The first review of Assassin’s Creed 3 has appeared online on the Spanish-based Meristation. It’s a high scoring review, though perhaps not as high as some might hope, awarding the game an 8.5 out of 10.
The game’s reviewer Javi Andres writes that Assassin’s Creed 3 and its protagonist Connor bring plenty of new features to the series, including naval battles and wilderness areas full of wildlife and tall trees that “fit in nicely” with the historical setting of the American War of Independence.
Described as “wide and spectacular”, the reviewer expresses his disappointment at the game’s “inexcusable bugs”, reduced draw distances on the console versions of the game, and a slow-paced beginning. He also notes that the game suffers from numerous AI flaws. Fellow commenters who’ve played the game note that they’ve experienced horses and weapons that get stuck in mid-air, invisible walls, and a few other bugs.
Despite attempts to get the most out of the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360, the reviewer complains that the game’s engine looks dated and has a few technical hitches—suffering from occasional FPS drops and detail drops in the shadows—though he attributes this not to the game but to the limitations of the hardware in general.
Technical issues aside, the game’s strengths are said to shine with its stealth-based gameplay, the inclusion of long-ranged weapons, poaching, and naval clashes. He also praises the game for the amount of detail they put into the world as a whole and highly recommends the game not just for fans of the series, but to newcomers as well.
