Game rating: Assassin's Creed 3

[PZ]

Game title
Assassin's Creed 3

Category            Rating            Comments Story line 9 The story is believable, and definitely keeps your interest.  I can't give the best examples without spoiling the game play for the rest of you chaps, but suffice to say that it is definitely not predictable like in the prior AC versions.  Hunting in the frontier is fun and the scenery is spectacular!  There are about 2.5 hours of video detailing the story line, which helps the player become fully immersed.  However, I suspect that for some, there is a fine line between just enough and too much video. Graphics 9 As always with the later version of the AC series, the graphics are spectacular even on the console.  They are similar to the graphics in AC:Revelations.  One complaint I would have is that the smaller trees in the wilderness are not graphically appealing and feel "solid" to the touch, i.e., you can't brush aside the limbs to go past.  They are also solid to the eye; you cannot see through even though there are areas in which you feel you should be able to.  However this is not a game breaker.  The weather effects are spectacular; when it rains you see shiny bricks on the buildings and cobble stones in the roads.  The enemy are less competent to find you when the weather is poor.  Snow is particularly well done.  In places the snow is deep and impedes your progress, and in others not.  In all cases, the tracks in the snow are so crisp and believable that you almost think it is a real video. Sound 10 I simply love the soft music in the later Assassin Creed games.  The voices are played well.  In fact, for anyone that knows the voice acting in ArmA2, AC3 is on the opposite end of the spectrum.  While the small tree graphics may be sub-par, the sounds in the wilderness are spectacular; there is no music most of the time and it really sounds like you are out in nature.  While traveling through hunting grounds, you can hear elk bugling in the distance, birds, and other sounds of nature.  Quite relaxing, really. Game play 8 Extremely satisfying to play the game; as soon as I leave a gaming session I already look forward to the next time I can go back in.  This is not usually true of the other games I play.  Another positive note: when you become fatigued with the violence of war, you can go on a hunt in the wilderness.  As mentioned above, the sounds of nature and the relatively relaxed atmosphere of the hunt are very satisfying.  The underground tunnel system in Boston and New York are side missions that add to the immersion of fast travel. The one thing that causes me to rate this section lower is the chase requirements.  There are main story line missions that you cannot get past without completing a timed chase challenge, which I am personally not fond of. Replay value 9 Like most of the open world games I've played, I do tend to replay many times through.  I doubt this will be any different. Final thoughts The progression through the game is similar to other episodes of the series.  Become trained, and then more is available just like in most games.  The developers have improved on many aspects of the game.  For instance, gone are the tedious den defenses and assassin training required in Revelations in favor of a simpler method.  You simply acquire recruits and use them occasionally to gain them experience.  They are not mostly invincible like in Revelations. For American History buffs, this is a wonderful trip through the Revolutionary war; as in prior installments, there is plenty to read about most of the characters and places in the game.

[Art Blade]

very nice, PZ, thanks for the review. The vids recently posted by JRD and your enthusiasm actually started to convince me that it might be worth getting it. I was fed up with the series after AC2 (particularly Brotherhood put me off) and subsequently I skipped everything after that but now.. this looks promising again :)

[PZ]

I'm glad you're considering it, and if you purchase, I hope you find it pleasurable  ;)

There certainly is a variety of things to do; just checking the map legend reveals dozens of different icons.

[JRD]

Nice review PZ. I do hope you update it as you progress through the game.

Reading Art's comment, specially now after a while since I finished AC:R and am re playing AC2, I remember how AC:R departed from the AC mood by dedicating too much time and effort into trainning assassins and capturing/defending dens.... the main story line was dilluted in all that and, even though the game looks amazing and being on a new setting like Constantinople was fantastic, I don't miss the game as much as I miss AC2 and even AC:B.

Ok, Revelations is a game about Ezio's search for his roots, his connection with Altair, so it's a more introspective storyline, but I sure hope the focus in AC3 is more on Connor and the main story of Templars vs Assassins then anything else.

[PZ]

... I remember how AC:R departed from the AC mood by dedicating too much time and effort into training assassins and capturing/defending dens....

Thanks JRD, and you are so right!  I became really disenchanted with the den defenses, and going through all the training was a real bother.  There is n activity that is similar to a den defense, but in only one mission I have encountered so far.  You also have recruits, but you don't seem to need to train them, at least not so far in my game and I'm just about to go to New York for the first time.

Not really a significant spoiler, but if you want an absolutely pristine experience, do not read

There is a mission that is reminiscent of the den defense, but is actually fun rather than being stupid.  In one area you are to take command of three groups of patriots only yards apart.  You are on horseback and your job is to order the men to shoot at the redcoats, and of course, you need to reach a certain number of redcoats dispatched before time runs out.

[pschlacter01]

thanks review. soper play hard.
:-X

[PZ]

Always  :-X ;)

Welcome to the site, pschlacter01  ;)