Leonardo da Vinci will return, with his fun gadgets o' death, and we're promised more of Machiavelli, who flitted in and out of number two. And he's not the only AC2 star coming back, either.

Story-wise, Ezio's now in his '40s, yet still nimble, sprightly and capable of slashing your whole family to death before you've even blinked. No, Italian women aren't desperately lonely, they mean you can kit your equine pal out in a variety of bridles, saddles and sunglasses. And you'll be appalled to know that Ubisoft are proudly hailing the pimping possibilities for your horse. There won't be any trips into the leafy countryside either, but you'll be able, for the first time, to travel the city with your horse. It's a curious idea, and will be linked with the usual unlocks and so on, and is one idea we'll have to see in practice before we side with the yay or naysayers. This is because you can spend money on upgrading the city itself, rather than a personal pad.

When you first set foot in the city, you'll notice how dilapidated it is, and you might note the lack of an upgradeable mansion, like you had in AC2. While it might just be another Italian city, Rome is massive in comparison to Venice, with five distinct districts to explore that form the game's entire setting. As this goes against Ubisoft's claim that Brotherhood is a full-on new game they have counterarguments ready.

Assassins creed pc game pressure