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Assassin's Creed III

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Assassin's Creed III
Cover art, featuring new protagonist Connor Kenway assassinating a British officer with the new tomahawk weapon
Cover art
Developer(s)Ubisoft Montreal
Additional work by:
  • Ubisoft Annecy (multiplayer)[5]
  • Ubisoft Singapore (naval gameplay)[6]
Publisher(s)Ubisoft
Director(s)Alex Hutchinson (Creative)
Producer(s)Francois Pelland (Senior)
Writer(s)Corey May (Lead)[7]
Matt Turner
Composer(s)Lorne Balfe
SeriesAssassin's Creed
EngineAnvilNext
Platform(s)PlayStation 3
Xbox 360
Wii U
Microsoft Windows
ReleasePlayStation 3, Xbox 360
  • NA: October 30, 2012 (2012-10-30)[2]
  • EU: October 31, 2012 (2012-10-31)[1]
Microsoft Windows
  • NA: November 20, 2012 (2012-11-20)[4]
  • EU: November 23, 2012 (2012-11-23)[3]
Wii U
  • NA: November 18, 2012 (2012-11-18)
  • EU: November 30, 2012 (2012-11-30)
Genre(s)Action-adventure, open world, stealth
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Assassin's Creed III is a historical action-adventure open world stealth video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U,[8] and Microsoft Windows. It is the fifth major installment and the third numbered title in the Assassin's Creed series. The game was released worldwide for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, beginning in North America on October 30, 2012. A Wii U[9] and Microsoft Windows version will be released in November 2012.

The main portion of Assassin's Creed III is set before, during and after the American Revolution from 1753 to 1783,[10] featuring a new protagonist: Connor Kenway, birth name Ratonhnhaké:ton (pronounced "Ra-doon-ha-gay-doon"), half English and half Native American.[11] In addition to the historical period, the game also features the "present day" setting, where series protagonist Desmond Miles must adventure to prevent the 2012 apocalypse, as his story develops and reaches a conclusion. The game features a new engine, Anvil Next,[12] built from the ground up, the engine is said to utilize full capability of current generation systems to deliver a "next-gen Assassin's Creed experience."[13]

Gameplay

Main article: Gameplay in the Assassin's Creed series

The game follows the series' standard open world gameplay in the Desmond and Haytham/Connor Sequences, where the game's main story takes place. New gameplay additions include muskets and rifles, which can be fired at a considerable reload time, or used as a melee weapon. Hiding places can now be mobile, such as haystacks in wagons or moving carts, which can be used to sneak up closer to targets. Disguises can also be worn, fooling normal troops and only risking investigation by officers.

Free running has been modified to allow for more fluid, parkour-like movement over certain obstacles. Exploration has also been modified, allowing for map areas to be revealed without requiring a viewpoint synchronization.

Close combat has been modified, slowing during blocks to allow for more options in attack and defense. Human shields can be taken against firing lines of enemies.

Assassin's Creed III features new weather simulations such as snow, fog, and rain. Depending on the seasons, weather determines how the Templars and soldiers will move around with heavy winter snows making it more difficult to move swiftly.

Connor is able to hunt animals for skins in the wilderness while at the same time Connor himself might find that he is being hunted by other animals (bear, elk, cougars, etc.). The value of an animal's hide is determined by how, where, and with what weapon you kill the animal. Muskets, flintlock pistols, and multiple attacks will make the pelt less valuable while a single stab or shot with a bow will increase the value.

Another major change is the Homestead. Starting with a single house and a few outbuildings, Connor can perform missions for people in order to convince them to settle near the Homestead, which provides raw materials and simple craftsmen (such as a barrelmaker). Raw goods and crafts can then be used as part of a local economy, selling them at market by caravan. Depending on the goods in the caravan and the level of threat nearby, these goods can be attacked and stolen or sold at a profit.

