Assassin's Creed 3 review

LOVED IT: Brilliant historical context and accuracy, improvements to combat and movement, tremendously well-told story, handling your homestead is fun

 HATED IT: Some sneaking stupidity, routinely unresponsive controls

GRAB IT IF: You played the previous Assassin’s Creed games

The days of the Ottoman Empire have passed. And now, it is time for the great American Revolution.

It’s a new world in Assassins’ Creed 3, and an ambitious one. The fourth blockbuster title in Ubisoft’s action/adventure/stealth series takes the Assassin-Templar conflict from Europe to the 13 colonies, and in doing so, it charts a new direction for the franchise.

This is a different brand of Assassin’s Creed game, and you — as the new protagonist Connor — will learn that quickly. The true intentions of the main story take hours — yes, hours — to truly reveal their brilliance, but the early moments quickly introduce you to new gameplay elements. Combat has been both simplified and refined, borrowing the timed countering system of Batman: Arkham City, and the series’ trademark climbing and free-running mechanics are smoother than ever before.

Such simple differences allow you to enjoy the cities of Boston and New York, where much of the story takes place. As usual, developer Ubisoft Montreal does its homework, crafting two spectacular cities, with heavy attention paid to historical accuracy.

At one point, you’ll find the lines of the 1728 play “The Beggar’s Opera” recited word for word. At another moment that’s both remarkably accurate and enlightening, Benjamin Franklin will speak every single word of his “Advice on the Choice of a Mistress” to complete perfection. Accents, whether Native American or British or American, feel as they should, and the voice acting overall is the best it’s been in the series.

You’ll take part in the Boston Tea Party, Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride and even the Battle of Bunker Hill, and each situation seems in perfect context with the story. The tales of previous Assassin’s Creed games have been good, but in this one, the world truly seems to come to life.

That’s important, because Connor, our half-English, half-Mohawk protagonist, is no Ezio Auditore de Firenze. He’s a strangely wooden star. His motivations, especially early on, are unclear, and at times he’s downright unlikable, strangely closed-minded and ignorant. Especially early on, you’ll be shocked by his behaviors and his condescension.

Still, Connor serves his purpose, furthering the story and placing you in the center of the Revolutionary War. Through him, you’ll help Ben Franklin rescue the pages of his almanac (yes, that one, Poor Richard’s Almanack). You’ll sail schooners in spectacular sea battles. And perhaps best of all, you’ll build a homestead, convincing NPCs to live on your property (which technically isn’t yours, by the way) by assisting them in various tasks. In return, they’ll give you things to sell, enriching your wallet and enriching your homestead .