Review of Assassin's Creed 3 for Nintendo Wii U- Gamer's First Impressions

I cannot lie, I have never before played any previous version of Assassin's Creed before, but after being subjected to the glorious commercials on nearly a daily basis, I found myself saying 'yes, I need to acquire that game.'
 
Having also been one of the luckier gamers out there, I also managed to get hold of a 32GB Deluxe Wii U Console, fresh from Best Buy. It was no question that Assassin's Creed 3 would become one of my first purchased game titles for the new Wii U Console.

The Plot:
 
Assassin's Creed 3 is the sequel to 2011's Assassin's Creed: Revelations. Like I said, having not ever played a title previously, I cannot comment on what the previous game entailed. I do however know that you will meet back up with Desmond, although he does not take center stage this round. Instead you will be guiding a new character called Ratonhnhake, through the Revolutionary War. The game takes place between 1753 to present day 2012.
 
Your well known character Desmond will also be playing in the year 2012, in a race to stop the apocalypse.

With that said, the plot was not really what I cared too much about, however when historical figures like Ben Franklin popped up, it definitely peaked my interest more and more, and even forced me to do a quick Wiki refresher course.

Graphics:

The game started off beautifully, with graphics and imagery that had me quite captivated. Textures on buildings, and even the very ground that my very first character Desmond walked upon glistened with a nice realistic effect.

Waters glistened and sparkled with a realistic effect, and mesmerizing waves during they first few cut scenes that held my attention. However, cut scenes quickly became a major factor in this game as it went on. Granted they were done beautifully, and I am not sure how many cut scenes took place in previous titles, but I found the overload to be a bit overwhelming.

There were absolutely no hiccups that I could pin point as I put in 3 hours of game play during my first session with the game. Everything seemed to run flawlessly during my first and second gaming session, with no freezing, pausing, or ghosting through add in characters while passing them on the streets. In fact they get in your way, and you can push through them.

Sounds & Music:
 
The only time the music in Assassin's Creed 3 that had my blood somewhat pumping was when the red coats were seeking me. A quicker fast paced urgent like beat would play, which would tip me off that I now had to hustle and get out of their range before a fight broke out.

Other than that particular heart thumping track though, everything else just seems fitting to certain scenes, but nothing really pops as far as a catchy tune, or inspiring.

Voice overs are done with near perfection, as your characters speak, their lips actually move in accordance to what they are actually saying.

Controls:
 
The most frustrating aspect of Assassin's Creed 3, for me hands down had to be with the controls. In fact had they not been so complex, I likely would have easily wasted 6 hours or more playing the game. The controls however got to be so frustrating that I ended up wrapping up my gaming sessions on quicker notes than what I am used to.

Firing guns during battles is nothing short of a pain in the butt. You have to be close enough to your target to fire using the X button on the Wii U game pad, but then you also have to make sure you have your gun focused in on the actual target by using the L analog stick. This becomes frustrating because if you move your finger on the L analog the slightest out of place, your gun will not even fire. Top that with the fact that it took me 5 minutes of trying to figure out how to reload my gun after every shot.
I liked the fact that it was realistic in how muskrat guns would work during those time periods, but it got annoying quickly. I relied mostly on my sword during combat, which consisted of a lot of Y button mashing, and trying to figure out how to hit buttons in accordance to the on screen demands. I preferred the Y button mashing though.

The unfortunate thing about the option of using the gun or your sword, is that some missions require you to fire the gun, and I found myself dreading each mission that entailed use of my gun.

Now it took me awhile to get used to the controls. Perhaps this is how things work when it comes to this sequel, and others will understand the controls immediately, but not knowing how they worked in previous games, things felt very awkward for me.

Nintendo's awkward placement of their A and B buttons also played a major role in how irritating the controls became. Thankfully on the TV screen, the game pad A B buttons are mostly in the lower corner reminding you of where they are.

The Wii U Game Pad and How It Works With Assassin's Creed 3:
 
The plus side of the Nintendo Wii U's game pad is that it did not add any gimmicky flicking, flipping or twisting integrated into the game.

The game plays in 2 manners when it comes to the Wii U game pad. The first being the obvious; the game can be played solely on the game pad. This will free up your TV and allow you to basically take your game anywhere you want- so long as it is within the Wii U's range of around 15 feet or more.

The second manner in which it is used is probably the most helpful to gamers. If playing on your TV, the game pads screen becomes your map. This is incredibly useful, because you do not have to click on any buttons to locate your map or placement within your world. I liked this a lot, and I am sure fans of previous titles will love the game pad for the way it was used. From the game pad you can also beckon your horse, another quick and easy useful tool that the game pad is used for.

Overall:
 
Assassin's Creed 3 definitely has its flaws, especially when it comes to the controls, however it does offer hours upon hours of visually stimulating game play once the control's are fully understood and you find yourself immersed in the past, with actual historical figures thrown into the mix.

Is Assassin's Creed 3 Worth Buying?
 
When it comes to this title, if you are a diehard fan of previous installments, odds are you will want to buy this one. However if you are brand new to Assassin's Creed in general, and you were grabbed by the commercial's as I was, I would suggest renting it.