Assassin's Creed 3 Preview - E3 2012
Take part in the unwritten battles of the American Revolution
As developers point it, the war was not only won on land, but also at sea. For the first time in the franchise, AC3 will feature naval combat, and it looks rather impressive. You are the captain of the boat, and it is a fully simulated environment. Unlike most games that add vehicles, you’re not simply pushing up on the sticks to steer and go forward. You’re actually still controlling Connor – who controls the boat via his sailors. So as you push up, the boat doesn’t magically begin to accelerate – instead, Connor calls upon his crew to raise sales and go full speed ahead – and that’s exactly what happens right before your eyes. This level of detail is quite impressive, and works the same for other actions – steering (you watch Connor spin the wheel) and firing upon the enemy (your sailors reload the cannons, get them ready, etc).
As we trekked across the waters, the developers noted that the naval areas will be explorable, but not without some limitations. We watched the weather change as a storm rolled in, and enemy ships also appeared on the horizon. It was full speed ahead, and turning our boat sideways in order to fire. Huge waves and battering wind crashed upon the deck, but the resilient crew continued to fight. After a few good shots, we sank the first ship due to our vessel’s size and superior cannon numbers. The second, however, was a more formidable foe, so we used a chain shot to crush its masts and immobilize the ship. As the demo ended, we were preparing to board the vessel, which would take us back to just controlling Connor in battle as usual.
The campaign looked great, and Ubisoft were smart not to even mention the ever-more convoluted plot of Desmond Miles. Some multiplayer news were also revealed at the show, and competitive online was playable. Developers say that over 12 modes will be present in AC3, one of which is Domination where players hold certain points on the map. As with previous games, online modes will be operated by Abstergo. Game mechanics will once again carry over from the single player, so multiplayer will still be about stealth and killing while also utilizing the environment.
Ubisoft has proclaimed that Assassin’s Creed III is the biggest title the company has ever done – and with what we’ve seen at E3, it is easy to believe in that fact. A sprawling campaign, new character and setting, the usual online components, and updated graphics all add up to what should be an exciting experience for both fans and newcomers alike. Watch for Assassin’s Creed III to launch this October.
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