As expected, today’s top story is the Assassin’s Creed III reveals. In addition to the promotional screens leaked last week we also have some story and game play details. The story revolves around Connor (how ’bout that Wrath.o.tron?), a half-English and half-Native American assassin. Connor was apparently raised by the Mohawk, but seeks revenge on the Templars after his village is burned by white colonists. He’ll be interacting with many of the luminaries you’d expect from the American Revolution, George Washington and Benjamin Franklin among others. I’m very curious how such eminent Freemasons will fit into the Templar/Assassin rivalry. Freemasons have, at various times, been linked to the historical Knights Templar as adversaries, allies, and with one group possibly being a subset of the other – though which is the “parent” group depends on which conspiratorial historian you ask. The story apparently covers a 30 year span, 1753-1783, in Boston and New York, as well as outlying areas. The game engine has been completely overhauled, allowing for better facial animations and very large scale battles featuring “thousands” of soldiers fighting at once. As we guessed from the leaked shots, new traversal mechanics will take advantage of cliffs and tree jumping. Hopefully this will still avoid Mutt Williams style vine swinging. A few other highlights that jumped out at me:
- There will be a wilderness area, about 1.5 times the size of Brotherhood’s entire map, called the Frontier. It is not empty. Expect about a third of your game to take place here.
- You can hunt for resources. Better kills equal better rewards. Destroying a bear pelt by stabbing the hell out of it won’t get you much in the way of loot.
- You will have a hidden blade. Why was this ever in doubt?
- Environments will change with time and seasons. Winter traversal is more difficult for NPCs but gives you new options.
- Full synchronization requirements are back, but work more like XP in an RPG. There’s a set amount of XP in the game. Replaying missions to get a better score increases your abilities.
- Don’t expect more den defense. [Yeah!] Expect more puzzles like the Desmond missions from AC:R. [Boo if they’re first-person again.]
- Free running is obviously lower altitude. But expect to jump out windows onto tree limbs then to a church roof, etc. You can also leap over or slide under wagons and other moving objects. Momentum is more vital now, especially in combat.
- Unconfirmed, but a reliable source at Microsoft has indicated the game will have online co-op for the first time. This is probably in addition to the competitive multiplayer we’ve seen in the last two iterations.
I can’t really express how much I edited this down to only cover the really vital points. That’s a long list, but the information Ubisoft has flowing now is even longer. This really looks like a giant leap forward for the franchise. Their emphasis on constant moving, to the extent that you can kill and leap off a body without breaking stride, is going to be a major step. Combat is apparently getting huge upgrades to flow more quickly and be more intuitive. Thankfully, Mass Effect 3 is out today so I’ll have plenty of galaxy-saving to keep me occupied as I start itching for October 30, 2012. Since I get Commander Shepard today, at least I don’t have to try to decide which of the two will be 2012’s most anticipated champion. If you’re as itchy for the game as I am, you can already pre-order it for $5 at Best Buy. Doing so will actually get you the game’s steelbook case now. It’s empty, but it’s so damn pretty. And, really, it will still be empty for a couple of weeks after you get the game since the disc will be in your console.
If that still hasn’t sated your appetite, Zombietron’s posted the first trailer from GDC.
Winding down a little, let’s talk Street Fighter x Tekken. As expected, the special characters announced for the Vita release will also be making their way to PS3 as DLC. The six add-ons from Capcom’s franchise will be Blanka, Cody, Dudley, Elena, Guy and Sakura. Namco Bandai’s additional fighters are Alisa Bosconovitch, Bryan Fury, Christie Monteiro, Jack, Lars Alexandersson and Lei Wulong. The console release is today. No word yet on date or price for the DLC, but the Vita version is expected this Fall. Supposedly there won’t be an expanded release so DLC will be the only way to get these fighters. I’d call bullshit on that, but it could be restricted by the licensing agreement with Namco Bandai. [Not surpisingly, it appears all of this stuff, and the promised costume pack, is actually already on the disc and the DLC will simply be an unlock. YouTube user SoulReaperTTG apparently hacked an early release of the disc and posted videos of the content in action. Naturally, the videos have already been removed. Savvy internet folks with a strong desire could probably still find it.]
