Florence is home to the Auditore family at the start of Assassin's Creed II.
Ezio Auditore begins the game in Florence, one of the most important cultural and political centers of Renaissance Italy. The Auditore family lives there as part of the city's merchant and banking society. Early story events in Florence introduce Ezio's relatives, allies, rivals, and the betrayal that changes his life.
Players revisit Florence as Ezio develops from a young nobleman into an Assassin. The city includes recognizable Renaissance locations and landmarks, while missions introduce the Medici family and the political rivalries surrounding Florence. Its streets and rooftops also establish the freerunning style that defines much of the game.
Venice becomes another major setting later in Assassin's Creed II, which can cause confusion when recalling the game's locations. Rome is the principal setting of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, while Forlì is one of several other places visited during Ezio's campaign. Assassin's Creed II was released in 2009.