The Second installment of the spin-off trilogy Assassin's Creed Chronicles is nearly upon us -- slated for release on January 12. Climax Studios has revealed another trailer today showcasing the gameplay we can expect from this 2.5D action/stealth platformer.

The Assassins are out to stop the Templars during the 19th century, when the British empire controls most of India. You play as Arbaaz Mir, and you are tasked with recovering something that was stolen from your Brotherhood. But you also have a personal agenda to save your love interest from the enemy. 

You will travel across multiple landscapes, from Imperial Palaces to Ancient Caverns. Take down your foes in traditional assassin fashion, or move like a ghost with the refined cover system showcased in the trailer. The normal assortment of gadgets are available, like smoke bombs and noise darts, but some new gadgets (rope darts, a chakram, and a special trident hidden blade) are unique to Arbaaz alone. 

Both aggressive and stealth play are rewarded, but you can still get overwhelmed if you are not careful. Multiple difficulty options and challenge rooms ensure replay value. 

Each Assassin's Creed Chronicles installment can be digitally downloaded for $10 each on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. You can also buy The Trilogy Pack for $30. The Pack is comprised of Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China, Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India, and Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia (releasing on February 9th).

We've previously discussed the upcoming Assassin's Creed trilogy, Assassin's Creed Chronicles before, and the first installment of it, Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China, will be available tomorrow in the Americas.

To celebrate the news, Ubisoft has also released a new trailer today offering the gameplay, updated art style and a glimpse into the story.

The new story is set in 16th-century China, where the new Jiajing Emperor has purged all he feels could endanger his throne, including the Chinese Brotherhood of Assassins. Shao Jun, a young member, manages to flee West to train under Ezio Auditore (the protagonist from Assassin's Creed II and the subsequent Brotherhood and Revelations games). The story follows her journey to restore the Chinese Brotherhood.

Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China will introduce new locales, like the Maijishan Grottoes, Port of Macau, the Forbidden City, and the Great Wall of China.

It's notable that the Chronicles series moves away the traditional 3D format, but the main features of Assassin's Creed--the parkour, stealth, combat and even jumping out of hiding spots to kill unsuspecting guards--have transitioned seamlessly into 2.5D.

Ubisoft has announced a new Assassin's Creed series called Assassin's Creed Chronicles. The trilogy will follow the stories of three characters: Shao Jun of China, Arbazz Mir of India, and Nikolai Orelov of Russia, with the first installment of Shao Jun and China launching as a stand alone on April 21st for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Steam.

Although Shao Jun's story was already released alongside Assassin's Creed Unity as DLC, the stories of Arbazz Mir and Nikolai Orelov are brand new, and all three of them have some kind of special tie in with one another.

Although the games do not have to be played in order, lead game designer Xavier Penin states:

“As [the games] have to be independent, it’s not huge. It’s not central, but it’s there, especially for the fans. And if you finish Russia, and you’ve played the other two, there’s a special ending that’s really interesting for the fans and ties the Chronicles together.”

The design package comes in a 2.5-D form, and it incorporates many of the features and elements in past Assassin's Creeds. The beautiful artwork in the game is inspired by the cultural settings at the time of each story. For example, in Nikolai Orelov's journey through post-Red October Russia, designers blend the influence of photography, graphics, poster art, and constructivism to create a contrast between episodes.

As Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China is open to pre-orders now, and dropping near the end of April, the whole series is expected to conclude around the Fall of 2015. With the recent critical reviews of the Assassin's Creed series, only the future will tell how these "DLC-ish" packages will do as pure standalone games alongside past successes.