Every Assassin's Creed game ranked from worst to best

Reflecting on Assassin’s Creed, it’s fascinating to consider its journey. For nearly a decade, it adhered tightly to its established formula, eventually finding itself entrenched within it. Yet, surprisingly, it underwent a drastic transformation all at once. It shifted from being an action-adventure game with some excess weight, to an RPG with similar heft – almost as if by magic. Pausing momentarily in its evolution, it even dabbled as a pirate game for a brief spell.

Regardless of personal feelings towards it, this franchise has stood as a significant part of the gaming world since the latter half of the 2000s and continues to thrive. Although they no longer release a new game every year, the titles keep pouring out at a steady pace.

It’s challenging to pinpoint exactly what sets apart the best games in the Assassin’s Creed series, as each element can be executed masterfully in one title but poorly in another. However, a game that stands out in this franchise is one that skillfully integrates all its components into a cohesive whole, creating an experience that surpasses the individual strengths of its parts.

We’re diving through it all and ranking every Assassin’s Creed game from worst to best.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage

Mirage, initially, seemed like it could breathe fresh life into the Assassin’s Creed series, offering a more compact experience that returned to the series’ roots after three expansive RPGs. However, what transpired was a letdown rather than a step forward. The game clung too tightly to its new mechanics, which prevented it from feeling like the traditional Assassin’s Creed game we know and love. The investigation and exploration were unsatisfying, the combat system was frustrating, and there were no innovative stealth mechanics introduced.

It appeared to combine the most unfavorable aspects from various periods of the show, added some fresh concepts that only served to exacerbate issues, and presented itself as though it were even remotely comparable to the beloved “golden age” of the series that fans long for so deeply.

Assassin’s Creed 3

It’s just so sodding boring.

1700s America during the Revolutionary era could make an intriguing backdrop for one of these games, yet I find the game world’s layout disappointingly unimaginative. The forest regions seem to lack distinctiveness, often appearing indistinguishable from one another. Even the cities fail to captivate, offering little in terms of engaging content.

The design of the urban areas features wide streets and towering buildings, which unfortunately makes parkouring through the city a more laborious process than simply running along the ground. This contradicts the essence of parkour, as navigating obstacles and traversing environments at speed is its primary appeal.

The fighting remains the predictable, uninspired aspect of the series, yet it thrusts you into intense battles with greater frequency. It appears as if, following the Ezio trilogy, the developers became overly focused on creating something novel and may have overlooked the core essence of what the series is supposed to embody.

Assassin’s Creed Syndicate

1. By the time Syndicate was released, the formula for the series had become stale, and an odd leveling system that didn’t bring any significant changes couldn’t revive it. Much like industrial London turned out to be a challenging city for parkour, it seemed. The grappling hook could have potentially improved this, but instead of enhancing the parkour experience, it transformed into a button-press mechanic where your character would automatically traverse the distance.

2. When Syndicate was launched, the series’ formula had run its course, and an unusual leveling system that offered no meaningful results wasn’t going to breathe new life into it. Similarly, industrial London proved to be a challenging city for parkour, much like America. The grappling hook had the potential to alleviate this issue, but instead of making parkour more engaging, it became a mechanic where you simply pressed a button and watched your character leap across the space.

3. Syndicate was released at a time when the formula for the series had grown tiresome, and an awkward leveling system that didn’t bring about any substantial changes wasn’t going to rejuvenate it. In a way, industrial London proved to be as challenging for parkour as America is. The grappling hook, which could have improved this, unfortunately, transformed into a button-press mechanic where you would watch your character effortlessly traverse the distance rather than making parkour more interactive.

1. It’s evident even now that the parkour system implemented in Unity parkour had issues, and the open-world gameplay style it offered didn’t seem to fit well in its traditional form by 2015.

2. The parkour system in Unity parkour is still obvious as clear daylight that it had flaws, and the open-world gameplay style it presented wasn’t appropriate in its conventional format by the year 2015.

