Uncovering the hidden secrets left behind by Subject 16 is one of the most intriguing side quests in Assassin's Creed 2. Scattered across historical monuments in Renaissance Italy, these twenty mysterious glyphs force players to utilize their Eagle Vision to scan walls and roofs. Successfully decoding all of them slowly pieces together a hidden video file known as The Truth, which completely shifts the narrative context of the entire franchise.
How to Find Hidden Glyphs in the World
Finding the specific landmarks containing these glowing symbols requires a mix of thorough exploration and spatial awareness. When you enter an area that contains a hidden puzzle, a small eye icon will appear on your user interface to indicate that a mystery is close by. Activating your ancestral Eagle Vision allows you to spot the glowing white markings on the sides of major historical buildings.
Many players prefer scanning prominent structures in Florence, Venice, and Tuscany to locate these hidden data entry points. Taking your time to scale the tall towers and check the back walls of famous cathedrals remains the best way to uncover every single marker. These environmental challenges encourage a deeper engagement with the historical scenery provided throughout the virtual world.
Cracking the Image Interpretation Puzzles
The first type of challenge you will encounter requires you to select five specific paintings or photographs out of a group of ten. These visual riddles usually require you to identify a common historical or mythical thread connecting the selected images together. For example, you might need to isolate pieces of artwork that feature a specific mythical sword or a powerful apple.
Paying close attention to the cryptic text clues provided by Subject 16 will give you the hints necessary to identify the correct paintings. Making incorrect choices will simply reset the interface, allowing you to try different combinations without any permanent penalty. Approaching these historical galleries with a methodical mindset helps you easily isolate the correct historical artifacts required to move forward.
Solving the Ring Rotation Riddles
Another common puzzle type involves complex circular matrices that have been broken into several concentric layers. You must rotate these individual segments to align a distorted historical image correctly from the center outward. Some layers are mechanically linked together, meaning that turning one circle will automatically cause another ring to spin simultaneously.
The most efficient strategy is to identify which rings move independently and save those specific layers for your final adjustments. Working from the outermost ring toward the core can also prevent you from accidentally disrupting previously aligned sections of the picture. Successfully completing these spatial alignment tasks reveals historical conspiracies that completely recontextualize famous real-world events.
Decoding Code Wheels and Sound Waves
The final variety of Subject 16 puzzles involves deciphering complex numerical codes and matching distinct auditory frequencies. You will be presented with a key that pairs specific numbers with unusual symbols, requiring you to fill in the missing blanks on a code wheel. Looking closely at the historical documents provided on screen will usually reveal the exact numerical sequence hidden in plain sight.
Sound wave puzzles require you to adjust the amplitude and frequency of a scanning line until it matches a target audio pattern perfectly. Once the graphs align, you will unlock audio logs that add deeper layers of lore to the overarching narrative. Completing all twenty sequences grants you the ultimate reward of viewing the fully assembled video file detailing the origins of humanity.
