This had the makings of a great game. A fascinating period of history, the American Revolution, to tap into. A half-English, half-Mohawk lead character swept up in a bloody war between proud natives and imperial invaders. Exploring Boston, New York City, and the wild frontier. Hanging out with George Washington and riding with Paul Revere. But when the game was released in the winter of 2012, it sadly failed to live up to the promise of the setting.

Despite having an interesting past and a compelling stake in the world, hero Connor is a charisma vacuum. Stoic, sullen, and hard to love, he's the polar opposite of the previous games' beloved Ezio Auditore. He's dry, self-serious, and humourless: all traits that can be applied to the game itself. The only real spark of wit and charisma is his father, Haytham Kenway, who you play as in the game's extended prologue. If only he was the star.

Then there's the heavily scripted mission design. Most AC games are guilty of relying on insta-fails, but they're so rife here that half the time you barely feel like you're playing it at all. If you dare to try and solve a problem creatively, or take a route through the world the developers don't want you to, it's often a game over. This leaves you feeling stifled, like you're jumping through hoops for the level designers rather than really engaging with anything.

The setting, although beautiful at times, is actually a bad fit for an Assassin's Creed game. Boston and New York, being relatively new cities at the time the game is set, don't have many tall buildings to climb and navigate with. It's mostly short wooden houses, with none of the vast, dramatic architecture of other games in the series. Even the historical figures you meet are pretty dull—especially compared to the fun cameos from the Ezio games.

The stealth, even though it's a major part of the game, is terribly clunky and limited. The sidequests are mostly tedious, particularly the ones involving chasing pieces of fluttering paper around. The homestead, a ranch that can be upgraded, is a neat idea, but ultimately undercooked. And the story feels curiously unfinished, with a lot of long-winded narration seemingly making up for narrative elements that were cut or never written. It's not terrible or broken; just deeply underwhelming, and a step back.

Some mission objectives have been adjusted to be less punishing

Fast forward six years and Ubisoft has just released a remastered version of Assassin's Creed 3, which comes bundled with all the DLC and Liberation, a spin-off set in New Orleans that was originally released for the PlayStation Portable. Yes, really. It's a hefty package, but does it fix any of the problems that blighted the original release? Well, some of them, a little. But for the most part the game's many issues are so deeply ingrained that no amount of remastering, short of a total Resident Evil 2-style remake, could fix them.

The most important change is to the stealth. You can now whistle to lure enemies while hiding in bushes, and take down two at once with a swift double assassination. Small changes, really, but the result is a game that is generally less frustrating. Some mission objectives have been adjusted to be less punishing also: evidence that this is more than just the same game upscaled.

Speaking of shiny things, the remaster looks a little prettier too. Softer shadows, more natural lighting, and warm, gold-tinged colour grading have given the visuals a boost, which is particularly evident in the sun-dappled, snow-covered forests of the frontier. However, some details such as character's faces feel, oddly enough, less detailed. A side effect of the new lighting, perhaps, rather than any kind of texture downgrade. But it's difficult to say for sure. It's no Odyssey, but it's way more handsome than it was six years ago.

Ultimately, AC3 catches the series in a moment of awkward transition. This was the last of the old guard, before Black Flag swept in and changed the way we think about the series: a decision that would eventually lead to the massive Witcher-style RPG that is Odyssey. It's a slow, clumsy game with a lot of creaky set-pieces. The combat feels like you're chaining slick animations together rather than actually fighting. And the story is mostly forgettable, despite having a few standout moments such as the Battle of Bunker Hill.

I was open to giving Assassin's Creed 3 another chance, wondering if time might have been kinder to it than my memories. But all this remaster has done is hammer home the fact that, in the pantheon of the series, this is undoubtedly the weakest link. It's also clear that this remaster was developed primarily for consoles, because honestly, it looked good enough on PC as it was. But hey, if you really feel the need to experience Connor's adventure again, this is a chance to do it with a sprinkling of new features and visual tweaks.

