TOP 10 Best Assassin’s Creed Games
Back in 2007, Ubisoft introduced the first Assassin’s Creed, to the delight of lovers of history, violence, and hay. The seemingly simple story of Desmond Miles, who enters the memories of his murderous ancestors, has gained more twists and turns over time.
Despite the intricate plot and changed gameplay, Assassin’s Creed managed to remain recognizable. Many fans of the series are in love with the unique historical period that adorns each title, and much of the charm has always been various adaptations of historical figures. Whether you're chatting with Pythagoras, drinking coffee with Machiavelli, or using Leonardo da Vinci's inventions - hanging out with celebrities is always fun!
And while the whole internet is speculating about Ubisoft's new and mysterious project called Assassin's Creed: Infinity, we decided it was time to all sit down together in Animus and reminisce about the best adventures and periods this iconic series took us to.
From Renaissance Florence, through the sun-drenched Acropolis and the restless waves of the Caribbean Sea to the muddy streets of Victorian London - here's a list of 10 of our best Assassin's Creed games. Of course, the list is subjective - it can't be any different, so keep that in mind.
10. Assassin’s Creed
The first Assassin’s Creed brought us the story of Desmond Miles and his
ancient ancestor Altair. While Desmond taught in the modern world about the
eternal struggle between the Templars and the Brotherhood, his distant cousin
had to save his honor in the war-ravaged Holy Land.
One has to be
honest and admit that the first Assassin’s Creed didn’t offer a fun gameplay
experience. A monotonous fight blended with repetitive tasks greatly
overshadowed the solid parkour experience. On the other hand, it was hard to
remain indifferent to the then beautiful graphics, mysterious stories, and
great display of ancient cities like Damascus and Jerusalem.
The
tenth place on the list went to the title that started it all. The first
Assassin’s Creed laid the cornerstone of this famous franchise, and that fact
alone is enough to put it on this list.
9. Assassin’s Creed Syndicate
Syndicate is the first Assassin’s Creed title in which we were able to
control two different characters. In dirty and noisy London we could quietly
jump on the rooftops with Jacob or do absolute traffic chaos with Evie. The
dynamic interaction with the environment and the interrelationship between the
Frye family was a great addition to the well-established formula of previous
games in the series. Moreover, some players swear that Evie Frye is the best
female character in the entire series.
Apart from the interesting
duo, Syndicate was remembered for the graphic shift and setting a new standard
for the entire series - or at least the standard of a somewhat orderly game
after the problematic Unity. Victorian London is made so authentically and in
detail that at one time I just waited for a diminutive starving character to
pound into me asking for another serving of food. To my disappointment, it was
not possible to meet such a person, but for consolation, we were able to chat
with Charles Dickens and Queen Victoria.
8. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is the last title in a series that represents
the final part of a trilogy started by Origins in 2017. In Valhalla, we follow
the adventures of Eivor, a young Viking eager for revenge. In addition to the
superb sound presentation, interesting supporting content, and the fact that
you could change the gender of the main character, Valhalla divided the fans -
some enjoyed the amount of content, others Ubisoft's open-world format came
out here.
We remember the game by a somewhat strenuous story that
stretched across all nine worlds, as well as by the almost non-existent
artificial intelligence of the opponents. If nothing else, this is currently
the only part of the series where, in addition to annoying horses, you can
also ride a wolf. And there’s a mini-drinking game.
7. Assassin’s Creed: Revelations
Speaking of trilogies, we can't help but mention Revelations, which
provided us with the third and final part of the saga of our favorite Ezio
Auditore. After adventures in Florence and Rome, our hero headed to
Constantinople. In Revelations, Ezio is going through the most dramatic phase
of his turbulent life, and in addition to the Turkish emperors, Altair will be
involved in the whole story.
Revelations garnered numerous praises
at the expense of the complex story and melancholy Ezio, while most of the
criticism unexpectedly fell on the historical period. Namely, it must be
admitted that we all expected more from Constantinople, and the positive
mini-games of defending the towers certainly did not contribute to the
positive atmosphere.
The biggest advantage of Revelations, however,
lies in the parting of the player with his beloved Ezio, who received a
farewell to his memory through a carefully tailored plot, just as befits a
gray-haired gentleman in his golden years.
6. Assassin’s Creed III
The third part of Ubisoft's most popular soap opera decided to look for
happiness across the pond. Placing the store in America was a welcome move
from the continental metropolises we are used to. In addition to the new
location, the players had to get used to the new protagonist Connor.
Assassin’s Creed III has introduced innovations such as forests and open
fields, and hunting that are closely linked to the crafting system. Of course,
the most important of them is certainly the possibility of conflict with
ships.
Unfortunately, the Assassin’s Creed III also had major
problems. Among the main ones, we should mention the poor optimization,
numerous bugs on the way out, and the boring fight. One should be honest and
point out the unusually bad timing of the action itself. It took us the same
amount of time to go through the introductory part and the prologue as it did
to pronounce Connor's native name - Ratonhnhaké:tone.
