Turn back the pages of time, Assassins Creed II book deal announced

It has been announced by Ubisoft that Penguin Books will be publishing a novelisation of Assassins Creed II to be released shortly after the game. An unusual move to be sure, whoever heard of a book based on a game that wasn’t a strategy guide? Not many people but notable games which have had books based on them in the past, which have escaped my radar, are Halo and Resident Evil. Now while Halo and Resident Evil may be great games and prime movie fodder, I can’t imagine them making great novels. Ubisoft are confident however that bringing Assassins Creed II to book form will work as they say it has “a brilliant storyline with superbly realised characters which translates seamlessly into a wonderfully fast-paced and enthralling historical thriller.”

The story line of Assassins Creed II follows young Italian nobleman Ezio Auditore da Firenze as he learns to be an assassin in order to seek vengeance for his betrayed family. In the game Ezio befriends Leonardo Da Vinci (so could be one for Da Vinci Code fans then, only slightly less plausible and probably a lot better), seeks out Florence’s most powerful families and learns the assassins ways in the epic backdrop of renaissance Italy.

The plot may sound a bit Godfatherish (a film based on a book, not the other way round) and even a bit Romeo and Julietish but this could help it translate into a half decent novel. I’ve played games which have excelled in storytelling, as games, and even the best I’m not sure would have worked as novels. In my experience of reading books based on films the results have not been great, but I’ll make my choice on Amazon after I’ve finished playing the game. Assassins Creed II will be released on November 20, the novel will be released November 26.