Assassin's Creed III trailer hits the web

Ubisoft released a trailer for Assassin's Creed III on Monday, revealing the backdrop for the game: America's Revolutionary War.

Goodbye, Constantinople. Hello, America?

The highly-anticipated trailer for Assassin’s Creed III, released Monday by Ubisoft, hints at a major plot twist in the Assassins-versus-Templars formula followed by the first four Assassin’s Creed games. It opens with a new assassin reportedly named Ratohnhaké:ton, or Connor for short, hunting Redcoats. Yup, the Assassins have left Europe for the Revolutionary War – coming to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and the Wii U on Oct. 30.

Once you get over the initial shock that, no, this assassin isn’t surrounded by ornate, easily climbable buildings, the booming voice of George Washington begins. “The time is now near at hand which must determine whether Americans are to be free men or slaves,” the Washington avatar yells as Connor swings through snow-covered trees, hinting that gameplay will be rooted in nature rather than man-made structures. “Our cruel and unrelenting enemy leaves us only with the choice of brave resistance or the most abject submission. We have therefore two results, to conquer or die.” And with a flick of his sword, Washington sends his rebels into battle.

Somehow, Connor the assassin plays a part in this – but how? The previous four Assassin’s Creed games follow Desmond, a modern-day vagabond who relives his ancestors’ memories (first by force, then by will). Players learned to love Altaïr, a Syrian assassin from the Middle Ages, and Ezio, a Renaissance assassin.

Unfortunately, the trailer offers no guidance on the meaning of the apocalyptic ending of the previous game, Assassin’s Creed: Revelations, which suggests that there will be a clarifying sequel. It’s possible that Assassin’s Creed III will veer away from the consistent saga of its predecessors – then again, anything is possible when you only have a one minute and 30 second trailer to analyze. Ubisoft hasn’t disappointed so far, as every Assassin’s Creed game has been better than the one before. But how much of that do we owe to the seemingly endless maps of beautiful Constantinople and Italy? Will traipsing through America be as visually satisfying?

All we can do is wait – and hope for some leaks.

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