While you still play Desmond Miles, the protagonist of the Assassin's Creed series and modern Assassin, the Animus puts you in the shoes of another of his ancestors, just like Altair from Assassin's Creed and Ezio from the Assassin's Creed II games.

Huge world with plenty to do; Gripping story; Engaging side quests

Awkward crafting and trading system

I hate to admit that as a fan of big, epic games, I've really been struggling with the Assassin's Creed series over the years. This franchise is so ambitious, so complex, so overwrought that the games often feel like they're barely being held together, that from a gameplay and narrative (and not...

With the development cost of your average big-budget AAA game running into some $100-odd million, it takes great courage to pump that kind of money into a new intellectual property (IP), as opposed to a popular franchise with a well-established fan base.

Connor's adventure is an excellent one. His story is methodical and meticulous, much like the land his people inhabit. A slow build-up may deter players, but plenty of memorable moments are worth sticking around for.

As the Assassin's Creed franchise grows in scope and ambition, so too do the expectations of its players. Franchises die all the time – a combination of stagnant or complacent design choices mixed with ennui in its playerbase.

Grand storyline Excellent wilderness and open world in general Better activities; more activities

Characters a bit lackluster Buggy at times; not unheard of for an open world game; sadly

(continued from previous page) ...to your secondary weapon--like your pistol, for example. An indicator above an enemy's head let's you know he's about to attack so you properly time a block and counter.

Great sense of place in Colonial America; Compelling narrative; Fun gameplay

Bugs and graphic issues; Lots to do; but loosely tied together; Poor enemy A.I

franchise has been one of the most successful of this generation and this latest game sees a major shift from earlier times to a more "modern" American Civil War setting which offers up some new and unique gameplay. By any definition

I've been fighting this war for six long years. I've loyally pledged myself to the Assassins, freeing the world from the machinations of the Templar order. I've traveled through the very fabric of time itself, following Desmond and his Assassin lineage from the Holy Land to Renaissance Italy to...

Engaging story; Beautiful world; Excellent combat system

Story falls flat at the end; A few minor glitches at times

With its fusion of Matrix-like science-fiction and painstaking attention to historic detail, the Assassin's Creed franchise is one of the most popular game series in some time. Assassin's Creed III brings the trilogy to a close.

Fusion of new zones with familiar city layouts; Fluid and fun combat; Smooth traversal

Bloated features; Pacing problems; Desmond sections fall short

The trademark of the Assassin's Creed series has always been the hooded figure traversing the bustling and beautifully realised city streets from days of yore, and leaping over rooftops to escape city guards.