Assassin's Creed II is a free-roaming action game very similar in concept and gameplay mechanics to its predecessor. The events of the game take place in Florence, Venice, Rome, and other locations in Italy. Besides fictional characters, the game has famous historical figures from the time period, such as Leonardo da Vinci, Niccolò Machiavelli, Cesare Borgia and others, who play an active role in the game's story. The authentic cultural and political environment of the Italian Renaissance is represented in the game along with fictitious accounts of the events, alternate history, and metaphysical theories.