Assassin's Creed III PlayStation 3

Released on 31/10/2012

• American Revolution setting confirmed for Assassin's Creed 3

  It's one of the worst kept secrets in gaming, but Ubisoft has finally admitted that this year's Assassin's Creed 3 will take place during the American Revolution. That puts it somewhere between 1775 and 1783, for those who don't know their history (or can't be bothered looking it up online like we just did).

  The reveal came as Ubisoft released the official cover art for the game, which features a character wearing the distinctive eagle-hood of an assassin, about to plant a tomahawk in the head of a British officer. British troops and rebel American forces clash in the background. The character, whose name and story remain secret, also appears on the cover of the new issue of US magazine Game Informer. His tomahawk is joined by a flintlock pistol for that pic.

  Ubisoft has promised to release "all the details" on Monday March 5th.

  What we do know is that this game will be the last to feature modern day protagonist Desmond Miles. His previous ancestors, Altair and Ezio, saw their stories completed in last year's Assassin's Creed Revelations.

  Assassin's Creed 3 will silently creep into UK shops on October 30th for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. A version for Nintendo's upcoming Wii U console is also planned.

• Assassin's Creed 3 details confirmed

  Information surrounding Ubisoft's upcoming Assassin's Creed 3 is already firming up nicely, like a jelly full of knives and suspicion.

  A feature on the game in the new issue of US mag Game Informer reveals stacks of new details, building on Friday's revelation that the sequel would take place during the American War of Independence.

  You'll be playing as another ancestor of Desmond Miles, this time a half-English, half-Native American called Connor. That family certainly gets around, doesn't it? He'll wield a tomahawk and knife as his weapons of choice.

  There will be three locations in the game, with period authentic New York and Boston both recreated, while at least one third of the game will take place in the wilderness of the frontier. This map alone is said to be one and a half times larger than all the Assassin's Creed Brotherhood maps combined.

  Historical figures such as Benjamin Franklin, George Washington and Charles Lee will all feature in the story, along with pivotal events like the 1776 Great Fire of New York and Washington's encampment at Valley Forge in 1777. Together, they narrow down the exact time frame of the story rather nicely.

  The game will feature seasonal weather, an improved combat system and more emphasis on climbing and exploring. You'll also be able to hunt animals for food. It's all shaping up to be quite a radical evolution for the series.

  Assassin's Creed 3 is due for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC in October.

• Revolutionary Assassin's Creed III coming in October

  Ubisoft has revealed that Assassin's Creed III will be launching in October 2012 and will transport the acclaimed series into the era of the American Revolution.

  The forthcoming blockbuster is being billed as Ubisoft's grandest production ever and will be coming to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC and Nintendo's new Wii U.

  After a trilogy of games set in Renaissance-era Italy, Assassin's Creed III shifts to the late 18th century and follows a new protagonist, Connor, a trained killer of mixed English and Native American blood.

  The game promises some of the most fluid and dynamic combat yet seen in the series, with the action taking players from wild frontiers and thriving colonial towns to the brutal battlefields where the American and British armies clashed.

  In development for more than three years, the title will also introduce a stunning new game engine called Ubisoft-AnvilNext, which will deliver amazing visuals and sophisticated AI.

  Yves Guillemot, chief executive officer at Ubisoft, said: "Whether you're a long-time fan of Assassin's Creed or if you're new to the franchise, you're going to be blown away by the scale and marvel of Assassin's Creed III."

  Published: 06/03/2012

• Frontier setting makes Assassin's Creed 3 "really fresh"

  The decision to set at least one third of the upcoming Assassin's Creed 3 in the wilderness of the American north east has given the series a new lease of life, creative director Alex Hutchinson has claimed. "We wanted to offer something that's really fresh," he told Game Informer. "We wanted to get outside the cities."

  "I always thought it was funny that the one thing you couldn't climb in AC was the one thing I have climbed in real life, which is a tree," Hutchinson continued. "There're plenty of games with forests but the forests are just collections of assets, they're just trees and you walk around them. The fact that it's a tree doesn't matter. It could be a lampost, it could be a box, it could be anything. Whereas if we can make trees and the wilderness as much a playground as Alta� and Ezio made cities, then I think it's huge."

  Fans needn't worry that the gameplay they love will be changed beyond recognition though. "We didn't want to tear it down," reassures Hutchinson. "We're not in one of those franchise situations where you need to reset, hit the reset and go back to the core."

  The game was officially unveiled this week, revealing the American Revolution as the setting, and half-English, half-Mohawk warrior Connor as the hero. The official page for the game on Xbox.com lists four-player co-op as one of the features, something Ubisoft hasn't mentioned before.

  Intrigued? You bet. Assassin's Creed 3 arrives at the end of October for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. PC and Wii U versions are also on the way.

• Assassin's Creed III 'will be welcoming to newcomers'

  Gamers who are looking to get into the acclaimed Assassin's Creed series will have no better opportunity than the forthcoming Assassin's Creed III.

  Ubisoft UK managing director Rob Cooper told MCV that the gamemaker is expecting the new Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U and PC adventure to bring new fans to the already popular series, making it one of Ubisoft's biggest launches ever.

  Though this is the fifth instalment in the core series, Assassin's Creed III represents a brand new chapter, shifting the action to revolutionary-era America and introducing a new protagonist.

  Powered by the stunning new Ubisoft-AnvilNext graphics engine, the game will offer amazing visuals, fluid combat and an immersive setting that takes players from frontier towns to bloody battlefields.

  The game will be released in October 2012 and is set to be one of the defining releases of the Christmas period.

  Mr Cooper said: "This is a great time for gamers to join the adventure. There's a huge will from Ubisoft to bring more gamers into this universe."
  

  Published: 12/03/2012

• Weather will impact missions in Assassin's Creed III

  More details about Assassin's Creed III's game world have fallen to earth, like so many beautiful and unique snowflakes. Ubisoft already revealed that the game, set during the American Revolution, would boast variable seasons but we now know that the weather will also play a role in the gameplay.

  Every map in the game will have both a summer and winter version. When playing in the winter, snow and ice will make certain areas impassable, while opening up new locations. Non-player characters will be slowed down by bad weather, while our half-English, half-Mohawk hero Connor will be able to take to the trees to avoid the slush.

  The news comes from a feature in Game Informer magazine, which also reveals that at least some of the game will be a playable flashback to Connor's childhood. As an adult, you'll be spending a lot of time with George Washington. From the sounds of it, he may well be the one who gives you missions.

  Assassin's Creed III is slated for release in October for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. A Wii U version will follow.

• Uncharted's Nathan Drake to appear in new Star Trek movie

  Veteran videogame voice actor Nolan North, who has over 200 credits to his name including the role of Nathan Drake in Sony's hugely successful Uncharted series, recently filmed a part for the upcoming Star Trek movie sequel, and it's all thanks to gaming.

  "I just worked on Star Trek 2 with J. J. Abrams," he told Eurogamer. "I met him doing some work on Super 8 and he said 'We're doing Star Trek, you wanna do it?' And I said I'd love to. He's a huge fan of gaming and he was telling me how people just don't understand [the medium] yet, but they're going to catch up. They don't understand how amazing this technology is and it doesn't get the respect it deserves, but if it keeps making the money it makes you're going to see more and more people converted."

  North will next be heard in another of his blockbuster gaming roles, as Desmond Miles in Assassin's Creed III this October. Star Trek fans can look forward to the release of a new action game based on Abrams' popular movie reboot this summer. It's a co-op action game for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC with players controlling Kirk and Spock through a series of missions.
  

• "It's about climbing": Assassin's Creed III director on the joy of trees

  We've known for some time that Assassin's Creed III takes place in the American west around the Revolutionary War, and that a large portion of the game will take the action away from the tightly packed urban environments of previous games and into wilderness settings that have more in common with Red Dead Redemption. Speaking to 1UP this week at E3, the games creative director and producer have explained more about how this shift will refresh and enhance the parkour-style gameplay.

  "Everyone says, oh, Assassin's Creed is about climbing buildings," the developers said. "What we believe is that Assassin's Creed is about climbing. You know what I mean? It doesn't have to be about buildings at all."

