'Assassin's Creed IV' trailer peeks at next-generation gaming

From rolling seas to individually lit raindrops, ship boarding to plant life, "Assassin's Creed IV" starts drawing back the curtain on what we can expect from more powerful games machines.

From rolling seas to individually lit raindrops, ship boarding to plant life, 'Assassin's Creed IV' starts drawing back the curtain on what we can expect from more powerful games machines.

Its latest trailer isn't afraid to get into technical detail but makes up for any bewildering phrases with plenty of pretty landscapes and impressive weather effects.

Heaving waves out on the treacherous ocean are complemented by complex, layered shallows on island beaches.

Individually lit raindrops, rippling and bubbling puddles, and sophisticated water reflections augment stormy weather for landlubbers.

There's also a new swathe of technical wizardry that underlies Captain Edward Kenway's boat-hopping antics as Caribbean warships collide and boarding commences.

And more plants on screen don't just look better but make for better stealth gameplay, with pirate king Kenway sneaking about in long grasses and under the cover of wide-leaved vegetation before making that inevitable pounce upon patrolling guards.

While most publishers are busy pushing their titles on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, Ubisoft has decided to let us see what the Xbox One and PS4 might be capable of, 'Assassin's Creed' style.

But with the game part of official upgrade programs rolled out for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 4 players, there's less at stake for Ubisoft when talking up next-gen capabilities.

'Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag' releases on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii U the week of October 29 (November 28 in Japan), and on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 at the new consoles' launch in mid- to late-November; a Windows PC release is confirmed for this year but as yet undated.