I have no idea if Ubisoft's upcoming Assassin's Creed III will take the franchise to new heights, but graphically this is simply stunning. Up to 2,000 NPCs can appear at once, making those battle scenes look far more realistic. The weather, environments, and character animations all look spectacular.
I've been somewhat on the fence about this title. The franchise itself has awfully long legs, for one thing, and it seems like a new Assassin game is released every year (because, well, a new Assassin game is released every year.)
The American Revolution setting is promising from a storytelling and diversity standpoint, but not without its pitfalls. Meanwhile, previous live-action trailers have soured me a bit on the game. Hokey American Revolution nationalism is gaudy at best.
But recent gameplay footage, and the above engine overhaul trailer have me setting aside those doubts one by one. This really does look terrific - not just a rehash of the older Assassin's Creed titles, but something unique and innovative in more ways than merely the setting.
Here's to hoping the combat is as fun as it looks. The problem with the Assassin's Creed franchise has always been, to me, the gap between the promise of engaging combat and the reality of a much flatter, less challenging experience.
We'll find out on October 30th.
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