  For the team, the big challenge was making sure that everything in the forest could be climbed as easily as ledges and walls. ""It's important that what you see as climbable, and that you feel like is climbable, it is climbable. You don't have those orange glowing trees," they said. "But naturally you look at things and say, alright, I can climb on that thing. I see that rock, I'm going to climb on that. That feeling for the player of being in front and looking around and just looking at all the trees, I can climb this, I can climb that, I can climb that. That kind of puzzle element that you would do anyway, like if you had been in the forest, that's the kind of thing we're doing."

  Assassin's Creed III is due for release on PS3, Xbox 360 and PC on October 31st. It features a new lead character, Connor Kenway, and brings the story of time-hopping hero Desmond Miles to a close.

• Annual releases made Assassin's Creed 3 possible, says director

  When Ubisoft span Assassin's Creed 2 off into two further games, Brotherhood and Revelations, released just one year apart, some fans grumbled that churning out a new game every year would exhaust the franchise.

  Not so, claims Assassin's Creed 3 creative director Alex Hutchinson. Speaking to Eurogamer at E3, he explained that having multiple teams working on the other games while his studio spent three years perfecting the official third instalment has allowed them to keep the series fresh and popular.

  "The core team on this one has been working at it for almost three years, which is something you can almost never get in the industry these days - it's too expensive, too risky," he said. "So we need the other projects to support that kind of development - these big jumps."

  "Also, the beauty of Assassin's is that if you do it right it's kind of a new IP," he continued. "It's still about navigation and combat, but it's a brand new hero, brand new setting, brand new fantasy. It really is as close as you could get to a big budget new IP late in the hardware cycle."

  Assassin's Creed 3 relocates the series to America during the Revolutionary War, and introduces a new lead character, Connor, for time-travelling hero Desmond Miles to control. The game marks the official end to Desmond's story, but Hutchinson hints that there may be more spin-offs, if they can make it work. "I think we've become much better at planning forward in the franchise so we have ideas," he hinted. "But we also know players love new characters and radical changes so we're still figuring a few things out."

  Assassin's Creed 3 is out on October 31st for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. A Wii U version is also planned.
  

• Editor's Choice - Best of E3 2012

  
  

  

  Best of E3 2012

  Alas, there weren't any signs of the next-gen Xbox or PlayStation at this year's E3 - but fret not because there was still plenty on show to tempt us into spending yet more hours hunched in front of our tellies, causing pile-ups, roasting Redcoats and possessing, erm, murderous rodents:

  

  Watch Dogs

  What's It On? PC, Xbox 360 & PS3
  None of us were expecting it so we shouldn't have been surprised when Ubisoft's new IP duly brought the roof down at E3 with a 10-minute gameplay walkthrough of its astonishing third-person open world game. Players stalk the streets, able to manipulate and hack into all things 'connected' - from traffic lights and surveillance cameras to the personal details of city residents - with the aim of taking down the bad guys (whoever they may be...). With gorgeous graphics, incredible detailing and some genuinely original gameplay, this looks like a grown-up cyberpunk action thriller to die for.
  When's It Out? 2013

  Quick Mention: Xbox 360-exclusive Forza Horizon promises open-world racing mated to the outstanding physics and handling of the world-class racing series.

  

  Dishonored

  What's It On? PC, Xbox 360 & PS3
  This game's fresh, original setting sees you taking on the role of a betrayed assassin in a striking steampunk world. Labelling it as a 'stealth-based first-person shooter' doesn't quite cover it though because the amazing variety of tools and ways of offing the enemy is like nothing you've quite seen before. From possessing rats to stopping time and teleporting, the imaginative scope of Dishonored's gameplay means a title stinking rich with nefarious ways to murder and maim.
  When's It Out? 12th October

  Quick Mention: Go mental on a tropical island in the first-person sequel, Far Cry 3, whose trailer raised eyebrows at E3 because of its explosive, violent and explicit content. But based on the series' previous form, we know this latest entry will have the gaming chops to back up the sensationalism... fingers crossed.

  

  Assassin's Creed III

  What's It On? PC, Xbox 360 & PS3
  Out goes moody Ezio and in slips, err, moody Connor, a Native American with a mission to rip the scalps off the British army and Templars infesting the 18th Century US frontier. What this means for fans of the series is a distinct change in location and action with our killer hunting wildlife, slicing up wolves, leaping from tree to tree (as well as buildings) and clambering up cliff faces to toast enemy bases. Incredibly, the action demoed at E3 looked even more fluid than in previous franchise outings, and with its new setting, mechanics and hero, Assassin's Creed III could well be the best entry yet.
  When's It Out? October

  Quick Mention: Naughty Dog's post-apocalyptic thriller, The Last Of Us for the PS3 continues to show huge promise, boasting fantastic visuals and story-lead gameplay that features some seriously brutal action.

  Don't worry, Nintendo fans, we haven't forgotten you! We'll be focusing on the Nintendo Wii U games revealed at E3 next week.

  Published: 14/06/2012

• Michael Fassbender to star in Assassin's Creed movie

  Assassin's Creed will make the daredevil rooftop leap from games to the big screen in fine style, it seems, with the announcement that Michael Fassbender, one of the most popular actors around, will not only star in the movie version of Ubisoft's hit stealth franchise, but will also co-produce the movie with Ubisoft through his own production company.

  Fassbender is box office gold right now, with critical acclaim for arthouse dramas such as Shame and A Dangerous Method rubbing up against commercial hits such as X-Men: First Class and Prometheus. "Michael Fassbender was our first choice," said Ubisoft Motion Pictures boss Jean-Julien Baronnet. "Michael is an extremely smart, talented, versatile and committed actor."

  It's unclear which elements of the Assassin's Creed games will be used for the movie, but Ubisoft is adamant that it will retain creative control. The publisher even scuppered an earlier attempt to finance the movie by refusing to allow Sony's movie division to tamper with the story.

  It'll be a few years before we see the Animus in action on the big screen, but gamers can look forward to the end of an era when Assassin's Creed 3 is released this November 16th. The game, set during the American Revolutionary War, brings the story of time-hopping hero Desmond Miles to a close.
  

• Assassin's Creed 3 multiplayer details revealed

  You'll be able to sneak and slay alongside your friends when Assassin's Creed 3 launches later this year, Ubisoft has confirmed.

  Revealed at the San Diego Comic Con, the game - the last to feature series protagonist Desmond Miles - will include a co-operative multiplayer mode called Wolf Pack. Up to four players will be able to work together to take down targets in a series of special missions.

  There will be twenty five sequences in all, and only by surviving each one will you be able to reach the end. Players will also be able to synchronise their kills for greater XP rewards, which will unlock more characters and customisation options.

  Assassin's Creed 3 takes place in America during the Revolutionary War, and promises to move the series out of the cramped urban environments that have made the games so popular. Instead you'll spend a good portion of the game navigating the wilderness, climbing trees and rocks, and stalking your prey through the wild frontier.

  Assassin's Creed 3 launches for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 at the end of October. PC and Wii U versions are also planned and should be here before Christmas.

• Assassin's Creed creative lead admits

  We've known for a long time that the upcoming Assassin's Creed III will be the last we see of Desmond Miles, the poor bloke who keeps popping back in time to re-experience the actions of his ancestors. Now the game's creative lead, Alex Hutchinson, has shed a little light on the decision to bring an end to Desmond's story.

  "It's more like the Twilight Zone", he told games website Polygon. "There's always a guy introducing it and he's there every episode, but each game completes its own story."

  That guy won't be with us for long, though, as the Assassin's Creed team feels gamer's will lose interest in his saga if it drags on for too long. "I think Desmond needs to end, at some point. You know what I mean?" Hutchinson says. "Things that go on too long lack resonance. We're asking people to remember seven years worth of story. Which is like saying you were in junior high and now you're finishing college. And you need to remember what you were doing in junior high."

  In fact, Hutchinson reveals that there's so much new stuff in Assassin's Creed III that they could have released it as a new game without the Assassin's Creed title. "Without Desmond, we could have called it anything else, and people would have said okay," said Hutchinson. "It's just we like the wrapper of being an assassin and being in this continuing war against Templars. There's huge value in that. But [Assassin's Creed III] is 90% a new game."