5. Assassin’s Creed: Origins
When Origins once opened its door, many thought that Ubisoft had never
heard of the popular one: if it's not broken - don't fix it! Namely, in
addition to providing a story about the origins of the Brotherhood, Origins
fundamentally changed the way we played every previous title in the
franchise.
Origins were played like a classic RPG game, and the
numbers above your equipment and the enemy's head became the main indicator of
the situation on the battlefield. A huge amount of weapons, armor, and
saddlebags were added to the game to help Sheriff Bayek cleanse ancient Egypt
of nepotism and evil.
The grand atmosphere of beautifully crafted
Egypt was somewhat ruined by the story. We don’t remember Bayek as
charismatic, and his revenge campaign acts as a screenplay for some
second-rate film on television. To make matters worse, the way Origins
approaches the most important motifs of his universe is absurd, to say the
least - anything can happen in a bathtub!
4. Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey
Rarely do we come across a game whose title fits the content so well.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is without a doubt a huge game, perhaps too big for
its good. The Odyssey took us on a real odyssey that stretched across the
bulky and faithfully portrayed ancient Greece.
All those new and
controversial elements that debuted at Origins in Odyssey have risen to a
higher level. The numbers were still the main thing to keep track of, and the
upgrade system of our heroes was fixed. The biggest novelty in gameplay was
marked by the so-called mercenary system, which made you always feel the
target on your back.
Odyssey has brought us an epic story that
talks about the importance of family, homeland, war, philosophy, and aliens!
Our mercenary actively influenced the course of the action with their actions
and decisions, and for the first time, the players were able to voluntarily
choose the gender of the main protagonist.
3. Assassin’s Creed II
With Assassin’s Creed II, we always associate a few superlatives. First
of all, the deuce is known as one of the best sequels of a video game, while
at the same time the main protagonist Ezio is the favorite character in the
entire series. Ezio Auditore is a charismatic womanizer who, after the death
of his immediate family, decides to become a shadow killer.
There
is no segment of the original that has not experienced a significant shift
below. Here, for the first time, we had the opportunity to enjoy a smooth and
dexterous camera, but also to try the cult eagle vision. And who could forget
the joy of using double hidden blades?
Your playground this time
was not dusty and grayish Jerusalem but colorful and stunning Italy. Rome,
Florence, and Venice provided hours and hours of entertainment. In addition to
beautiful exteriors, Ezio could now swim and enter enclosed spaces. Various
interesting residents and NPCs made sure that the cities were not just empty
scenes, who always demanded help from Ezio, crying on his rugged shoulders.
Apart
from the renaissance of Italy, we also had fun in the modern world, where we
got new details about the eternal conflict between the Templars and the
Brotherhood.
2. Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood
Brotherhood not only continued to improve the fantastic mechanics of the
excellent Assassin’s Creed II but did not hesitate to innovate himself. Once
again, we jumped into the renaissance clogs of Ezio Auditore and visited the
Eternal City. At first glance, it may seem that the disadvantage is that this
time we have only one city to explore, but Rome, with its diversity and size,
has served as a more than successful substitute.
Our Ezio this time
has to look after the rest of his family, but also find an apple from Eden, a
miraculous item that will finally give the Brotherhood the upper hand in the
fight over the hated Templars.
According to the title, in this
game, a lot of emphases is placed on your pals. The Brotherhood of Assassins
has been added to the game, an option that allows players to recruit NPC
characters into dangerous and untouchable killers. The emphasis on society is
certainly evident in the multiplayer component in which we played somewhat
different and bloodier versions of thieves and cops.
1. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
Who would have thought that a debauched life on a rough sea can be so
much fun? Black Flag took over the gameplay mechanics of the acclaimed naval
battles from the failed trio and added a touch of rum, ship songs, and salted
swordfish to it, thus creating a recipe for the best game in this long-running
series.
The plot stretches across the Caribbean islands during the
eighteenth century, and it’s up to you to sail every piece of land and
overcome every tidal wave. In addition to searching for gold and saving our
heads on our shoulders, we were able to visit various island settlements,
participate in epic and fun maritime skirmishes with the infamous Blackbeards,
and also go whale and shark hunting.
In the game, we follow Edward
Kenway, a pirate who with his crew painstakingly searches for lost treasure,
including a piece of Eden, a powerful artifact over whose control the Templars
and the Brotherhood are fighting frantically. Cute Edward will use all his
cunning to get out of this tangled situation, and the whole thing is so
atmospheric that it will inevitably remind you of another famous pirate from
the Caribbean.
It is difficult to make any list of the best games, especially when it comes
to such a great series as Assassin’s Creed. Over the years, the series has
changed and adapted so much, we have visited so many different and special
locations and participated in interactions with so many celebrities who have
marked our civilization that it becomes quite impossible to compile a single
and unmistakable list.
That’s why we’re interested in what your
order of Assassin’s Creed games looks like? Which games do you think deserved
to be in which place and why? Write us your opinions in the comments below!