Synopsis

Setting

Assassin's Creed III features new gameplay elements such as hunting and dual wielding of weaponry. Here the protagonist Connor uses two weapons against a group of redcoats.

Set in Colonial America, the Assassin-Templar war has become involved in the American Revolution. Through series' protagonist Desmond Miles, the player controls a young, half-English, half-Mohawk Ratonhnhaké:ton, also known as Connor, who is a traitor to the Crown and fights against the law when his home is attacked by European colonists. Connor's father, Haytham Kenway, is also playable at the start of the game. Over the course of the story, Connor encounters historical figures including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Charles Lee, Israel Putnam, Paul Revere, Lafayette, John Pitcairn, William Prescott, Samuel Adams and Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben. The story spans 30 years of Connor's life, from 1753 to 1783. Boston and New York are cities that can be explored,[14] as well as the American Colonial Frontier, spanning forest, cliffs, rivers, Connor's Mohawk village, and the settlements of Lexington, Concord and Charlestown. The player is able to hunt small and large game, and approximately one third of the story takes place in the Frontier.[15] The city of Philadelphia can also be visited at one point during the game.[16] The entire Eastern seaboard will also be explorable via Connor captaining a ship.[6]

Plot

Template:Assassin's Creed chronology The plot of the game begins in the present day, with Desmond, his father William, Rebecca, and Shaun finding the Temple in a cave in New York. Using the Apple to access the structure, Desmond activates a large portion of the equipment, as well as an apparent timer to the event expected on December 21, 2012. He then falls into a fugue, at which point he is returned to the Animus and bleeds back to Haytham Kenway, father to Connor.

Haytham murders a patron at the London Opera, stealing a medallion, which Haytham and his associates speculate might be a key to a storehouse of "Those who came before", and dispatch Haytham to the American Colonies to find it. After preventing an attempt by a crewman named Mills to turn him over to a trailing ship, Haytham arrives in Boston. Upon reaching Boston, he is tasked with finding five men faithful to his cause: Charles Lee, William Johnson, Thomas Hickey, Benjamin Church and Jonathan Pitcairn. Upon finding these men, he kill a slave trader named Silas and frees a large group of Mohawk slaves in the process. One of the Mohawk, Ziio, agrees to help Haytham on the condition that he kill General Braddock, the man responsible for capturing the Mohawks. After tracking his movements, Haytham slays Braddock as he retreats from battle. Haytham and Ziio then travel to the Temple, the same from present day, however Haytham is disappointed to find the medallion he possesses cannot open the entrance. It is here he and Ziio bond. At the end of this, Charles Lee, Haytham's second, is singled out for his help, and recruited into the Order. It transpires, however, that Haytham and his associates are actually Templars. This surprises Desmond to the point where the game appears to freeze, when it is actually Desmond's mind trying to comprehend it. Desmond returns to the Temple, and has a brief fight with his father over his feeling that he's just a pawn. Shaun then gives the player a choice: explore the cave or return to the Animus.

The story then switches to Connor. After Charles Lee informs a young Connor that he wishes to speak to the elders of his village, he returns to find the village burning, causing the death of his mother. Later, a teenage Connor is told by a village elder that the reason no one is allowed to leave the valley is because they are there to protect the Temple, and shows him a Sphere, which activates at his touch, and allows him to communicate with Juno. Juno informs him he and his village are guardians of the Temple, and that current probabilities indicate that unless he leaves, his village will be destroyed and his people slaughtered. After showing the wise woman the symbol of the Assassins, she tells him to leave the valley, finding Achilles Davenport, an Assassin, and convinces the elder embittered fighter to train him.

After collecting supplies to rebuild the decaying homestead, Achilles presents Connor with the Aquila, a ship Connor can use to patrol the Eastern seaboard. Connor soon is taken to Boston, where he is finally dubbed Connor Kenway.

