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Ubisoft producer Frederic Lefrancois has given us the first specific details of the Assassin’s Creed 2 DLC that hits the PSN and XBL in January and February. Read the interview below for the full low down.

Could you introduce yourself and explain your role in the project?

My name is Frederic Lefrancois and I am the Producer of the DLCs for Assassin’s Creed 2. My role on this project is to ensure that we deliver high quality DLCs to the fans.

How many DLCs will be available? What are they called? What new content can we expect?
We are currently working on 2 DLCs for Assassin’s Creed 2. Each of the DLCs feature complete sequences in Ezio’s life and are respectively named:

DLC 1 – Battle of Forli
DLC 2 – Bonfire of the vanities
Each of the DLCs will offer additional content to the Assassin’s Creed 2 story as well as provide players with unique missions requiring the use of all the skills and tools Ezio has acquired throughout the years. Both DLCs focus on real events that happened in history. The battle of Forli is an actual battle where the Orsi brothers attacked the city of Forli which was ruled at the time by Caterina Sforza. Players will have to protect the city alongside Sforza and the great Machiavelli who they have met towards the end of sequence 11. The flying machine will also be accessible in the city/region of Forli to players.
As for the Bonfire of the vanities, it comes from Savonarola’s reign over Florence. The monk took power over Florence as the Medici family was expulsed. Savonarola thought that the Italian Renaissance and its intellectual and cultural progress was a sin. He organized a burning of objects which could be identified as sins such as paintings, books, mirrors, musical instruments… In the game, we illustrate Savonarola’s power and control over the most influential people of the city because he has the apple of Eden…and Ezio is there, and has to kill Savonarola’s followers, trying to overthrow his power.

When will the DLCs be released and on which platforms will the DLCs be available? What’s the pricing?
Pack 1:
• DLC 1: Battle of Forli
• End of January
• 450 MS Points

Pack 2:
• DLC 2: Bonfire of the vanities
• End of February
• 600 MS Points

The packs will also be available on PSN.

Can you give us a little bit of insight on the story for both DLCs? When in Ezio’s life do they take place? Which region will they focus on?
The DLCs are sequences that were previously corrupted in the animus and that Rebecca, the technician in the present, was able to restore so that Desmond could access them. We are bringing new content to give more depth to the storyline and Ezio and give access to a new district, Florence Oltrarno, which means “beyond Arno”. This district is south of the Arno River, which goes through Florence, and is accessed via the Ponte Vecchio. Assassin’s Creed is not only a game, it’s an experience and DLC is now part of that experience. These DLCs adds to the storylines and players will definitely want to look in the missing memories of Ezio. Here’s an insight on the storyline:
DLC1 – 1488 – Battle of Forli
Ezio and Machiavelli – leader of the Florence mercenaries – make their way to the citadel of Forli with the apple of Eden to request protection from Caterina Sforza. As they approach, something goes wrong: Forli is under attack! Borgia guards are laying siege to the city. The attack seems to be lead by the two dreaded Orsi brothers.

The first DLC is entirely based in the city of Forli and its surroundings.

DLC 2 – 1497 – Bonfire of the vanities
Ezio is met at the entrance to Florence by Machiavelli. He explains that a mad monk named Savonarola has taken command of the city. He now controls the city’s nine most influential citizens…

For the second DLC, Players will be able to access a previously inaccessible zone of Florence. The Bonfire of the vanities DLC also introduces a new move, the spring jump available only in the Florence Oltrarno district. The spring jump lets players perform a long jump, which can double the normal jump distance of Ezio. The players need to use a springboard, accessible on rooftops, and that is usually used to hold flags over commerce and district. Using this, Ezio can literally escape his enemies and propel himself to reach distant locations he wouldn’t have been able without this ingredient.

Which other historically accurate main characters apart from Ezio will be featured in the DLC?

Machiavelli – affiliation: assassins
Machiavelli sees himself as the Assassins chronicler. He wants to understand the people and politics of his day – so that future generations might learn from his experiences.

Caterina Sforza – affiliation: Assassins

Players will meet again the beautiful Caterina Sforza as she will have a main role in the defense of Forli. Caterina is aggressive, passionate, and progressive as she is likely a bit like Ezio – ahead of her time. She is very protective of her family and is very strong in the face of adversity.

Savonarola – affiliation: Dominican order / Templars

His motivation is to cleanse the land of its morally corrupt leaders (both secular and religious). He is single minded and fanatical and he believes that the spreading of knowledge and truth is responsible for the moral decay in Renaissance Italy.

Orsi brothers – affiliation: Templars

Checco should have been a politician and Ludovico never really got along in society. Checco recruited Ludovico to help with his money-making schemes… They lent a sum of money to Girolamo Riario (Caterina Sforza’s), and when he didn’t pay up; they assassinated him and sacked his palace, stealing all the jewels. Now, they’re in the process of shelling his wife Caterina’s fortress in order to get the priceless artifact kept there. This is what being a noble’s all about!

With the new year on our doorsteps, Microsoft have been running a countdown to today with daily deals. Some of which have been “eh” at best. But with the great Castle Crashers having just ended, there is a good strong finish as of today. BF: 1943 is down half price