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It's hard to believe that the holiday game rush is near at hand, with Assassin's Creed 3 kicking off the most anticipated titles next week. To celebrate, Ubisoft has released their launch trailer (no reason to think that makes it the 'last') for AC3 providing a closer look at Connor's life before putting on the Hidden Blade and hood.
The trailer is essentially an extended version of the one released last week showing Connor's dedication to the Patriot cause, but that doesn't make it any less impressive (the song used is 'Radioactive' by Imagine Dragons). And the increased emphasis on Connor's childhood and adolescence promises big things for fans of engaging stories and drama.
It's impressive to think just how much the Assassin's Creed has come to be known for its time periods, settings, characters, and the historical events surrounding the player's actions. The most memorable trailers feature little actual gameplay at all, and the same is true of AC3's. Instead, they concentrate on the tone, attitude, and overall approach of the studio to the issues being explored - ones even more politically charged this time around.
The life of Connor Kenway looks to take the storytelling of the series to brand new heights, with the first playable child destined to be an Assassin, and building combat and traversal systems that are just as compelling to invest in as the character. But that's just the foundations of the game, as the trailer shows that before long, Connor's sense of morality and justice send him on a mission far greater than any Ezio or Altair could have imagined. From what's been shown, it isn't an exaggeration to say that Connor may soon find an entire nation following his lead.
That's the kind of responsibility that only a life of conflict and duty could endure, and Connor looks up to the task. We've pulled a few of the best new images from the trailer for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy:
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Lest we forget, Connor's role in the story may be the most dramatic and promising, but it is by no means the top priority of the team at Ubisoft. Desmond's story has to pay off big time, and regardless of what finale the developers have in store, the opening of AC3 proves that Desmond will finally prove to be worth all the attention shown to him by Templars and Assassins. And while that's being done, the path must be laid for future games in the series to continue the saga.
That's a lot to manage (and to completely leave out of the launch trailer) but it's worth giving Ubisoft the benefit of the doubt for now. Whether or not they have as much trouble delivering a satisfying ending as other triple-A studios we could mention, fans are in for a treat. A chance to relive the American Revolution's best and worst moments, and even a chance to see how things might have happened are in store with the wealth of content being packed into Desmond's last adventure.
Where does this launch trailer rank among those we've seen so far? Would you have liked to see some of the trailer focus on what Desmond's future holds, or do you prefer that to stay a secret? Sound off in the comments.
Assassin’s Creed 3 is released for the PS3 and Xbox 360 on October 30, 2012. A PC release is scheduled for November 20, with a Wii U version on November 18.
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Follow me on Twitter @andrew_dyce.