As Connor learns the art of being an assassin he is brought into the cities of Boston and New York as well as a large open area called The Frontier. After being made a full-fledged member of the Brotherhood by Achilles, Connor sets out to eliminate the Colonial Templars. William Johnson is first assassinated after he attempts to purchase the land in which Connor's people reside on. Connor next targets John Pitcairn, who leads the British forces at Bunker and Breed's Hills. After he is dealt with Connor next targets Thomas Hickey whom Connor discovers is plotting to assassinate George Washington. Connor finds Hickey, however after a brief scuffle both are thrown in prison. Hickey doesn't stay long and is freed by Haytham and Lee. Connor is framed for the plot to assassinate Washington and sentenced to the gallows, however Achilles manages to free Connor at the execution. Connor takes off after Hickey, who is present, and manages to kill him before he can kill Washington.

With Haytham, Lee, and Benjamin Church still at large Connor fears they still plot to eliminate Washington. Connor meets with Washington who informs him that Church has stolen goods vital to the army and has fled. Connor agrees to pursue him and, in the process, finds his father, Haytham, as well. Haytham reveals his own pursuit for Church who now has betrayed the Templars as well. The two agree to set aside their differences for the time being in order to find Church together. Upon travelling to the Caribbean and pursuing a boat, Haytham and Connor find Church and kill him. The two then travel to meet Washington. Here, Haytham discovers a letter revealing that Washington has ordered the removal of all the Indigenous tribes from the land as a number of which have supported the British. One of the lands to be removed is Connor's own despite the tribe being completely neutral. Connor severs his ties with Haytham and Washington and takes off to protect his tribe's village. Connor finds the village safe, but the wise woman has dispatched several tribesmen to turn back the Colonials sent to purge the village. Connor neutralizes them to avoid conflict, however he is forced to sacrifice a good friend mentally blinded by Lee.

Connor becomes torn in his mission to eliminate the Templars with the thought that he could possibly turn his father for good. Connor sets off to pursue Lee who has been disgraced by Washington and taken refuge in Fort George. Connor infiltrates the fort only to find Haytham. Haytham reveals Lee has escaped (with the medallion) again and he and Connor engage in battle. Now accepting that his father will not turn, Connor kills Haytham, who refuses to repent in the end.

As Desmond plays these events out in the Animus he is occasionally taken out in order to find power cells crucial in the process of exploring the temple. The efforts take Desmond to locations including Manhattan and Brazil. During these trips, he encounters Daniel Cross, an Assassin-turned Templar who was responsible for nearly wiping out the Assassins in 2000 by killing their Mentor. While exploring the temple Juno tells Desmond the events leading up to the first cataclysm. It is during one of these lectures that Desmond reveals that him killing Lucy was no accident and that he chose to after the Apple revealed to him that Lucy was a double-agent and intended to take the Apple to Abstergo. When a third power cell is located William offers to locate it instead while Desmond continues to search for the key (the medallion) in the Animus. However, William is captured by Abstergo and held in an Abstergo facility in Rome, the same facility Desmond was kept at in the first game. Dr. Warren Vidic demands Desmond bring the Apple to him in exchange for William. Desmond infiltrates the laboratories, and again encounters Daniel. As Daniel corners him, he begins to suffer from the Bleeding effect, as a result of being "raised" in an Animus and reliving the memories of his Russian Assassin ancestor Nikolai Orelov, and therefore, causing him to briefly speak Russian. Daniel flees in panic, with Desmond in pursuit. After a short chase, Desmond stabs him to death with his hidden blade and rescues William after using the power of the Apple to mind control a nearby security guard into killing Vidic.

Connor now pursues Lee again. After pursuing Lee into a burning ship the two come to a stalemate after falling through a section of the ship. Connor is impaled in his side by a piece of the ship. Lee asks him why he continues to persist even though the Templars only rise again and again. Connor replies, "Because no one else will", and shoots Lee in the chest. A mortally wounded Lee escapes in a ferry across the lake with a badly injured Connor in pursuit. Connor finds Lee in a pub taking one last drink and finishes the job by stabbing Lee in the chest. Connor takes the medallion and several months later returns to his tribe's village only to find they have moved elsewhere. He finds the Sphere, presumably left behind for him to find. Juno reappears instructing him to hide the medallion where no one else will find it. Connor does so, burying the medallion in the grave of Connor Davenport, Achilles's deceased son and his namesake.

