Most people hated him at first. Let's be real. Coming off the high of Ezio Auditore—the charismatic, flute-playing, lady-killing Italian—playing as Connor Kenway felt like hitting a brick wall. He was stoic. He was angry. He didn't have a witty comeback for everything. But looking back at Assassin's Creed with Connor, specifically Assassin's Creed III, it’s clear we were just spoiled by Ezio's charm and missed the actual depth of what Ubisoft was trying to do.
Connor (or Ratonhnhaké:ton) wasn't a superhero. He was a man caught in the gears of a machine that was designed to crush people exactly like him.
The game launched in 2012, and man, the hype was unreal. We went from the Renaissance to the American Revolution. Gone were the marble villas, replaced by the frontier, deep snow, and the brutal reality of colonial warfare. If you haven't revisited his story lately, you're missing out on the most tragic, complex protagonist the series ever produced. It’s not just about the hidden blade; it’s about the total collapse of a man's idealism.
The Brutality of the Frontier
The combat in Assassin's Creed III changed everything. Connor didn't just fence; he hunted. Watching him use a tomahawk and a rope dart felt visceral in a way the previous games never did. You could feel the weight. When Connor fights, he’s not showing off. He’s ending a threat as fast as possible.
The world-building was a massive pivot. You had the Homestead, which honestly is the best "base building" mechanic in the whole franchise. You weren't just upgrading a shop to get 10% more income. You were building a community of outcasts. You saw a blacksmith find love. You saw a tailor find a home. These missions felt small, but they were the only time we saw Connor actually smile. It grounded him. Without the Homestead, Connor is just a killing machine, but with it, he's a protector.
I remember the first time I ran through the trees in the Frontier. The parkour wasn't limited to rooftops anymore. Ubisoft Montreal built a whole new engine—AnvilNext—just to handle the way branches bent under his weight. It felt fluid. It felt like Connor belonged in the woods, whereas the cities of Boston and New York felt restrictive, cramped, and dirty. That was the point. He was a fish out of water in "civilization."
Why the Story of Assassin's Creed with Connor Is Actually a Tragedy
People complain that Connor is "boring" or "always mad."
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Well, yeah.
Think about his life for a second. His mother was killed in a fire he thought was started by George Washington (it was actually Charles Lee, but Washington wasn't innocent either). He spent his whole life trying to save a village that the Continental Army—the people he was helping—eventually tried to wipe out anyway. He was used. Every single person Connor trusted eventually betrayed him or died.
The relationship between Connor and his father, Haytham Kenway, is the peak of writing in this series. Haytham is everything Connor isn't: cynical, sophisticated, and incredibly certain that humanity needs to be controlled. Their debates while climbing rooftops aren't just filler. They are a clash of ideologies. Haytham makes points that are actually hard to argue against. He tells Connor that the "freedom" the Assassins fight for is just a precursor to chaos. And looking at the state of the colonies after the war, was he wrong?
The Reality of the Revolution
The game doesn't give you the "History Channel" version of the American Revolution. It’s gritty. It’s ugly.
- The Boston Massacre: It wasn't a heroic stand; it was a chaotic mess of confusion and fear.
- George Washington: He isn't portrayed as a flawless saint. He’s a struggling general who makes some pretty horrific calls regarding the indigenous populations.
- The Ending: It’s one of the bleakest endings in gaming. Connor wins, but he loses everything. He sees slaves being sold on the docks of a "free" America. He returns to his village to find it empty.
This is why Assassin's Creed with Connor hits different now that we’re older. It’s a subversion of the "hero's journey." Connor didn't get the girl. He didn't get the glory. He got a front-row seat to the birth of a nation that didn't want him.
Technical Innovations We Take for Granted
We need to talk about the naval combat. Before Black Flag became everyone’s favorite pirate sim, Connor was the one at the helm of the Aquila. Those missions were a tech demo that worked way better than they had any right to. The water physics, the broadside cannons, the sound of the rigging—it was revolutionary for 2012.
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The animations also took a massive leap. Connor has hundreds of unique kill animations depending on the weapon and the environment. If you’re standing near a wall, he’ll use it. If you have a musket, he’ll use the bayonet. It’s a dance of violence that later games, like Odyssey or Valhalla, kinda traded away for more "RPG-style" combat with health bars and glowing abilities. There was a groundedness to Connor’s era that felt more "Assassin" than the demigod stuff we have now.