Assassin’s Creed Unity

Lately, there’s been an outpouring of nostalgia for Unity, yet it appears that many reminiscing about the game haven’t actually played it in a while. If you still do play it, you’ll soon discover that those impressive parkour videos omit the numerous times they failed because the auto-parkour system is unreliable and rarely takes you to where you intend to go. The up and down commands often don’t function as expected, making executing those sleek lines a challenge that usually requires several attempts.

In contrast to most other games, where the culture of the setting is seamlessly integrated throughout, Unity’s depiction of Paris seems somewhat lackluster in this regard. Interestingly, almost every voice actor in other games adopts accents fitting for their game’s setting. However, in Unity, you’ll find a variety of thick British accents, ranging from cockney to posh, which is quite jarring and frustrating given the Parisian backdrop.

Instead of shying away from discussing the amusing glitches present during its debut (which persist in numerous aspects even now), it’s appropriate to note that using Unity for this game feels akin to assembling a puzzle where none of the pieces seemed to fit as planned within the series.

Assassin’s Creed Rogue

Originally available only on Xbox 360 and PS3 along with Unity’s debut on the newly introduced Xbox One and PS4, this game was quite peculiar. The decision to release it in this way appears perplexing because Rogue bears a striking resemblance to Black Flag as if it were a simple duplicate. While this isn’t inherently negative – Black Flag is indeed exceptional – it seems that much of the enjoyable open-sea gameplay has been swapped out for iceberg-breaking activities in Rogue, which is undeniably less engaging compared to the original.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

If you’re seeking a robust open-world role-playing game, Odyssey could certainly be your choice. However, be warned that its excessive content might prevent you from completing it entirely. Valhalla also has its fair share of excess, but the endless rolling landscapes of ancient Greece may make it less captivating to traverse compared to the mesmerizing vistas of Viking-era Scandinavia in Valhalla.

In brief, the downloadable content (DLC) is a standout part of the series, providing ample opportunity for you to roam the gardens of Elysium and delve into Atlantis. However, your ability to access this content hinges on how far along you are in the main game.

Assassin’s Creed

Reflecting on my gaming journey, I must admit that the transition from the first Assassin’s Creed to the second was nothing short of amazing. Frankly, the initial game wasn’t exactly brimming with content. Yet, it brilliantly laid the foundation for the series’ fundamental concepts. The parkour was solid and offered a delightful playground, while the stealthy approach followed by assassinations was immensely satisfying. However, once you delved deeper, there wasn’t much substance to hold onto.

Speaking of which, the main loop of investigating, assassinating, and fleeing is straightforward enough to be enjoyable, offering a refreshing change compared to how complex the series can make this process. It seems like a matter of personal taste, but I prefer a streamlined yet lively experience over one that’s excessively bulky.

Assassin’s Creed Revelations

In simpler terms, “The final and least impressive game in the Ezio trilogy, yet it remains among the franchise’s finest. Innovations such as bombs and a tower defense mini-game didn’t quite hit the mark, but improvements like the hookblade and zipline significantly enhanced parkour experience. Moreover, Constantinople continues to be one of the most stunning cities in the series, offering an open world that invites endless exploration and mischief.

The narrative leans heavily towards character development for Desmond, but unfortunately, he’s quite dull among all the characters presented.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

This game is quite different from what people initially expected from this series, yet it’s enjoyable enough that we can overlook its deviations. Despite being quite expansive and perhaps overloaded with content, it effectively uses the RPG format.

1. The battles are intense and rewarding, particularly when facing off against numerous boss fights within the game. This world offers more diversity compared to ancient Egypt or Greece, making it intriguing to delve into. As the latest RPG in the series, it stands out due to its extended lifespan, with new updates planned until late 2022.

2. Engaging in battles is both heavy-hitting and fulfilling, especially when tackling an array of challenging boss fights within the game. The world’s variety surpasses that of ancient Egypt or Greece, making it enticing to explore. Being the most recent RPG in the series, it also boasts a longer lifespan than its predecessors, with updates scheduled until the end of 2022.

