Issue 176 of the print rag PSX Extreme, which is out on newsstands today, has an extensive article revealing a number of previously unrevealed details about Assassin's Creed III, which spans over a 20 year period of the years 1753 to 1783.
The feature reveals that Connor will have access to firearms, bows, throwing knives, a hammer, and a large two-handed sword in addition to his previously revealed hidden blade and tomahawk.
Connor, like his predecessors, can perform Leaps of Faith, from treetops into moving carriages of hay.
Perhaps taking a cue from Red Dead Redemption, Connor will be able to hunt in the wild, skinning dead animals and selling their pelts for money with over 30 animals to hunt. According to the article, the value of the pelts will change depending on how you kill them.
The game's engine is said to be capable of supporting up to 2000 characters on screen at a time, and Connor will partake in great battles throughout the game. In addition to the powerful new engine, Connor's animation will be smoother and more natural than any previous Assassin's Creed character. He will be able to adapt to any obstacles in the environment as he traverses through New England.
In addition to the game's night and day cycle, there will be seasonal changes and weather conditions which vary throughout the game. We will revisit the same areas throughout the seasons. More than just a visual effect, weather plays a role in the game—snow will impair mobility and wading through blizzards can be difficult. As such, Connor will have to make use of the treeline to get around during the winter.
For the first time in Assassin's Creed, NPCs will interact with each other instead of simply milling around, and there will also be children out in the world.
Tracker hounds will also play a role in Assassin's Creed III, so Connor will have to exercise plenty of caution to throw off his pursuers.
According to the developers, Ubisoft plans to implement a lot of memorable action setpieces, such as running through someone's home while being pursued by a group of armed soldiers.
In combat, opponents can also be used as a human shield and thrown into other combatants for good measure. However, despite the game's intended Mature rating, it won't be possible to decapitate your enemies or cut off their limbs. The developers have also abandoned the possibility of scalping enemy combatants because they want the focus to be on the story, and not its violence.
