Ubisoft has been the talk of the town at E3 2012 and for good reason. Everything they have shown looks spectacular. Assassin’s Creed 3 was my first presentation with them and what they showed us was breathtaking. They demoed some portions from both the Frontier and Boston, showcasing the games various mechanics and how they are implemented in the varying environments.
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They started off with the Frontier and it followed our new assassin Connor through the wilderness of New England. One thing I was concerned about with AC3 was how the vertical gameplay would be incorporated in the rural portions of the game; well let’s just say it’s no longer a concern of mine. Connor effortlessly scales trees and can move about the tree line with great precision and direction. While on the topic of trees, the rope dart which was shown off in previous AC3 footage is shaping up to be my new favorite toy in the AC franchise. It is a brutal little device, but will be pivotal in creating necessary distractions for Connor to infiltrate encampments and eliminate his targets.
While out in the frontier Connor will be tasked to infiltrate enemy bases. It is up to the player to determine their course of action. Do you go head on and fight an entire base of enemies or do you use the game’s new organic climbing system and scale a Cliffside and sneak in from the rear? The choice is entirely up to. The other things that were shown during the Frontier portion were the inclusion of animals and stealth zones. Ubisoft wanted to recreate a very believable environment so they have a bevy of wild animals scouring around the woods and if Connor isn’t careful can quickly find himself in harm’s way (like a pack of wolves or bear). The stealth zones on the Frontier are the equivalent of the hay pile in the cities; in which Connor can utilize to blend in when enemies are nearby or he is stalking a group of deer. The last thing shown during the Frontier demo was the game’s new seamless combat system. This is where Connor can move elegantly and lethally between enemies without skipping a beat (it is in the gameplay demo below). The Frontier will be an exciting portion of the map to navigate, but the real fun starts in Boston.
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Boston, the heart of New England gives Connor the ultimate playground to free run and kill Red Coats. During this portion Ubisoft showcased the game’s new corner cover mechanic where Connor can stealthly dispatch enemies, covert escorts where Connor can fake being a prisoner to infiltrate hard to reach areas, and the ability to pass through houses in order to evade pursuing enemies. In addition to those new gameplay mechanics, systemic events will play a big role in Connor assisting the less fortunate residents of Boston. These organic encounters are entirely up to the player to decide the outcome, do you help or do you idly walk away? This adds a layer of morality to the game and gives the player a sense of identity to what kind of Connor they are.
The last thing Ubisoft showed was a quick teaser of the Assassin’s Creed 3’s naval combat and it looked incredible. The level of detail being incorporated into the naval encounters was awe inspiring and will deliver copious amounts of carnage (cannon porn). Ubisoft said over the coming weeks they will unveil more details about the naval combat in AC3 and I’m sure all of us will be anxiously awaiting those details.
Assassin’s Creed 3 is shaping up to be the ultimate AC experience that we all want (and some of us need). Everything Ubisoft has incorporated into this latest iteration will surely make it a contender for Game of the Year and will likely be on every gamer’s wish list this fall. Assassin’s Creed 3 is set to release on October 30th. Stay tuned for more E3 2012 coverage right here at HeyUGuys Gaming.