3. Battles are intense and satisfying, especially against various boss fights within the game. The world has more diversity compared to ancient Egypt or Greece, making exploration captivating. As the latest installment in the series, it enjoys an extended lifespan with updates planned up until 2022’s end.

4. The battles are heavy and satisfying, particularly when confronting a variety of boss fights within the game. This world showcases more diversity compared to ancient Egypt or Greece, making exploration engaging. As the most recent RPG in the series, it also has a longer lifespan than its predecessors, with updates planned until the end of 2022.

5. The combats are intense and gratifying, especially when battling an assortment of boss fights within the game. This world offers more diversity compared to ancient Egypt or Greece, making it captivating to explore. As the latest entry in the series, it also boasts a longer lifespan than its predecessors, with updates planned up until 2022’s end.

Assassin’s Creed Origins

As a gamer, I must admit that when this game launched, it was like a much-needed burst of fresh air in a world where Assassin’s Creed had started to feel a bit formulaic. It seemed to strike the perfect balance between pacing and content among the RPG titles out there, offering a well-proportioned world that wasn’t overly bloated, and a progression system that was refreshingly straightforward. Plus, it marked a temporary hiatus from assassin-themed games, which made it stand out in my gaming library.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows

While Shadows stands out as the top RPG game so far, it occasionally stumbles upon problems that earlier games had already addressed.

The combat system is incredibly enjoyable – perhaps the best in the entire series so far – and introducing elements such as sound and shadows for stealth is a significant improvement. Yet, there are some trivial problems that arise, like enemies not being able to traverse rooftops, which eliminates any opportunity for thrilling chase scenes.

Despite some flaws that need addressing, this series opens up a stunning universe full of enjoyable activities. If the creators manage to iron out these issues in upcoming installments, it could potentially become one of the best in its genre.

Check out our Assassin’s Creed Shadows review for our more detailed thoughts.

Assassin’s Creed 2

This game significantly builds upon its predecessor, marking the first Assassin’s Creed title that truly embodies the essence of the series as we recognize it now.

The diverse open spaces offered an abundance of options for both exploration and parkour, complemented by the gradual maturity of Ezio in the narrative. To discuss Ezio, he undeniably stands out as the most iconic character within the franchise. This game skillfully crafted his development, enabling us to witness his transformation from a reckless youth into a mature and proficient assassin.

What fans mean when they express a desire for Assassin’s Creed to revisit its “golden era” is indeed that specific period in time, and rightfully so; yet, further improvements on the gameplay mechanics would follow afterwards.

Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag

Black Flag often seems like an exception due to its greatness stemming from elements outside the main series’ focus, yet despite this, it remains one of the best in the series, thanks to the impactful role of ships. While traditional stealth and action gameplay are present, you won’t find yourself engaging in them extensively.

Experiencing the authentic pirate life at sea with your crew harmoniously singing shanties offers a more genuine pirate adventure than Sea of Thieves could imagine. The combat, in particular, is remarkably intense and thrilling, requiring quick thinking as you navigate through numerous tactical options while avoiding capsizing. Although other games have attempted to replicate this, none have come close to matching the original’s excellence. Skull and Bones has a significant challenge ahead in living up to these high standards.

Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood

Brotherhood, much like Assassin’s Creed 2, excels in many aspects, improving upon its predecessor in numerous ways. Unlike AC2 which spanned across several smaller cities, Brotherhood is set within one expansive metropolis, yet maintains an engaging diversity that keeps terrain traversal exciting and enjoyable as ever. It also introduces novel difficulties to overcome. The Rhomulous Lairs side missions, specifically, stand out as the finest the series has offered, offering a diverse array of challenges that prioritize parkour skills to their full potential.

Moreover, it unveiled an outstanding multiplayer aspect within the game sequence where you track down designated targets while maintaining utmost stealth. Features such as this are what give the sensation of playing the quintessential version of the series during its classic period. It’s a game that I can repeatedly revisit without ever growing weary of it.

2025-05-16 13:47

Every Assassin’s Creed game ranked from worst to best