Quick thoughts on Assassin's Creed 2

I enjoyed playing Assassin's Creed, but I never really enjoyed the game as a whole. The mechanics of it were a lot of fun. I liked the free running and the assassinations. However, when it came down to actually finishing the game, I just couldn't. Like many others, I found the game tedious and the characters did not grab me. With that said, I still looked forward to the release of Assassin's Creed 2, and I am glad I did not give up on the franchise. So far, I have played six hours of the game, and I can't wait to get back to it. Ezio is a great character in my opinion, and his transformation into an assassin is a much more appealing story that the first games. I also like how you are not pulled out into the main world after every assassination. Another small thing, but high on my list, is the information screens you get for major locations and people in the game; I like them because the text  has character because of Shaun's personal touch as he "writes" about them outside the Animus 2.0.  That small touch shows that the creators put a lot of thought into this sequel, and I appreciate that.
 
Like I said, this is just some quick thoughts on AC2. I am going to jump on to spend some more time with it right now. How is everyone else liking it?