  Desmond's tale comes to an end on October 31st for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

• Assassin's Creed III - Preview

  
  

  

  Big ambitions

  Not every Assassin's Creed fan was in favour of creator Ubisoft's decision to annualise the franchise, but the company has reasoned that the big creative leap promised by Assassin's Creed III wouldn't have been possible if it hadn't shifted the series to an annual release model.

  The success of 2010's AC: Brotherhood and 2011's AC: Revelations have enabled Ubisoft to invest heavily in its biggest AC game to date. The development team is twice the size of that used for any previous AC game, and it has been working on the ambitious project for almost three years.

  History lesson

  As in previous games, the overall story revolves around the war between the Order of the Knights Templar and the Assassin Order. Throughout the entirety of recorded history, the former has been striving for the power to save humanity from itself by destroying free will, while the latter has been fighting to preserve it.

  The latest entry in the historical action series feature a new open-world Colonial America setting, plus a fresh protagonist in the form of half Native American, half British assassin Connor, and is set across 30 years of his life from 1753 to 1783.

  

  Out in the wild

  The biggest star of an open-world game is often its setting, and AC3's looks set to play a headline role. As well as the densely packed cities of Boston and New York, AC3 features a vast wilderness area known as the Frontier, where Connor will stalk both human and animal prey, killing the likes or wolves and bears for food, clothing and other valuable resources.

  Players use the trees, cliffs and ledges to traverse the environment and set up kills much as they do the rooftops and man-made structures in urban locations. The game also boasts a dynamic weather system and shifting seasons; in the winter, soldiers will move more slowly and stumble in the snow, while lakes and rivers will freeze, giving players new terrain to adapt to and use to their advantage.

  Stealth or action

  Ubisoft says it plans to retain the series' traditional balance between action and stealth gameplay, even if trailers released to date have focused largely on open combat. Packed with crowds of individuals with their own appearances, motives and agendas, the streets of Boston shown in a recent gameplay demo are a good example of this.

  

  Fleeing from a bunch of British Redcoats, Connor leans up against a market stall selling fish. Viewing him as a customer, the owner starts chatting away to him about what she has to offer, and the deception pays off as the soldiers file past in search of their target. Using your surrounding environment and its inhabitants will be an important element of survival.

  Tomahawk bang

  But Connor's certainly no slouch when all hell does break loose, even if the odds are stacked against him. Capable of incapacitating or killing enemies, he uses a combination of vicious counter-kills, parries and straight-up blows with a new weapon, a tomahawk, to dispatch foes.

  Like the game's free-running sections, in which Connor glides through environments with the grace of a panther, combat is free-flowing and graceful. He darts from enemy to enemy during fights, is capable of assassinating on the run using a concealed blade, and can snatch an opponent's weapon and slay him using it without breaking stride. It's breathless stuff for the player, but Connor's exertions look effortless in motion.

  Many of the questions we still have - about how AC3 ties into Brotherhood and Revelations, and how Connor develops throughout the tale, for example - may not be answered until October's release, but early showings of the game have left us impressed, and somewhat reassured that this year's series entry will move the franchise forward more than the last few efforts both in terms of gameplay and story.

  Published: 02/08/2012

• Play how you like with Assassin's Creed 3's new mission system

  Play how you like with Assassin's Creed 3's new mission system

  Fans of the Assassin's Creed series can expect more variety and flexibility than ever when the third full sequel arrives later this year. In an interview with VG247, the game's creative director Alex Hutchinson has explained how they've not only made the game bigger, but also loosened up the structure to allow players more freedom to explore.

  "This is by far the biggest Assassin's Creed game yet, and we have several full systems we haven't yet announced," Hutchinson said. "Between the two new cities in Boston and New York, the Frontier as a map that's 1.5 times the size of Rome in Brotherhood, and the modifying effects of weather in all areas, the playable space is vast."

  Chief among the changes is the decision to allow players to accept side quests from clubs within the game, and have multiple active missions at any time, as in a role-playing game. "We've also added various new mission delivery systems like the Clubs, and allowed players to layer their experience: you can now have more than one active mission at a time, and more than one task on your plate, so people will be more in control of how they play their game," Hutchinson explains. "Add to that the fact that we're investing more on mission variety and custom mission events than ever before in a story that takes place over 30 years, and you have a vast experience. We can't wait to get it into people's hands."

  Assassin's Creed 3 is set in America during the Revolutionary War, and will be the first in the series to feature enormous wilderness locations where your rooftop running and climbing skills will be tested in new ways.

  Look out for Assassin's Creed 3 on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC this October.

  Published: 07/08/2012

• Assassin's Creed 3 takes to the water with epic naval battles

  
  

  When you think of Assassin's Creed, you probably think of scurrying across rooftops, skulking in crowds and hiding in haystacks. You probably don't think of galleons blasting each other with cannons, but that's going to change later this year when Assassin's Creed 3 introduces it's most unlikely gameplay component: naval combat.

  As revealed at Gamescom this week, part of the game's story, hero Connor Kenway will take part in several ship-to-ship battles but for those who enjoy the experience, there'll be other optional navy encounters. You'll be able to improve your ship with a stronger hull, giving it more defence against enemy fire, while different kinds of cannon ammo will produce different effects on your targets.

  Two cannonballs chained together can be used to tear through masts. Blazing cannonballs can set your opponent on fire. Grape shot scatters shrapnel, offering wider damage. You'll also be able to board enemy vessels, at which point the game will switch to hand-to-hand fighting while you dispatch the enemy sailors.

  It's yet another intriguing addition to a game that just gets more and more ambitious, the closer we get to its release. Set during the American Revolution, the game will also include epic land battles, an openworld wilderness and realistic seasons and weather. It will also mark the end of the story of Desmond Miles, the modern day fugitive who relives his ancestor's lives through the Animus machine.
  

• Assassin's Creed no longer a trilogy, but an ongoing series

  It's the news you hoped for, and probably the news you expected, but Ubisoft has confirmed that while the upcoming Assassin's Creed III will mark the last time series hero Desmond Miles slips back in time to inhabit one of his ancestors, it won't be the last we see of the Assassin's Creed universe and that more games will follow on an annual basis.

  "The way we see Assassin's Creed 3 now is as a franchise, like Mario or Resident Evil," creative director Alex Hutchinson told CVG. "It wasn't the original plan to be an ongoing series, no, but it became the plan."

  For those who worry that putting out a new game every year will mean a drop in quality, Hutchinson has words of comfort. "Since when is something less amazing if you get a new one every year?" he argued. "If Breaking Bad was shown twice a week I'd watch it twice a week. If Radiohead put out an album every six months I'd gladly buy one every six months."

  "If you can keep a series interesting and fresh then I don't see why it shouldn't go on", he concluded. "Nintendo has been great at reinvigorating their franchises, as have other Japanese companies, so we feel we can too."

  Assassin's Creed III arrives on October 31st for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, with versions for PC and Wii U to follow. The game takes place during the American Revolution, and incorporates realistic weather, wilderness locations and even naval ship-to-ship battles.

  Published: 20/08/2012

• Assassin's Creed 3 Multiplayer will get a year of monthly updates

  
  

  When multiplayer was first introduced to the series in Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, few could have imagined how well it would work with the game's sneaking and stabbing action. Even more interesting was the way the multiplayer was stitched into the game's daunting backstory.

  The multiplayer modes cast players as trainees at sinister organisation Abstergo, using the Animus technology from the single player campaign to hone their skills. For Assassin's Creed Revelation that idea was taken even further, with story sequences introduced as players levelled up their character.

  Now comes news, via CVG, that Assassin's Creed 3 will not only have another story being told through the online modes, but that the story will continue in monthly instalments for a year after release.

  "The multiplayer is so big today that it's already a game on its own," Ubisoft's Damien Keiken told CVG. He's the director of the publisher's Annecy studio, where the multiplayer modes are developed. "We've been given the right to develop the Abstergo storyline since the beginning, which is a big responsibility. As you progress in the game and level up your character, you access these files and videos. Every month you'll have new challenges to unlock new content that will continue the storyline throughout the year."
  

