Summary
- Several open-world games by Ubisoft open up gradually, often holding the best stuff for later.
- Assassin's Creed Odyssey brings unmatched variety to the series, for the first time feeling like a full-fledged action RPG with an epic scale.
- The Division 2 might feel too familiar at first but packs enough surprises for players who continue playing, rewarding their patience.
Many Ubisoft open-world games are known for being a bit too big and expansive, featuring vast maps to clear and plenty of story missions to complete. Some players even admit to feeling burnt out by overly long titles like Assassin's Creed Valhalla or Ghost Recon Breakpoint, where neither the core gameplay loop nor the story changes substantially over the course of the playthrough, and there is simply too much filler between the good parts of the story for those willing to reach the end.
8 Best Ubisoft Games Of The 2020s (So Far), Ranked
Ubisoft has had its struggles so far this decade, but the company has still released some gems in the 2020s, and there are likely more to come.
However, there are also enough open-world games in Ubisoft's line-up that feel quite the opposite, starting relatively slowly and often saving the best parts for later. In several Ubisoft titles, the story isn't as important as the gameplay mechanics or features that become available much later into the game, and these can pleasantly surprise players who stick with the game for more than the initial few hours. Below are some of the most notable Ubisoft games that get better in various ways as players keep playing them.
Far Cry 6
More Than Just A New Vibrant Setting
Far Cry 6
- Released
- October 6, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
Among the past few mainline installments, Far Cry 6 is generally the least favored among players due to the game being hesitant to bring any changes to the well-established formula, relying mostly on its fresh setting of the fictional Cuba-inspired Caribbean island of Yara to do the heavy lifting. While the game can hook players with its intriguing cast of characters, including Antón Castillo, performed by Giancarlo Esposito, it becomes apparent rather quickly that the game can't do justice to his character, severely limiting his presence during the lengthy campaign. However, there are some saving graces to Far Cry 6's overall repetitive nature, with many players admitting that the best parts of the game, both from story and gameplay perspectives, happen throughout the second half.
With new islands becoming available for exploration later and more ally factions to meet, Far Cry 6 becomes more vivid over time. One of the indisputable highlights is the entire questline involving The Legends of '67 – a guerrilla band of ex-revolutionaries found in El Este. With memorable characters like Santos Espinosa, Teresa "Lucky Mama" Moreno, and Jorge "El Tigre" Aguilar, and exciting missions leading to the game's explosive ending, it might be worth sticking with Far Cry 6 for longer than the first few missions, although the game is still at its best when played in short stretches to prevent the sense of repetitiveness.
The Crew Motorfest
Rewarding Progression Unlocks More Reasons For Exploration
The Crew Motorfest
- Released
- September 14, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Genre(s)
- Racing, Open-World
As is rather typical for the racing genre, The Crew Motorfest might feel quite slow at the start. With limited vehicles available to newcomers and a vast map that feels quite empty, the game doesn't rush to get to the better parts. In addition, bolstered by its live-service nature, navigating the game's overly complex menus for various character and crew progression screens can feel confusing and frustrating during the first few hours, unless players fully grasp everything they need to. As players settle in with Motorfest, they gain access to more exciting playlists, each granting plenty of unique missions, activities, challenges, and rewards. Each activated playlist not only grants access to narrative missions often involving tours into automotive history but also places new collectibles to find in the open world, and even introduces dynamic new rivals to chase.
8 Ubisoft Games With The Best Post-Launch Support
Ubisoft kept dropping fresh new content for these games many years after they launched, making them extremely popular as a result.
It's recommended to do Playlists first before diving too deep into exploring the Hawaiian islands. On top of that, The Crew Motorfest's mission variety is quite something, amplified by the game's unique feature of switching vehicle types mid-race. Some playlists like Red Bull Speed Clash or Donut Media go to extreme heights to entertain players with unconventional mission design, and players can choose their next mission based on their mood for a more dynamic or relaxing experience. Finally, each new discipline or vehicle type brings novelty to how the world feels, as it's very different to drive the roads, go off-road, or take it to the sky or the ocean.
Watch Dogs: Legion
Not As Traditional As Its Predecessors
Watch Dogs Legion
- Released
- October 29, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
Watch Dogs: Legion is a completely different game from its predecessors, from a fresh futuristic setting in digitized London to the bold idea of not featuring central protagonists, instead allowing players to recruit any NPC on the streets and play as them. While definitely unique and ambitious, this feature might seem a bit shallow during the opening hours, as the narrative lacks focus and traditional characters to get invested in. After spending some time and effort building their DedSec resistance as they like, however, players will discover more facets to the whole system, gaining access to advanced operatives with specialized skills that let them play missions with much greater variety than expected.
