Assassin's Creed II DLC in Jan and Feb

By Tom Bramwell Published 2 December, 2009

Battle of Forli, Bonfire of the Vanities.

Ubisoft has announced a pair of downloadable add-ons for Assassin's Creed II.

The "Battle of Forli" and "Bonfire of the Vanities" packs should both eat up about 1GB of space and are due out for PS3 and Xbox 360 in January and February respectively.

Ubisoft hasn't said what to expect from them yet, but widespread speculation suggests you might want to poke around a couple of bits of Wikipedia for hints as to the background.

There are certainly gaps in Ezio's "sequences" that could do with filling, including the fate and fortunes of Caterina Sforza, a saucy lady Ezio rescues on a gondola before he jets off to Venice for the first time in the main game.

Check out our Assassin's Creed II review to see why the full game is well worth checking out.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (44) Latest comment 2 years ago

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  • kangarootoo #1 2 years ago

    Really enjoying this, so on that basis I really hope these aren't small and feeble little extra areas that just boils down to lots of combat. Come on Ubi, do the right thing.

  • peteb #2 2 years ago

    1GB each, so they should be pretty considerable additions.
    Edited by 1 at 02/12/09 @ 09:16

  • Zebula77 #3 2 years ago

    Ooooh, more AC content - bring it on! Second best game of the year imo (after Uncharted 2).

  • M_of_the_sys #4 2 years ago

    Loving the game right now. Additional content is definitely welcome. I would love to see more of the Glyph puzzles. They're my favourite part of the game right now. Creepy yet interesting addition to the story.

  • Murton #5 2 years ago

    Not got AC2 yet as my brother has got it for me for Christmas but it's a little disappointing to hear that Ubisoft created gaps in the storyline in order to roll out some DLC shortly after release. I don't mind extra content that is genuinely extra, but when it fills gaps or re-writes scenes from the original game then I can't help but feel a little ripped off with the original purchase.

    Hopefully they'll be reasonably priced as I would much rather play the "whole game" and not just some of it.

  • Zebula77 #6 2 years ago

    @Murton: I wouldn't call them "gaps" in the story really. The story takes place over, what - two decades or something. Surely some things would be missing. :p

    @M_of_the....: Yeah, the glyphs are great! Tho the last two-three of them are infuriatingly hard. I spent way too much time bothering my brain with them. Should have come with a warning saying "your IQ must be at least this high..."

  • Kelduum #7 2 years ago

    They aren't gaps in the storyline as much as gaps in the timeline - I completed it over the weekend after not being able to put it down, and didn't feel like there was something missing.

    Certainly looking forward to these.

  • Bonders99 #8 2 years ago

    Great game, really absorbing. Considering that the DNA memory sequences jump from 11 to 14, these will surely fill the blanks

  • M_of_the_sys #9 2 years ago

    @Zebula77

    I think I have four more Glyphs to do. I like the fact that they're getting more difficult though. It's nice to have a bit of a challenge. I think I can guess what the video clips are about now but it still has me intrigued.

  • kangarootoo #10 2 years ago

    @Murton

    "it's a little disappointing to hear that Ubisoft created gaps in the storyline in order to roll out some DLC shortly after release"

    You won't notice them. They aren't gaps insofar as you feel anything is missing when you play. Its more just "extra backstory".

    Not sure how many hours I have put in so far. Got to be around 15 I would say. I'm still not tired of just doing little assassination side-missions and climbing about the place looking for loot. Upgrading your villa is bizarre fun too (I imagine this is what people love about Orchard Moon, which I've never played).

  • butler` #11 2 years ago

    loving it thoroughly, just finding it a bit too easy

  • M_of_the_sys #12 2 years ago

    @MESSIAH999

    First time I've agreed with you on anything. I would like it to be more difficult but I just don't see how they can implement this. Perhaps the harder the setting, the better the AI when fighting enemies? More guards on rooftops maybe? This would probably push you to be more stealthy.
    When a game is done like this I would imagine it hard to apply a difficulty setting.

    @Kangarootoo

    I liked upgrading the Villa but would like to have seen more of this. I'd done it all a bit quickly. Perhaps more customisation of the town or more reward for it than just money? A few more places to explore like the well and the mine perhaps?

  • kangarootoo #13 2 years ago

    @M_of_the_sys

    I agree. More places to explore would have been great. And I had sorted all the renovations and shop upgrades quite quickly too (after which, the inherrent value added by buying paintings and armour etc felt a little less connected).

    It was a great addition though, and having such a large place to return to like that gave it a nice epic "batcave" sort of feel.

  • TruWari3r #14 2 years ago

    1gb, hmm, hopefully a new destination, a small new city with stuff to do.

