Assassin's Creed 3 trailer focuses on Desmond

The marketing may focus on the fancily-dressed Ezio, Altair, Connor, and Aveline, but the real hero has always been Desmond, reliving their memories through the Animus. Ubisoft has promised that Assassin's Creed 3 will conclude the present-day story of the franchise, and a new trailer hints at how it all ties together.

The trailer is narrated by Desmond's father, voiced by actor John DeLancie, and follows the ne'er-do-well son through his training, with the prophesied end of the world riding on his shoulders. It reflects what AC3 story writer Corey May said recently: "I think people that have invested in the Desmond storyline will understand where the end of the game comes from. We're tying up loose ends and providing answers and resolution to things. You're not going to get another tremendous insane-o cliffhanger."

Check it out for yourself. The end of the world may be coming on December 21, 2012, but you'll have a chance to stave it off before then when the game hits Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on October 30, Wii U on November 18 and PC on November 20.