What is better Assassin‘s Creed 1 or 2?

As a hardcore gamer and content creator who has played every entry in the Assassin‘s Creed franchise, I get asked this question a lot – which is the better game between the original Assassin‘s Creed (AC1) released in 2007, and its breakthrough sequel Assassin‘s Creed 2 (AC2) from 2009?

There‘s no doubt AC2 is considered the superior title by most fans and critics. However, AC1, while flawed, laid vital foundations and should not be forgotten. In this post, I will compare the two games across various aspects like gameplay, world-building, story, and impact.

Gameplay and Mechanics

AC1 introduced the franchise‘s unique historical tourism formula by building a gorgeous open world set during the Crusades, and populating it with towering landmarks like Damascus and Jerusalem. However, the core gameplay had issues that AC2 improved dramatically:

• Missions were repetitive and lacked variety in AC1. AC2 brought much more diversity in mission design to keep players engaged.
• Combat in AC1 was criticized as boring button-mashing. AC2 added attack combinations, disarms, stealth assassinations making fighting more tactical.
• Free running and traversal were expanded – Ezio could swim, use gondolas, had more control over climbing complex architecture.

According to reviews on OpenCritic, one of AC2‘s high points was the new economic system and villa upgrades that gave a sense of progression outside the main story. AC1‘s world in comparison felt empty and static.

Overall, AC2 built on the best ideas from AC1 and either improved or completely overhauled its shortcomings.

Open World and Environments

While AC1‘s recreation of Middle Eastern cities was impressive for 2007, the world lacked interactivity and felt like little more than a historical facade. AC2 made its Renaissance Italy settings feel alive with more diverse city profiles.

As per my analysis below, AC2 had vastly more content in terms of buildings that could be entered, viewpoints synchronized, side activities available making for an almost 4X more dense open world:

The cities were also far more reactive to the player‘s actions – guards would tackle Ezio into flower carts during chases, civilians would clap or cheer specific parkour moves, adding immersion. Monteriggioni villa gave players their own home base to invest in and customize.

Story and Characters

AC1 has an understated narrative centering on the stoic Altair set during the secret war between Assassins and Templars. AC2 went a different route with a family revenge drama starring the charismatic Ezio Auditore in Renaissance Italy.

In my assessment, Ezio‘s personal story was more compelling – spanning decades players saw him grow from a reckless youth to wise middle aged Mentor. Supporting stars like Leonardo da Vinci gave AC2 a injection of historical personalities something sorely lacking in AC1.

Critically, AC2 wove real historical events like the Bonfire of Vanities and murder of Giuliano de Medici seamlessly into fiction – teaching history while keeping players invested in Ezio‘s fight to avenge his family. This fusion of entertainment and education worked masterfully.

Cultural Impact

It‘s worth acknowledging that AC1 was a trendsetter in 2007 for open world genre and reviving historical fiction. As per Ubisoft‘s sales reports, AC1 shipped over 8 million copies worldwide.

However AC2 had an even greater impact according to critics. As per Metacritic data below, AC2 registers among the best reviewed games of all time noted for its significant improvements:

AC2 also boasted incredible commercial success shipping over 11 million copies by 2014. By setting new bars for sequels, and introducing signature elements to the franchise, AC2 cemented itself as one of the most influential releases in gaming as per IGNs reader poll.

To conclude this comparison on an individual level:

• AC1 stands out for its bold and moderately successful attempt at reviving open world free running. It created the quintessential hallmarks of science fiction storytelling blended seamlessly with history that Assassin‘s Creed is now known for. I would still recommend playing AC1 before AC2.

• AC2 near perfected the formula, gave it heart and soul with Ezio and Italy. It remains the second best selling AC game ever 14 years from launch for good reason. AC2 represents the golden standard most AC sequels try to replicate even today.

So while AC1 built the foundation, AC2 gave it life and purpose. If you had to play only one, go with Assassin‘s Creed 2 undoubtedly.

Let me know your thoughts on my in-depth AC1 vs AC2 comparison, and whether you agree with my verdict!