Now with the knowledge of the medallion's location, Desmond retrieves it and uses it to access the confines of the Temple. Here, he and the others find Juno's apparition who instructs Desmond to activate a pedestal which will save the world from the Sun. Minerva's apparition suddenly appears and reveals that by doing so he will also die and inadvertently free Juno from captivity, allowing her to begin her conquest of the world. Juno was sealed long ago during the war between the First Civilization and humanity when she plotted to use the machines designed to save the world against it. Minerva, prodded by Juno, then shows Desmond that if the Sun were to unleash its power on the world then he and several more would survive in a post-apocalyptic world in which he becomes a religious icon whose ideals are mistranslated and lead the world to ruin. Believing the world would stand a better chance fighting against Juno, Desmond instructs the others to leave to prepare for the oncoming struggle. After they leave, Desmond activates the pedestal, taking his life and saving the world. Juno appears and tells Desmond his part is over and now it is time for her to play her part.

In an epilogue, Connor takes down the portraits of the Templar members in the secret basement and burns them, signifying the end of his journey. He also travels to the pier in Boston, so he can see the last of the British Redcoats leave America for good. However, Connor sees that slavery has begun.

Cast

Development

System requirements
Minimum Recommended
Windows[17]
Operating system Windows XP / Windows Vista (SP2) / Windows 7 (SP1) / Windows 8
CPU 2.66 GHz Intel Core2 Duo E6700 or 3.00 GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ or better
Memory 2 GB4 GB
Free space 17 GB
Graphics hardware 512 MB DirectX 9.0c-compliant with Shader Model 4.0 or higher
Sound hardware DirectX 9.0c-compliant sound card5.1 sound card
Network 256 kbps or faster broadband connection
Input device(s) keyboard, optional controllerXbox 360 controller for Windows

Origins

Work on Assassin's Creed III began in January 2010 (almost immediately after the release of Assassin's Creed II) by a senior team of Ubisoft developers.[10] The title has been in development for 3 years and has the longest development cycle since the first Assassin's Creed.[18][19] When Ubisoft first revealed Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood in 2010, as new details came to light, there was some confusion within the gaming community as to whether this would be Assassin's Creed III. According to the developers, Brotherhood was not Assassin's Creed III, and the third installment will not star a "pre-existing character."[20][21] Ubisoft Montreal's developers stated in their interviews that Assassin's Creed III will be released eventually.

Jean-François Boivin of Ubisoft also stated that each numbered title in the series will introduce a new lead character and a new setting.[22] Patrice Désilets, former series' creative director, said that the series has always been planned as a trilogy. He also commented on the story of Assassin's Creed III, saying that it will focus on Assassins' quest to prevent the end of the world in 2012, and their race against time to find temples and Apples of Eden built by "Those Who Came Before". Desmond will be searching for clues as to the locations of these temples, by exploring memories of one (or more) of his other ancestors.[23]

In October 2011 Alexandre Amacio, creative director of Assassin's Creed: Revelations, announced that the next installment of the franchise was to be released before December 2012, however, Amacio himself would not be directing the game.[24] This comes from the idea that Desmond Miles, the modern day protagonist of the series, was to finish his tale by December 2012. Amacio said that gamers should not have to play a futuristic game after the time period in which it is set.[25]

Pre-announcement

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot confirmed during an earnings call on November 8, 2011, that a new "major" Assassin's Creed game will be released in 2012. Guillemot refused to go into any further detail on the title beyond its confirmation.[26] Speaking to MCV, Guillemot dismissed the notion that annual Assassin's Creed installments are diluting the brands, stating instead that they're necessary to "satisfy the demand". Guillemot also claimed in the same interview that this year's Assassin's Creed will be the series' "biggest to date."[27]

