User blog comment:The Crimson Eagle/Run-down of AC3/@comment-5124348-20121206180843

If you've played all of the other games to no end (like me), the first few sequences are going to be difficult. Think of combat as more of a mixture of Ezio's ease and kill streaks with Altair's depth and nuance; it's fun when you get used to it, but it's difficult to get used to. I can't really speak on weapons, I just used Captain Kidd's Sword (since swords are knid of what I use in every game). Hunting is suprisingly deep and satisfying, but useless in the grand scheme of the game. Naval missions are hands-down the best addition to the game (I count different eras and gameplay improvements as "changes") and are really, really, exciting. For tips, I would recommend that every time you start a new sequence after Sequence 6, do all the side missions you want, than do all the story missions in that sequence on their own; this really makes the story more engaging and interesting if you don't divert from the main path every step of the way.