Games

When the world is threatened by a solar flare, our only hope again lies with Desmond Miles – or more specifically, the buried memories of yet another of his ancestors who happened to make a living bumping people off, albeit this time during the American Revolution.

Assassin's Creed III is undoubtedly the most expansive and ambitious outing to date in the best-selling franchise. Not only do you get two cities to explore (17th-Century New York and Boston), there's a massive expanse of wilderness as well. And as you go about your business tracking down a group of Templars who are up to no good, you also get to play a part in a number of genuine historic events as the British and Americans clash on the battlefield.

Of course, size isn't everything – and Assassin's Creed III isn't perfect. Despite the open-world structure, many of the missions are constrictingly linear and failure to follow them to the letter can result in some painfully long re-loading times. It's a real shame, because everything else about the game impresses. The hi-def graphics are astonishing, the controls are more intuitive and responsive than ever, the combat is hard-hitting and some of the historical set-pieces are what gaming dreams are made of. So, even if it's not quite a five-star outing, this is one game that still demands your time.

Ubisoft, Xbox 360/PS3/Nintendo Wii-U/PC, £50 Approx, On sale now
HCC VERDICT: 4/5