Leap of faith?
For the Xbox 360 review of Assassin’s Creed III, click here
For the first time, Assassin’s Creed hits a Nintendo console with AC III. Chances are you wondering what new features are available for this version compared to the 360/PS3/PC versions and well, there’s not many to be honest. You use the Gamepad to select items on the go; you can use it as a mini-map and use it during the naval battles, but is it enough to warrant a buy?
The story is the last chapter of Desmond’s journey as he tries to save the world from the apocalypse. We spend the majority of the game with new character Connor, who isn’t as suave as Ezio or as smart as Altair, but his story is good nonetheless and full of twists and turns throughout. The gameplay remains the same in the Wii U version as it did on the other consoles, it’s really little more than just a port but one that’s done right.
There are plenty of missions to play throughout the course of the game, as well as plenty of side-quests and collectables to find. I did find that the game did drag on a bit towards the end though and maybe it should have ended a few hours earlier, the ending will please and annoy you at the same time. There isn’t any new content in the Wii U version, so there’s no reason to pick it up if you already own a different version, which is a shame…a nice exclusive like a few extra missions would have been very welcome.
Using the Gamepad does have its advantages, especially with the mini-map as it lays out enemies on it in real-time, but the game itself still suffers from a number of glitches like people vanishing, AI almost seeming to disappear and missions being bugged at certain points, I did get a pop-up for an update when I tried to play the game but it failed and the Wii U console said to try again later, I don’t know if there is an actual patch, or if Nintendo’s servers weren’t working but am sure it will be working at some point in the near future. The point is that Ubisoft have had a bit of extra time with the Wii U version so the bugs reported in the other versions maybe could have been fixed in this version from launch, or at the very least the patch should be working.
In terms of visuals, the Wii U version looks a bit low-resolution compared to the other versions but only slightly. It holds up well, but the game itself has its ups and downs in the graphics department thanks to numerous bugs. Voice-acting and music have always been strong in the series and the third game is no different, but oddly no sound was coming out of my Gamepad, not even little ones. I know my Gamepad isn’t broken, so I don’t know why that is.
The Verdict
The Wii U version of Assassin’s Creed III offers little else to the experience besides using the Gamepad for item selection and navigating America with the mini-map. It’s a decent port marred only by the same bugs as the other versions and is a good launch title over all, it’s just not worth getting if you already own a different version.