Search for Assassin's Creed 3 on the Uplay store and you'll only see the new remaster. The same is true on Steam but the original version's store page still exists. However, the purchase button has been removed and this text has been added: "Notice: At the request of the publisher, Assassin’s Creed® III is no longer available for sale on Steam." If you already own the game on either service you should still be able to download and play it. (I tested it on Uplay today and it worked fine.)

The same thing has happened with several other remastered games, like Sleeping Dogs for instance. While it's a shame players no longer have the option to save $10 or so by getting the cheaper version, and it's also a shame to lose the historical value of being able to compare both versions, you can see why a publisher wouldn't want players to be confused or accidentally buy the wrong one.

As well as graphical changes, the remastered version features free-aim archery, an improved minimap, more stealth options, double silent assassinations, and apparently the early ship section has been shortened.

"Assassin's Creed 3 system requirements" isn't something I thought I'd ever have to type again, but here we are, six years later, waiting for the imminent launch of Assassin's Creed 3 Remastered. It's due out in a week, so here's what you'll need to run revolutionary America in 4K. 

4K 30 fps

• Operating System: Windows 10 (64bit versions only) 
• Processor: Intel Core i7 4790 @ 3.6 GHz, AMD Ryzen 5 1500X @ 3.5 GHz
• RAM: 8GB
• Video Card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 or Radeon RX Vega56 or better
• Video Preset: High

Not too high for 4K, and not surprisingly it's quite a bit lower than Odyssey's 4K requirements, which recommends a GTX 1080. We'll need to wait until launch to see what we need to get a higher frame rate.

Minimum 1080 30 fps

• Operating System: Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 (64bit versions only) 
• Processor: Intel Core i5 2400 @ 3.1 GHz, AMD FX 6350 @ 3.9 GHz
• RAM: 8GB
• Video Card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 660, AMD Radeon R9 270X (2GB VRAM with Shader Model 5.0)
• Video Preset: Lowest

Recommended 1080 30fps

• Operating System: Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 (64bit versions only)
• Processor: Intel Core i5 3470 @ 3.2 GHz, AMD FX 8350 @ 4.0 GHz
• RAM: 8GB
• Video Card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 770 (4GB) or AMD Radeon R9 280X (3GB) or better
• Video Preset: High

 Recommended 1080 60fps

• Operating System: Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 (64bit versions only)
• Processor: Intel Core i7 3770K @ 3.5 GHz, AMD FX 8350 @ 4.0 GHz
• RAM: 8GB
• Video Card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 970, AMD Radeon R9 290X
• Video Preset: High

As well as a visual upgrade, Assassin's Creed 3 Remastered also changes how you fire arrows, adds more stealth options and throws double assassinations in for fun. There are quite a few changes. 

It's due out on March 29, and you'll receive it automatically if you have the Assassin's Creed Odyssey season pass. 

Assassin's Creed III Remastered is shaping up to be more than just a prettier version of the polarising 2012 instalment: in addition to a range of graphical improvements, tweaks have been made to the way the game plays too, ranging from its approach to stealth through to its UI.

In a new video outlining the remaster, Ubisoft spokespeople confirm that firing arrows is now free-aim, in contrast to the original's finicky lock-on system. Players now have more stealth options too, with the ability to whistle from hidden areas in order to lure enemies. Double silent assassinations have been added, too. The mini-map has been improved too.

That all joins more cosmetic improvements: crowd density has been upped, with better skin shading and more natural, lifelike foliage. It was confirmed last year that the game will support 4K and HDR upscaling, and all original post-launch content will feature in the game, as well as a collection of outfits drawn from later games.

Here's the video outlining the changes, with a comparison trailer below it. Assassin's Creed 3: Remastered releases March 29. 

Ubisoft announced the release date for Assassin's Creed 3 Remastered today. This fancier version of the revolutionary (in setting, at least) third entry and its spin-off, Liberation, will launch on March 29. Check out how much has changed since the original in the comparison trailer above. 

