Assassin's Creed III Review
Game Emblems
The Good
Why isn't Assassin's Creed 3 as fun as I remember the previous games being?
This is more of a mixed bag than the other games in the series. It has some great parts, but also has some not so great
A resonant story, compelling exploration, and tense oceanic battles make Assassin's Creed III a rousing success.
Just what are the most notable gameplay differences in Assassin's Creed III? Well, the parkour has changed, for starters. The control scheme is simpler, but this change is ultimately sensible considering it streamlines Connor's singular ability to bound from tree to tree just as brilliantly as he can scale walls and leap across roofs.
It takes some time to get accustomed to the rhythms of tree-jumping, which can be finicky and unpredictable. Though you can more or less speed across Boston and New York as if the buildings were your own personal jungle gyms, when seeking to fly through the frontier, you must keep your eyes peeled for the telltale signs of a climbing opportunity. You use a fallen tree much as a plane uses an airport runway, gaining momentum and then soaring. There are those moments that slow you down; you might not be positioned quite right and thus swing impotently rather than flow smoothly toward the next branch. You might even make an inadvertent leap of faith into a leaf pile below that you didn't notice until the game decided you were trying to fall into it. But then there are those moments in which it all comes together, and you fly with abandon across the unique architecture of the forest canopy.
While the trees that dot the main cities are sometimes there for climbing, most of the elms and birches you crisscross are within the frontier, as well as in the broad patch of land that functions as your homestead. The homestead is to Connor what Monteriggioni was to Ezio, but on a much broader scale. Your manor isn't fully your own--it belongs to Achilles Davenport, a former assassin who one day finds a persistent Ratonhnhaké:ton knocking at his door. Achilles is one of Assassin's Creed III's best characters, and it's a pity he doesn't get more screen time; his tough love balances Connor's naivete, but the bulk of Connor's training time is left only to your imagination.
The homestead is more than just a place for Connor and Achilles to banter and argue--it's the central element of Assassin's Creed III's economy. Like much of Assassin's Creed III, the homestead-focused facets are purely optional, yet they are worth exploring. The homestead is about building: building a village, building a future, and building relationships. By performing related missions, you befriend craftspeople, gatherers, hunters, and more, all of whom might find a place on the homestead. In turn, they can craft items that you sell via caravan for profit. (You discover recipes in treasure boxes throughout the world, some of which must be opened by performing a lock-picking minigame.) The homestead missions are varied, having you protect a miner as he scavenges for ore, search Boston for a drunken doctor, or break up a fisticuffs. In turn, your income grows, you meet new and interesting characters, and the homestead becomes, well, a home.
Meanwhile, out on the frontier, you can supplement your storehouse by trapping or attacking wild animals and then skinning them, leaving their carcasses behind. There's rarely a pressing reason to go hunting, just as there has never been a pressing reason to use smoke bombs to facilitate an easy escape when you can just dispatch your foes with a sword or an axe. But there's something enjoyably bizarre about perching on a tree branch and then assassinating a bunny rabbit from above. You can examine various clues--the signs of a foraging deer, for instance--to identify the location of a nearby animal. Hunting isn't a necessary aspect of Assassin's Creed III, though, but more of a toy for tinkering with, unless you grow deeply invested in the homestead's economy.
You stumble upon guarded redcoat convoys to attack and loot out on the frontier, but cities are home to most of the action. Even outside of story missions, there's plenty to do in Boston and New York. Ben Franklin's missing almanack pages float in the sky, giving you a reason to take to the rooftops and prance about. (You're rewarded with excerpts from the famous Poor Richard's Almanack, which are full of clever wordplay.) Liberation missions have you rescuing townsfolk from British soldiers, burning diseased blankets, and protecting farmers from rampaging redcoats. In almost every location, frontiersmen tell tall tales of flying saucers and the sasquatch, and the truths you discover if you follow these leads make for an interesting thematic twist.
Your exploits have you making direct contact with guards and soldiers, though combat has been tweaked so that it resembles that of Batman: Arkham Asylum more than ever. You counter by pressing the proper button when an indicator appears over an enemy's head, and you no longer have to manage a lock-on mechanic. Battles are fluid and bloody, as Connor chops, slashes, and somersaults about, though as always, you couldn't accuse combat of being especially difficult. Musketeers take aim, but if there's a nearby enemy, you can grab him and use him as a human shield, which protects you and dispatches a guard in a single move. Notably, Assassin's Creed III abandons health items and embraces regenerating health, though considering the previous few games' abundance of health items, there's no appreciable loss--or gain--of challenge.
By
Kevin VanOrd, Senior Editor
Kevin VanOrd is a lifelong RPG lover and violin player. When he isn't busy building PCs and composing symphonies, he watches American Dad reruns with his fat cat, Ollie.