  Published: 04/09/2012

• Assassin's Creed III Achievements reveal more gameplay features

  The list of Achievements for the Xbox 360 version of Assassin's Creed III has slithered out onto the internet, revealing story details and info on some of the additional gameplay features. Needless to say, if you're allergic to spoilers you may want to look away...now.

  For the main storyline, there are twelve memory sequences in all while secret achievements give hints as to what will happen to series hero Desmond Miles during the modern day segments of the game.

  For the most part you'll be playing as frontier hero Connor during the Revolutionary War, and there are Achievements for decorating his home with Benjamin Franklin's inventions and for inviting other characters to share your homestead. You'll also be able to play games such as Fanorona, Morris and Bowls at this safe haven.

  Naval battles play a big part, and there's Gamerscore to be earned by upgrading your ship and undertaking bonus privateer missions. You'll also be able to join clubs, trade animal pelts and "unlock the mystery of Oak Island", whatever that may mean.

  A surprisingly small number of Achievements are available for multiplayer, so those who prefer to stay offline won't find too big a hole in their Gamerscore. Customise and rank up a character to level 20, win a multiplayer match and unlock a bonus video and you'll have earned everything on offer in that side of the game, at least where Achievements are concerned.

  It's a dizzying spread of things to do, clearly, and that's without even touching on the meat of the Assassin's Creed series ?the sneaking, the climbing and the stabbing.

  Assassin's Creed III is released on November 23rd for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. A Wii U version will follow shortly after.

  Published: 17/09/2012

• Assassin's Creed III plants plenty of seeds for future games

  Corey May, lead writer on Assassin's Creed III, has explained how the upcoming game will tie off all the loose ends from the previous games and spin-offs, bringing the story of history-hopping hero Desmond Miles to a definitive end, while still leaving the door open for more games set in the same universe of Templars, Assassins and Animus technology.

  "It was my intent to provide pay-off and to answer questions for those who are invested in them," he told ShackNews. "It should provide a fairly lengthy ending that will also give room for answers and pay-off."

  Obviously he's not about to tell us what that pay-off is, but he reassured fans that it will be a clear ending that will make sense to even the most casual player. Basically, even though the series has taken some pretty oblique turns in the past, don't worry that the final game is going to "do a Lost" and come up with an ending that leaves people feeling more confused than ever.

  "You will not wake up and find that you were in an Animus reliving the life of someone who was in an Animus," he explains. "We are not doing that. It was not all just a dream. I think people that have invested in the Desmond storyline will understand where the end of the game comes from. We're tying up loose ends and providing answers and resolution to things. You're not going to get another tremendous insane-o cliffhanger."

  Assassin's Creed III drops for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on October 31st. PC and Wii U players will get their hands on the game the following month.

  Published: 25/09/2012

• Assassin's Creed 3's Homestead is 'a beautiful video game train set'

  
  

  If you need a break from stalking and slaying in the upcoming epic Assassin's Creed 3, then the Davenport Homestead is where you'll want to head. That's the rural hub from which assassin hero Connor launches his missions, and where you'll return to regroup and resupply.

  You'll be able to populate the homestead with other characters by saving them out in the sprawling gameworld. You may, for example, save a man from a raging river and discover he's a carpenter. He'll then make his home in Davenport, and set to work producing items for you to sell or use. The more tasks and jobs you do to help your neighbours, the more useful stuff they'll produce.

  In fact, Davenport is so detailed and compelling that there'll be a mission dedicated to encouraging you to explore it and get to know the people there. "My favourite thing about the Homestead is that in a city, you're anonymous, you blend into the crowds," producer Alex Hutchinson told Official Xbox Magazine in the latest issue. "But at home, everyone knows your name. They don't know you're an assassin, obviously, but they live their lives...It becomes a beautiful video game train set."

  "The guys were saying there are 35 people in your Homestead, and each one has around eight activities, with some of the most complex animation we've ever built - and no-one will see it!", "There's one animation where the butcher takes apart a pig, and you can watch it for two minutes. There's definitely some showing off going on."

  Assassin's Creed 3 also introduces outdoor woodland areas to the game, as well as naval battles. You'll get your own warship and will be able to upgrade it and take on privateer missions. You'll also rub shoulders with famous historical figures and stab lots of bad guys in the back.
  

  Published: 01/10/2012

• Assassin's Creed III - Preview

  
  

  

  Assassin's Creed III developer Ubisoft may have pulled off the near impossible. This year's adventure looks set to refresh the series with a stunning game that's crafted to please both hardcore fans and new players alike.

  Those fresh to Assassin's Creed will find a completely new landscape to explore. Ubisoft has moved the action to 18th century America - or rather, the land soon to become America. The game's story will take place throughout the American Revolution and focus on Connor, a half-British, half-Native American assassin-in-training.

  A Theory Of Revolution

  As well as a new main character, timeframe and setting, many of the series' features have been reworked and expanded. It's worth noting that Assassin's Creed remains a hugely successful series for Ubisoft, and it's pleasing therefore to see the developer eager to evolve the franchise further, rather than just rest on its laurels.

  Perhaps the biggest change comes to the game's combat system, which has been updated and simplified. Fights now feel faster as Connor zips around the screen raining death upon foes. Armed with a tomahawk, pistol or the assassin's trademark hidden blade, players can now silence enemies in style using multiple weapons at once.

  

  Combat controls have been changed to feel similar to the acclaimed fighting style of Batman: Arkham City, where enemies can be blocked or countered, and kills chained together. Where once it would take players precious seconds to select a foe to attack, Connor can simply weave amongst his opponents, dispatching several redcoats in a single fluid movement.

  Connor Chameleon

  The same sense of fluidity oozes into the game's general exploration, too. Connor has been given a whole new set of skills to traverse the American frontier - climbing trees, scaling rock faces, and hunting for food and items to sell.

  Assassin's Creed games have always offered an element of commerce to dabble with, and there's a deeper system than ever to be found here. Items gathered from the wilderness can be passed to traders, fashioned into sellable items, and moved in convoys around the territory, which also includes the cities of Boston and New York. You also get a base, the Homestead, to run things from. As you progress through the game you'll turn this village into a bustling settlement, as the characters Connor meets along the way move in.

  But, of course, it's not just those new to the series who will appreciate the changes. Last year's tale Assassin's Creed Revelations closed the book on Renaissance-era hero Ezio, and left the series ripe for a reboot. Well, look no further.

  

  The Templar Trap

  There's plenty to keep long-term fans engrossed - including the conclusion of the series' ongoing modern day subplot. For those new to the storyline (an apocalyptic tale featuring secret organisations, ancient civilisations and an impending end-of-the-world disaster), Ubisoft promises a refresher film to bring players up to speed. Extra nods for fans - such as a mention of Chinese assassin Shao Jun, who popped up in Ezio's epilogue - should ensure those loyal to the franchise remain satisfied.

  Those experienced in Assassin's Creed earlier outings will notice this installment offers a cherry-picked selection of features from the rest of the series. The game's frontier area is an improved version of Assassin Creed 1's wide open Kingdom, while the way enemies track your notoriety using Wanted posters is taken straight from Assassin's Creed 2. The series' multiplayer option also returns with several new modes. The best of the new additions is Wolfpack, a team-based affair where players must hunt down a computer AI player en-masse before the timer runs out.

  Like a Christmas selection box with no coffee creams, Ubisoft has done a stellar job of selecting the best bits of games so far, leaving out any unwanted items and adding in a few new flavours. Welcome back Assassin's Creed, we've missed you.

  Look Forward To...

  • Vast landscape to explore
  • Fresh character and setting
  • Smart new ideas, like naval battles

  Look Out For...

  • Combat changes require getting used to
  • Jumping through trees isn't as straightforward

  Published: 05/10/2012

• GAME goes to the Eurogamer Expo

  
  

  

  Last week, the GAME online team took a trip to the Eurogamer Expo in London's Earls Court to get our many hands-on some of the top games that we'll all be playing over the coming months.

  The atmosphere at the event was a buzzing and bustling as ever, with gamers coming from far and wide to get their first goes at everything from the Wii U to Assassin's Creed III to Dishonored - which alone had people queuing for over an hour to play!

  With plenty of the team there, we were able to get a chance to play quite a few games. Here's what we thought...