It looks quite a bit nicer, doesn't it? But also, gosh that's a lot of yellow. Someone at Ubisoft is a Deus Ex: Human Revolution fan, clearly. Still, the lighting looks vastly improved, and the higher resolution textures make it easy to forget it's over six years old. There's 4K support and HDR support, too. 

As well as the main game and spin-off, you'll get the DLC, including that one where George Washington tries to become a king. It's good to have ambitions. They've also been updated. 

Season pass owners will get all of this automatically, but it will also be on sale separately. 

If you purchased the Assassin's Creed: Odyssey Gold edition, or purchased the game's season pass, you'll get access to a new remaster of Assassin's Creed 3 this March. First released in 2012, the original game is clearly ageing, so it's nice to see it getting some spit and polish.

According to an FAQ on the Ubisoft website, the remaster will boast higher resolution textures, new character models, a new Physically Based Rendering system for lighting, as well as denser crowds, environments and VFX. On top of all that, you'll be able to upscale the game to 4K and HDR. 

The information sheet also promises improved gameplay mechanics, with "several features being revamped or tweaked". But it doesn't specify what these changes are, as yet.

The remaster will come with all the usual post-launch content, such as Benedict Arnold Missions, the Hidden Secrets Pack, and all three episodes of the Tyranny of King Washington. You'll also get a copy of the Assassin's Creed: Liberation remaster, which was formerly a PS Vita exclusive. For more details on all that content, this has you covered. It's so far unclear when the remaster will be available as a standalone purchase, but I'd assume after the March 2019 initial release for season pass holders.

Chris Thursten reviewed Assassin's Creed 3 back in 2012, writing that its "entertaining storytelling and fantastic naval combat [is] marred by terrible mission design and endemic feature creep."

With videogames so full of long-running series it's inevitable that even the ones we enjoy will cough up the occasional dud. Whether you didn't like the combat focus of Fallout 4, or the sci-fi setting of Grand Theft Auto 2, or the underwhelming aliens of Mass Effect: Andromeda, or pretty much anything about the first Witcher game, it's easy enough to think of examples. So that's our PCG Q&A this weekend, where we ask both you and our team members: What's your least favorite entry in an otherwise good series? Give us your hot takes in the comments below.

Samuel Roberts: Assassin's Creed 3

Assassin's Creed's quality has been pretty variable over the years, but most of the main entries are worth playing for one reason or another—usually the environments. But Assassin's Creed 3 oversimplified every interaction so that I barely felt like I was doing anything, even when my character was performing rad shit like fighting a bear or climbing through a forest outside Boston. 

It soured me on the series for five entire years. Then I finally came back to give Origins a proper go, which is a much better game that I actually managed to get passionate about. AC3 was a complete waste given its choice of setting.

Andy Kelly: Resident Evil 0

This is a frustrating game. The idea of a Resident Evil prequel, revealing the events leading up to the outbreak in the original, could have been something pretty special. Instead we get this miserable, plodding, obtuse game featuring one of the most maddening inventory systems in history. You spend most of the game shuffling items back and forth between the two characters, or trying to remember which room you left something in an hour ago that you suddenly need. The locations are all rehashes of places we've been in Resi games a dozen times before, but less interesting. And the two-character puzzles aren't as clever as they think they are. There are almost certainly worse entries in the sprawling, inconsistent Resident Evil series, but the wasted potential of this one makes it extra bad. 

Tom Senior: Final Fantasy 13

After being consumed by Final Fantasy 12's deep squad combat systems I was bitterly disappointed by the 13th game's stifling corridors, endless dungeons, and a combat system that didn't get interesting for about 20 hours. It's technically a good-looking game, but its characters look like they wandered in from different universes. Plus the story, even by Final Fantasy standards, was turbo-bollocks, full of nonsense concepts you need a wiki to decipher. I hear it opens up after about 30 hours, but screw the effort it would take to get there. I'll go back on the road with my FF15 boyos instead, thank you very much. 

