Assassin's Creed III is full of surprises. Perhaps the biggest is that its much-publicised new protagonist, half-Native American Connor, isn't the only character you'll be controlling as gamers slaughter their way across the new world. Keeping that zinger under wraps was an impressive feat in an age of internet rumours and spoilers.

For returning players, Ubisoft's latest feels equal parts reassuringly familiar and dauntingly new. The hallmarks remain: free-running around cities, blending into crowds, scaling the highest vantage points and diving into convenient haystacks. Everything just feels a touch more refined now. There are exceptions: new elements, including firearms, sometimes feel poorly implemented.

However, the scale here is far greater than in previous adventures. Apart from early sections that blend tutorials seamlessly (if somewhat slowly) into the narrative, this could broadly be considered an open world game, making it considerably different to its predecessors. With the meticulously researched cities of Boston and New York to explore, an expansive wilderness between them and gripping sea battles, Assassin's Creed III has a lot to offer – and its flaws are few and forgivable.