With The Boston Walkthrough fresh out of Comic Con we get a more in depth look at the moment to moment gameplay of AC3. What is immediately apparent is the depth of the environment, past AC games have wowed us with detail but this latest adventure is near next gen. Graphically it is beautiful but it is the accuracy and realism to which every element of the gameworld is created that truly impresses. The developers have gone a long way towards making you feel like your character’s presence in the world can run the range between subtle and driving. Past Assassins Creed games often broke down to two approaches; complete shadow like stealth and for the most part non challenge and Grand Theft Auto like massacres which attempted to be difficult but wound up being annoying.

Photo courtesy of Ubisoft

Assassins Creed 3 truly allows us accuracy with our actions. The level of control you are given is astounding. Seeing Assassins Creed 3 in action is like seeing the first game for the first time. I remember how the high and low profile actions of the original impressed me; I could handle any situation with either stealthy or forceful action. Assassins Creed 3 refines that, allowing us varying degrees of each and the ability to seamlessly blend the two. You can stack up against a wall unnoticed and seamlessly attack a foe or pounce from a nearby tree and quickly duck into something I had hoped for a long time: cover you can move in. Which brings me to a second point: completely rebuilt combat, your health won’t regenerate and it seems as if both your character and your foes are dealing with a more complex back and forth in combat.

Photo courtesy of Ubisoft

In addition to the standard counter button I spied another: “break defense” and I can only imagine that this will add another step (most likely based on skillful timing) in between the instant kills the series has become so infamous for. The development team has gone along way in not only rebuilding but improving the Assassin’s Creed formula, while many elements from past games won’t return the ones that will such as the hireable companions seem more tailored to their scenarios and contextually relevant. The environment is deeper, the action is more accurate and the graphics speak to that next gen quality. If the story is any good at all, I’m sold on Assassins Creed 3 as a possible game of the year.

-Max Romano