Wes Fenlon: Max Payne 3

Max Payne 3 is not a bad game. It's pretty amazing, in a lot of ways: the physics and shooting feel fantastic, the way it transitions from cutscenes to action is Rockstar's Hollywood obsession at its finest, and that soundtrack sets the mood. But I played the entirety of Max Payne 3 disappointed that it didn't feel like Max Payne. It's supposedly the same character from the first two, but without Sam Lake's writing, it just isn't Max. Max Payne 1 and 2 are bleak and cynical but temper that darkness with pulpy dialogue and inner monologues. They're more surreal, and more fun, and give Max more personality. Rockstar's writers totally missed the spirit of the first two games, turning Max Payne 3's story into pure bleak nihilism. Max just says the most depressing shit over and over again for 15 hours. It's repetitive and never really goes anywhere. Max is just never quite right. 

Jody Macgregor: Silent Hill: Homecoming

Some people might disagree with "otherwise good" when it comes to the later Silent Hill games, but I thought Downpour was a solid six-out-of-ten thing with a handful of good ideas (that sidequest where you follow the trail of ribbons in search of a missing child, for instance) and Shattered Memories was genuinely great. 

It's just a shame those are console exclusives and the only thing that shows up if you type Silent Hill into Steam is a terrible port of the worst game of the lot. Homecoming had way too much fighting, never a strong point with Silent Hill, and recycled the series' imagery like rusting walkways and faceless booby nurses in a weirdly joyless way. It's a bummer.

 

Ubisoft last week announced the Assassin's Creed: The Americas Collection, a bundle including Assassin's Creed 3, Assassin's Creed: Liberation and Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (sick of the words 'Assassin's Creed' yet? I'm sorry). That's all well and good, but it appears PC owners in North America will not be able to buy the bundle. While a PC edition of The Americas Collection has been confirmed for Europe and Australia, the same won't be true for the US.

It's especially strange since the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 editions will be available in North America. Nonetheless, Ubisoft confirmed with Gamespot that there are no plans to release the PC edition in that region. No doubt there's some arcane corporate logic to this, and given how easy it is to get these games at a discount digitally I'm sure few people mind. Nevertheless, Ubisoft did admit in August that it needs to work harder to do right by PC gamers, and this seems to clash with those sentiments.

Assassin's Creed: The Americas Collection releases October 3 in Europe and Australia and October 28 in North America.

More and more new games every year are sequels, so I guess the next logical step is enormous collections of previously released games. Bethesda announced at QuakeCon that every Elder Scrolls game would be available, and now Ubisoft is following suit with the Assassin’s Creed Heritage Collection. Available on November 8, the Heritage Collection will include Assassin’s Creed, Assassin’s Creed 2, Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, Assassin’s Creed: Revelations, and Assassin’s Creed 3.

The official price has not been announced, but some listings are starting to pop up in the neighborhood of $70/£40, which isn’t outrageous for five games plus DLC. Still, at that price you’re paying a premium for the packaging and whatever extras they throw in there, and we have no idea what those extras might be.

Of course, Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag lands on November 19. Technically speaking, I suppose gamers brand-new to the series could pound through the first five games in time for the launch of Black Flag, but only if they’re willing to give up showering and eating. Still, die-hard fans might appreciate having the games and their individual DLCs all in one tidy package.

As worthy a goal as liberation may be, most of us aren't going bother if it means dealing with those ugly "low" definitions. Not only that, but playing Assassin's Creed 3 spin-off Liberations would have meant buying a PS Vita, which, according to sales figures, is not something a lot of people have done. Perhaps because of this fact, Ubisoft have announced Assassin's Creed: Liberation HD; appending the near-meaningless suffix to an upgraded version of the game that's due for release on PC and the less portable consoles.

Liberation was set in 1765 New Orleans, starring a new protagonist, Aveline de Grandpré, and continuing the series' penchant for batshit fisticuffs between Assassins and Templars. For the HD version, new missions are planned, as well as an upgrade to the shiny graphics department.

Assassin's Creed: Liberation HD is, according to the trailer, "coming soon". Meanwhile, Ubisoft are also pretty hot for pirates, and will release Pirate's Creed 4: Hooray, It's Got Pirates! in November.