Here are the questions along with the response. They hinted at either a sequel or an update.

CHECK THE GAME REVIEW HERE

KY: How long did it take for the DJs to make these mixes?

FG: DJs can take anywhere from one day, when everything comes together, to up to a month on some of the trickier mixes. On average, it takes about two weeks to go from a concept to a mix that is ready to be marked up in DJ Hero.

Our teams are broken out by genre and they are given the two tracks for a particular mix. Prior to beginning work on the mix, they all meet to listen to each separate track for phrases, samples, melodies or solos that stand out.

From there, the DJ will start to sketch out the mix. Sometimes the mix comes out just as discussed but sometimes it takes a totally different direction.

The trick is to give the DJs creative freedom and the space to make something really epic for our audience.   They come back with an amazing mix every time.

KY: Do you plan on releasing an official soundtrack?

FG: The soundtrack in DJ Hero is something we are incredibly proud of. In fact, it won the Spike TV’s Video Game Award for Best Soundtrack this year.  One of the reasons we’re so proud of our soundtrack is because of its exclusive nature. DJ Hero features unique music creations that can only be heard in the game and this is part of the mixes exclusivity – you can’t hear these mixes anywhere else. You can’t download them off iTunes, you can’t go into a record store and buy them.  The only place you can hear this fantastic content is by playing DJ Hero.

KY:There are a lot of mixes that use the same song (Disturbia, All eyes on Me, Satisfaction). Is there a reason why, such as a licensing issue?

FG: Re-using certain songs was a creative decision that allowed our DJ talent to showcase the potential of mixing and mashing up songs through turntablism. For example Rihanna’s “Disturbia” mixed with Kid Sister’s “Control” sounds completely different than when mixed with The Tramps’ “Disco Inferno.” One of the great things about DJing is how you can take a song that people are familiar with and mix it up in various ways to produce mashups that sound new, fresh and create very different experiences for the players.

KY: Are there more mixes in the works? If so can we get some exclusive information about it, for example the songs that are being mixed or by which DJ.

FG: We have many more mixes in the works for upcoming DLC releases. So far, we have released a David Guetta pack and an Extended Mix pack featuring 50 Cent, Queen, Gorillaz and Public Enemy.

KY: Do you plan on getting more top notch DJs to work on mixes for DJ Hero, such as DJ Revolution, DJ Q-Bert, etc.?

FG: Absolutely.

KY: On a smaller note, one of my personal favorite mixes in the game is the Mobb Deep and Gang Starr mix. I feel that it is the ultimate hip hop song on the entire track list. Two classic HIP-HOP songs mashed together. Can we expect more HIP HOP mixes?

FG: That’s a great pick and one of our favorite hip-hop mixes as well. DJ J Period produced that mix and it does an outstanding job of showcasing the strength of hip-hop mixes in DJ Hero. We consider the hip-hop genre to be a cornerstone of DJ culture and, therefore, fans can definitely expect more pure hip-hop mixes down the road.

KY: Is your team satisfied with the game overall?

FG: Everyone at Activision is ecstatic about how the game turned out. From the quality of the mixes to how the peripheral delivers on the DJ experience to graphical fidelity of the venues, the game exceeded everyone’s expectations in its ability to deliver a new “spin” on the music-gaming genre.

KY: There is no quick select option where I can play one song only. I have to go through the process of making a DJ set list to play one song. Is there a reason why you guys decided to do it like that?

FG: While the set list-style menus are an integral part to embracing the DJ culture represented in our game, we also wanted to give players the option to quickly jump into the game. Once a player enters a set list or the Quickplay menu (which lists all unlocked songs in one area), they can highlight a specific mix, press Start, select a difficulty, and then enter the game. This allows them to skip the process of picking an entire set list, selecting DJs, accessories, and venues.

KY: Do you intend on expanding online in the future with maybe an update or even in the next installment?

FG: Yes.

KY: Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. Overall I loved the game. I literally love all the mixes. This game is something I have been looking forward to since it was announced. I can’t wait to hear about the future of this game and hopefully its sequels.

I had a limit to how many questions I because I was told they moved on to other projects. I assume based on some of their answers it would be a sequel or a spin-off (like Guitar Hero Aerosmith) for DJ Hero. Either way we can expect something big coming up from them. Look out for it.

Presentation
The game is nothing special in terms of looks. It looks pretty much like the latest guitar hero game with flashing lights (lights lights lightsssss), and filters. Overall it is obvious that the graphics were not of primary concern. What the game did well in the presentation department is the audio. The audio was clear and perfect. I only came across some minor lag issues with audio or gameplay. I think it is because of my PS3 and not the game itself. Overall the audio is fabulous and everything sounds perfect in Dolby digital. If you hook it up to a real speaker system trust me in that it will shake the place.

