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Assassin's Creed III

It is quite simply the most daring and ambitious Assassin's Creed game yet, and a brave new step for Ubisoft's flagship franchise.
Assassin's Creed III Game Cover
73%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
stability, optimization
67% User Score Based on 5,778 reviews
Critic Score 82%Based on 9 reviews

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Assassin's Creed III Game Cover

About

Assassin's Creed III is a single player and multiplayer open world hack and slash game with fantasy, historical and science fiction themes. It was developed by Ubisoft Montreal and was released on November 19, 2012. It received positive reviews from critics and mostly positive reviews from players.

The Limited Edition contains: - Assassin's Creed III (base game) - George Washington's notebook - A 9 inch statue of Connor - Assassin's Creed-inspired colonial flag - A metal belt buckle

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Assassin's Creed III screenshot
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67%
Audience ScoreBased on 5,778 reviews
story1.1k positive mentions
stability415 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique setting during the American Revolution, providing a fresh perspective and historical immersion.
  • Naval combat and hunting mechanics add depth and variety to the gameplay, making it enjoyable for players.
  • The story, while polarizing, offers emotional depth and character development, particularly in the relationship between Connor and Haytham.
  • The game suffers from numerous bugs and glitches, affecting gameplay and immersion.
  • Connor is often viewed as a bland and uncharismatic protagonist, lacking the charm of previous characters like Ezio.
  • The pacing is slow, with a lengthy prologue and many missions that feel repetitive or tedious.
  • story
    4,316 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of Assassin's Creed III is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its historical context and character depth, particularly in relation to the American Revolution and the conclusion of Desmond Miles' arc. However, criticisms abound regarding its pacing, convoluted plot, and the protagonist Connor's lack of charisma compared to previous characters like Ezio. While some found the narrative engaging and emotionally resonant, others felt it was bogged down by repetitive missions and a disjointed structure, leading to a less satisfying overall experience.

    • “The story is gripping, following Connor as he navigates personal struggles and the chaos of a nation in turmoil.”
    • “I love the integration of real-life figures and events into the story here, and I think it's one of the game's better aspects.”
    • “The story, the setting, and the combat all come together perfectly to create an unforgettable experience.”
    • “The story is convoluted and so disjointed too, its constant back and forths between cities and before you know it, there is a full on war going on, but only in the main missions.”
    • “The main storyline is overshadowed by the protagonist connor: a self-centred, self-righteous, indignant ignoramus.”
    • “The story is dull, convoluted and full of plot-holes.”
  • gameplay
    1,247 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of Assassin's Creed III has received mixed reviews, with some praising its innovative mechanics like tree parkour and naval battles, while others criticize its clunky controls and repetitive mission structure. Many players appreciate the historical setting and the introduction of new gameplay elements, but feel that the execution is often flawed, leading to a frustrating experience. Overall, while the game offers engaging moments and a rich environment, it struggles with technical issues and a lack of polish compared to its predecessors.

    • “Gameplay was significantly evolved here: freerunning now includes trees and wilderness traversal, blending parkour with nature.”
    • “The addition of naval combat adds a thrilling new dimension to gameplay, while the introduction of Connor, a new protagonist, brings a fresh perspective to the series.”
    • “The gameplay balance is well-managed, with a variety of missions, side quests, and naval battles to diversify the experience.”
    • “The gameplay is slow and clumsy... with instafail sections if you get spotted which annoyed me.”
    • “The mechanics are so clunky and buggy.”
    • “The gameplay is the most boring thing about it.”
  • graphics
    625 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of Assassin's Creed III have received mixed reviews, with many players praising the game's visual fidelity and attention to detail, particularly for its time of release in 2012. While some commend the stunning environments and improved animations, others criticize the presence of graphical glitches, performance issues, and limited customization options. Overall, the graphics are generally considered a highlight of the game, though they are marred by technical shortcomings that detract from the experience.