    I'm really loving this game (although the feathers and videos are a bit much)

  • gjgjg #15 2 years ago

    i just noticed nathan drake is also in asscreed2.
    so there
    http://en .wikipedia.org/wiki/Nolan_North...

  • M_of_the_sys #16 2 years ago

    In the words of teh internetz:

    Wut?

    Edit: Oh. I see.
    Edited by 1 at 02/12/09 @ 11:49

  • Zebula77 #17 2 years ago

    I loved the villa uprades as well, tho I really hoped the customisation was more hands-on. Like, you could make architectural desicions and choose the colors etc. Make things a little more personal like. Also would have liked to see more hidden areas. Like perhaps a hidden, secret Assassin's Tomb right below the villa. Where you'd, I dunno - find a ninja outfit and a katana or something.

    That could just be my Tenchu nostalgia talking, tho.

  • The_Inquisitor #18 2 years ago

    I wouldn't call them gaps in the story, but it is odd how Forli wasn't a city that needed exploring within the context of the story. Not that I'm complaining after over 20 hours playing it, but it will be good to give that city some meaning and flesh out some of the underused characters.

  • Razorus #19 2 years ago

    @Zebula77

    There is an Assassin's Tomb under the villa. I think it's exclusive DLC to the limited editions though. In any case, it's pretty interesting. No Ninja outfits or katanas I'm afraid but it does include a decent Auditore family history which helps explain how the Assassins got to Italy from the Middle-East.

  • makeamazing #20 2 years ago

    This is probably game of the year for me, closely followed by Uncharted 2, which is great, but the open world of AC2, and some lovely touches just makes it win. So to hear there might be some heafty DLC, is fantastic news. I dont buy DLC that often, but i'm pretty convinced this is two that i will get.

    Also i am not concerned about the gaps, the story telling in AC2 is very good imho... and there are so many ways they can do this (as others have said you jump in time, so why not have side stories that have happened inbetween).

  • Razorus #21 2 years ago

    Oh, and some of the "gaps" in the animus memory logs are filled in with the DS spin-off game "Discovery".

  • M_of_the_sys #22 2 years ago

    @Razorus

    That's rather annoying. I hate it when one story spans different platforms.

    @makeamazing

    I agree. The story telling is great. Pretty good voice acting too. I haven't finished it but am pretty enthralled with the story at the moment. The only thing that's holding me back from carrying on with the story is the need to get everything in each city before I move on.

    Out of interest, I wonder how many people that didn't like the first game are liking this one? It's getting a lot more positive comments. Unbisoft have certainly ironed it out well though the free running is still pretty annoying. I think it just needs to be slightly (ever so slightly) more user friendly so I don't plummet five stories when intending to jump onto something like the wires that go between rooftops.
    Did anyone else have trouble grabbing the pole in the Altair scene?
    Edited by 1 at 02/12/09 @ 13:03

  • kangarootoo #23 2 years ago

    @Zebula77

    That would have been ace. Having some say in the arrangement of the buildings you could then clamber about on would have been very cool (and give different players something to "compare and contrast";).

  • sneetch #24 2 years ago

    @Razorus
    it does include a decent Auditore family history which helps explain how the Assassins got to Italy from the Middle-East.

    Was it by boat? I bet it was by boat. ;)

    Love this game just need to find time to play it now.

  • makeamazing #25 2 years ago

    @M_of_the_sys haha yes me too... in fact i'm enjoying collecting everything so i suspect that the game will take me alot longer.. and probably just in time for the DLC :)

  • kangarootoo #26 2 years ago

    @Razorus and Zebula77


    I'm pretty sure the Assassin's Tomb isn't limited edition DLC. I'm pretty sure its part of the main game (with the seals being related to the tombs all over the game maps).

    I got the limited edition (just the £3 more expensive version, nothing too posh), and the code that comes with unlocks the Shipyard. I've not visited it yet, and word is its not really worth the money. Its just another small tomb, like the mine and well, with some treasure at the end.

    So if you keep playing through, you should get the special armour, regardless of which version of the game you bought.

  • kangarootoo #27 2 years ago

    @sneetch

    It was by balloon* actually, know it all. Each assassin had his/her own miniature hot air balloon, and they decended on Italy like a shoal of airbourne polyps. A terrifying sight to behold as they lept from their glowing baubles onto the heads of the nobles below. I'm pretty sure a few bards wrote about it in the only remaining copy of the "Libro di Assurdo".



    * no, not really. But wouldn't it have been AWESOME!

  • HuggyAtHome #28 2 years ago

    You get the armour by unlocking the 6 tombs - the extra family crypt is unlocking via the Ubisoft UPlay scheme whch gives you points for trophies/achievements which you can use to buy extra stuff in game. But doesn't work properly - I have all the trophies required but not the UPlay points.