  

  Aliens Colonial Marines

  Tom
  Colonial Marines has been a long time coming. It was announced 4 years ago, and from the time we had during the Eurogamer Expo, for us the wait has been entirely worth it.

  We got to go hands on with the multiplayer side of the game. Taking up arms as the Marines, we strode into the dilapidated area of the complex on LV 426. It is clear, especially with this level, that attention to balancing the levels is key to how the multiplayer will work.

  There were plenty of places to fight back-to-back and funnel the Xenos through giving the marines a sporting chance, but also plenty of narrow corridors for Xenos to get up close, making guns useless, and dark areas for Xenos to avoid detection and hide patiently.

  The weapons for the Colonial Marines are taken from, and inspired by, the film Aliens. Set just 17 days after the events of the film Gearbox haven't taken liberty with the groundwork laid down by the 1986 film, Pulse Rifles sound and look like their movie counterparts, the shotguns have a similar look to the pulse Rifles, not everyone packs a sawn off in space for close encounters!

  And then there is the Motion Tracker, taken straight from the film, this will be your most used tool if separated from team mates. The Motion Tracker will detect movement around you and give the classic beep when an enemy is close by. Only problem here is that you cannot wield a weapon when tracking your foes, and if they stop moving they don't get picked up.

  You'd think that the marines, with guns and motion trackers, would be superior to the Aliens. This really isn't the case! The Aliens are quick, agile and can crawl through ducts and up walls to avoid gunfire or sneak up on unsuspecting prey. On more than one occasion during our playtime in ACM, we'd have aliens attacking from the front whilst a few craftier players crept up behind us and attacked with tails and inner jaws.

  Gearbox has done a great job with Aliens Colonial Marines by using sounds and files from the film to create an authentic "sequel" to Aliens.

  Marc
  The only Alien game I have enjoyed before was Aliens vs. Predator on the Atari Jaguar - the others have always disappointed. I approached with some caution, and, I'm very happy to say this didn't let me down!

  I also played the multiplayer map very much based on LV 426. We had to play as the Marines against the Gearbox team as the Aliens, and first of all we had to pick the arsenal that we wanted to use. There was a choice of five classes, one of which had the infamous radar on the assault rifle with a shotgun. I didn't find this straight away but when I did I was rocking and rolling.

  The sound effects were fantastic and sounded just like the film, and the screams of the Aliens were cool too. If I had been at home I would even have partaken in a bit of Hudson shouting" you want some too..." at the point when my screen was awash with my Alien bloodbath.

  But for me, the best thing was that we were told that whoever managed to the score highest would win a t- shirt. As a team, we had lost against the Aliens... but I won that infamous t-shirt! After walking away I listened to customers and their thoughts, and it seemed pretty unanimous that it would definitely be on our radar.

  XCOM: Enemy Unknown

  Damien
  Fans of the original 90s X-COM games needn't worry that this reboot would be moving too far from the RTS traditions. This is still very much a turn-based strategy game, but one that now shines with enhanced visuals and animation to realise the alien-infested world and the XCOM team tasked with protecting it.

  The mission I got to try out was short and sweet, ideal for the pace of turn-based combat, which in turn makes it ideal for RTS fans. The isometric view works great for moving and controlling your team, intercut with closer angles during firefights and to reveal key evidence.

  The pace may be a little slow for those alien (pardon the pun) to turn-based strategy games, but if you are a fan of the genre, this game will surely be a delight.

  

  Rayman Legends

  Robyn
  I Played this in co-op mode with Kirsten. I had control of the GamePad, which mostly showed a replica of the main screen with prompts to guide me what to press/drag/swish etc. I played the supporting role as Murfy while Kirsten took the lead character using the Classic Controller.
  
  It reminded me a bit of Super Mario Galaxy where player two takes a supporting role of collecting stars while player one gets all the key action, but much more interactive and a greater sense of involvement and contribution. We had a great laugh. It was my first time using Wii U but I think I got the hang of it ok! It was hard to sync up our actions and we gave up completing the level in the time we had, but I could imagine my 10yr old LOVING it - this is definitely one for the kids.

  PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale

  Damien
  Fast, furious and utterly bonkers, PS AS BR was another addictive treat. Four of us played together and just had huge amounts of fun trying out the different characters and levels where skill very much took a back seat!

  The four-player scramble battles were very much the best way to showcase this game, and the choice of characters and fighting styles made it so much more entertaining than a standard beat 'em up. Dante, Kratos and Cole McGrath proved to be the most powerful, but the real fun was to be had with the likes of Nathan Drake and Sweet Tooth, who take the infinitely fun choice of shooting their opponents.

  With the interactive environment as likely to take you out as the other players, and a kill vs death ratio determining the winner, this takes the best of beat 'em up battles, multiplayer mayhem and SONY's excellent cast of characters to form a game that will keep you grinning every time you play.

  

  Assassin's Creed III

  Robyn
  I'd never played an Assassin's Creed title before, despite my friends' insistence.
  I was lucky enough to have a go at both the demos - first up, Naval Combat. Starting slowly (and that's being very generous!), I had a darn good go at taking control of the ship and unloading several rounds of cannon balls onto my target. Well, most went in the sea, but I got the gist in the end... just as my ship rubbed up against the rocks for the last time. Next time...

  It was such a unique experience with fantastic movement that was so fluid on the water. I didn't think about it at the time but when I think back, I got a sense of being on the ship and movement up and down with the waves, a sense of slowness and heaviness. Very exciting and different, I'd really love to have another go, but perhaps without a queue of not so novice gamers stood behind me whilst I batter the heck out of the ship!

  After this, I had a chance to play the 'On Foot' mission demo where I had to make my character climb a cliff face to carry out his stealth mission and assassinate three enemies. I managed to get to two of them but unfortunately my time ran out before I could get number three. Again, next time...

  I was knocked out by the gameplay and the the quality of the graphics and scenery was breathtaking. As someone far more at home with 2D platforms or racing games, I can't wait to have another go.

  Need for Speed Most Wanted

  Tom
  Most Wanted by name, Burnout Paradise by nature, and 20 Years of Convention out of the Window!

  Most Wanted sees you getting behind the wheels of some of the sexiest cars in the world to then throw them around the City of Fairhaven and the best part, most of the cars are unlocked as soon as you put the disc in, you just need to find them. Driving in Most Wanted is similar to Burnout Paradise, but the cars have a more defined sense of handling, acceleration and speed since they are based on real cars, and they look stunning.

  As you blitz through Fairhaven with up to 7 friends, Autolog will document everything you do so that you can send challenges to your friends for almost anything you do.

  

  Far Cry 3

  Damien
  Bright. Warm. Totally immersive. This first-person sequel has crisp graphics and gameplay that really make you feel like you're on the island, with everything from the effects of the breeze blowing to making your way through leaves and branches moving and reacting realistically. This is a game that truly gives you a sense of being in the first person - and one that really should be played on a high-end PC!

  As one of the more popular games I was only able to get about 10 minutes playing, but during that time I was able to take several different turns and explore several different parts of the island. From lookout posts, to knife-throwing challenges, to hang-gliding and some very vicious guard dogs, the choices of location and action all within mere moments of the respawn point were massive. If the world was this open in just 10 minutes of playing, I can't wait to see what hours of gameplay can offer.

  Plus it was fun to do a first-person game with a bow and arrow for a change!

  

  ZombiU

  Robyn
  First person + dark moody screens + jumpy horror = too creepy for me!

  I declined to play this as I could easily predict I'd upset Nintendo when I launched the GamePad in panic! (I know this as I did exactly that when I first held a real mouse. Ok I was 5, but..)

  So I was happy to watch Kirsten, and I did actually squeal when she was suddenly rushed by Zombies coming swiftly out of the water. She'd been distracted looking at her inventory (as instructed by the game moments earlier), and I can deduce from this that you need to become familiar with the GamePad and get used to referring back and forth swiftly or you'll not survive long.

  I'd like to have a go at playing this in the safety of my own home... if I'm lucky enough for the big fellow in red to drop a black Wii U down my chimney this Christmas. Or at least invite someone with a stomach so I can sit behind the sofa with my cushion and watch them through my fingers!

