Assassin's Creed III

"A new protagonist, in a new world." 

 

Developer: Ubisoft
Publisher: Ubisoft
Release Date: 30 Oct, 2012
Platform(s): PC, PS3, X360, WiiU
Genre: Action Adventure
 

 

Assassin's Creed III marks the first major change in the series since we were introduced to Ezio Auditore back in 2009. After three titles controlling the same protagonist, a new assassin is introduced whose history is set in the United States during the Independence War. You assume the role of Connor (or Ratohnhaké: ton), mixed between the British and American natives who fights the Templars that are disguised among the members of the English Army. A new trailer shows that Ubisoft is ready to change the rules of Assassin's Creed and respond to the criticisms of those who once said that the series was simply repeating itself.

The story will be set in New York and Boston, between 1753 and 1783, and of course in present day where Desmond continues his hunt for Apples of Eden, after the events of Revelations. This time, the narrative is centered between the war between the Assassins and the Templars, as well as Connor's journey. For that, Ubisoft is trying to be very accurate in relation to actual facts, consulting reliable historical texts and even using Native American actors for motion capture. In addition, the company says that not all British colonial oppressors are evil and one of the main objectives of the narrative is to show the views from both sides: Assassins and Templars.
 

This means that there is a grey line of morality, with the Templars believing they are saving the world. Historical icons such as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Charles Lee are all present. George Washington will interact a lot with Connor, Benjamin Franklin will not be as committed to the cause as fellow inventor Da Vinci was, and the participation of Charles Lee and where he fits into the plot still remains a mystery.

A script of colossal importance needs new technical enhancements. A new engine, probably Anvil 2.0, has been developed with the purpose of enabling thousands of men on the battlefield, unlike the hundreds that appeared in previous games. The battle now focuses on the attack and is based on speed, which results in choosing the right moment to strike down your opponent. Connor will be at the heart of most battles and will enter into combat with two weapons: a tomahawk and a knife. Weapons will now allow you to hit more targets during combat, making hoardes of enemies a more mountable obstacle. Using hostages as shields, automating the once manual lock-on system, and making use of small sensitive movements are just a few ways that you’ll be able to gain an advantage in the heat of battle.

 

A new animation system has already been specifically developed for this title; totally refurbished in relation to previous games. With this, facial animations should contain a lot more detail than ever before. Connor alone will have thousands of original animations assigned in combat that will ultimately make it a less repetetive experience overall. According to the Ubisoft, there are about 2.5 hours of cut scenes alone that were recorded completely with real actors. Definitely an approach closer to Uncharted, whose final scenes are very similar to the best Hollywood movies. It is also worth noting the new camera system, which is now more dynamic, will capture each and every moment in painstakingly life-like fashion.

The cities and pathways of Assassin's Creed III will provide more diversity in terms of setting than any other game in the franchise. Several types of terrain will be presented, the main one being a desert referred to as "The Border". The developers have ensured us that this map alone “will be 1.5 times greater than the entire map of Brotherhood.”

More interestingly, the world of ACIII will change with the passage of time. This means that in winter the soldiers will move more slowly and even stumble in the snow, with rivers and lakes freezing over. As years go by, a landscape where an important battle was held could be a completely different place later on. "We do not have the presence of only historic buildings now, there will also historical events," says Jade Raymond, series executive producer. Thus, you'll experience the Great Fire of New York and visit the Valley Forge as a place occupied by the army of Washington.
 

Ubisoft understood that the Tower Defense style of AC: Revelations was a failure and has been dropped for Assassin's Creed III. Copying the formula of Red Dead Redemption, you can now hunt animals for new resources. Best of all is the way you kill them that affects the rewards. So killing a bear with a single blow will be much more valuable than stabbing him several times. Besides the main task during Connor's journey, various clubs and groups may wish to join him or invite him to be a member - giving Connor side missions. This applies to the hunting society, that invite the player to kill many "cats". However, the most promising feature regarding this aspect of the gameplay is the ability to jump and climb trees and cliffs of the mountains to perform acrobatic combat.

Assasin’s Creed III will undoubtedly come with huge expectations this fall; perhaps the biggest of the series thus far and with just cause. This will mark the longest development of any AC title, as well as more dedciated man hours put into the project than ever before. The game is set for release on October 30 on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC and WiiU.
 

 

Marco Cecilio, NoobFeed