    • “The visuals are pretty good for a game made in 2012; the ambient occlusion realistically maps out the shadows and lighting smoothly and beautifully. The texture quality is excellent, and I fail to find a distorted texture anywhere. This game is made on an engine designed by Ubisoft called Anvil, and it might just be the best looking game on the engine!”
    • “The graphics are amazing, the plot line has a few small holes but otherwise is good, and I love the fact that it's open world.”
    • “The graphics are stunning just stunning! This game is great, very good graphics + a really good story line.”
    • “The quality of graphics is awful, much worse than the first two games.”
    • “The game has numerous bugs and several problems with the graphics.”
    • “The graphics aren't great (you see objects appear in front of you if you're traveling around the world), it is an old game though and the animations are still awesome.”
  • stability
    421 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The stability of the game is widely criticized, with numerous players reporting a plethora of bugs and glitches that significantly hinder gameplay. Many describe it as a "buggy mess," with issues ranging from minor graphical glitches to game-breaking bugs that require mission restarts. While some players find enjoyment in the game despite these flaws, the overall consensus is that the game's stability is severely lacking, making it difficult to recommend for a smooth gaming experience.

    • “But this game somehow runs great.”
    • “It's a fun game with good graphics, almost no glitches, and good gameplay mechanics.”
    • “Runs great.”
    • “Glitchy buggy mess, unplayable in this state.”
    • “Game is hyper buggy, and no, Ubisoft does not give a copy of remastered for owning the original.”
    • “Buggy, glitchy, and unplayable mess.”
  • music
    158 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising the soundtrack for its emotional depth and ability to enhance the gameplay experience, particularly during key moments. Composed by Lorne Balfe, the score is noted for its orchestral quality and fitting atmosphere, although some players feel it lacks the memorability of previous entries in the series. Overall, while the soundtrack is generally well-received, there are criticisms regarding its inconsistency and occasional absence during gameplay, which detracts from immersion.

    • “The dynamic weather and day-night cycles add immersion, and the sound design—particularly the stirring soundtrack by Lorne Balfe—enhances the epic feel.”
    • “The music is, in typical AC fashion, incredible.”
    • “The soundtrack is amazing too.”
    • “The music is forgettable compared to previous games.”
    • “Worse was at many times, you don't hear any music at all which makes the game a snore fest.”
    • “The music is dull, the story utterly fails to deliver on its themes, and - good lord - the naval combat controls atrociously.”
  • optimization
    148 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of this game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players reporting severe performance issues, bugs, and glitches, particularly in urban areas like Boston. Despite some users noting that the game can run well on high-end hardware, the general consensus is that it is poorly optimized for PC, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences even on capable systems. Overall, players recommend caution when purchasing, especially for those with older or less powerful PCs.

    • “The game is working on optimal levels when it comes to performance and graphics (as a game of late 2012) and can really be beautiful to the present day - eye candies still are included.”
    • “Optimize 9/10 very good optimized good job Ubisoft you making me cry!”
    • “The graphics are atmospheric and adequate for the game's age, and the game is well optimized. I play on a Core2Duo E6850 non-OC with a GTX 560Ti with everything on max except AA @1920x1200 and the game runs perfectly and fluidly, without having crashed once for more than 60 hours that I've played it.”
    • “This game is so full of bugs and so badly optimized on PC I can't recommend it.”
    • “It's horribly optimized and almost unplayable at some points; I am using a 780 Lightning and there were places where I dropped to 30 fps for no reason.”
    • “Poorly optimized for PC; it doesn't matter if you have a very high-end PC, this game will drop frames making it unplayable.”
  • grinding
    123 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for its clunky pacing and tedious mechanics, with many players feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of repetitive tasks and side quests that serve more as filler than meaningful content. The crafting, trading, and hunting systems are particularly noted for being convoluted and time-consuming, often leading to frustration rather than enjoyment. Overall, players express that the game feels excessively grindy, detracting from the overall experience despite its interesting storyline and visuals.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Numerous side quests lengthen and support the game while allowing the player to explore the game's world through different avenues that retain a feeling of freshness.”
    • “If these requirements weren't tedious, they were unreasonably difficult.”
    • “While the game has a somewhat interesting premise, its storyline is dragged out for far too long with forced tedious quests (chores) that dance around introducing the game's many useless mechanics.”
    • “The game loses the battle of being too grindy for its own good as well.”
    • “The vast majority are a horrible tedious grind or QTE, or worse, you wish it was QTE; most require tens of reloads to rehearse the exact sequence of moves to get through.”
  • emotional
    73 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of "Assassin's Creed III" is polarizing, with some players finding depth in the exploration of complex themes and character arcs, particularly in Connor's journey, while others criticize his lack of charisma and emotional connection compared to previous protagonists. The game features poignant moments and a heartfelt storyline, but many feel that the emotional beats are undermined by a dull narrative and unlikable characters, leading to a mixed reception regarding its overall emotional impact. Despite its flaws, some players appreciate the emotional highs and character development, particularly in the context of the broader Assassin's Creed saga.