  God of War: Ascension

  Marc
  Looked fantastic, and played fantastically well, too. It was easy to get to grips with, even for a player who has never played one before. Fast, frenetic and with satisfying button bashing - just what you want in a hack and slash game! The executions were as satisfying as ever and the bosses were amazing - a must for all PS3 owners.

  F1 Race Stars

  Damien
  It's very difficult to talk about this game without comparing it to Mario Kart. many karting games have tried to fill the gap for non-Nintendo gamers, but this may be the surprise title to pull it off.

  F1 Race Stars offers classic karting gameplay, with simple controls and all the fun, charm and addictiveness you'd want - they even manage to throw in the bonus boosts, invincibility and throwing-stuff-at-other-drivers that makes it more than just a racing game. The F1 roots are still on show - get hit too many times or push your car too hard, and you'll need to quickly drive through a pit lane to get back to full working order.

  The drivers and cars may lack the individuality you'd normally get in a game like this, but the tracks - cartoony courses that are like crazy golf interpretations of the real F1 tracks - more than make up for it.

  All in all, this is a fun, addictive karting game that has raced to the top of my must-have list this year. The surprise treat of the day!

  

  Dishonored

  Marc
  The most impressive game at the show for me was Dishonored. Great graphics and gameplay. The multiple ways to complete a level is a great idea, but it was the diversity in how you can go about those multiple ways that I loved the most. it's not just open-world levels, it's open-choice gameplay.
  Everybody walking away from playing it were talking about how good it was, too.

  Robyn
  I really liked the look of this - great visuals giving a real sense of place and intrigue. Watching the others play it, I wanted to get my hands on it too! The swimming was really realistic, and , the effects of the sun in the water as age tried to swim up wowed me, felt errr swimmy! But I wasn't expecting to see Corvo get eaten by a fish in the river!

  Damien
  As well as getting the chance to play games, the developer talks gave us a chance to learn a bit more about the games. For Dishonored, Arkane Studios' Christophe Carrier (Lead Level Designer & Audio Director) and Dinga Bakaba (Assistant Producer & Game Designer) took to the stage to provide a bit of background about the game, and to show that there really are two ways to play it.

  

  In their introduction, Christophe and Dinga told us that Dishonored came out of a love of the first-person game and its combination of stealth and action, and a desire to push the genre further. Gone is the rail-like direction of each level, replaced with a series of open-world levels, designed in a steampunky-style and inspired by plague-era London.

  But the biggest point of the game is the choice is gives the player. You can play it stealthily, hiding in the shadows, using your supernatural abilities for minimal combat and fatalities. Or you can go all-out action, with brutal kills and make use of a brand new arsenal of weapons.

  They proceeded to demonstrate this with the same level we'd played on the floor, with heor Corvo out to kidnap the Royal Physician (described as part da Vinci, part Rasputin) . First it was done with stealth, using back passages and rooftops, and possessing people rather than elimintating them. Or at least that was the theory - one mistake and the whole place was alerted to Corvo's presence and bit more force was needed than originally planned.

  The level was then played in full-on brutal fashion, where no guard was left undamaged (heck, even the maid got it!) and all skills were on display. Decapitation, hacking people limb-from-limb, setting razor mines and stopping time to avoid being shot and take your enemy out were all shown to bloody effect - and rapturous applause in places.

  A few extra tidbits came out of the Q and A session at the end of the demo - it is possible to complete the game without a single kill (except bosses). And, most tantalisingly of all - in the later levels, you'll find out that you're not the only one in Dunwall with supernatural abilities...

  Everything we see makes Dishonored more and more tantalising. Cannot wait to play it!

  Published: 05/10/2012

• Invisibility and cloning added to Assassin's Creed III multiplayer

  If you're looking forward to skulking around in the online modes of Assassin's Creed III, Ubisoft has revealed a few more of the toys you'll get to play with.

  Players will be able to equip up to ten perks per game, allowing them to customise their abilities to suit their style of play. Glimmer, for example, allows you to turn invisible. The effect grows stronger the more you sneak, but disappears should you make any sudden moves.

  Blender, meanwhile, allows you to make delicious smoothies. Sorry, no, it copies your appearance onto a nearby civilian when hiding in crowds, distracting and confusing anyone stalking you. For those who grow tired of all the stealthy stuff, the Unstoppable perk turns you into a veritable juggernaut, able to run through crowds without slowing down.

  Assassin's Creed III is shaping up to be a suitably epic conclusion to the story of history-hopping fugitive Desmond Miles, as he jaunts back into the life of Connor, a half-English, half-Native American warrior in the American War of Independence. You'll command naval ships, build up your own rural community and meet legendary historical figures such as George Washington. You'll also kill lots of people with stabby weapons.

  Assassin's Creed III is out for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 from October 31st. A PC version follows on November 23rd, while the game will also be a launch title for the new Wii U console on November 30th.

  Published: 17/10/2012

• Assassin's Creed movie could begin filming next year

  Ubisoft has announced that it plans to go full steam ahead on a movie adaptation of the Assassin's Creed games, with shooting on the blockbuster set to begin as early as Summer 2013.

  The film has already signed up top actor Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class, Prometheus) as both star and producer. The race is now on to get a script ready and a director to sit in the fancy chair and shout "Action!"

  The film will be a co-production with Hollywood company New Regency. Jean-Julien Baronnet is the man in charge of the new Ubisoft Motion Pictures division, and he reassured fans that this won't be another hurried cash-in. "We don't want to make games just for the sake of movies," he said. "We want to make them in concert with the games. Bringing aboard New Regency's renowned production and distribution expertise while maintaining our own creative and financial flexibility ensures that Assassin's Creed will be a high-quality film that respects the lore and fans of the video game franchise."

  If the Assassin's Creed movie shoots next year, it could see cinemas as soon as 2014, the same year as the Need for Speed film, which recently signed Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul to sit behind the wheel of its many super sports cars. Could we be seeing the start of a new era in video game movies?

  Assassin's Creed III is out next week for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The PC version follows on November 23rd, with a Wii U edition on November 30th.

  Published: 23/10/2012

• Assassin's Creed III offers four exclusive missions for PlayStation 3

  The PlayStation 3 version of Ubisoft's upcoming epic stealth adventure Assassin's Creed III will come with four exclusive story missions, it's been revealed.

  The four-mission arc tells a self-contained story based around the actions of Benedict Arnold, who betrayed George Washington and the American Revolution by helping to plot an attack on the rebel stronghold of West Point.

  According to the game's scriptwriter, Matt Turner, the missions won't just use the real life events as an excuse for random stabbing, but will incorporate as much of the actual history into the story as possible.

  "We have some scenes that have the actual words spoken by key players in the events at West Point, according to the records from the court proceedings following what happened," Turner told the PlayStation Europe blog. "On the other side of things, we needed to inject it with some gameplay so there are some liberties in terms of the action. But who was there, what they did, and what happened to them is as precise as the history books would allow."

  "Our interpretation of Arnold actually weaves into the overall fiction and to divulge that would be to spoil a portion of the story. That being said, we don’t like having 'bad guys' in Assassin’s Creed and this is no different in terms to Arnold and these missions. He has his reasons, and from a certain perspective they make complete sense."

  Assassin's Creed III is out on October 31st for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. PC players will be able to join in from November 23rd, while a Wii U version will launch alongside Nintendo's new console on November 30th.

  Published: 24/10/2012

• Assassin's Creed III - Review

  
  

  

  History Repeating Itself?

  A friend of mine teaches a history class at a high school. A few years ago he noticed his students were going from C-grade mediocrity to A-grade brilliance almost overnight. He was perplexed, so he asked them what exactly it was that had suddenly made them such experts on, of all people, the Borgias...

  The answer, of course, was the Assassin's Creed series. Ubisoft's incredible open-world action games use people, events and locations plucked from history to form the basis of their sprawling, Grand Theft Auto-style adventures. And on the basis of Assassin's Creed III, my friend's students are about to become experts on the American Revolution, because once they get stuck into Connor Kenway's story, they will be just as hooked as they were by Ezio Auditore.

