Best video games for adults this 2012 holiday season

Assassin’s Creed III

Pro: Fun naval warfare

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Holiday Tech Guide 2012: Games for kids: This year in the video game world for kids is all about the sequel. Here’s a look at how they stack up.

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What’s this year’s mystery gadget?

Con: Slow start

Best for: Conspiracy theorists and out-of-shape free runners

Retail price: $49.99

In the third major Assassin’s Creed title, Ubisoft has taken its mystical covenant of assassins to the New World, dropping your character and his very unique set of skills directly into the American Revolution.

The story itself runs through many of the highlights of the American Revolution — which can seem a bit on-the-nose at times — but certainly gives players a real sense of place. The game swaps out its former protagonist, the Italian Renaissance-era Ezio, for an American Indian named Connor.

For fans of the series, all of the elements that make Assassin’s Creed stand out are here: stealthy gameplay, hints of puzzles and playful intersection with history. There’s also the option, later in the game, to try some fighting on the high seas — something that it executes very well. Not only do players feel like they’re part of a larger naval skirmish, but the game also injects elements such as capricious weather to keep things interesting.

The game gets off to a slow start, which is just one indication of the pacing problems that the developers struggle with, but fans will want to stick with the game to get to the good stuff. The game also drops in just enough new mechanics, such as improved controls for running and jumping, to revive a series that was frankly growing a bit stale.

Halo 4

Pro: Deeper story line

Con: Harder than you may remember

Best for: First-person shooter connoisseurs

Retail price: $59.99

Halo 4 had a lot to lose. It’s been five years since players last controlled Master Chief, and the latest title in the series is the first made in the hands of a new studio, 343 Industries.

For the latest installment, developers explored the story line of the Halo universe more deeply than in previous titles, which gives the game a stronger emotional punch than ever before.

While people who know the franchise and its characters will pull the most out of the new, more story-driven game, it’s still fun for first-timers to pick up and get to know. Weapons are varied and situation-specific, requiring a good deal of shooting strategy.

The multiplayer in Halo 4 is also strong — almost a game in and of itself — that lets players pick up where the story campaign ends. In multiplayer mode, players are cadets in the army at the center of the Halo universe, running training exercises and fighting battles to complete their missions. The game also rewards players for varying their tactics, letting them attain higher levels more quickly when they try different combat strategies.

One thing that may catch fans off-guard is the new studio’s decision to up the difficulty levels on the game to offer a new challenge, even for seasoned veterans.

Dishonored

Pro: Very open

Con: Can feel a bit unfocused at times

Best for: Masters of their own fate

Retail price: $59.99

In an industry dominated by sequels and series, Dishonored stands out this holiday season for being new. That alone has earned it high marks from reviewers, who applaud Arkane Studios for coming up with an original story line.