Summary
- Assassin's Creed games thrive on a combination of combat, exploration, and story to create an immersive experience.
- Each game in the franchise offers a unique setting and experience, catering to different player preferences.
- Despite some fatigue with the RPG formula, recent releases like Valhalla continue to engage fans with their open worlds.
Assassin's Creed is one of the most popular open-world franchises around that shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. Even with the recent fatigue that fans have experienced for this series, successful releases like Assassin's Creed Shadows prove that there's still a lot of steam in this IP.
11 Most Deserving Victims Of The Assassin Brotherhood
Many of the Brotherhood's victims in the Assassin's Creed series deserved their fate, as the following examples illustrate.
The best games in the franchise combine combat, exploration, and story into one delectable cocktail that fans can easily get drunk on. A good open world is critical for an Assassin's Creed game, since players will be encouraged to explore the world and find secrets while testing out their parkour abilities if they vibe with the setting.
8 Assassin's Creed 3
The Frontier Is More Fun To Explore Than People Give It Credit For
Assassin's Creed III
- Released
- October 30, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Montreal
- Publisher(s)
- Ubisoft
- Genre(s)
- Action, Open-World
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Wii U, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Stadia
While Assassin's Creed may have enjoyed more of a mixed reception compared to the titles that preceded it, this title was a blast to play if the open world clicked with fans. The Frontier encouraged players to go on hunts and jump from tree to tree, making for a simple yet unique spin on the title's typically urban parkour gameplay.
Connor's adventures in Assassin's Creed 3 are great, and fans have warmed up to this title over time as the years have gone by. The open-world activities feel organic and do a great job of immersing players as they strive to find collectibles and acquire rare resources by exploring every nook and cranny of the Frontier.
7 Assassin's Creed 2
Despite Its Dated Nature, The Nostalgia Of Exploring Italy During The Renaissance Is Unmatched
Assassin's Creed 2
- Released
- November 7, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft
- Publisher(s)
- Ubisoft
- Platform(s)
- macOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Ezio Auditore da Firenze is the greatest Assassin's Creed protagonist in the eyes of many. His charming and suave attitude takes a real hit after a major tragedy befalls his family, causing him to walk down the path of an Assassin to seek revenge.
There's no denying that Assassin's Creed 2 is pretty dated, but players who don't mind dealing with somewhat clunky controls will love what this title brings to the table. Exploring iconic locations like Venice and Florence during the Italian Renaissance feels great as players get a history lesson while getting invested in an amazing plot.
6 Assassin's Creed Valhalla
The RPG Formula Had Become Dated, But Valhalla Is Still Fun To Explore
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
- Released
- November 10, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft
- Publisher(s)
- Ubisoft
- Platform(s)
- Stadia, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
The RPG approach to modern Assassin's Creed games felt like a breath of fresh air at first, only for fans to realize that this transition came at the cost of sacrificing some of the core elements of the series. This is why fans were a bit tired of this formula already by the time Valhalla came out.
6 Most Hated Assassin's Creed Characters, Ranked
Assassin's Creed has featured many allies and villains throughout the series, but these are the most hated characters from the AC games.
A Viking Assassin's Creed game set in Anglo-Saxon England definitely made for some fun exploration, and fans loved how massive and jam-packed this world was. It reached a point where some people found the sandbox to be too massive for their liking, which was a complaint carried over from Odyssey.
5 Assassin's Creed Unity
The Painstakingly Detailed Recreation Of Paris Is Amazing
Assassin's Creed Unity
- Released
- November 11, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
Exploring a meticulously detailed version of Paris during the French Revolution made Assassin's Creed Unity extremely captivating. It's a shame that the title had such a broken launch, but the modern version of this game is pretty stable and well worth checking out.
Unity's improved climbing mechanics made it a ton of fun to explore this version of Paris, with players finding several side activities to spend their time on, too. The story may be somewhat weak for an Assassin's Creed game, but the exploration more than makes up for it.
4 Assassin's Creed Odyssey
A World So Massive That It Can Become Genuinely Overwhelming After A Point
Assassin's Creed Odyssey
- Released
- October 15, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Quebec
- Publisher(s)
- Ubisoft
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Open-World
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Odyssey is a massive video game that lets players explore Ancient Greece and find a ton of secrets and quests in the process. However, this approach also led to an open world that exhausted many fans.
As long as players balance exploration and the main story, they'll have a great time with Assassin's Creed Odyssey. The game is genuinely jam-packed with so much detail that it would be a shame for players not to appreciate these hand-crafted environments if they've been burnt out.
3 Assassin's Creed Syndicate
Victorian London Is One Of The Best Assassin's Creed Settings Of All Time
Assassin's Creed Syndicate
- Released
- October 23, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
Assassin's Creed Syndicate is one of the best video games in the series that unfairly suffered in sales after Unity's poor launch alienated many fans. It's a shame, since the adventures of the Frye twins as they strive to liberate Victorian England and spark a revolution are a blast.
Assassin's Creed: Best Starting Assassin Robes
Throughout the Assassin's Creed series, these starting outfits are the most memorable.
It helped that this open world is jaw-droppingly gorgeous and packed with immense detail. Even the mixed reception to the grappling hook didn't stop players from enjoying the sights.
2 Assassin's Creed Origins
Players Were In Awe Of How Massive And Stunning The Game Was
Assassin's Creed Origins
- Released
- October 27, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft
- Publisher(s)
- Ubisoft
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Open-World
- Platform(s)
- Xbox One, PC, PlayStation 4, Stadia
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
With Assassin's Creed taking a yearly hiatus for the first time in a while, fans wondered what Origins would turn out to be. The game clearly took inspiration from The Witcher 3 with its RPG influences, and this isn't a bad thing in the slightest.
Assassin's Creed RPGs may seem somewhat tiresome now, but the setting of Egypt was so massive and beautiful that many fans touted this game as a return to form for the franchise. Bayek's exploration takes him to several unique locations full of meaningful rewards and interesting lore to uncover.
1 Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag
Sailing In The Caribbean Is A Huge Part Of What Makes This Game So Special
Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag
- Released
- October 29, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Montreal
- Publisher(s)
- Ubisoft
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Open-World
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Nintendo Wii U, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
To this day, there's something special about exploring the Caribbean as a pirate that makes Black Flag the best game in the series. Edward Kenway assumes the role of an Assassin who enjoys the life of piracy and explores many unique locations.
Whaling, finding undiscovered islands, and sailing from one spot to the next are all surprisingly engaging. The game's high-seas exploration plays a huge role in making Black Flag's setting iconic, to the point where some people hail this world as the best ever to feature in an Assassin's Creed game.
- Video Game(s)
- Assassin's Creed, Assassin's Creed 2, Assassin's Creed 3, Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag (2013), Assassin's Creed Unity, Assassin's Creed Rogue, Assassin's Creed Origins, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Assassin's Creed Mirage
- Creation Year
- 2007
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft
- Publisher(s)
- Ubisoft