Assassin's Creed 3

*Note: My review will not include multiplayer

This PS3 Exclusive Edition includes the DLC Benedict Arnold

Assassin's Creed III is the direct sequel of Assassin's Creed Revelations following Desmond Miles's discovery of the present location of the Grand Temple of Those Who Came Before. Desmond is accompanied by his father William and old buddies Rebecca and Shaun. They gain access to the temple using the Apple of Eden. When one of the power sources partly activated the temple, Juno began communicating with Desmond, showing him the history of her people and the threat they sought to contain. She reveals that the incoming second disaster will happen on December 21, 2012. Desmond and companions have to find the other power sources to activate the rest of the temple. Desmond also has to locate the key to open the inner confines of the temple. To do this, he has to relive the memories of ancestor Haytham Kenway, then later Haytham's son, Ratonhnhaké:ton or Connor.

Desmond learns that Haytham searched for the medallion as well, believing it will give him access to the Grand Temple. When he finally acquired the key in London he then searched for the temple. That was when he met Kaniehtí:io, a member of the tribe Kanien'kehá:ka (the Mohawk) who was captured by slave traders. Kaniehtí:io agreed to a temporary alliance to eliminate their common enemy General Edward Braddock. Kaniehtí:io is Ratonhnhaké:ton's mother.

The story of Desmond's ancestors is set in the 18th century British American colonies. Haytham first arrived in Boston and gathered men around him. One of these, Charles Lee, met the child Ratonhnhaké:ton just before the Kanien'kehá:ka village was attacked and torched. Kaniehtí:io perished in the event and her son vowed that he would make Charles and the other people responsible for the attack pay for their deeds.

Years later, a village elder showed Ratonhnhaké:ton a crystal sphere which activated at his touch. This allowed the boy to communicate with Juno. She urged him to seek Achilles Davenport. Doing so would enable the boy to keep protecting his village and his people who are also the guardians of the Great Temple. After a few tries, Achilles agreed to train Ratonhnhaké:ton as an Assassin. He named the boy Connor.

From left: Desmond Miles, William Miles, Shaun Hastings, and Rebecca Crane

Connor at the opening video of the game

Several changes have been made in the game. The first thing I noticed when Haytham roamed the streets of Boston are the environmental effects. Sometimes it would rain or fog or snow. I've also noticed that there are more animals around besides horses (yay! I get to pet dogs!). Later in the game, the player will also notice the contrast of the different locations. In the last four games, the lead characters usually only had access to towns and cities. But in AC III, the player gets to experience running in open country and climbing trees. Naval missions also give an opportunity to experience the open waters. I like the little details they included in creating the environment. You could easily tell that the staff did their research.

In previous games, the player satisfied his obsessive and "completionist" tendencies through collectibles, crafting, and buying. In AC III you still get to do those and more. Homestead missions allow the player to make his property grow and generate income through crafting and trading. Upgrades can be crafted through this. Trading and crafting have also been expanded. Some of the materials can be gathered through hunting, one of the activities that can be done in the Frontier.

Recruiting and training assassins is also more hands-on as Connor can actually talk to the recruits. As for fast travel, locating entrances is like a mini game itself.

One of my favorites however were the four mini games; namely, Nine Men's Morris, Boules, Fanorona, and Checkers. I've read a blog post stating that the staff did a research about which games were appropriate for the setting. I'm glad they included those because I'm fond of board games and puzzles in general. They even included different levels of difficulty. I appreciate little details like that. 

Another favorite of mine are the naval missions in the Aquila. Besides the joy I got in destroying enemy ships, I also enjoyed the view. The animation is quite good.

Haytham Kenway and Kaniehtí:io

Son with father. Connor (left) and Haytham (right)

Unlike Altair and Ezio, Connor can climb natural elements like trees. It took me quite a while to get used to, but jumping from branch to branch was as fun as the first time I learned to run on the roofs.

Combat has also been revamped. The system allows for dual wielding (a bigger weapon paired with a small weapon like the hidden blade or dagger) and there are a variety of weapons to choose from (ranging from heavy weapons to flintlock pistols). The player can also assassinate targets using other weapons besides the hidden blades. However, blocking is more difficult as well as the counter-attacks which need proper timing. The enemies are slightly less stupid as well. They can detect you much more easily than in the previous games.

Desmond

My overall playing experience with AC III has been pleasant. There were so many things to do and so many things to enjoy. I also liked how the Connor's story and Desmond's present struggle blended really well. There was even a contrast between the two father and son relationships in the game (Desmond and William, Connor and Haytham). The ending? Heartbreaking. I admit I did not anticipate how Desmond's story would play out but near the end you could sense that Juno might be planning something unpleasant because she was so persistent (after all, who could forget the ending of AC Revelations?).

There is also that pervading mood I felt throughout the game as well. It seemed as if despite everything that Connor accomplished, the struggle is futile. I guess this is because the players already have an idea what will happen (it's inspired by historical events after all) and because of Connor's approach to his problems. At times he's frustratingly stubborn and naive. And this is usually contrasted to the Templars's way of doing things. Sometimes I think maybe Haytham's way is better, but I admire Connor's persistence and honesty.

The only thing I don't like is that it seemed it took me less time to complete the game than I initially anticipated. The story did seem short.

If you enjoyed both Altair's and Ezio's stories, Connor's is just as interesting and engaging. AC III offers a lot of new things to enjoy and still retains the familiar elements in previous games.

Rating: 10 out of 10