Ubisoft can craft a compelling story. In the new Assassin’s Creed III DLC – The Tyranny of King Washington – you wake as the main hero, Ratonhnhaké:ton (Connor), into a world that has completely changed.  All that remains of your old world are the memories you and your character have of colonial America.  More shocking than the fact that George Washington has gone mad and named himself king, is the fact your mother is still alive.  All this and more come to light in Episode 1: The Infamy.

What I love about this DLC is how Ubisoft was able to take the entirety of its crafted universe and turn it on its head.  They did a fantastic job in making sure all the little things were in place to institute full immersion into the experience.  Everything from facial expressions to personal recognition to voice inflection have all been carefully modified to reflect the changes in the universe.  I will say that Ubisoft spends a good portion of this first episode in story beats and exposition in order to set you on the proper course of discovery.

That is not to say there isn’t action abound in this installment.  Many times, you’ll find yourself in a situation where fighting is really the only way out.  Ubisoft was sure to add some new animations for killing the enemies, including some fairly acrobatic ones.  The downside of the combat is that instead of making the enemies different or more difficult, they just throw more of them at you.  Many of the times I was embroiled in a skirmish with 15-20 bluecoats.  It wasn’t exciting; it was me mindlessly pushing the buttons until no one else was left standing.

Not only do you have new main story quests, there are side quests to complete and lucid memories to obtain.  I really enjoyed finding the lucid memories as I visited locations from my “real life” experiences and saw my old memory, but in this completely upside-down world.  For instance, an inn where Connor confronts Charles Lee is now just a burned-out husk of a building.  This also leads to you learning more about how this alternate reality came about.

There is a new skill that is an excellent addition to Ratonhnhaké:ton’s repertoire – the wolf cloak. The wolf cloak allows Ratonhnhaké:ton to cloak himself in order to sneak by his enemies.  It is an extremely powerful tool you can use, but you must balance being a badass and the fact it is constantly depleting your health.  It is a great power, but you need to respect it.  You can also call “the wolfpack” – a group of incorporeal wolves used to track and kill your prey.  Essentially, instead of being able to call the Assassin’s Brotherhood for help, you can call on your spectral friends.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Infamy and look forward to the other two installments in this DLC trilogy.  I love how The Infamy wrapped up and how Ubisoft hinted as to how this will all play out.  With no other knowledge than what I’ve played so far, I’m making a prediction.  In the end, you will assassinate George Washington in the same square in New York where you escaped your own execution in order to foil a Templar plot by Thomas Hickey to end the Commander’s life.  Essentially you will undo your life’s work.  I love that idea.

If you enjoy the characters of Assassin’s Creed III and are looking to expand the story and the universe, The Tyranny of King Washington – Episode 1: The Infamy is a great pickup.

AC3 The Tyranny of King Washington Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oroB_U5nOzU

AC3 The Tyranny of King Washington Gameplay
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6M4Gcian_Q8