Ubisoft have teamed up with YouTube to release Assassin's Creed Lineage, a series of live-action short films that serve as a prequel to the forthcoming Assassin's Creed 2.

Developed by Ubisoft’s Hybride Technologies, the visual effects studio behind 300 and Sin City, Assassin’s Creed: Lineage combines live action and computer generated imagery (CGI) to explore the events that happen just before the Assassin’s Creed II game starts. The short films revolve around Ezio’s father, Giovanni Auditore da Firenze, and give insight on the game’s back story and universe.

The short films will whet the appetite of game players and fans of this type of cinematography in advance of the in-store release of the video game on November 19, 2009. Assassin’s Creed: Lineage will also introduce some of the characters that players will meet in the game: both foes and friends of the family, like Lorenzo de Medici, the Italian statesman and de facto ruler of the Florentine Republic during the Italian Renaissance period.

1476, Florence. Giovanni Auditore, an assassin, attempts to thwart a conspiracy against one of Lorenzo de Medicis allies, whom he works for. The ensuing inquiry will take him to Milan where he tries to prevent the worst from happening.

There is reportedly 3 episodes all up, with the following 2 expected over the next couple of weeks.