Assassin’s Creed II: Discovery is a side-scrolling action-adventure for the Nintendo DS, following Ezio Auditore to Spain between the events of the main game. The campaign moves from Venice through Barcelona, Zaragoza and Granada, protecting Christopher Columbus and rescuing assassins imprisoned by the Inquisition.
The full voice acting is the standout feature, rare for a DS game and decent in quality, with Ezio voiced by the same actor as the console version. The game is a clear step up from Altaïr’s Chronicles in performance and smoothness.
Stealth is real this time, with actual assassinations and hiding places, and the mission types vary between runs, chases and timed sequences. Throwing knives are simple to use, mapped to a button rather than a touchscreen menu, and they kill unaware enemies instantly.
Movement speed outruns the field of view, since the character runs at the pace of six steps while the screen shows only three ahead. This suits chases but breaks stealth, because running straight into enemies leads to being spotted.
The early catacomb level is the worst section, an endless pit of death where one wrong step drops the character, and the final level is overcrowded and overlong. Checkpoint spacing demands long re-runs after mistakes, and it is easy to mess up.
Guard captains cannot be countered reliably, so running away is the best option, and archers spot the character from unfair distances. Platforming is temperamental, with accidental backflips, missed wall grabs and unforgiving long jumps.
Overall, stealth mechanics and voice acting make Assassin’s Creed II: Discovery a marked improvement over its predecessor. The movement speed, checkpoint gaps and frustrating combat leave a mixed impression.