Watch Dogs: Legion is designed to support many different ways to tackle missions, whether through hacking, stealth, open combat, or a combination of all three. The gameplay also becomes somewhat strategic, as players decide which member of the resistance would be the best fit for certain objectives and face long-lasting consequences with permadeath for every playable character they might have grown attached to. Finally, for those still craving a more traditional approach to narrative, Watch Dogs: Legion brings fan-favorite characters Aiden Pearce and Reginald "Wrench" Blechman from the previous games back into the spotlight, building new personal stories around them in the Bloodline expansion.
Immortals Fenyx Rising
Infused With Metroidvanian Approach
Immortals Fenyx Rising
- Released
- December 3, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
One of the most overlooked games by Ubisoft in the past few years, Immortals Fenyx Rising wasn't popular enough to warrant a sequel. Not that Immortals Fenyx Rising starts slow or boring, but the game's entire approach to open-world design is quite different from the majority of other similar Ubisoft games. By placing various puzzles and Metroidvanian-like abilities that players, as Fenyx, gain gradually, the game feels much less open from the start than popular and familiar series like Far Cry or Assassin's Creed. Opening hours in Immortals Fenyx Rising may feel overly restrictive, but that's just a taste of what comes next.
8 Most Ambitious Games By Ubisoft, Ranked
Ubisoft has often tried to push the boundaries of what is possible with its games. These titles are some of their most ambitious experiments.
In Immortals Fenyx Rising, the world isn't grounded in any realistic boundaries, which allows the developers to make each zone visually unique, directly transitioning to gameplay style for each area. Every new zone is focused on different puzzle styles or gameplay mechanics via legendary abilities, such as Heavy Lifting or Hephaistos's Hammer, so players may rest assured that surprises come long after the first hours, keeping the entire experience fresh. Not to mention that Immortals Fenyx Rising is heavily inspired by The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, as well as the entire genre of metroidvania platformers, resulting in the game often feeling much more creative and less restricted and homogenous than players might have come to expect from Ubisoft titles in the past few years.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey
They Call It Odyssey For A Reason
Assassin's Creed Odyssey
- Released
- October 15, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Open-World
After the strong but brief first impression alongside fierce Spartans, Assassin's Creed Odyssey begins quite slow, heavy on exposition, with basic combat and few abilities available yet, and pretty formulaic quest design. While players might be hooked by the game's gorgeous portrayal of Ancient Greece on an unprecedented scale, the true reasons to continue this epic journey come much later into the game. As players level up and unlock new strong gear and abilities, they begin to fully grasp many of Assassin's Creed Odyssey's emergent mechanics, like the dynamic mercenaries that chase them, never-ending contracts for resources, and the surprisingly robust ship upgrades and crew management system.
8 Polarizing Ubisoft Games That Are Still Worth Trying Out
Despite their polarizing natures, these Ubisoft games are worthwhile for players to try out.
True to its name, the world and setting remain the biggest draws in Odyssey, as each new island players visit is home to an entirely new questline, with plenty of unexpected surprises both in gameplay and narrative. Some places are all but guaranteed to leave an impression, be it a choice-driven quest with uneasy consequences, mythic elements, famous people from history, or an unexpected chain of events when trying to clear an especially large fortress crawling with powerful mercs. Assassin's Creed Odyssey's breadth of mechanics also ensures that players are in a constant swirl, mixing central narrative, combat, exploration, naval side, flashforwards to the present day, otherworldly realms, meeting or battling Gods, and deep potential for unique character builds.
The Division 2
The Entire Campaign Is Nothing But A Tutorial
Tom Clancy's The Division 2
- Released
- March 15, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter
The Division 2 makes a much less arresting first impression, trading the winter NYC after the virus outbreak for a less stunning, greenery-drowned Washington, D.C., filled with bandits of all sorts. Traditionally, for live-service loot-based games, both the story and the true tactical depth of combat take quite some time to stand tall, and players would be very wrong to bounce off during the initial hours of the sequel. While the first impression could feel a bit too familiar, plagued with forgettable characters, a generic story, and classic cover-based shooting, The Division 2 is a game that shines best upon reaching max character level and the endgame, where the loot system becomes more rewarding, character builds finally matter through specializations, and plenty of crafting and fine-tuning mechanics like expertise and recalibration unlock.
Players also get access to the game's most epic and memorable missions and activities, such as Strongholds, Raids, weekly Invasions, and many more – with some specific and intense missions taking more than an hour to complete, and expanding the world beyond Washington.
Even without playing The Division 2 with friends in PvE or PvP modes, which is a lot of fun, there's a ton of content available for solo players looking for loot grinding or strong, tactical combat. Additional story-rich expansions like Warlords of New York and extra campaigns like Coney Island are just a cherry on top of the game's robust offering with great variety.
The Best-Selling Games Developed By Ubisoft (& How Much They Sold)
Ubisoft is known for making some of the biggest titles in the industry. But which were the company's highest-selling games?