Assassin’s Creed III gameplay premiere shows slick combat and traversal

Ubisoft has taken the wraps off a new Assassin’s Creed III trailer.

The trailer introduces us to the voice of new protagonist Connor Kenway – but that’s just his white man name. Having been born to an English father and Native American mother of the Mohawk tribe, his birth name is Ratohnhaké:ton (pronounced Ra-tohn-ha-ke-ton). Historically, the Mohawk tribe sided with the British during the war of independence.

While we are treated to edited shots of Connor showing off his skills, he delivers a soliloquy about his struggle to fit in with society and his desire to defend the land from all invaders. He also talks about destroying the enemy no matter their allegiance, likely referring the series-spanning bad guys, the Order of the Templar.

Conner deals plenty of death to British soldiers, and there is even a poignant shot of the Betsy Ross flag while Connor alludes to the history of the land depending on “those who are truly free”. Ubisoft has promised the game won’t be singing a pro-American tune, and knowing their penchant for weaving layers of conspiracy and political intrigue into the Assassin’s Creed games, we’re hoping for a captivating and intricate plot.

Back in the trailer, Connor shows off the capabilities of the Anvil Next 3D engine: improved free-running mechanics have him smoothly traversing rugged terrain and ducking and weaving around obstacles; some snazzy mountain and tree climbing skills are put through their paces – there is even some urban parkour; and finally, we get to see plenty of hand-to-hand combat in the vein of that signature free-flow style established by Assassin’s Creed.

The engine also looks set to ramp up the scale, with Connor engaging in large infantry battles between the Brits and the Continental Army.

Finally, one worrying sign at the end of the trailer was that there is no indication of a PC version, although Ubisoft has previously announced the game for PC as well as PS3 and Xbox 360.

Tired of my rambling? Check out the trailer below!