In February 2012, Ubisoft officially confirmed the existence of Assassin's Creed III, and its North American release date of October 30, 2012.[28] Guillemot described Assassin's Creed III as "the true next generation of both the Assassin's Creed brand and interactive entertainment/storytelling in general. We will push the title a lot because it's a fantastic product that the team has been working on for three years. What we have seen is just fabulous."[28][29] Guillemot went on to say the publisher's investing more heavily in the game than in any other title in the series.[29]

Internal leaks

Reports that Assassin's Creed III would take place during the American Revolution surfaced following a supposed "inside source" at Ubisoft, who made such a claim in January 2012.[30] On February 29, 2012, an upcoming promotional image of the game was sent to Kotaku by a Best Buy employee, along with information from the retailer that a full reveal was imminent.[31] The leaked promotional image led to a general consensus that the game is set in North America during the American Revolution, and at least in part, a snowy setting.[32] Around the same time, Ubisoft mentioned "a major announcement from Assassin's Creed" was "only days away" via the series' official Facebook. The page's cover photo also depicted a snowy and bleak setting.[31] Furthermore, GameInformer appeared ready to confirm the fresh details via an advertising banner posted on its site. Images show the new assassin standing next to American revolutionary leader George Washington.[31]

Following the reports, Ubisoft released Assassin's Creed III's official box art on March 1, 2012, which confirms the game's American Revolution setting.[33] The company said it will announce "all the details" at 5pm on March 5.[34] Additionally, Game Informer revealed its latest cover feature which includes more artwork of the game's new main character.[35] On March 2, several screenshots were leaked ahead of Ubisoft's official reveal, and the first gameplay details emerged via Game Informer.[36]

Post-announcement

Assassin's Creed III was unveiled with a cinematic trailer on March 5, 2012. Ubisoft described the game as the "most ambitious" project in the company's history, with twice the production capacity of any previous title from the publisher. The game's engine, AnvilNext, delivers improved visuals, character models and AI, allowing for battlefields full of fighters.[1] Ubisoft later said it's aiming to make Assassin's Creed III "look next-gen" on current-gen consoles using the new AnvilNext engine.[13]

Ubisoft said that when Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption released mid-way through Assassin's Creed III's development, it was surprised to see Rockstar had included wild animal hunting and a giant frontier to explore—features both planned for its own sequel. Lead writer Corey May said Ubisoft's now looking at Red Dead's success and trying to take the formula in "new directions". Similarities between these two games are down to "a convergence of minds", said Assassin's Creed III writer Matt Turner.[37] Creative Director Alex Hutchinson said Ubisoft steered clear of making the Assassin's Creed III protagonist a female character because the game's setting is not a strong match. Hutchinson said while many people wanted to see female assassins in the series, the American Revolution setting makes it difficult this time round.[38] Despite this, however, exactly the same timeframe and setting are used in the portable spinoff Assassin's Creed III: Liberation, which does indeed feature a female Assassin as the playable character.

Ubisoft recommends the PC version of the game to be played with a controller even though it will still support keyboard and mouse setup. Ubisoft Montreal's Creative Director Alex Hutchinson admitted: "We're definitely supporting PC, we love PC, but I think it'll be PC with a controller. I don't see us investing hugely in a mouse and keyboard setup. I think if you want to play on PC and you want to play Assassin's Creed, you have a controller."[39]

At Electronic Entertainment Expo 2012, extra features were revealed for the Wii U version of the game. The player has the ability to change weapons on the go and the map is always visible on the Wii U Gamepad. Also announced was news for the multiplayer mode. It was announced that there would be over 12 modes, one of which is Domination where players hold certain points on the map. You will be able to play as the British military and the mode is "run" by Abstergo, as with previous games. Game mechanics from the single player will be carried over to the multiplayer, therefore requiring players to utilise stealth and advance assassination techniques. Finally, female assassins will be included.[40] Ubisoft also revealed the naval aspect of the game. The entire eastern seaboard is an explorable area, much like New York City, Boston, and the Frontier, and will have its own missions, action, side events, and map. In the area, Connor will captain a ship, where the player can attack enemy ships.[6]

