Following on directly from Assassin's Creed II, Brotherhood offers more of the same 16th century Italian high jinks interspaced with modern day Da Vinci Code style puzzle solving.

As bartender Desmond Miles, you're once again able to 'synchronize' with your ancient ancestor Ezio in order to complete missions in 1500AD Rome. Yes, Ezio has a silly beard and an Italian accent that's more Super Mario than Michelangelo, but he also gets to run around in a funky hooded robe, building the aforementioned 'Brotherhood' of assassins and retaking the city from the nefarious Borgia family.

There's a long and convoluted plot about mystical artefacts and evil conspiracies, but it's much more fun exploring the vast open world of Rome with the series' trademark free-roaming parkour. Leaping from rooftop to rooftop before sneakily taking out guards with a aerial attack or a well aimed crossbow bolt is immensely satisfying. The 21st century segments though, where you guide Desmond through Tomb Raider-esque jumps and lever puzzles are less enjoyable and you'll find yourself longing to get back to slicing and dicing with Ezio and his chums.

Owners of Assassin's Creed II won't find a great deal new here, and as the game is broken down into small chunks, it can be a frustrating stop-start experience making it harder to lose yourself in the expertly recreated world of hooded killers and medieval espionage. But there's enough variation in the missions and side quests, including horse riding, sky gliding and firing cannons, to keep you from getting bored. Plus, an added feature means Ezio can now call on junior assassin's to help him out when he's in a fix – at a touch of a button, members of the Brotherhood will pop out of the shadows and take care of those troublesome guards for you.

Mixing slick stealth gameplay with RPG elements, plus a new online multiplayer option, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood is a welcome stopgap in the series that should keep fans happy until the much anticipated Part III.