Assassin’s Creed 3 Trailer

The Assassin’s Creed 3 trailer hit the virtual streets of the Internet with the bang of a Revolutionary musket. The first leeks of the new installment of the Assassin’s Creed came in the form of screenshots and a Game Informer cover. And just a few days ago, a stunning, high-res trailer teased gamers all around the world.

The new instalment of Assassin’s Creed 3 takes us back in time to Colonial American and the time of the Revolutionary War. Specifically, the game is set in the cities of Boston and New York and a wilderness area known as “The Frontier.” In every way, the game promises to be bigger and better. Ubisoft, makers of the series, says the Frontier alone is 1.5 times as big as Rome from Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood.

The Revolutionary War is the perfect setting for the new descendant of the Assassins. The dispute of the word’s etymology aside, the idea of an Assassin roaming the literal and figurative wildness of Revolutionary American is more than just a little tantalizing.

The Assassin’s Creed 3 trailer sets the tone and the look of the game. The opening shot of the bald eagle cutting through the chilled air of a wintery landscape makes it clear that this is America and the New World. The year is 1777, and we are in the Mohawk Valley. We then see the Assassin pitted against the Redcoats of the British Army. The tomahawk is unmistakeable. The violence is brutal and cinematically orchestrated.

Ubisoft’s CEO Yves Guillemot has said that they will stretch the boundaries of what fans of the Assassin’s Creed series have come to expect. “We will push the title a lot because it’s a fantastic product that the team has been working for three years. What we have seen is just fabulous.”

The Montreuil, France–based company has made use of the new Ubisoft-AnvilNext engine to produce what Guillemot says will be the most visually-stunning game Ubisoft has made to date.

“Whether you’re a longtime fan of Assassin’s Creed or if you’re new to the franchise, you’re going to be blown away by the scale and marvel of Assassin’s Creed 3”

Last of the Mohicans

Assassin’s Creed 3 will also feature a new hero, Connor, then son of a British soldier and a Mohawk mother. Oh, if only James Fenimore Cooper were alive to seen the advent of the game console.

Assassin’s Creed 3 is set to be released in the fall of 2012.

Sony Will Launch Titles for North American PlayStation Vita in February

Finally!  After months of speculation and hair pulling Sony has finally released some news that North American gamers can sink their teeth into. The Japan based electronics giant has released its line-up of 25 games for the February 22^nd release of the much-anticipated follow up of the successful PSP. The PlayStation Vita is a powerful new handheld device that will have multiple input options including the new back touch panel. The quad core device will also sport a capacitive touchscreen, along with the traditional D-Pad and face buttons. The device will also have dual analog stick, a feature long demanded by users of the original PSP.

The list of games which will be available from day one includes a few heavyweight titles including the very successful “Uncharted.” Other titles likely to generate lots of interest include “Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3” and “Dynasty Warriors.” Sony also released pricing for various add ons and peripherals. The game launch is said to be the largest in PlayStation history. In addition to the titles available at launch there will be a special bonus to customers. Each PlayStation Vita will come bundled with 6 AR cards as well as a voucher for mini-games. The mini-games will be downloadable Augmented Reality titles, called “AR Play.”

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Kinectimals Show iOS Some Love

Kinectimals, the virtual interactive pet simulator from Microsoft has been released for iOS devices. The game was a favorite on Microsoft’s Xbox console and originally used the popular Kinect add-on to interact with on-screen animals. The iOS version of Kinectimals, which is available for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad, now uses touch-based controls. The new control scheme is at once more personal and intuitive and gives a genuine sense of connection and immersion.

At the start of Kinectimals, you are presented with an option to choose one of five pet types: African Lion and Leopard, Royal Bengal Tiger, Cheetah, and Black Panther. The game has multiple save slots so you can choose to pick one or all five animals if you like, saving each choice separately. There is also an unlockable animal that you get as an option after completing various tasks and achievements.

The gameplay consists of two “modes.” You can play with your animal in a non-competitive setting, or you can participate in games. There are a number of challenges that initially function as a tutorial, but the difficulty increases over time. Completing challenges will enable you to level-up your pet and will earn you money and rewards. You use money earned to purchase food and other items for your animal. The games in Kinectimals are increasingly competitive in nature. You gain experience for high scores and can advance through 20 levels.

Kinectimals is a visually-appealing game, the graphics being among the best for any iOS title. The soundtrack is light and child-like, but it suits the game well. The game AI is adaptive and makes for some pleasant surprises. Ignore your pet, for example, and it will try to entice you to play in various cute ways. The title has high production values and has a certain slickness about it. Though a bit light in depth, the game is a joy to play; anyone who enjoys this genre will want to pick it up.

Coming in at about 178 MB, Kinectimals is not a lightweight title, and those with space concerns will need to consider the size of the download when deciding whether or not to pick up this title. Another thing to keep in mind is that the game makes use of location tracking. It does prominently state, however, that your information will not be shared. Location tracking can be disabled under Settings. You can also simply deny the initial request when it is presented to you at the start of the game.

Kinectimals is available now for $2.99 at the App store.