    Looking forward to the DLC - the main story is great almost all the way through, just goes a bit George Lucas later on which was a shame.

  • M_of_the_sys #29 2 years ago

    It was by balloon* actually, know it all. Each assassin had his/her own miniature hot air balloon, and they decended on Italy like a shoal of airbourne polyps. A terrifying sight to behold as they lept from their glowing baubles onto the heads of the nobles below. I'm pretty sure a few bards wrote about it in the only remaining copy of the "Libro di Assurdo".

    For some reason I picture baby turtles running for the sea after they hatch...

    @HuggyAtHome

    What's with the UPlay thing? The shop isn't available. Is that the problem?
    Edited by 1 at 02/12/09 @ 13:15

  • Artemus #30 2 years ago

    Soon as I saw those gaps in the timeline I thought "that'll be the DLC then". I bet they were all built when the game was finished with them coming out so soon.

  • kangarootoo #31 2 years ago

    I wondered about UPlay too. I didn't bother with it as it felt like an Ubi version of EA's "sign up for spam mail here" system.

    If there are in game extras to be had, I shall investigate.

  • kangarootoo #32 2 years ago

    "I bet they were all built when the game was finished with them coming out so soon."

    Oh really, who cares. I mean seriously, so damn what.

    The bog basic game has loads of hours of quality gameplay, so who frankly gives a rats ass when the DLC was made. It didn't make itself, it didn't get made for free, and the money I spent on the game was money well spent.

    Some people just seem to like feeling hard done by.

  • M_of_the_sys #33 2 years ago

    @kangarootoo

    While I usually agree with said comment, in this case I'm on your side. You get more than your moneys worth with this game. I'd feel hard done by if I felt the game was lacking and then pricey DLC was released but that's not the case with AC2.

  • kangarootoo #34 2 years ago

    All we can ever do is look at the game and decide if we think its worth the asking price, regardless of what may or may not follow it. In the case of AC2 and many other games, they are worth what we pay on day 1. Knowing that something else got added later matters not one jot.

    I'll wheel out my analogy again.


    You have a bag of sweets. They cost you 10p. You are enjoying your sweets, tasty as they are, and well worth the 10p you paid for them.

    Then you see the sweet shop has even more sweets left, and suddenly your own bag doesn't seem quite so large anymore, and the toys go out of the pram...

    IF your original bag of sweets wasn't worth 10p, then THAT is where the issue lies. If they WERE worth 10p, then that is that, and it doesn't matter what follows.

    P.s. not aiming this at you M_of_the_sys btw, just having a general rant on one of my pet grumpy subjects (my own toy flinging if you like).
    Edited by 1 at 02/12/09 @ 15:09

  • jim1975 #35 2 years ago

    will be interesting to see at what point ezio grows his beard.

  • mega7ech #36 2 years ago

    Well for me personaly, the word "WOOOOHOOOO!" sums up this bit of news nicely.

  • alasdairm #37 2 years ago

    Any idea what will happen to the Special Edition DLC ??

    I got the version that came with the Shipyard DLC code, however the Play.com exclusive Black Edition also came with 2 extra levels: Palazzo Medicis in Florence & Santa Maria Dei Frari

    I am usually a sucker for special editions, but thought that having a figurine of the game character was a bit much !!

  • Sunyavadin #38 2 years ago

    @kangarootoo

    i'm pretty sure Razorus was referring to the Auditore Crypt, which is unlocked by spending Uplay points. I just played through it the other night and it's exactly as he described, with a full Auditore history but no outfits or anything other than cash to loot...

  • penhalion #39 2 years ago

    Both of these content packs are mentioned in the game as "corrupted animus data".

  • RandomTerrain #40 2 years ago

    I wonder if there will be a Game of the Year Edition with all the content...
    I would be tempted to wait for that if I knew.

  • Razorus #41 2 years ago

    Yeah, the Auditore crypt is unlocked via Uplay, which I strongly recommend you go for. It gives you extra content and all you need to do is unlock achievements/trophies.

  • Murton #42 2 years ago

    Thanks to the guys who explained the "gaps" looks like Ubi have handled it pretty well. Early DLC is still annoying though, at least these ones look like they'll be worthwhile, if they're priced correctly that is.

  • SL33PY #43 2 years ago

    @M_of_the_sys

    Yes the spoiler thing you talk about was indeed very annoying, fell off that certain tower more then once, until I finally nailed it (probable as intended)

  • mattius30 #44 2 years ago

    My other half bought me the game and the novel - which was rather nice! And interestingly, the novel details both a battle at Forli and a whole adventure based around the Bonfire of the Vanities - both occur just before he heads off on his final mission...