Assassin’s Creed III gameplay makes Connor the ultimate badass

One of the most-anticipated known showings at Ubisoft’s E3 2012 press conference was undoubtedly that of Assassin’s Creed III, and the publisher delivered on all fronts.

Ubisoft treated critics and gamers to a gorgeous CGI trailer, and a gameplay demonstration that showed the new hero, Connor Kenway, dealing out a lot of death to some British soldiers.

The hunting, forest traversal and improved combat system were all highlights of the gameplay demo, not to mention that it was incredibly pleasing to the eye. Here’s some of the notable stuff fans should look out for.

The demo begins with Connor showing off his slick branch-hopping abilities with the smooth animations and climbing transitions we’ve come to expect from Assassin’s Creed games. He’s tracking some wildlife, and makes a quick kill, which he then has to defend from wolves. Connor then delivers his kill to a local encampment, highlighting one type of side-mission we can expect from the game.

Next, Connor can be seen working his way through some cleverly implemented snowy terrain, resorting to horse-back to cover more ground. The reason for this becomes apparent when Connor hops off the horse, as the thigh-high snow drifts slow movements significantly. Slick animations convey the sense that the snow really is part of the environment and not merely decoration.

Group combat is given a spin, and while some classic moves are evident, Connor brings a unique fighting style to the party, making good use of his Assassin symbol shaped tomahawk.

Moving on to an assassination and chase sequence, it was pleasing to see Connor able to manipulate the enemy AI with an explosion, before engaging in a chase of his target. Guards that get in the way no longer simply knock players over or need to be killed in a slow fight – instead of merely dodging them, Connor displays some new speed-kill abilities, dispatching enemies while on the move, never losing sight of his target.

Pursuits seem to have a much greater cinematic flair to them, and a stylistically tweaked kill-cam drives home the point that this is a new hero for a new era of Assassin’s Creed game.

Ubisoft weren’t done just yet, as some more gameplay revealing the naval gameplay in Assassin’s Creed III was shown during Sony’s press conference.

Finally, there were a handful of new screenshots revealed, which you can check out below. Read more about Assassin’s Creed III, and stay tuned to MyGaming for all the E3 coverage as it unfolds.