Assassin's Creed II remains, sixteen years after release, the entry fans point to when asked which episode to recommend.

Emotional connection ranks ahead of 98% of games, gameplay ahead of 96%, narrative ahead of 94%. That's the heart of the profile: a game that hooks you, whose story you follow with genuine interest, and whose characters you care about. Fun and rediscoverability follow at 89% and 88%. Where the profile drops is visual direction, sitting low at 26%, and the social experience at 27%. For a 2009 game, the visual style has naturally aged, and the community doesn't pretend otherwise.

For a historical action-adventure game, these scores on emotional connection and gameplay are unusually high. Many entries in the franchise struggle to deliver on both simultaneously.

If you want to discover the Assassin's Creed series or revisit what made it popular, this is the best starting point. If you're after something visually impressive or fun to share with others, the more recent entries will serve you better.