It’s hard to believe that the firstAssassin’s Creedgame was released almost 20 years ago in 2007, introducing us to Altaïr, the animus, and a lot of the other mechanics involved in the franchise. I feel both old and honored to have been around and gaming at the time.
While the firstAssassin’s Creedwas a revelation (yes, I realize what I just did), the franchise has come a long way since then.Originsintroduced a new, open-world, RPG based gameplay style that attracted a lot of players who had never played before, and we’ve traveled through multiple historical time periods alongside now classic characters.
Whether you were around from the beginning, or you joined the fan-club later with releases such asOrigins, Odyssey,orValhalla, none of theAssassin’s Creedgames can be described as anything other than enjoyable. However, some do manage to stand out among the list of releases.
5. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
I have to admit that this could definitely be a case of personal taste rather than outstanding gameplay experience, but I’ve always had a soft spot for Vikings and their beliefs, you know, minus the invading and pillaging aspect. While I can’t agree with their viscous expansion techniques, the Norman period features a lot of badassery, soAssassin’s Creed Valhallawill always be one of my favorites.
Valhallawas released in 2020, and you take on the role of Eivor in his (or her, depending on what you choose) never-ending quest to take over the various kingdoms that made up Anglo-Saxon England.Valhallanot only added new weapons such as the Flail and the Greatsword, but also allowed you to dual-wield almost any weapon you could get your hands on, in true Viking style.
Maybe my love forAssassin’s Creed Valhallacan be explained by the fact that I’ve grown up surrounded by towns and cities that were founded by Vikings, and it’s very much a part of my history and current life, considering the fact that I live in what was an important Viking trading town. It’s always fun to visit a location in a game that you’ve been to in real life, and they actually did really well with the historical accuracy of both London and York. Whatever the reason, there’s something truly special aboutValhalla.
4. Assassin’s Creed Origins
Assassin’s Creed Originstook the at-the-time familiar (and proven) formula from previous games and flipped it on its head. Say what you like, but previous games were somewhat linear, whileOriginsprovided a much more open-world experience, with all the added secrets and experiences that always brings.
Even if you’re not overly interested in Egyptian history and mythology, you have to admit that ancient Egypt has left mysteries that we can’t even manage to wrap our heads around today. Diving into Ptolemaic Egypt , playing as Bayek of Siwa,Assassin’s Creed Originsthrows you into a truly impressive historical time period. It’s beautiful, almost mystical, and whileOriginsdid add a lot of new RPG-esque features (for better or for worse), the familiar gameplay mechanics remained.
Throw in famous historical figures like Cleopatra and Julius Caesar, their true-to-life illicit love affair, andOriginsstarts to feel like pseudo-time-travel within a screen. Although I guess that could be true for all Assassin’s Creed games, but that’s beside the point.
3. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Coming just one year afterAssassin’s Creed Origins, the Greek-centricAssassin’s Creed Odysseytook everything thatOriginsdid right and somehow managed to improve upon the formula. From quality of life upgrades to a somehow more expansive map to explore,Odysseywill always be a joy to dive into.
This time you take on the role of the Eagle Bearer, an exiled Spartan who once prevented another child from being thrown off a mountain. You’ve got to hand it to the Greeks, they didn’t do things by halves. Throw in a bunch of historical figures such as Sokrates and Euripides, and you’re in for one hell of an education on Greek culture.
There are parallel quests that run alongside each other, and not only does the Eagle Bearer need to reunite their family, but they also need to take down the Cult of Kosmos, and track down items and monsters from Atlantean times. That’s a lot to take on, but it does mean you’re never short of something to do while playing, so that’s always a bonus.
2. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
Look,Black Flagwill never make it to the top of mypersonallist of favoriteAssassin’s Creedgames, mainly because I have no interest in owning, running, and upgrading a ship. However, I know I’m in the minority with that opinion andBlack Flagdoes have a huge number of redeeming qualities that force me to simply grumble through the ship parts rather than abandon the game altogether.
The family ties betweenAssassin’s Creed IIIandIVare definitely an interesting touch, with you playing as Edward Kenway, who happens to be the father of future Colonial Templars Grand Master Haytham Kenway and grandfather of Connor. It’s something that we’ve not seen in any otherAssassin’s Creedgame before or since.
Outside of that, once again, the historical “accuracy” ofBlack Flagmakes it truly immersive, with famous pirate Blackbeard even making an appearance. Add in the truly stunning surroundings of the Carribean and the lush vegetation and ruins that you get to parkour around, andBlack Flagdeserves the number two spot, even if it isn’t my personal favorite.
1. Assassin’s Creed II / Brotherhood / Revelations
I honestly can’t complete this list without mentioning at least one of these three, and as I can’t decide between them, I’m just going to lump them all together. Why? Because let’s be honest, while they are definitely three distinct games, they’re all a continuation of the same story and they all center around Ezio Auditore.
I’ve been gaming in some capacity for my whole life, butAssassin’s Creed IIwas the first game that made me truly fall in love with it. The setting, the story, the characters, the history… Everything combined just makesAssassin’s Creed IIand its Ezio-centric successors my personal favorite of the bunch.Brotherhoodstands out just a tad, but even that can’t put it here alone.
You might disagree, and that’s okay. Even if you do, you have to admit that there’s a reason that Ubisoft made three games based on the same ongoing story. Parkouring around Italy and Constantinople, buddying up with Leonardo da Vinci, taking on the Borgias, and then the re-introduction of Altaïr all combine to make the trilogy truly enjoyable and absolutely memorable.
As a side note, if you were a fan of the trilogy and haven’t seen the tear-jerking end to Ezio’s Story, then I strongly recommend that you watchAssassin’s Creed: Embers. It’s an animated, 21 minute short movie that gives Ezio the conclusion that he truly deserved, however sad it is.
