Assassin's Creed 2: Discovery, much like it's console brother, is a far better entry than the original Altair based adventure on the DS. Discovery serves as a bit of filler for the main AC2 storyline, putting players in control of Ezio once again, as he hunts down information about a certain Christopher Columbus, his possible connection to the ever elusive Spaniard, and continues his quest for revenge on behalf of his family. There's no specific timeline given here, just that it takes place in between the events of Assassin's Creed 2. The storyline itself is interesting enough if you're already invested within the world of AC2 at this point, but there's not enough explanation given for those that would be coming in cold. It's certainly no replacement for the core game, but as a bit of extra lore for fans of the console game, it might be worth seeking out.
It helps that it's actually fun to play as well. This time out, the developers have opted to go with a 2D/3D hybrid, porting the 3D world of Italy down into a side-scrolling, platforming type of adventure for Ezio. There are a lot of elements that still carry over from the main game, like the stealth kills, assassinations, and free-running/climbing bits. When you start a stage you're presented with a particular mode, whether that's the basic regular mode, stealth, or speed depends on the stage. Regular allows you to approach the stage however you see fit. Stealth requires you to make your way sight unseen by the various enemies in front of you, while Speed needs you to beat the clock, losing if you run out of time.
Ezio's library of moves are of course a little scaled back from the home console versions, but what he lacks in movesets he more than makes up for in overall mobility. Running continuously builds up higher speeds, allowing Ezio more jumping power when you decide to take a leap of faith off the edge of a building. There's even ramp like structures on rooftops to extend your launch when necessary, and the occasional in game guide to give you an idea of where you're supposed to be headed. The camera does work against you more often than not, oftentimes not giving you enough advance warning of obstacles ahead, or possible falls that'll kill you. There's a little too much trial and error to some of the stages for my tastes, where you'll make a long jump only to realize you've either overshot your goal, or come up far too short. Restarts are pretty quick though, and the stages aren't so long that replaying them becomes too annoying.
Combat is scaled back too, but the enjoyable counter kill system is still in place. Ezio can go toe to toe with enemies, holding down block and countering blows, or opt to run away. There's not much in the way of a combo attack system though, and the weapon variety isn't nearly as varied as the console titles, which is a shame. Sneaking up on opponent's backsides, getting the drop from above, or hanging by a ledge below them will allow you to perform stealth kills. The kills themselves give off satisfying animation bits and sounds, making them feel pretty visceral for a game with scaled down visuals.
The sound quality is surprisingly high, and while I didn't enjoy Discovery's in-game soundtrack as much as the core game, I was pleasantly surprised to see much of the dialogue is actually voiced. Ezio sounds great here, and even the tertiary characters you'll encounter are done quite well. It lacks the supporting cast of the main game, but the new guys introduced here hold up pretty well.
If you're already a big fan of the whole Assassin's Creed lore, then I think Discovery is worth checking out just to fill in some gaps. As a stand-alone game it's fun to play, but the story stuff isn't explained that well for newcomers, and I think any impact you'd get out if it would be completely lost. It's a short experience, and might be worth seeking out when it hits a budget price as opposed to something I'd pay full price for, but it's definitely worth checking out at some point.
