As with previous episodes in the series, Assassin’s Creed III begins with a linear collection of main missions that gradually introduce gameplay concepts, abilities and different styles of challenges. For newcomers, the low difficulty of these opening tutorials offers a great opportunity to experiment and get a good feel for the game. More experienced players can treat these sections as a quick refresher course, and complete them with commensurate speed and confidence.
Once you complete the first few Sequences (story chapters), the sandbox begins to open up. In addition to main story missions, you will encounter a vast wealth of side quests, minigames and incidental challenges. The majority of these are purely optional, and are not necessary to complete the central storyline. However, participation will make your character wealthier – and, as a consequence, stronger and better equipped. Engaging in “optional” activities can lead to rewards such as ammo capacity upgrades, new (and upgraded) weapons and Tools, and even allies that you can call upon – leading to greater tactical flexibility when you face more complicated scenarios later in the story.
One of the principal pleasures of Assassin’s Creed III is that you can approach its almost intimidatingly large (but endlessly entertaining) array of side quests and optional tasks whenever you see fit. In time, you can take part in a strategic metagame where you build a trade empire to exploit the spoils of the in-game economy, complete challenges for clubs, hunt collectibles (and wildlife!) over a wide area, craft dozens of items, train acolytes to assist in your adventures (and assign them objectives to complete in a separate minigame), liberate oppressed civilians in two major cities… and the list could go on, and on.
Once the world opens up, you will find that all of the game systems that you encounter – from brief diversions to major side-quest chains – are interconnected in one sense or another. Rather than taking a direct line to the next chapter in the main storyline, then, it’s generally far more rewarding to unhurriedly explore other activities that you encounter on the way, or new feature unlocks as they are brought to your attention. There is an astonishing level of variety in Assassin’s Creed III, and taking the time to explore it fully will pay off, not just in terms of bonuses, but in terms of the sheer level of enjoyment you can gain from the overall experience.
There is no right or wrong way to approach the many challenges you face – though we do our utmost, in the interlinked Walkthrough and Side Quests chapters, to present an optimal path. That said, we also offer you the tools and advice to pick your own route. Given the rich variety of adventures it offers, Assassin’s Creed III is the kind of epic where it is the journey, not the destination, that really matters.