Anybody who has played "Assassin's Creed II" will fall right into "Brotherhood," just like an old pair of boots. The movements and controls are nearly identical, so you don't have to spend a lot of time learning a lot of new techniques. That said, the two games are not identical by any means. "Brotherhood" is a natural transition to its predecessor, much like book sequels. The "brotherhood" portion of the game is an amazing enhancement, as is the ability to play against XBox Live friends. You can still play "Brotherhood" in pure story mode and get every bit the enjoyment and full experience that "Creed II" provided. I believe the addition of the "brotherhood" characters to assist you is something no other game has ever done. The "brotherhood" can either be dispatched to take on various missions across Europe, or they can be summoned to do your dirty work in battle. You have the option of joining them in the fights or watching from a safe distance, while they clean up the mess. It's truly amazing. The length of the game is every bit what you would hope for with a good RPG. Unlike some RPG's, you won't need to buy the add-on portions later to feel like you got a full game. On the other hand, who wouldn't want to keep playing and get those add-ons? In short, Ubisoft is the master of RPG's. Both the "Prince of Persia" and "Assassin's Creed" series are true masterpieces. Yeah, they reuse a lot of the same algorithms for character movements and other core game components. However, when something's really right, why would you throw it out and start over? I actually think this is a good thing, because veteran players can jump right into the action. This also allows them to focus more on the story and other unique details of the game.