Ubisoft’s flagship project
concludes the story of Desmond Miles
Release: October 30, 2012 (Playstation 3, Xbox 360)
November 20, 2012 (Windows)
By Ian Coppock
As
a general rule, game series deliver satisfying conclusions, yet leave players
with a trail of bread crumbs to speculate upon. Assassin’s Creed III has accomplished this in the most spectacular
fashion I've yet seen, and with 200+ games under my belt, that’s no small feat.
As promised, Assassin’s Creed III
finishes the story of Desmond Miles, an unwilling savior of mankind who uses a
machine, the Animus, to unlock memories passed down from his
ancestors via DNA. It’s an interesting concept. I’ve often wanted to do such a
thing to witness my great-grandfather’s moonshine business firsthand.
The Story
For those of you unfamiliar with the
Assassin’s Creed mythos, the series envisions a world contested by two similar,
yet vastly different, secret organizations. On one side stands the Templars,
who believe strongly in order and purpose. Their sworn enemies, the Assassins,
dedicate themselves to the defense of mankind’s freewill, and as their name
implies, kill any who would threaten it. The two factions commit to a millennia-long
underground war, and by the time Assassin’s Creed arrives, it’s 2012, and the
Assassins are losing the fight. Desmond became embroiled in this war because of
his ancestors’ exploits, and uses the Animus to explore them, so that he might
end the Templar-Assassin war and save humanity from the Templars.
Without divulging too many details,
the story of Assassin’s Creed III is
the richest of the series. The bulk of the game takes place in North America,
before and during the American Revolution. Players assume the role of
Ratonhnhake:ton (I’ve beaten the game and still can’t pronounce that), a Native
American Assassin who (thankfully) also goes by the name of Connor. It’s here
that Ubisoft committed a great deal of character development.
After losing his mother to a
Templar-ordered attack on his village, Connor grows into a quiet, contemplative
man who becomes fiercely dedicated to justice. I’d be lying if I said he didn’t
also want revenge on the Templars for killing his mom. Throughout the story,
Connor’s character develops markedly. He sheds the cynicism left behind by his
mother’s death and takes to the Assassin cause with passion, helping anyone,
colonist or British, should they require it of him (at one point, he climbs a
cliff and risks being killed by wolves to help his friend score a date. If
that’s not being a great wingman, I don’t know what is).
Connor also breaks heavily from most
video game character tropes in that he feels remorse over his work. As he kills
Templars scheming to control the New World, he laments taking lives, and the
guilt steadily changes him over time. This is a refreshing break from, say,
Call of Duty, where the badass commando will mow down a roomful of Russians and
respond only with a request for more ammo. Connor’s firm belief in redemption
and the potential of mankind is exuded through his dialogue as well as his
actions.
The other characters of the game are
similarly well-developed. Achilles Davenport, Connor’s master, is a black
Assassin whose cynicism clashes delightfully with Connor’s naiveté. The two
also share a few humorous moments when Connor tries, with moderate success, to
understand the colonial world into which he’s suddenly thrust (what is this
“buying” you speak of?). The game also casts color onto well-known historical
figures, such as Samuel Adams, Israel Putnam, and George Washington (none of
whom are portrayed as divine fatherly figures, just people. I was eternally
grateful for this).
The game’s story was a win, too,
juggling several interlocking subplots and storylines. Even as Connor kills
Templars and redcoats alike, he also interacts with the inhabitants of
Achilles’ village, Davenport. It was strange and fun to juggle bloody battles
with helping a goofy Frenchman find the girl of his dreams, but hey, what’s a
game without some variety? Numerous side-missions add depth to the main
storyline, rounding out the Assassin-Templar war’s spill onto American shores.
Connor must also navigate the American Revolution, and in this way, the game
explores war and its effects on human lives, pulling no punches when it comes
to gore, lives lost, and sacrificing for the cause. The game doesn’t dance
around war being hell.
The Artwork
The world of Assassin’s Creed III is breathtaking.
Ubisoft took a magnanimous approach to rendering 18th-century New England. Deer quietly stalk multicolored woods, while the massive and beautifully-done cities of Boston and New York teem with life and activity. As with a real city, people argue, steal things, converse amongst themselves, read books, and board ships. Painstaking attention to detail, such as window framing, the satisfyingly crunchy sound of sails unfurling, and the locking of muskets basically sealed me into the game. Personally, my favorite thing in the world was the ability to pet cats. I feel like Ubisoft put that one in there just for me.
Ubisoft took a magnanimous approach to rendering 18th-century New England. Deer quietly stalk multicolored woods, while the massive and beautifully-done cities of Boston and New York teem with life and activity. As with a real city, people argue, steal things, converse amongst themselves, read books, and board ships. Painstaking attention to detail, such as window framing, the satisfyingly crunchy sound of sails unfurling, and the locking of muskets basically sealed me into the game. Personally, my favorite thing in the world was the ability to pet cats. I feel like Ubisoft put that one in there just for me.
Should I Get It?
Above all else, Assassin’s Creed III is a composite of attention to detail, and if
you’re OCD like me, it’s so much more satisfying. Ubisoft skillfully wove a
tale of historical fiction that would impress Dan Brown, and set pieces that
would put Hollywood to shame. When the game ended, I was satisfied, but
yearning for much more. If it takes a character-rich, story-driven world of
wild colors and sounds to get you to that ending, then I cannot recommend this
game highly enough.
The Launch Trailer
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