    • “But at the same time, the story also has a lot of emotional depth and is quite nuanced as the Templar ideologies (along with several other hard issues) are explored in a serious manner in this game, forcing the players to pause and really think for themselves.”
    • “The whole story was so touching that I almost burst out in tears.”
    • “This is a great game, the story, as with all Assassin's Creed games, really hits you with many emotional and deep moments.”
    • “This game is basically the opposite of the first AC: boring story and lame main character, but very fun gameplay experience.”
    • “Boring story, the main character, Connor, has no character development and is very dislikeable.”
    • “Overall rating 3/10: if you want to play this game just to finish out the next chapter of the Desmond storyline, by all means do so; but you could probably read about that aspect of the story online without having to subject yourself to the torture which is this game, its awkward controls, boring storyline, two-dimensional characters, and overall unsatisfying experience.”
  • atmosphere
    73 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere in Assassin's Creed III is widely praised for its immersive and captivating representation of the American Revolution, featuring detailed environments like colonial cities, lush frontiers, and dynamic weather effects. Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke a sense of time and place, enhanced by a fitting soundtrack, although some note that repetitive dialogue and occasional bugs can detract from the experience. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered one of its strongest aspects, making it a compelling setting for exploration and storytelling.

    • “The atmosphere feels very immersive, with lively colonial cities, dense forests, and authentic naval battles.”
    • “The atmosphere and feel of the game is fantastic and you really feel attached to the character and part of the world.”
    • “The world is as expected of an AC game: widely explorable, great detail and atmosphere.”
    • “Boston, New York, Homestead, and the Frontier are well-made locations but lack good atmosphere, and the game doesn't have good soundtracks to go with these different locations.”
    • “It's dull, there's no atmosphere and I won't come back to it.”
    • “The amount of bugs that exist as well as the bland storyline do not create an atmosphere that is worth seeing or playing.”
  • humor
    55 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is often derived from its glitches and character interactions, with players finding amusement in both intentional comedic moments and unintentional bugs, such as ragdoll physics and bizarre NPC behaviors. While some characters deliver dry humor, others provide genuinely funny lines, contributing to a lighthearted atmosphere amidst the game's serious themes. Overall, the humor is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating the comedic elements despite some frustrations with gameplay mechanics.

    • “The storyline is good, the characters likable, and the interactions between the protagonist and antagonist humorous.”
    • “Some glitches are funny... and some just ruin the game.”
    • “On the other hand, it had a lot (and I mean a lot) of hilarious glitches, from the main character shooting 200 feet into the air for no reason, to incredibly violent washer women; you can never quite know what is going to go catastrophically wrong next.”
    • “Even the parkour part is not funny, because you are stopping every few seconds to climb walls or after a fall or colliding with some little dispensable structure.”
  • character development
    36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, particularly regarding the protagonist, Connor, who is often described as lacking depth and emotional connection compared to previous characters in the franchise. While some players appreciate the development of supporting characters and the villains, many criticize the pacing and execution of the story, leading to a disjointed experience with minimal character growth for Connor. Overall, the game features intriguing story elements and character designs, but suffers from significant shortcomings in character development, leaving players feeling disconnected from the protagonist.