At San Diego Comic-Con 2012, Ubisoft officially revealed a new co-operative multiplayer mode called 'Wolf Pack'. The mode allows players to form teams of up to 4 people and work collectively to eliminate NPC assassination targets, known as 'Moles'. There are a total of 25 sequences, or 'waves' to complete, with each wave increasing in difficulty.[41]

Marketing

Ubisoft's senior vice president of sales and marketing, Tony Key, said the game would enjoy the biggest marketing commitment in company history.[42] Ubisoft UK MD Rob Cooper has said that Assassin's Creed III is a good entry point for newcomers to the series, and that he thinks Assassin's Creed III will hold its own against this year's biggest releases.[43] In March 2012, the Assassin's Creed: Double Pack was released both as a retail purchase for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and digital download on PSN, which brings together the first Assassin's Creed and Assassin's Creed II in a virtual compilation box.[44][45]

Ubisoft has collaborated with several retail outlets on pre-order bonuses available through several store chains throughout the world. Which of the pre-order bonuses the player received depended upon where they pre-ordered the game. A free SteelBook collectible featuring artwork by renowned comic book artist Alex Ross is available as a pre-order incentive.[46] The "Captain of the Aquila" DLC pack includes a single player weapon (The Pirate Boarding Axe) and a single player skin (The Captain of the Aquila's uniform).[47] The "Colonial Assassin" DLC pack includes a single player weapon (The Scottish Flintlock) and a single player skin (the Traditional Colonial Assassins outfit).[48] "Redcoat Multiplayer" DLC pack includes redcoat costume, a snake emblem, and a "doctor doll" relic.[49] In the US, Gamestop is offering the single-player mission Lost Mayan Ruins and the Sawtooth Sword, Best Buy is offering the single-player mission Ghost of War and the Pontiac's War Club, while Amazon is offering the Steelbook Case.[50][51]

SCEE offers a digital version of Assassin's Creed III via the PlayStation Store. Dubbed the "Gold Edition", the download includes the game, PlayStation Vita title Assassin's Creed III: Liberation and a Season Pass (a first for the series). Another version of the "Gold Edition" features the game and the Season Pass, but not Liberation. Third version comes with Liberation, but without the Season Pass. All versions include A Dangerous Secret, the extra mission available with the Special Edition.[52]

Allegations of pro-American and anti-British prejudice

In June 2012 Ubisoft and in particular its French-Canadian subsidiary Ubisoft Montreal had to fend off increasing accusations of anti-British prejudice after trailers and box art depicting the killing of British Redcoats started to appear.[53] One site described the '4th July' live-action trailer as "Tea Party jingoism".[54] Lead script writer Corey May defended the developers and publisher Ubisoft from allegations of bigotry and discrimination.[55] This controversy, however, continued because marketing materials continued to depict only the British as the enemy,[56] with a number of gaming news outlets noting US trailers cutting scenes that do actually depict the protagonist killing Patriots.[57][58][59] The publisher eventually decided that the Limited Edition of the game wouldn't be sold in the UK or Europe.[60] However upon the game's release, a review by Official Xbox Magazine UK felt that "the strongest aspect of ACIII is the more mature moral tone - there's none of the anticipated "yay, America"."[61] In another review by Kotaku Australia, the reviewer notes "publishers from big video game companies are not known for subtlety or complexity of theme", going on to say "the marketing always suggested that ACIII’s igniting of the Revolution would be a game of interactive jingoism; its developers always said it was not. The developers were the ones being accurate."[62]