925 comments
this game blows balls, i have no idea how it received an 8.5. i would give it a 5, 6 tops. it was terrible!!!!!!!! this reviewer is either an idiot or was paid off by ubisoft. i havent played such a shitty game in a while. also, its one of those games that makes you want to chuck your controller into a flippn wall, a lot. and i would have too if they werent so dang expensive.
1 Like This game was disappointing. the game is full of glitches that you wouldn't find on any other game. plus you have no idea what is happening the the beginning it's basically assassins creed 2: the assassin gets revenge at the enemy only in the revolutionary war.
1 Like I will agree that this game was a let down, does not even come close to AC, AC2, ACB, ACR. When I heard that AC3 will be coming out I pre-order the game hoping that will continue where it left from ACR where Ezio encounters the girl assassin. Will probably be a better game if it took place in England. When comes to the game, it took me half the time to complete the game, what a disappointment
3 Like Quite frankly this game was quite the let down, I mean with the glitches its hard to even play the game it felt like every mission I did, there was some form of glitch that either altered the result of the mission or had me to start over. The story had it's highs and then it had its lows, I feel the game was rushed into the ending, and I noticed how much they added to this title and it fell short because none of the side missions or currency even mattered in this game. ah what a waste it was.
1 Like Wow really I played all the previous assassin's creed, and the at the end of revelations I just wanted to go out buy AC3 but after reading how bad it was I might wait till its not selling at full retail price.
1 Like Terrible considering the other games are much more fun. If you're looking to buy, start from the beginning. This game is very disappointing considering the others are so fun and this one so bad. Many bugs in the game, such as you can be chasing someone and while in hot pursuit you will begin climbing for no apparent reason. They were very lazy with the story line. The other games have a very engrossing story line and suck you in, this one just puts you to sleep and is not really even connected to the others. The developers must be trying to start a new story because this game is like the first one. Boring! There are many missions and things to do, but with all the bugs the game offers you will not want to do them, you'll just want to finish it as fast as possible. I'm very disappointed with this game and hope that they made a good chunk of cash with all the hype for such an awful game
1 Like Have to say the game just doesn't have a smooth feel. Particularly frustrating is the inconsistent stealth sequence... a little bit spoilerish here so stop reading if that bothers you... but at one point we are disguised as guards in a convey yet end up having to slaughter many groups of guards on the way into the hideout just before they 'figure us out'. Then arriving at the gate the guards walk right up and are all cool and let us through. I like the setting, the story is alright, and it has good immersion. But after playing a game like Batman Arkham in which you have really solid melee and tons of killer abilities AC3 is just soooooo thin. If AC3 had the gameplay mechanics of Batman AC it would be a homerun... instead it feels so brittle and flaky.
When the 1st AC released it blows everyone's mind 3rd person action/parkour/stealth/history ??? it is a killer ingredients for a perfect action game. Then the sequel with Ezio as the main protagonist is even more stronger character than Altair . the brotherhood & revelation is not much than a spice for ac2. and AC3? why it has to be like this? it's clearly AC has become a dragged franchise. it would be awesome if AC3 is a stage for Desmond for finally appear as the main protagonist and as we venture with him all the story ,riddles and whatever thing we had from the previous AC be explained and concluded as one epic Trilogy. isn't it be better if the developer have the guts to end a franchise while it's on top than end it just because it already runs dry.
1 Like I found this game not to be as much fun as the first since I played the first and then started playing this, the combat here is way too easy.
1 Like @Mezba I totaly agree with you. Its a cool game, but its been way to "simplyfied" :PBoth the combat and freerunning is way to easy. Just hold the freerun button and run straight forward :p
An Assassins Creed game set in pre-Meiji Japan, with the templars acting as the 'encroaching westerners' and assassins as traditional Samurai would be bad ass. Just saying.
1 Like @asnelenkas its cool but the glitches in the gameplay makes us get frustrated.....but for the efforts of ubisoft and its crew...the game is fantabulous.
I'm glad I didn't buy this game but i'm still contemplating putting my mate in hospital for lending me it
3 Like It was definitely my least favourite in the series. The cities lacked the charm of previous games (and both cities played out almost identically), story seemed forced, cant really connect with Connor in the same way I did with Ezio, combat is more boring then ever before. There's just many elements of the game that were not fleshed out, leaving you with the feeling that you wasted your time. Not a good game.
1 Like Everyone has pretty much hit the nail on the head, despite the route the series has taken the concept was riveting but failed to deliver, playing all Assassins Creed titles this title by far has the worst control of the character you play, too many glitches and playing through sequences 1-3 so far have become riddled with troubles with the stealth mechanics. Don't get it wrong the challenge is there but with the glitches it sometimes makes situations more frustrating than they have to be.
