Assassin's Creed III is an upcoming game developed by Ubisoft, and is set for release on October 30, 2012. Ubisoft has claimed that the game will be bigger than its previous console installments and will complete the story of Desmond Miles.
The game will be set between 1753 and 1783, and will focus on a new ancestor, Connor Kenway, who fought during the American Revolution.
Navigation
Exploration will be based around a large countryside area known as the Frontier, which is one and a half times larger than Rome in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, and not as empty as the Kingdom in Assassin's Creed, as one third of the quests and gameplay content are in the Frontier. The cities of Boston and New York may also be explored, and will have new details and ambiance.
Since there is going to be a lot more travel in the game, fast travel is making a return, but there is now a whole new system of unlocking it, which is integrated into the natural game progress.
More varied methods of movement have been added as well, including climbing trees and other natural elements, leaping over wagons, or sliding under obstacles. Other freerunning elements also have you jumping through windows, to trees, then onto rooftops.
Combat
Players can dual wield weapons, while fighting and stealth have been completely overhauled with new features, such as "double-counters," "multiple take-downs," and chain kills. Connor will go into battle with a wide variety of weapons at his disposal, including the knife, tomahawk, flintlock pistols, bow and arrow, and Hidden Blade.
Context sensitive actions, such as using enemies as human shields, will be included. The target locking system has been removed, and replaced by automated enemy selection, effectively changing the combat dynamics.
The combat system has been greatly improved, as there are thousands of new animations, none of which are carried over from previous installments. Simple defense and counter-attacks become more difficult, and combat is now focused on putting the player on the offensive, with attacks based on both speed and momentum.
Memories
Desmond will use the new Animus 3.0, and will find himself reliving “significant events”. 100% synchronization in memories returns, though synchronization will be treated more like experience in an RPG leveling system, except with a finite amount available.
Activities completed within missions have their own value. The more in-synch you get, the more you fill your sync bar, which can also be increased through replaying missions. Checkpoints will also be introduced to mission replay, meaning you do not have to replay an entire mission to achieve 100% synch.
Other Stuff
Economy in the game will be different, as Connor can now hunt animals, and sell the resources found in them. The quality of the kill, such as the number of hits it takes, also increases the value of the resource. A new property system will be implemented as well.
Medicine can no longer be used in combat, and Connor will have to escape and rest to regain his health.
There will be puzzles similar to the Glyphs, but they will not be given by Subject 16.
Platforming missions, like the Assassin Tombs or Lairs of Romulus, are making a return, though it is unconfirmed in what way they will be implemented. As stated by Corey May, "People like those. We like those. It's not something we'd remove."
Ubisoft Annecy (who developed multiplayer for Brotherhood and Revelations) has been tasked with bringing multiplayer back, though they are staying tight-lipped about it and its features.
"Assassin's Creed is the story of one man reliving the lives of his ancestors. Altaïr was the middle of a very very long time-line. There are still many places to explore.
Assassin's Creed has always been planned to be a trilogy, and Desmond is going back in time, using the Animus to eventually become the ultimate Assassin."
―Patrice Désilets, Creative Director of Assassin's Creed.
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