5. Naval Battles
Yes, Naval Battles, as youve probably heard, play something of a meaty role in AC III. Its a brand new mechanic thats been built exclusively for the new game and I can tell you from experience that its pretty f***ing awesome to behold. Of course, youll get your own ship which is perhaps a given, but no less awesome for it. And like your manor, youre able to upgrade this ship from half-decent to Queen of the High Seas. Ship upgrades are understandably expensive, which is where the enhanced economic system comes into play; youll have to buy and sell wisely if you hope to kit yourself out early with the best enhancements. The Naval Battles themselves are a welcome break from the usual AC run-climb-kill affair and provide a level of texture to the experience that no other title in the franchise to date boasts. Nothing can quite describe the feeling of sinking three ships at the same time with a perfectly aimed volley of cannon fire. With the third full game in the series, Ubisoft have managed to quite literally veer off the beaten track (right into the Ocean) and provide us with an entirely new and viciously entertaining mechanic that stands out almost as much as the improvements made on land.