Retail editions

On March 26, 2012, Ubisoft announced three collectors editions of Assassin's Creed III, The Freedom, Join Or Die and Special editions, exclusive to EMEA countries and Australia. On June 1, 2012, Ubisoft also announced another collectors edition of Assassin's Creed III, the UbiWorkshop Edition. Ubisoft and Sony partnered to offer the game as a bundle with the PlayStation 3 console, which was offered from the day of the game's release.[63] On the day of its release, Assassin's Creed III on the PlayStation 3 received 4 exclusive single-player missions, titled The Benedict Arnold Missions. The gameplay revolves around Benedict Arnold and his connections with turning West Point over to the British. Script writer Matt Turner stated that the Benedict Arnold missions were some of the most historically accurate missions in the game, as "some scenes 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."[64]

  • The Freedom Edition features a retail copy of the game, a steelbook case with cover art drawn by award-winning comic artist Alex Ross, George Washington's notebook, a 24cm high-quality figurine of the protagonist Connor and 2 exclusive lithographs.[65] In-game content included is two exclusive single player missions (Ghost of War & Lost Mayan Ruins) and an additional multiplayer character (Sharpshooter).[66] The Freedom Edition is a GameStop retail exclusive in the U.K.[67]
  • The Join Or Die Edition features a retail copy of the game, Connor's medallion (The medallion of the Assassins with its high-quality curd ladle) and George Washington's notebook. In-game content included is one exclusive single player mission (Ghost of War) and an additional multiplayer character (Sharpshooter).[66]
  • The Special Edition features a retail copy of the game and special packaging. In-game content included is one exclusive single player mission (A Dangerous Secret).[66]
  • The UbiWorkshop Edition features a retail copy of the game, the second edition of the Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia, exclusive packaging, 5 rare prints, and a new graphic novel titled Assassin's Creed: Subject 4.
  • The Limited Edition features a retail copy of the game, a 24cm high-quality figurine of Connor, an embroidered 28" x 48" Assassin's Creed-inspired Colonial flag, a 3" x 3.25" metal belt buckle with the Assassin insignia and George Washington's notebook. In-game content included is an exclusive single player mission (Lost Mayan Ruins).[68] Although not originally planned, George Washington's notebook was later included in the edition due to popular demand.[69] This edition is not available in the UK or Europe due to perceived anti-British sentiment portrayed in the content.[70]
  • The Digital Deluxe Edition features a retail copy of the game, George Washington's notebook and a collection of the best soundtracks from previous Assassin's Creed games. In-game content included is three exclusive single player missions, two skins (The Captain of the Aquila's uniform and The Colonial Assassin outfit) and two additional multiplayer characters (Sharpshooter and Redcoat). The edition is exclusive to PC.[71]
Features Standard
(all consoles & PC) 		Special Edition
(Xbox 360, PS3, & PC) 		Join or Die Edition
(Xbox 360, PS3, & PC) 		Freedom Edition
(Xbox 360, PS3, & PC) 		UbiWorkshop Edition
(Xbox 360, PS3, & PC) 		Limited Edition
(Xbox 360 & PS3) 		Digital Deluxe Edition
(PC)
Game disc Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Exclusive packaging No Yes Yes Yes (Steelbook case) Yes Yes No
George Washington's notebook No No Yes Yes No Yes Yes
24cm figurine of Connor No No No Yes No Yes No
Connor's medallion No No Yes No No No No
Embroidered 28" x 48" colonial flag No No No No No Yes No
Exclusive Lithograph(s) No No No Yes (2) No No No
3" x 3.25" metal belt buckle No No No No No Yes No
Single-player missions Yes (4 PlayStation 3-exclusive missions) Yes (A Dangerous Secret) Yes (Ghost of War) Yes (Ghost of War and Lost Mayan Ruins) Yes (4 PlayStation 3-exclusive missions) Yes (Lost Mayan Ruins) Yes (All)
Multiplayer packages No No Yes (The Sharpshooter) Yes (The Sharpshooter) No No Yes (All)
Second Edition Encyclopedia No No No No Yes No No
Assassin's Creed: Subject 4 No No No No Yes No No
Best Soundtracks from previous games No No No No No No Yes
Rare Prints No No No No Yes No No

