Common Sense Media Says: Not for kids

Bloody Revolutionary War adventure best for mature gamers.


What Parents need to know

Parents need to know that Assassin's Creed III is not only violent and bloody, but you also play as an assassin who must find and kill targets. This might be more disturbing to some parents than games where you shoot aliens to defend earth (Halo) or stave off a military attack (e.g. Call of Duty). The game also contains strong profanity and sexual references and innuendoes.

Educational value:Not applicable.


Positive messages:You play as an assassin in this video game, so it doesn't have a positive message for players.


Positive role models:As Connor, who is of both Native Indian and British descent, you can rewrite history during the American Revolutionary War in the 18th century. While players might be able to relate to Connor being torn between two conflicting parties, his job is to assassinate -- not a good role model.


Ease of play:As with other


Violence:The game is quite violent as Connor must hide, stalk, and kill various targets -- using a number of weapons include tomahawks, pistols, muskets, bayonets, and swords. Players participate in sword fights resulting in slow-motion sequences and the impaling of opponents. Copious amounts of blood can be seen in the game, especially against white snow. Cut-scene sequences also show violent imagery including brutal assassinations by throat cutting and gun shots to the head.


Sex:There is some sexual dialogue, including references to the King's "whores" and one character's claim that another was having sex with his sister behind his back.


Language:The game has some strong profanity, including the words "f--k" and "s--t."


Consumerism:Not applicable.


Drinking, drugs, & smoking:Not applicable.


Privacy & safety:Creates privacy and safety concerns. The game includes various multiplayer modes where it's possible for players to talk freely over the Internet via headset microphone. That is, there is no one monitoring the voice chat, so it's possible to hear profanity and perhaps other inappropriate dialogue.


What's the story?

Ubisoft Montreal's ASSASSIN'S CREED III is an epic third-person action game that drops the player in the middle of the American Revolution during the late 18th century. You play as a warrior known as Connor, of both Native American and English heritage, who joins the Continental Army to fight for freedom against the British. By wielding a number of weapons - such as tomahawks, guns, and bows - you'll survey the landscape, hop between trees and building rooftops, and take down the Redcoats one by one. The game includes a retelling of some legendary events including the Battle of Bunker Hill, the Great Fire of New York, and epic naval battles off the East Coast.

Is it any good?

Bigger, better, and bolder than past award-winning games in this series, Assassin's Creed III lets gamers step into an era not seen often in video game lore, interact with famous figures from the period (including Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Paul Revere), and roam across locations ranging from colonial towns to open battlefields to the untamed wilderness of the New World. While violent, the stealthy action is intense and gratifying. Visually speaking, the game looks excellent and features smooth animation thanks to Ubisoft's next-generation Anvil Next game engine. Three years in development, Assassin's Creed III offers both a lengthy single-player campaign and various multiplayer modes. Overall, there's a lot of great gameplay here -- but take heed to the "Mature" warning for its graphic depiction of violence and blood, strong profanity, and occasional sexual references in the dialogue sequences.