Assassin’s Creed III is a historical action-adventure, open world stealth video game developed and published by Ubisoft for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U and Microsoft Windows. It’s the fifth major instalment and the third numbered title in the Assassin’s Creed series and a direct sequel to 2011’s Assassin’s Creed: Revelations.
The main events in Assassin’s Creed III are set before, during and after the American Revolution from 1753 to 1783 and feature a new half-English and half-Mohawk protagonist Ratonhnhakton, also known by the adopted name of Connor.
In addition to the historical period, the game also features the present day setting, where series protagonist Desmond Miles must adventure to prevent the 2012 apocalypse.
The game features a new engine, Anvil Next. Built from the ground up, the engine is said to utilise full capability of current generation systems to deliver a next-gen Assassin’s Creed experience.
Assassin’s Creed III features new gameplay elements such as hunting and dual wielding of weaponry. Here the protagonist Connor uses two weapons against a group of redcoats. Other gameplay additions include muskets and rifles, which can be fired or used as melee weapons. Hiding places can now be mobile, such as haystacks in wagons or moving carts, which can be used to sneak up closer to targets. Disguises can also be worn, fooling normal troops and only risking investigation by officers.
Free running has been modified to allow for more fluid, parkour-like movement over certain obstacles. Exploration has also been modified, allowing for map areas to be revealed without requiring a viewpoint synchronisation. Close combat is also a novelty – you can slow down during blocks to allow for more options in attack and defence. Human shields can be taken against firing lines of enemies.
Assassin’s Creed III features new weather simulations such as snow, fog and rain. Depending on the season, weather determines how enemies or players will move around. Heavy snowfall, for instance, makes it more difficult to travel.
Players are now able to trap and hunt animals for skins – however, be careful because hostile animals such as bears and wolves will attack the player on sight. The value of an animal’s hide is determined by the method of killing. Muskets, flintlock pistols, and multiple attacks will make skins less valuable while a clean kill, a single arrow or blade strike, will increase the value.
The multiplayer mode features over 12 modes. Game mechanics from the single player will be carried over to the multiplayer, therefore requiring players to utilise stealth and advanced assassination techniques. Female assassins will also be included, as seen in Brotherhood and Revelations.
If you’re a fan of the series, you’ll be delighted with Assassin’s Creed III. If you’re a newcomer, you’ll be enthralled. The game has been received well, but it has had its share of criticism due to some inconsistencies with the parkour-style actions and several game bugs that severely affected the game in many ways.
The company has released a sizeable patch to fix these issues and the game is now performing very well.
Jesmond Darmanin is a technology enthusiast who has his own blog at www.itnewsblog.com.