Gameplay
This is where the game shines. The gameplay is similar to Guitar Hero in that it uses the note highway and has star power. That is just about it in the similarities. You have to use both hands intuitively. Crossfading properly is as much a skill as scratching properly. The game is about getting the highest score along with the longest note streaks. The rewind features adds to the dj element and allows you to extend that score. All you have to do is spin the the wheel backwards and you will rewind the track back. The only problem is you have to unlock it by playing hitting around a 50 note streak or higher. The game is in no way easy. Medium itself is very tough.

I had some friends who are insane at Guitar Hero play DJ Hero and they barely were able to get through medium. The learning curve is pretty steep. It will take some time to get used to the game, but when you do, the feeling of hitting every note as if it is almost second nature is amazing. This game catches the essence of DJing, but please don’t think that you can become a DJ playing this game. You might get that feeling though, but don’t think it is true. You might end up embarrassing yourself. Anyway, the game plays smooth once you get it down. I started to really get into the music. The mixes are just amazing. I mean nothing beats my reaction when I first heard Mobb Deep mixed with Gang Starr. That song alone showed the potential this game has. I mean this game will introduce gamers to some music they probably never heard. Dizzie Rascal, Gang Star, Mobb Deep, etc. This game could help introduce people to a different side of hip hop (not mainstream stuff). The gameplay is just pure bliss. You have more than 70 mixes and DLC. The list of DJs working on the game is phenomenal.

Here is one thing about gameplay that is a pretty bad. The online component. It is just lackluster and it seems as if they just threw it in there. It is just a simple two player match with nothing else. No rewind feature or anything. Real disappointment. Other than that everything is perfect.

Controls
The turntable works perfectly. Only one problem though…..scratching. I use my thumb, but no matter how they set it up, the turntable still feels awkward to scratch. Especially on some of the hardest songs in the game. My hands nearly fell off playing 8 songs on expert back to back. Crossfading is real easy, but the quick spikes are really tough to get down. The directional scratching is like an added game element. On medium you can just scratch however you want, but on expert the long scratching segments can be the most devastating. You have to scratch in a certain way and on top of that hit the red button or the blue button or even fade. If you mastered expert…then you are amazing…period.

Summary
Here is the deal. This game is something you have never played. This game captures the essence of DJing, but in no way does it mirror the real thing. It is just a game, so please don’t think it will teach you how to DJ. Regardless it makes a great game. It plays perfectly, and the music is top notch. Top notch DJs worked on the game, and there will be plenty of DLC to come in the future. If you like the music then support Activision in continuing the series. The learning curve is pretty steep in that it will take some time for one to master it. Once you master it, the feeling of kicking ass is just outstanding. The music and background environment real gets you into the music. The Turntable itself is great. The game requires concentration and rhythm to perfect.

If you love hip-hop, pop, and or rock, then this game is perfect for you. It costs 120 dollars, but it is well worth the investment. If you have guitar hero then you should buy this game. The guitar dj playlists are great and you get some extra worth out of your guitars. I would recommend this game to anyone looking for something more than just another rock and roll music game. This is a refreshing game to the music genre in video games.

A copy of DJ Hero has been sent to us and I have beat the game on medium and hard. Almost done with the game on expert. I played a few online matches and clocked in more than 50 hours.

1. Spec Ops: The Line Outshines Halo: Reach
2. ModNation: Guest Stars On The HipHopGamerShow
3. Xbox360 Slim To Be Announced Next Year
4. ModNation Racers: Offical Game Demonstration
5. The Lox And Puff Daddy Reunited

The Show Today Is Incredible Don’t Miss It Enjoy The Video Below

HIT THE HIPHOPGAMER UP ON SKYPE: SKYPE.COM DOWNLOAD HIT ME UP AND RECEIVE A MODNATION RACER BETA CODE 1LUV AND GOD BLESS

Counterpoint Episode Below Check It Out It’s Hot Ya’ll (Classic Torrence Vs HipHopGamer)

Square-Enix scores big with their latest installment in the Final Fantasy series, selling a million copies in the first day. The news was disclosed in statement released by Square-Enix yesterday, however, the sale figures did not include the game bundle with the PS3, the extremely attracted Lighting Edition. So one can only assume taking the Lighting Edition into account that the game probably sold a little bit more than a million.