    • “Phenomenal story line and the character development was well done.”
    • “Connor was a very interesting character because of his character development that even though he doubted himself throughout the journey he powered through and finished it.”
    • “The character development for the villains in this game is great, especially Charles Lee who has a real arc from eager apprentice to evil villain.”
    • “The pacing of the script is super bad and between large jumps in time and large gaps in character development, I sometimes felt like the game's focus is away from the player, like I was some third wheel watching as the game progressed behind the loading screens and poorly made cutscenes.”
    • “Very little character development in Connor, who is so dry he has as much personality as a wall.”
    • “In short, Connor was a terrible protagonist with little redeemable character development.”
  • replayability
    22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's replayability is generally considered low to moderate, with most players noting that while the main story and some side content provide enough for one or two playthroughs, there is little incentive to return afterward. Many reviews highlight the repetitive nature of gameplay and the limited appeal of collectibles and side missions, with some players finding it more enjoyable as a nostalgic time-waster rather than a game with lasting replay value. A few exceptions exist, with some noting a higher replayability compared to other titles in the series, particularly for those interested in completing all challenges.

    • “Due to this, there is a ton of replayability.”
    • “I would recommend this game at $30 due to the high amount of replayability.”
    • “+ there is a lot of stuff in the world to discover and find, adding a lot of replayability in the post-game.”
    • “Replay value is moderate—the main story and side content offer enough for one or two playthroughs, but there’s limited reason to return beyond 100% completionists.”
    • “There's a couple of nice cutscenes to wrap things up, and then an intro to multiplayer and bonus stuff for replay value, but once you've done the storyline there's not much to do apart from collectibles and side missions.”
    • “- as with all Assassin's Creed games, there is zero replayability.”
  • monetization
    15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Ubisoft's monetization strategy, particularly regarding microtransactions in full-price games, has drawn mixed reactions from players. While the company defends these practices as optional enhancements to player experience, many users feel that they undermine the value of premium titles and perceive them as cash grabs. Some players express strong opposition to these monetization tactics, vowing to boycott Ubisoft products until significant changes are made.

    • “Recently, Ubisoft stated in its financial report that microtransactions in full-price games 'make the player experience more fun' by allowing avatar customization or faster progression—and claimed these are always 'optional.'”
    • “Yves Guillemot and CFO Alain Martinez defended loot boxes by arguing players 'need to feel they are really free not to buy,' and that monetization is about quality and choice.”
    • “There are no microtransactions in the base game, which is a strong positive.”
    • “Until leadership and overall mindset of top managers completely changes and monetization practices are reversed, I refuse to buy Ubisoft products—no DLC, no battle passes, no cosmetics.”
    • “So this is my position: I will not support Ubisoft until Yves Guillemot is removed and monetization in premium titles is abolished or radically reformed.”
    • “This one definitely feels like a cash grab where they focused on graphics and story, and forgot to add fun.”
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82%Critics’ scoreBased on 9 critic reviews
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26h Median play time
52h Average play time
16h Main story
56h Completionist
7-54h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 40 analyzed playthroughs
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February 24 on gamesradar.com

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Frequently Asked Questions

Assassin's Creed III is a open world hack and slash game with fantasy, historical and science fiction themes.

Assassin's Creed III is available on PC, Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and others.

The main story can be completed in around 16 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 56 hours to finish. On average players spend around 52 hours playing Assassin's Creed III.

Assassin's Creed III was released on November 19, 2012.

Assassin's Creed III was developed by Ubisoft Montreal.

Assassin's Creed III has received positive reviews from players and positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its stability.

Assassin's Creed III is a single player game with multiplayer support.

Similar games include Assassin's Creed III Remastered, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, Assassin's Creed Rogue, Assassin's Creed: Liberation HD, Assassin's Creed Brotherhood and others.