Downloadable content

On October 3, 2012 Ubisoft officially revealed a Season Pass for downloadable-content. The pass will be available for purchase 6 months after the game's launch at £23.99/$29.99 on PlayStation Network and 2400 Microsoft Points on Xbox Live. Alternatively, the pass can be purchased at Best Buy and GameStop. Purchasing the pass will allow players access to 5 DLC packs, three of which are the King Washington story, with a 25% saving over buying each pack individually. Furthermore, players with the pass will have access to DLC a week before other gamers. Details of the Pass' availability on the Wii U version are yet to be determined.[72]

Uplay content

Ubisoft's Uplay system enables further in-game enhancements which can be redeemed by points that are given when playing the game. The available awards are an "Assassin's Creed III Theme" (available for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC), "The Life Scratcher Pack" which allows the player to increase capacity of ammo and unlock multiplayer profile items, "Ezio's outfit'" from Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood and "The Renegade Pack" which unlocks the Multiplayer Night Stalker's costume and additional profile items.[73][74]

The Tyranny of King Washington

On October 3, 2012 Ubisoft revealed the first portion of DLC for the game. Entitled "The Tyranny of King Washington", the story revolves around an alternate history where George Washington seizes power and becomes 'King of America' following the events of the American Revolution. The player will be tasked with overthrowing the dictator. The single-player campaign will be separated into 3 episodic instalments which will be available post-launch.[72]

Reception

Critical reception

The game has been met with critical aclaim, with aggregate review websites GameRankings and Metacritic giving the PlayStation 3 version 88.23% and 86/100,[75][77] the Xbox 360 version 86.61% and 85/100.[76][78]

IGN gave the game a score of 8.5/10, saying "It achieves so much that you can’t help but respect it, no other open-world game has ever given us a setting that's as impressive to observe or as full of things to do as this". They did however say "Not everything about the game gels together convincingly and the missions’ unnecessary prescriptiveness sometimes undermines the sense of freedom that the rest of the game works so hard to create".[86] Gamespot gave a similar review, stating "It takes chances with its opening, with its story, and with its characters. It expands the series' gameplay in enjoyable and sensible ways. As with many ambitious games, not every arrow fired hits the bull's-eye, yet this big, narratively rich sequel is easy to get invested in" and gave a score of 8.5/10.[84]

Game Informer awarded the game 9.5/10, saying "Assassin’s Creed III delivers everything the series has promised, and throws in a little more for good measure...Most players will likely spend the first six hours of Assassin’s Creed III wrapping their heads around the profound size and ambition of the game".[82] G4 felt that "Assassins Creed III is not perfect... But there is so much story, so much multiplayer, and so much stuff to do that your average 10 hour game should be terribly ashamed of itself".[81]

Official Xbox Magazine said "Assassin’s Creed III’s newly refined gameplay and incredibly rich setting are captivating stuff...It improves on the underlying Assassin’s Creed formula in a handful of subtle but tangible ways...And its unwavering commitment to storytelling is both rare and impressive". They did however criticize "Pacing problems which can drag the campaign into busy-work tedium" and also gave the game 8.5/10.[87]

Sales

On March 30, 2012, Ubisoft stated that in the three weeks since the game's pre-order campaign began, numbers had already surpassed the total US pre-order numbers of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood and exceeded 10 times more than the pre-orders Assassin's Creed: Revelations attracted in a comparable time frame.[42] On October 25, 2012, Ubisoft announced that the game is the most pre-ordered game in the company's history, more than doubling pre-orders for Revelations, the previous record holder. GameStop president Tony Bartel also added that pre-orders at the store were nearly 100% higher than last year for Revelations.[90]

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