Assassin's Creed: Rogue - PS3

While Assassin's Creed: Unity moves the blockbuster series onto next-gen platforms, Rogue has those on older systems (or just those who fancy a double AC dose this year) covered.

It's a canny blend of the familiar and the unfamiliar. The game builds on the assets and mechanics established in AC3 and Black Flag, but gives them a serious twist. It's set, once again, during the Seven Years War for control of the colonies. The difference is that this time you're not playing on the side of the assassins - you're a templar. Our (anti)hero is Shay Cormac, an assassin who's an assassin either turning bad or finally picking the right side, depending on where in Rogue's many shades of grey you fall.

While much of the game will feel faintly familiar to longtime fans, the developers at Ubisoft Sofia have been able to focus squarely on content thanks to the groundwork laid in previous games. Alabama and Quebec are now part of the picture, providing a change of scenery. Perhaps the biggest change comes from playing as a templar, though. Missions that would previously have been assassination attempts become assassination prevention attempts, with the aim being to keep a target alive.

The sailing mechanics that were so popular in Black Flag make a reappearence, with players getting the Morrigan, a slimmer, more manouvrable vessel than the Jackdaw. New bits and pieces have been brought in too. Most notable is the air rifle, which allows players to take out enemies with a fresh range of ammo types.

Rogue offers up plenty of the good stuff that Assassin's Creed fans love, with a big enough dash of the new to add spice to proceedings. more