  Connor isn't as funny or compelling a character as Ezio was, and the men and women of the American Revolution aren't as engaging as people like Leonardo da Vinci, but it won't really matter, because the game world is every bit as captivating. Set across the wooden cities of Boston and New York and the vast wilderness of the Frontier, this is a beautiful new universe to play in, and new gameplay ideas - like treetop traversal - mean that moving across it is more varied fun, too.

  Making a Killing

  The main story missions Connor undertakes can be a little bland in places, although there are some incredible assassinations to perform if you persevere and don't get upset by having to restart missions when you're seen by a guard. But the real heart of Assassin's Creed III is the more freeform play that emerges when you load up the game, pick an icon on the map, and then travel towards it, delving into whatever distractions you encounter on the way.

  

  There are more of these than there have ever been before - probably in all of the previous Assassin's Creed games put together. You can captain a ship, which is fantastic fun, or build up a Frontier Homestead, or attack convoys, invade forts, hunt for treasure, collect numerous items, meet strange people who give you unusual tasks, investigate ghost stories, and so many more things. This review could be a dozen times as long and we would still have more new things to talk about. Hunting is a particular highlight, as it brings together the wonderful tree-climbing free-runs and the new rope-dart, which is Connor's best new tool along with the tomahawk.

  Assassin's Creed is also famous for the multiple layers of intrigue that it sews throughout its fiction, and Assassin's Creed III is no exception, although it is perhaps a little lumpy in how it goes about this. There are a few too many playable prologues before the game gets going, and the end of Desmond Miles' story, the man whose genetic memories you are exploring as Connor (don't worry if you missed all this - there's a handy recap video just after the title screen), won't please everyone. There is unlikely to be the same uproar that greeted the conclusion to the Mass Effect series, but people who have invested themselves in the games' fiction may wonder why Desmond's adventure is allowed to go out the way it does.

  You won't mind in the long run, though, because as soon as the (seemingly endless) credits roll, you'll be back on the Frontier, hunting animals, gathering feathers, stirring up trouble with the Templars and British army, and working on that overall completion percentage, which may only be at around 40% when you finish the game after 25-30 hours anyway. This is an incredibly vast game that represents astonishing value for money.

  

  Creed Of The Crop

  Another example of that is the multiplayer, which features various new modes like Wolf Pack on top of the already-excellent ones that were born in Brotherhood and Revelations. The simple game of trying to identify and kill your target in a field of non-player characters - while someone is trying to do the same to you - remains ingenious, as you try to blend in and avoid suspicion at the same time you're trying to move closer to the person you're aiming to kill.

  For the first time, the action in multiplayer has been forced to spill over onto a second disk (at least on Xbox 360), which is a testament to just how vast the single-player game is, but also to how much more effort has gone into multiplayer, which now feels as fully formed, deep and interesting as its equivalents in shooters like Call of Duty and Battlefield. You level up, you unlock abilities, you have tons of goals and awards to work towards, and you can even unlock more content for the campaign.

  Assassin's Creed III isn't a flawless game - it feels a little creaky at times due to the age of some of its control systems and the sheer hard work that the engine is being subjected to by the desires of its developers - but it is an astonishing achievement on a number of levels and represents the current pinnacle of the series' ambition, if not its finest hour, which is probably still Brotherhood. This is a different kind of adventure to that of Ezio, then, but it's no less brilliant. Buy it. Your teacher will be impressed.

  GAME's Verdict:

  The Good:

  • Incredible value for money - so much content.
  • Wonderful American Revolution setting.
  • Fantastic multiplayer.

  The Bad:

  • Technology is starting to feel a little long in the tooth.
  • Not as funny as its predecessors.
  • Takes quite a long time to get going.

  Published: 31/10/2012

• Festive Gaming Getaways

  
  

  Five games ideal for escaping the Christmas madness

  

  As you'll no doubt be aware if you've walked down the high street recently, Christmas is coming. The season of hearty cheer, peace and goodwill to all. Except it never really works out like that, does it? Christmas can also be a hellish scrum of last-minute present shopping, fraught family get-togethers and children driven to insanity by toxic levels of sugar and chocolate.

  But don't fret! As gamers we have the perfect escape route at our fingertips. Fire up your console or computer, wedge a chair under the door handle and lose yourself in a game immersive enough to blot out the Yuletide yahoos outside. Thankfully, this season's blockbuster crop offers plenty of games with the sort of long term gameplay and enduring appeal needed to keep you sane until January kicks the door in. Here's our pick of the top five festive gaming getaways.

  

  Assassin's Creed III

  Formats: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, Wii U
  Out: Now (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360), November 24th (PC), November 30th (Wii U)

  It's hard to believe the Assassin's Creed series has only been around for five years but it's quickly grown into a gaming giant, in gameplay as well as sales. This year's trilogy-capping epic promises to the be the biggest yet, an open-world romp through the American War of Independence that also brings to a close the modern day story of history-hopping hero Desmond Miles and his battle to escape the clutches of the Templars. With a vibrant rural community to build and upgrade, not to mention the prospect of commanding your own frigate in naval battles, this is a game with far more to do than just hiding in haystacks and stabbing people. And once you polish off the single-player story, there's the fantastic multiplayer modes - now so large they demand their own disc. Whether you want to roam the forests or battle online, this is a game that will keep you busy well into 2013.

  

  Football Manager 2013

  Formats: PC, Mac
  Out: Now

  Sports Interactive's evergreen soccer simulation has long been the gaming getaway of choice for footy fans everywhere. With its deep, intricate systems and canny knack for capturing the highs and lows, ebbs and flows of the beautiful game, it not only offers months of brilliant gameplay but also creates a compelling alternate reality where your sofa-bound frustration at real-world performance can be transformed into a vindicating "this is how you should do it!" sandbox, as you kick out the manager whose decisions cause you so much anguish and see if you can do a better job. This year's edition is even more detailed, but also comes with the much-praised Classic Mode, stripping the game down to the absolute basics and letting you power through a season in a few days. Perfect for some special alone-time while you wait for that turkey to digest.

  

  Halo 4

  Format: Xbox 360
  Out: November 6th

  We haven't been starved of Halo games, what with Halo: Reach in 2010 and the remastered Halo: Anniversary Edition last year, but the encroaching dark winter nights just haven't been the same without Master Chief, last seen drifting off into deep space at the end of Halo 3 in 2007. Well, he's back, and bigger and better than ever. Halo 4 marks the start of a new story arc - the Reclaimer Trilogy - and it offers multiple ways to spend those awkward hours between opening presents and trudging to bed full of pudding and sweets. A robust single-player campaign is also playable in four-player co-op, and the new Spartan Ops offers even more co-operative goodness, offering regular downloadable spin-off missions in a TV box-set style. And, of course, there's the multiplayer - one of the most rewarding and balanced online games around, now perfected and polished to keep pace with modern multiplayer expectations. This won't just keep you playing over Christmas, it'll keep you playing until Halo 5.

  

  ZombiU

  Format: Wii U
  Out: November 30th

  There's something grimly ironic about the fact that Nintendo's latest console is launching with a gruelling survival horror game alongside the expected cheery and colourful fare. After so many years of the Wii being the default family gaming system, fiendish souls looking to clear the lounge will certainly appreciate the ominous tone and brutal violence that ZombiU offers. Set in London after an undead apocalypse, the game uses the Wii U's tablet controller as a handheld inventory and survival kit, your only lifeline against the shambling, flesh-eating horde. The sight of brain-chomping British bobbies outside Buckingham Palace will scare grandparents away nice and quickly, but gory-minded youngsters may prove harder to shake off. The game's unforgiving difficulty - which includes permanent character death and the need to return to the scene of your demise and battle your zombified body to retrieve your backpack - should send them scurrying for something less taxing, leaving you free to endure the end of the world in blissful peace and quiet.

  

  Call of Duty: Black Ops II

  Formats: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, Wii U
  Out: November 13th (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC), November 30th (Wii U)

  November is Call of Duty month in the gaming calendar, and this year's offering isn't short of new ideas. The single-player campaign is split between flashback missions set in the 1980s, and stages set in the technologically advanced combat zones of 2025. In these futuristic sections, you'll undertake Strike Force missions which will impact the direction of the story. The horrific co-operative Zombies mode now has its own campaign and supports eight players rather than four. It's in multiplayer where COD has earned its stripes, however, and Black Ops II promises to shake up the enormously popular formula more than any previous game in the series. In come multi-team matches, pitting three or four forces against each other rather than the traditional two-sided battles. Combat classes have been made more fluid, allowing you to pick and choose the abilities and loadouts that suit your play style, while the scoring system has been tweaked to encourage more teamwork and objective-based success, rather than lone wolf soldiers and constant headshots. It's shaping up to be the pinnacle of an already enormously successful series, and if you're planning on sneaking away for a few hours of digital carnage on Christmas Day, you certainly won't be alone.

