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Brad Reviews Assassin's Creed III

Oh boy it’s another Assassin’s Creed game! I love this series, and it not just because Altaïr will kill me unless I say otherwise, I really do enjoy this series, and the latest installment is quite the game. While technically the fifth installment of the series, because Ubisoft abides by the “Grand Theft Auto, we'll give it a proper number when we fucking feel like it,” sequel naming convention, this game brings a close to the story Ubisoft has been telling for the past seven years, kind of. Anywho on with the review!

The Good

The setting. Not to take anything away from the Third Crusade, or Renaissance Italy, but the American Revolution is an awesome period to tell a story of this nature in. I may be a little biased being an American myself, but in my opinion the ongoing story of the war between the Templars and Assassin’s never fit better into a historical period.

The main character. Ratonhnhaké:ton, or if you prefer a name you actually have a chance at pronouncing correctly, Connor Kenway, is the latest in a line of strong protagonists. Connor is a fantastic conflicted character, being half British and half Mohawk he’s a wonderful conduit to experience the history of the American Revolution through. While he holds no real alliance with either side of the conflict between the Colonists or the Redcoats he helps to show us the usually forgotten side of revolution, that of the Native American.

The naval missions, of my God, the naval missions. Let’s be honest, Ubisoft’s previous attempts of adding different kinds of game play elements haven’t been the most successful. I know I didn’t play any more of the shoehorned in tower defense game in Revelations than I had to, but believe me when I say this. The naval missions in this game are some good that they could be a game onto themselves.

The Bad

On the bad side of things the game is a bit slow to begin with. As I said in the previous segment Connor is an awesome character with a compelling story, but here’s the thing, you won’t be playing that compelling story until about a third through the game. Not to give anything away, but in the beginning of the game you’re actually playing as Connor’s father, which I admit was a bit confusing at first since all of the advertisements were telling me I was gonna be playing as a badass Indian ninja, and an Indian ninja Haytham Kenway is not, Also what kind of name is Haytham?

The fighting mechanics, they changed them again! The Assassin’s Creed games have always had a wonky battle system, and in each new game Ubisoft makes a few tweaks to the system, but it never seems to move passed the, “is this the line to get stabbed in the face,” kind of enemy AI.

The Ugly

This game is haaaaaaaaaaard! No wait scratch that. Some of this things they want you to do in this game are haaaaaaaaaaaaard! Just playing through the game is relatively easy, but if you want to be a completionist get ready for a challenge. In order to 100% the game you need to do these little side objectives during story missions in order to achieve full synchronization, and some of them are downright impossible, so impossible in fact that Ubisoft is working on a patch in order to make certain objectives easier to get, and in some cases to make them possible to get.

The next point I wish to make I make of my own volition, and not because I currently have a hidden blade jabbing my spine, but where’s Altaïr? I wanna play as Altaïr. That Altaïr fellow is rather awesome and quite the badass.

Conclusion

No Altaïr aside this is a worthy successor to the Assassin’s Creed series, and as is the Assassin’s Creed tradition the ending leaves you confused, yet still wanting more. I eagerly await next year’s inevitable game with the continuing misadventures of Connor.