10 Video Game Sequels That Surpassed The Original In Every Way
2. Assassin's Creed II
The first Assassin's Creed was met with well-deserved critical acclaim for its fun, stealth-based gameplay. However, it took the release of a much more complete sequel to show how simplistic it really was. Assassin's Creed II added new and upgradeable weapons, armour, and a more scenic map. And again, it introduced the ever charismatic Ezio, who resonated with fans far better than the stoic Altaïr from the original.
Ezio's story itself is also far more engaging. While you take control of Altaïr when he is already a veteran assassin, with Ezio you start at the very bottom. He begins as a young man with virtually no sense of discipline, and grows into someone who will eventually be recognized as one of the greatest assassins of all time. As the game goes on, Ezio grows older and more skilled, and you do get the feeling that he is slowly but surely becoming the legendary assassin he is destined to be.
The explorable world of this game is also more captivating than that of the original. While Ubisoft did an exceptional job of recreating the Third Crusade-era Holy Land, the beautiful and artistic world of Renaissance Italy portrayed in Assassin's Creed II served to make it look boring in comparison.
Assassin's Creed II took the potential the first game laid out and hit it out of the park, leaving that first game in the dust as it did so.