  Published: 02/11/2012

• Assassin's Creed III is Ubisoft's fastest selling game ever

  "Let's do the time warp again," sang the cast of the Rocky Horror Picture Show and it's a sentiment that will surely be echoed by Ubisoft, as history-hopping epic Assassin's Creed III has clocked up over seven million sales since it went on sale less than six weeks ago.

  That's not the only big number being thrown around as Ubisoft celebrates what has become its fastest selling game ever. Adding up all the hours spent playing the single player story mode reveals that fans have spent the equivalent of 82 centuries exploring the frontier world of the Revolutionary War, through the eyes of Mohawk warrior Connor. Together, these assassin fans have bumped off three billion victims.

  Things have been no quieter on the multiplayer side, where over 250 million players have fallen to their rivals in over five billion online sessions.

  "We are delighted with the performance of Assassin's Creed III this Christmas," said Rob Cooper, Ubisoft UK managing director and stater of the obvious. "This is a beautiful and epic game of exceptional quality and we're pleased that our fans have responded so well to the brand new universe, storyline and game experience."

  Assassin's Creed III is out now for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U and PC.
  

  Published: 13/12/2012

• The Best of 2012: PlayStation 3

  
  

  Although it may have wobbled in the early running, the PlayStation 3 approaches the end of the current hardware generation as one of the strongest and most eclectic gaming systems in history. Whether reviving and refreshing its big franchises for new fans, or supporting the more artistically inclined indie end of the development spectrum, a large debt of thanks for 2012's sterling games line-up is owed to SONY. Uniquely among the big platform holders, you could easily fill a list of the PS3's top titles with SONY's own first party exclusives.

  

  Also uniquely among its peers, SONY has done a superb job of dipping into its past without exploiting fans. High definition compilations of classic PlayStation 2 series such as Ratchet & Clank worked both as loving tributes to classic gameplay of yesteryear, and as highly polished introductions for generations of new fans. At the same time, new games featuring the same characters ensured they'll endure into the next generation, with Ratchet & Clank: QForce combining the crisp and humorous platform jumping of old with a frantic tower defence strategy twist.

  Also making a comeback was the mighty Twisted Metal. SONY's ferocious vehicle combat game is a representative of a genre that has faded from popularity, but the combination of fantastic multiplayer mayhem, addictive arcade driving physics and the sheer visual punch that the PS3 delivers makes this bratty, splattery action game one of 2012's unsung gems.

  

  Twisted Metal succeeded because it brought back classic gameplay that had been forgotten, but other SONY hits this year worked because they took popular characters and concepts off into new directions. LittleBigPlanet Karting, for example, found Sackboy reinvented as a cuddly textile version of Jenson Button. The introduction of kart racing into the LittleBigPlanet world was exciting enough, but when you factor in the boundless creativity that the game offers - allowing players to use the developer's own design tools to create their own tracks and mini-games - then you've got a game that is a more than worthy addition to the LBP lineage. Even if you never create anything of your own, the fact that the community is constantly producing new, free content is enough to keep you playing for months.

  

  SONY's roster of characters got an even more unlikely make over in PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale. This multiplayer fighting game pitted such unlikely stablemates as Parappa the Rapper, Sackboy and Sly Cooper against the likes of Nathan Drake, God of War's Kratos and Bioshock's Big Daddy. It's an insane mash-up of the whimsical and the fearsome, yet it works beautifully. The larger arena-based battles are frantic and hilarious - perfect party game fodder - yet the systems underneath are much closer to the classic fighting game standards you'd expect to find in hardcore genre titles. With former Street Fighter spokesman Seth Killian as the lead designer, it's perhaps no surprise that All-Stars is actually a seriously good fighting game that just happens to have some silly modes for everyone to enjoy. If you haven't picked it up yet because you thought it was just for kids, correct that mistake as soon as possible!

  

  SONY continued to innovate in other areas as well. The PlayStation Move controller found its perfect realisation in Book of Spells, the first in a planned series of Wonderbook augmented reality experiences. Produced in conjunction with JK Rowling, it sees players using an actual book which is transformed on-screen into a dusty old tome from the Hogwarts library. Casting spells and interacting with this magical world is genuinely spellbinding.

  

  Just as magical, in a more abstract way, was the critically acclaimed Journey. Created by esoteric designer Jenova Chen, this thought-provoking experience sets you down in a strange desert with only a distant mountain peak to guide you. As you wander, solving puzzles and navigating the ruins of a lost civilisation, you'll gain the power to float and fly, as well as meeting other players who can collaborate with you to find more secrets. Absolutely gorgeous to look at, and inviting all kinds of gentle emotional responses, it's a true work of art.

  Even far away from the arty indie scene, the PS3 had a cracking year. Fans of Assassin's Creed III, for example, were treated to exclusive bonus missions on SONY's console that wove legendary traitor Benedict Arnold into the game's Revolutionary War narrative.

  

  And, remarkably, 2013 looks like it will be even better. Intelligent blockbusters such as The Last of Us and Beyond: Two Souls will be available exclusively on the PS3, along with a new God of War and a new Sly Cooper adventure, and that's all before the summer arrives. The news may be full of rumours and guesswork about the next hardware generation, but there's plenty to be excited about on the consoles we do have!
  

  Published: 20/12/2012

• Halo 4, Uncharted among the picks for Writers Guild of America award

  They may not have the highest profile in the games industry, but the annual awards handed out by the Writers Guild of America still carries a lot of weight. That's because the WGA is union that represents scriptwriters across all media, including movies and television.

  That comes with its own restrictions though. To be nominated, a writer must be a WGA member which counts out a lot of videogame scripters who have only ever worked in games. Similarly, the publisher must officially put their game forward for an award, meaning many games aren't even considered.

  The 2013 line up for the Outstanding Achievement in Videogame Writing award is still pretty good time capsule of where big blockbuster gaming is getting words right though. Halo 4 and Assassin's Creed III are both up for the prize, as is the PlayStation Vita exclusive spin-off Assassin's Creed Liberation. The PS Vita gets another nod in the shape of Uncharted: Golden Abyss, which continued the spritely storytelling of the main series in fine style.

  Also up for the award are 007 Legends, for which GoldenEye screenwriter Bruce Feirstein combined multiple Bond movie storylines into one game, and Disney Epic Mickey 2, which had a story helmed by comics scribe Marv Wolfman.

  The WGA ceremony takes place on February 17th.
  

  Published: 17/01/2013

• Dishonored takes home Best Game BAFTA

  The BAFTA Video Game Awards took place last night, with 53 games nominated for prestigious prizes across 17 categories. The winners are an eclectic bunch as well, handily illustrating the variety and scope of games as a creative medium.

  Bethesda's rich and rewarding steampunk stealth-em-up Dishonored walked away with the evening's most coveted prize, voted Best Game by the BAFTA panel, but the big winner was Sony's digital gem Journey, nominated in eight categories. Jenova Chen's chilled out game of exploration and contemplation won five of the awards, getting the nod for game design, artistic achievement, audio achievement, original music and, in one of the evening's nicest surprises, online multiplayer.

  Journey allows two players to explore together, but partners are placed together at random, cannot speak directly to each other and have no idea who they're playing with. For such a bold approach to co-operative play to snatch the multiplayer prize from the likes of Call of Duty and Assassin's Creed raised more than a few eyebrows.

  Telltale's gripping episodic Walking Dead adventure also dominated the event, winning two of the seven awards it was up for, winning for Best Story and Best Mobile or Handheld game. Far Cry 3 was crowned Best Action Game, while XCOM: Enemy Unknown won for Best Strategy. Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes claimed the prize for Best Family Game.

  Published: 06/03/2013

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