Assassin's Creed III Preview

You've got to take a mile to gain an inch.

These Templar assholes just won't stop. It wasn't enough that they were beaten back in the Middle Ages or that a young Italian playboy managed to best them on their own turf. Now they're in the new world causing trouble and using the Revolutionary War as a means to securing a seat of power.

That won't be an easy task, what with the player and Assassin Creed III's new protagonist, Connor, on the watch. Not much has been revealed following our last preview of the title, but several new gameplay elements were shown off at E3 2012, each of which worth mentioning.

At Ubisoft's press conference, developers from Montreal played the game live for all to see, showcasing the wilderness gameplay that would envelop the space between Boston and New York. Connor climbed trees, hunted game, and fought off wolves in the snow. Every time we see our new Assassin avatar clambering up into the forest heights, I'm amazed at how well the traversal mechanic works.

The real improvement here become evident when you realize that Connor doesn't have to stupidly scale sheer walls like his ancestors did in Forli and Venice. Moving in these ancient cities is best when you do so at a breathless pace, and the wilderness setting seems to be completely out of breath.


Immediately following this gameplay demo, Sony decided to showcase more Assassin's Creed III at their press conference. This time, the live gameplay demo put a three-point hat on Connor and gave him the wheel on a high-seas vessel.

It might just be one of the hallmark set-pieces Assassin's Creed is known for, but fighting off an attacking ship provided for plenty of explosive moments. Perhaps Captain Connor can engage in these sequences when fast traveling between Boston and New York? Regardless, the scene crescendoed to a fever pitch as Connor's merry brotherhood boarded the enemy ship and forcefully persuaded the other crew to abandon ship.


Our final look at the game came behind closed doors at Ubisoft's E3 Booth. Showcasing side missions and general city gameplay, the Boston demo gave us a look at the way AnvilNEXT provides for enhanced crowds and reactions from civilians and enemies.

You can also choose specific Brotherhood actions in ACIII, allowing for more nuanced support from recruited Assassins. In order to pass through a red cost checkpoint, Connor called two disguised Brotherhood members to escort him through as a captive.

Assassin's Creed III is set for an October 30th release on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. A Wii U version is planned, but details have been sparse. The PS3 version of ACIII will connect with the PlayStation Vita's ACIII: Liberation, but look for those detail in our Liberation preview.