Is the Ezio Collection Worth the Remaster? A Resounding Yes for Fans
For Assassin’s Creed fans, the Ezio Collection remaster is absolutely worth picking up. The enhanced graphics, smooth performance, and inclusion of all solo DLC make this an definitive version of Ezio’s saga. While some multiplayer content is missing, the stellar single-player campaigns remain incredibly strong even today. Both newcomers and veterans will find this collection to be a great value.
The Ezio Trilogy – Some of the Best Assassin‘s Creed Games
The Ezio Collection brings together the three Assassin‘s Creed games that follow Ezio Auditore da Firenze‘s life:
-
Assassin‘s Creed II (2009) – This fan favorite introduced Ezio and established the franchise‘s signature open world parkour gameplay. With over 200 Game of the Year awards, its Renaissance Italy setting and engrossing story made it a landmark title. According to Metacritic, it remains the second highest rated Assassin‘s Creed game.
-
Assassin‘s Creed Brotherhood (2010) – Directly continuing Ezio‘s story, Brotherhood added strategic elements like assassin recruitment. By expanding the scope to Rome, it built on everything that made AC2 great while bringing meaningful improvements. With a Metascore of 88 on PS3 and 90 on Xbox 360, critics agreed it was an excellent sequel.
-
Assassin‘s Creed Revelations (2011) – As the final chapter in Ezio‘s saga, Revelations successfully gave him an emotional sendoff while also further refining gameplay systems introduced earlier in the trilogy. The 85 Metascore represents another strongly reviewed entry.
Collectively, Ezio‘s trilogy represents Assassin‘s Creed at the height of its powers, featuring some of the most acclaimed writing and gameplay design in the long-running franchise. These are classics that every fan should experience.
Visual Upgrades Bring Ezio‘s World Into the Modern Era
Thanks to the enhancements provided by the remaster, Ezio‘s 16th century Italian adventures have never looked better:
| Visual Feature | Remaster Improvement |
|---|---|
| Resolution | Increased to full HD 1080p from 720p |
| Textures | Higher resolution textures on characters and environments |
| Lighting | Enhanced lighting adds more realistic shadows and illumination |
| Draw Distance | Increased draw distances reduce pop-in |
| Special Effects | Improved water, smoke, weather effects, and shadows |
The cumulative result brings out details in the ornate architecture of locations like Florence, Venice, and Rome that simply weren‘t visible in the original versions. According to Digital Foundry‘s technical analysis, the Ezio Collection delivers the definitive visual experience of these games.
For a series that relies so heavily on immersing players in historical settings, the graphical improvements are incredibly effective. Seeing these enhanced environments in fluid motion makes existing fans want to dive back in.
Top-Notch Performance – Smooth As an Assassin‘s Blade
A high resolution overhaul means little without the hardware to push all those pixels. Thankfully, the Ezio Collection runs wonderfully on PS4 and Xbox One:
- All three games now run at 1080p resolution and 30 FPS, a massive improvement from the 720p and unstable framerates of the PS3/Xbox 360 originals.
- The frame rate sticks close to the 30 FPS target nearly 100% of the time, with only minor temporary dips in busy areas.
- Load times have been reduced significantly, letting you get back into the action faster.
This consistent fluidity reprsents a massive upgrade in playability that allows you to experience Ezio‘s journey as the developers intended. The free running across rooftops and combat flow especially benefit. According to players, the controls also feel more responsive than the original versions.
For these iconic single-player experiences, the Ezio Collection offers an optimal way to play on modern consoles. Both replay and first-time playthroughs will benefit from the excellent performance.
Value – Hundreds of Hours of Content for One Price
With all three main games and their DLC included, the amount of quality gameplay provided is immense:
- Over 80+ hours of single-player gameplay across the three campaigns
- An additional 10-20 hours from the two DLC episodes for each title
- Bonus behind-the-scenes material detailing Ezio‘s story
- All for a budget retail price around $40
Considering most new releases with 15-20 hour campaigns cost $60, the hundreds of hours of content in the Ezio Collection is an outstanding bargain accessible to all types of gamers.
The amount of gameplay alone makes it a great introduction for those new to the franchise. But it‘s also enough content for diehard fans to happily revisit Ezio‘s journey.
The Verdict – An Essential Purchase for Assassin‘s Creed Fans
While some minor multiplayer components didn‘t make the jump to the remaster, Ezio‘s complete single-player saga is fully realized in its definitive form with The Ezio Collection. For any Assassin‘s Creed fan, this is an easy recommendation.
The visual overhaul makes these iconic entries shine like never before while the smooth performance lets you fully immerse in Ezio‘s tale. And with hundreds of hours of gameplay for only $40, you would be hard pressed to find a better value proposition.
Both as an entry point for newcomers and a fresh experience for veterans, the Ezio Collection succeeds wonderfully. Ezio Auditore‘s journey remains one of the high points of the entire franchise, and no fan should miss out on these masterful games.