I loved the game, the story AND THE whole game is great...despite unluckiness in the ratings
2 Like I'm quite disappointed. This one is by far the worst in the Assassin's Creed series. Weapons are hard to handle and it also lacks those amazing gadgets and missions of the past three episodes. So far Revelations is the best of the AC series.
1 Like @juanchopolo81 Agreed, with one exception. Good game or otherwise, Revelations and Brotherhood were cheap money spinning tactics, designed to drag out an already milked storyline. I might have bought them as addons, but they never should have been standalone games, and they DEFINITELY shouldn't have had any pivotal plot points included in them since they were spin off titles. Desmond's got a father now?? Wtf...
This game goes hard!!! Takes a while for the action to 'really' get started though.VanOrd should win the editor of the year award.
2 Like Assassin`s Creed was one of the greatest,now I see the series is just a flop.
they better end this garbage before they lose their credit.
2 Like Lets face it from 9/28/2010 to 10/30/2012 they have released 4 assassins creed games, so in the space of 2 years. All they have done is in a way copy and paste material from Assassins creed 2 and whipped together new game after new game, its pathetic because you have other game makers who spend 4 years making something and you have these who just throw nothing new at you every six month with the same everything just something different in the story line.
it is certainly better than world of war craft. this stupid game just forces the player to keep playing it is like a cure. but i would still like to say that world of war craft novels are good and have interesting stories.
2 Like Lot of new features with new combat system....But all these does not make it so awesome....The Characters are not so Attractive like how Ezio was right from the start with alot of fun , the music was bad....and the horse riding was so horrible. Connor was not a great character like Altair and Ezio. The pacing was poor and the Naval Battles were awesome... The game was good overall but we gotta be patient as it takes nearly 5-6 hours to put on the Assassins Robes
An 8 or a 7.5 is what it deserves with so much of Imbalance from what was being in development for over 2 years while even brotherhood was near to perfection..
1 Like There are a lot of things to do which are not even necessary. Hunting ? What the hell is that, i'm an assassin. I completed the game without hunting, going shops etc. I only bought a sword from the shop and i rarely used it. Sea battles are great tough. They should focus on a game just like sea battles scenes in Assassin's Creed III. What's more, i really liked Haytham Kenway. Great character and even better than Connor. Story is good, but after you see some events ( i don't wanna give spoilers) you say "oh man it could be better". You expect much more from story, but it's still good enough. Horse riding gave me cancer. 8.5 is too much, my score is 8.0.
1 Like I want to have a comment on Assassin's Creed 3 at this point where I have reached the last sequence, hardly enjoying most part of it. Assassin's Creed 3 is an unfocused game. The main story exist but there are so many things to distract you. And they just to that, try to get some of your time without any purpose.
- Hunting should be better if there where some incentives to hunt apart from money. Lets say that I use pelts and fangs to improve Connor's armor (leather greaves and such). Crafting would be more enjoyable if Connor could use new guns earlier in the game, or a healing remedy.
- Getting enemy forts is nice though ridiculously easy and the only practical gain is fast travel points.
- Fast traveling via the underground tunnels is a mess. They are designed to waste the player's time and nothing more. Spending over 2 hours on completing the Boston network was so unfulfilling.
- Collecting feathers is also a remnant of the past games and serves no purpose in the wilderness of America.
- Bugs and glitches (no comments).
The only thing you do not waste time on is naval battles which are really enjoyable. But according to my opinion all this distractions are not the worst part of the game. The worst part is that Connor does depend more on battle than smooth assassination skills. Boston and New York are full with soldiers so you have to either to run and hide all the time or fight battles with more that 20 soldiers over and over again. There is actually no point in using stealth, and are little incentives in the game missions as well, as soon enough you realize the combos to defeat most enemies and just go ahead with slaughtering. The tools could use a keyboard selection option, as rolling down the list every single time just to get the horse whistle is just lame.
To conclude, I regard that as Ubisoft could not find a new skill set for Desmond decided to fill an Assassin's Creed game with all clutter so that gamers won't notice a mediocre job. In an old fashioned gamer's mind like mine, assassins operate in cities where they can hide and use their hidden blade more than an axe. They do not roam the frontier hunting and crafting things to sell, but they can play pirate in this era of American history to make a profit. They are not angry and resentful as Connor, they are methodical tacticians in their killings and infiltrations as Enzio was. I am sorry Ubisoft but I do not think I will stay until the end, I got bored and tired.
I agree with VampireLord and tourdefist on all the negative points they brought out because its really annoying and it literally ruins the game which i consider one of the best game series ive ever played. Bugs are everywhere... the one that made me mad was when i couldnt liberate the north boston district from Templars although i did all liberation missions and talked to the district contact, it still showed 70% assassins control... and the problem with the million guards appearing all of a sudden when i enter open conflict is crazy, and sometimes even when a number of guards are blocking the way into some area where entering is prohibited, it suffices to walk besides those guards to trigger open conflict even without entering the guarded area. Besides, the horseback riding system is so retarded... your horse can jump over high obstacles, but suddenly stops when he bumps into a 2 inch rock coming out of the ground while galloping, and this can be incredibly annoying when you're chasing someone or being chased. On the other hand, the naval missions were a blast and by far the best side missions in the assassins creed series.