In other fighting news, Dead or Alive 5 will also have itself a guest star, Akira from SEGA’s Virtua Fighter. While the release date is still unannounced, Yosuke Hayashi (studio Head, Team Ninja) did say that “Gamers will have an opportunity to enjoy an unforgettable battle with an esteemed competitor in Akira Yuki set in the Dead or Alive environment. This year will prove to be an amazing one for our loyal fighting fans as we are delivering a fantastic fighting game that can only been experienced in Dead or Alive 5.”
Have you got a Vita? Have you been looking forward to MotorStorm RC launching today? Well, if you answered “yesy” to the first question it probably doesn’t matter you answered to the second since you’ll likely be getting it anyway. Now why, you may ask, would you get a game for your Vita if you weren’t even anticipating it? Because it’s free of course! That’s right, for a limited time MotorStorm RC will be free on Vita courtesy of a Scion promotion. Further pushing the partnership, the Scion iq will be an in-game exclusive for the Vita. The game looks great, mashing up the extreme off-road series with the zany goofiness of RC racing, and you just can’t beat that price point. The PS3 version is also available today for $9.99 ($7.49 for PS+).
Speaking of PlayStation Plus, the beginning of a new month marks the announcement of the March benefits to your membership. To start, you’ll get early access to thatgamecompany’s much-anticipated Journey, starting today. The rest of the PSN will be waiting for next week to experience this artistic interaction that puts a whole new spin on the idea of online co-op. This month’s freebies include Bermuda Triangle (mini), Um Jammer Lammy (PSOne Classic), Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus (full game from the Sly collection), and Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix (PSN). This is a little weak for me personally – I’ve already platinumed Sly and that version of SFII was a very early PSN purchase – but it’s still a strong month. If you’re a trophy hunter (whore), you can’t ask much more than the relative simplicity of Sly Cooper for a free platinum. Other benefits this month include 50% off the PSN Gamers’ Choice winners being announced today, and a pile of themes.
I don’t have much to go on with this one, but if you follow the behind the scenes staffing for major games it will certainly mean something to you. Crystal Dynamics, currently working on the Tomb Raider reboot, recently hired Cory Barlog, the former game director for God of War and writer/director for God of War 2. As I said, I don’t have much to go on since they haven’t announced what project(s) will have his involvement, though the press release did mention they’re working on an as-yet unannounced title. Barlog is talented guy and Crystal Dynamics is shaping up to be a real powerhouse on the development side of things. Despite not having any details, this may prove to be a much more exciting announcement thant its unassuming nature implies.
Another interesting behind the scenes announcement is the new development studio, EA Gothenburg. The new studio’s focus will be on the “new generation” of game’s using DICE’s Frostbite 2.0 engine. Does this mean the next set of sequels using the engine, or does it mean games for next-gen systems? Probably both. It’s a powerful engine and it will be interesting to see what comes from it. No games have been announced for the studio, but it sounds like they’ll be starting with a sequel to one of EA’s less-used IPs.
In addition to the retailer-specific bonuses for Darksiders II, THQ has announced that pre-ordering will get you a free upgrade to the Limited Edition of the game. As is usual in cases like this, there’s nothing particularly special about the upgrade. But it will include a download code to score the first DLC, “Argul’s Tomb,” for free. The game is set for release on June 26th, with the DLC to be released soon after.
I’ve been following Lollipop Chainsaw, the latest from Suda 51’s Grasshopper Manufacture, with a little bit of humor and trepidation. The visuals and concept for the game are appealing. But Suda 51’s reputation has me thinking the game will be too bizarre for someone of my ilk to really enjoy. It looks like I’m running out of time to decide, as Warner Bros. Interactive announced at GDC that the game has been scheduled for June 12, 2012. With only a few months to go, I’m thinking I’ll drop this into my GameFly GameQ and go from there. If it turns out too weird for me, I’m only out a few days of play time. If it’s fun, I can always keep it.
Now that embargo has ended, SenadorKooch brings us the first look at Halo 4. Can this be good without Bungie? Looks good so far.
An interesting turn of events is transpiring with Bugbear’s Ridge Racer: Unbounded. The game is still set for a March 30th release in Europe, but has been delayed in North America. Normally these delays go the other way, with rating issues causing release delays in Europe while North America gets it on time. The explanation is that the publisher wants “to pack the disc with features that will truly make the game sing.” What does that mean? Will the NA release have some sort of extra content not planned for Europe? Time will tell, but it wouldn’t surprise me if they’re planning to stow additional “DLC” on the disc that you can unlock later. That method will save some server downloading time. It might also be to include a demo for another game that isn’t planned for European release.