Square-Enix announce a couple of days ago that company shipped  two million copies to retailers, which is probably going to be gone by next Monday. Hopefully our Japanese friends will leave us some Lighting Edition bundles for us to pick up in March.

After the shocking announcement of Tecmo announcing the once PS3 exclusive mulitplatform, it looks like we’ll be playing the game sooner than we think. Tecmo just announced that Quantum Theory will be released on March.25/2010 for the Xbox 360 and Ps3, they also revealed the never before seen collectors edition for Quantum Theory which will include the games soundtrack and a code to unlock an exclusice character.

There is still no word on when the game will hit North American and European shelves, but I’m sure we’ll get one in the coming months. If you ask me I say its a good thing that we don’t get it in March because with huge titles like God of War III and Gran Turismo 5, I don’t know how I’d make the time to fit Quantum Theory in there.

Heavy Rain is going to be a huge title for Sony but the most important thing is that Heavy Rain is a franchise so we will be seeing more. This interview reveals a few things that may very well be in store for the future of Heavy Rain and it’s looks brighter than ever.

Heavy Rain will be released Q1 2010 and it’s more than just a game and it’s more than just a movie it’s Real Life, but the question is how will your life end in this game that is up too you.

The Vidicle Below Has Some Deep Details That You Don’t Want Too Miss Out On So Enjoy It 1luv and god bless peace

Little Big Planet first premeired last year on the PS3 and what made it such a hit was the ability to “Play, Create and Share” new content for people all around the world to experience. Since LBP’s PS3 release, people have gone on to create hundreds of community based levels and LBP’s Sackboy has become some what of a new mascot for Sony. Now with LBP hitting the PSP and with it including most of the features from its console version, Sackboy’s portable debut is something that PSP owners must play.

If you played the PS3 version, then you know how Little Big Planet plays. You take control of the character Sackboy and you go through levels in the way of a 2D side scrolling platformer. When playing as Sackboy you’ll be able to jump, grab and run through all the obstacles that are put before you and the gameplay formula translates very well to the PSP. In terms of LBP’s story, it’s just as odd as the originals. This time you’ll have to go across over 30 levels which are spread out into different worlds like “Down Under” and “The Orient” and your goal is to find the creators of LBP and have one big carnival in the end. It may not sound like much but playing through the levels will make you forget about the story very quick.

Aside from the the main gameplay of platforming, the other main goal in LBP is to collect the many prize bubbles scattered throughout the levels. The bubbles offer you stickers that you can use when you’re creating a new level and they also offer you costumes for your Sackboy to customize his look. Chances are you won’t get all of these bubbles in your first run of a level so, replaying the levels is highly encouraged. Almost every level has hidden prizes and the player can unlock them by either collecting all the prize bubbles or going through an entire level without dying.

In terms of sound, LBP PSP doesn’t dissapoint. The British voice returns and he once again guides Sackboy on his adventure and he gives those new to LBP some helpful advice on how the game works. Basically the British voice is the only thing LBP has in terms of voice acting because the characters that you’ll encounter on the levels all speak in gibberish language that actually works well in the game and it just makes the storyline even more weirder. The music design in LBP is also very well done and Media Molecule once again created an original soundtrack that is just as good as the PS3 version.

The main thing that made LBP so unique was the ability to “Create” and “Share” new content for people all around the world and LBP on the PSP does a decent job of doing that. All of the creation tools are here and verterins of the first will feel right at home, but the issue is that while creating levels you may experience big frame rate drops that can really make creating levels a pain. Also since you’re on a handheld that needs a WiFi connection, you may not always be able to find a connection to get online or you may find yourself loosing your WiFi connection in certain areas, so you may find yourself unable to connect to the LBP community levels more then often. Probabley the biggest let down for me was the fact that there is no online mulitplayer. For me one the best parts of LBP on PS3 was how me and some friends were able to play tons of community levels together and complete the story missions together, but on the PSP version players will have to play solo and this is sure to frustrate those that enjoyed multiplayer on the PS3 version.

Overall Little Big Planet PSP is a solid game that should please fans of the first. Its got the same charm and creativity of the first one and the platforming is a ton of fun, especially when playing on a handheld. Its just a shame that the features that made LBP fun on PS3 had to be some what hampered down due to the fact it being on handheld. If you can find a good hotspot for WiFi while you’re out and are able to get over the lack of multiplayer then Little Big Planet on PSP is something that all PSP owners must own because all the problems aside its still some of the most fun you can have when playing a PSP.

SCORE: 8.5/10