Addressing the Pacing Issues
Okay, look. The first six hours of the game are a slog. We have to admit that. Playing as Haytham for the first three sequences was a bold narrative choice—and the twist was legendary—but it kills the momentum for new players. Then you play as "Kid Connor," then "Teen Connor." By the time you actually put on the robes, half the day is gone.
But that buildup is necessary. You need to see why he’s so driven. You need to see the loss of his innocence. If you skip the setup, you don't feel the weight of his anger later on. Ubisoft was trying to write a Dickensian novel in a video game format. It didn't always land, but I'd rather have a game that tries to be "too much" than a game that's just a repetitive map-clearing exercise.
The Nuance of the Mohawk Culture
Ubisoft actually put in the work here. They hired Thomas Deer, a cultural liaison from the Kahnawà:ke Mohawk Territory, to make sure the language and culture were accurate. Connor’s dialogue in his native tongue wasn't just "flavor text"; it was a core part of his identity. He wasn't just a guy in a hood; he was a member of the Kanien'kehá:ka. This adds a layer of E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) to the game's development that was rare for its time.
The game forces you to inhabit a perspective that is rarely explored in mainstream media—the perspective of someone who is watching their world be carved up by two different groups of colonizers, both of whom claim to be "the good guys."
Practical Ways to Re-experience Connor’s Journey
If you're planning on diving back into Assassin's Creed with Connor, don't just rush the main story. You'll miss the soul of the game.
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First, play the Remastered version. The lighting is vastly improved, though some of the face models look a bit "doll-like" compared to the original. The big win is the UI and the crafting system, which were tweaked to be less of a headache.
Second, do the Homestead missions as soon as they appear. They are not "side quests." They are the emotional spine of the story. If you finish the game without building the Homestead, Connor will feel like a flat character. If you do them, he becomes a leader.
Third, pay attention to the "Tyranny of King Washington" DLC. It’s a "what if" scenario where Washington becomes a power-mad monarch. It’s wild, it gives Connor literal superpowers (like turning invisible or summoning wolves), and it's a fun break from the historical gloom of the main campaign.
Why the Critics Were Wrong
At the time, the consensus was that Connor was a "step back" from Ezio. But looking at the landscape of gaming now, we have plenty of charming rogues. We don't have many characters like Connor—someone who is deeply uncomfortable with the violence they have to perpetrate.
Connor is a warrior who hates war. He’s a man who fights for a future he knows he won’t be allowed to live in. That’s not boring; that’s heavy. It’s some of the most "adult" storytelling Ubisoft has ever attempted. They didn't give us a happy ending because the history of the 1700s didn't have a happy ending for the indigenous people of America.
Actionable Insights for Your Playthrough
- Master the Counter-Tool: In combat, don't just press the counter button. Press counter and then the "tool" button (triangle/Y). If you have the rope dart equipped, Connor will do a brutal takedown that clears space.
- Listen to the Conversations: When you're walking with historical figures like Samuel Adams or Paul Revere, don't just run ahead. The dialogue explains the political nuances that the cutscenes sometimes gloss over.
- Hunt in the Frontier: The hunting mechanics influenced Red Dead Redemption 2. It’s a great way to make money (selling undamaged pelts) and it forces you to learn the map layout, which helps during the high-speed chase missions later on.
- Read the Database: Shaun Hastings’ snarky database entries are at their peak here. They provide the necessary context for things like the Tea Party and the Continental Congress while keeping it entertaining.
In the end, Connor wasn't a failure of a character. He was a character who was too real for a fan base that wanted another vacation in Italy. He represents the "Assassin" creed in its purest form: fighting for a better world even when you know you’ll get nothing but scars for your trouble.
To get the most out of your time with Connor, focus on the optional naval contracts early. They provide a massive amount of currency that makes upgrading your gear in the mid-game much less of a grind. Also, make sure to engage with the underground fast-travel network in Boston and New York; it’s a bit of a maze, but unlocking those points saves you literally hours of mindless sprinting through guards later in the game. Stop comparing him to Ezio and start looking at the tragedy of his own specific circumstances. You'll find a much more rewarding experience waiting for you.