Anyways i still enjoyed the game despite all its negative aspects.
5 Like I agree Mr. VampireLord. Here's my laundry list of why I disliked ACIII:
-load screens, constant load screens
-the fast travel system is a disaster. I would fast travel to one place on the map (load screen), then have to turn around, walk 10 feet, and endure another load screen.
-the missions are not very fun and it felt like a chore completing them. One in particular had me chasing a guy through the streets in an endless loop (you know the one).
-the combat is simple and not very engaging
-the stealth in this game is a joke with no punchline
-I bump into a soldier and all of a sudden 20 dudes appear which leads to more boring combat
-I can't pick weapons up and keep them? or even climb with them? Sometimes weapons I purchased would just disappear from my inventory for no reason
-constantly sticking to walls, being unable to climb, or climbing when I didn't want to -The big battles scenes are not what I was hoping for; they felt very contrived
-the draw distance is bad...very bad
-the historical info you can read about in the Animus is riddled with spelling errors and annoying humor
-what's with aiming a gun?!
-I didn't find the story very compelling...at all
-frame rate drops (I played on a ps3 Slim), glitches and bugs galore
-the game feels unfinished
+I really liked the sea battles
+I sold ACIII on amazon today for 50 bucks....woo! All in all, I liked feeling immersed in the game's world and it was hard to do that when I was constantly being sucked out of it (desynchronizing sequence, load screens, bugs, etc.) That's why I hate ACIII. I really think this game should've been scored 7.0 or lower.
@tourdefist You can zoom out in the map screen, then zoom in on a different city, then use the fast-travel points there. You don't need more than one loading screen.
@tourdefist very wise! It is a pitty that there is no AC game that would deserve a 9+. They have made too many games allready, I feel like the series is fading out. Just to hear that ubi is asking fans questions about what should there be in Beyond two Sould (next year's AC)
6 Like Well, i have dissect the game almost copletely, finishing every quest and challenge, almost finish clearing all the maps, and i have to say the game feels very unpolished. There is many questionable design aspects of the game, some even hammper my experience in the game here are some.
-I have experience some freezing in the game, like four times or so, even there was a part where the game keep freezing every there seconds or so.
-I experience a bug on the hunting bear mission where the bear got stuck on the wall so could not finish the quest.
-In some part of the games, specially in New York, for some reason the guards just kept chasing even if i was incognito.
-In the underground level in New York i found un unifinsihed part in two elevators. You see to cross a part in the underground you neew to pull down to levers to bring two elevators down. If you come back to that part again, you will find the elevators up and you cant pull the levers down again, and the thing is you cant cross because you have to carry the lantern with you.
-For some reason while fighting, the auto-aiming of the game it just does not work correctly, in some cases i had to repeat some side quests because Connor would not aim to the guy i wanted to kill.
-The map is another big issue i had with the game, for some reason once i received a courier mission assasins contracts or other kind of mission, they dont pop up in the map, so i had to restart the game, and talk to the quest givers AGAIN, and then they will appear in the map. Some of the quests dont appear on the map either wich truly annoys me.
-When you are buying in the store, you can only buy one item at the time, which is kind of lame, and while selling or crafting, it is truyly annoying that you have to go item by item to select the one you want to sell or craft, for example, to choose to sell the wolfs pelt, you have to cross all your personal items to get to the point where you can select to sell the wolfs pelt through your convoy, which is pretyy annoying because you have to do it FIVE times because the game wants you to choose item-by-item.
-Above all aspect already, said the thing that truly bug me, was the fact that i found all the underground entrances, and for some reason the games keeps telling me that i only have found 82%, and i have double check all the entrances. This will hamper my 100% of the game and i am very annoyed about this.
There is some other issues that i found in the game, but many of these are just experience through side questing. If you play the game only the main quest, and some side questing, you wont probably experience many of the faults in the game. I personally woul have given this game a 7 even lower because the game really feels unpolished and there was not given enough time to finish the game properly
@VampireLord123 You don't have to buy one item at a time in the shops. If you need 8 arrows, you tell it how many arrows to buy, or you can hit one button to fill your inventory slots.
@VampireLord123 I agree with most of your points. I especially agree on the crafting and sending convoy parts, very very annoying.
2 Like @VampireLord123 I find it ridiculous how on some sites the game is nominated for game of the year. It's jsut absourd, and dissrespectfull for other good games that simply do not have such a bugget as AC, yet are much much better.
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