From scaling towering Renaissance churches to sailing the high seas as a swaggering pirate, the Assassin’s Creed series has taken us on an unforgettable parkour journey through some of history’s most iconic settings. Buckle up, because we’re about to countdown the ten most memorable entries that solidified this franchise as a gaming heavyweight.
10. Assassin's Creed III
Kicking off our list is the game that introduced us to the epic tale of Connor Kenway and his fight against the Templars during the American Revolution. While it had its flaws, the sheer scale of the open-world and the brutal combat mechanics made it a memorable entry.
9. Assassin's Creed Syndicate
Syndicate to me is really an underrated gem of the series. Syndicate’s Victorian London setting was a delightful change of pace, and the introduction of carriages and ziplines made traversal a breeze. Plus, who doesn’t love a good sibling banter? The city of London is alive and breathtaking and the attention to details is laudable. The combat system mechanics is super enjoyable and something that we haven’t seen in the series before . Special mention to the dark and gritty Jack The Ripper DLC which is probably one of the best DLCs of the series.
8. Assassin's Creed Unity
Ah, Paris during the French Revolution – what could be more romantic? Despite its rocky launch, Unity’s stunning recreation of 18th-century Paris and its impressive cooperative gameplay made it a standout in the series. This game is gaining new players and appreciation and Ubisoft on their part listened to their fans’ plea and fixed the game over due course of time. It now looks beautiful and still has the best parkour in the series. Period.
7. Assassin's Creed Rogue
Who doesn’t love a good twist? Rogue flipped the script by putting you in the shoes of a Templar hunting down Assassins. Couple that with some epic naval battles, and you’ve got a killer Assassin’s Creed experience. Although this instalment didn’t receive much fanfare on it’s launch, it still managed to gain much attention and love from the fans.
6. Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla immerses players in the Viking era with stunning visuals of medieval England, Norway, France and Ireland plus few more areas including the DLCs, and intense visceral combat. The game is rich in Norse mythology and lore, offering an epic open-world adventure. Performance issues and bugs (especially at launch) were a mild drengr in our side too. But overall, Valhalla handed us an epic open-world Viking adventure on a platter. There are times you simply get lost into the gorgeous landscape and atmosphere of this game!
5. Assassin's Creed Origins
Origins breathed new life into the series by taking us back to ancient Egypt and introducing us to the charismatic Bayek. With its gorgeous open-world and revamped combat system, it set the stage for the franchise’s triumphant return. The storyline is amazing and Bayek is probably the best lead character after Ezio. As Ubisoft first incorporated RPG elements into this series with Origins, it was still rough around the corners. Origins drew criticism from the gaming community initially but after 7 years down the line, people are finding renewed interest in this instalment and clocking hours behind it, exploring every little mystery of ancient Egypt.
4. Assassin's Creed Odyssey
Odyssey took us on an epic journey through ancient Greece that was nothing short of breathtaking. From the vast open-world to the impactful choices and consequences, this game was a true odyssey in every sense of the word. The RPG elements introduced in Origins were perfected in this game, the combat system was much improved along with the skilltree and character customisation. The map of Odyssey is massive and brimming with actions and activities. Finishing the main storyline, DLCs and side quests will take a solid 200+ hours and still there will be so much more to do and explore!
3. Assassin's Creed Black Flag
Ahoy, mateys! Black Flag took us on a swashbuckling adventure across the Caribbean, letting us live out our pirate fantasies. From the epic naval battles to the shanties that still get stuck in our heads, this game was a true high-seas highlight. But what fascinates me the most is the game’s storyline and Edward’s character development throughout the game. I won’t hesitate to say that I have shed a tear or two as the credits rolled. Black Flag is undisputedly one of the greatest AC games ever!
2. Assassin's Creed Brotherhood
Brotherhood is an emotion for the entire gaming fraternity out there! The setting, the characters, the hauntingly soul stirring background score by Jesper Kyd have etched into the memory permanently. Ezio’s journey from a brash young man in ACII to a seasoned Assassin mentor was a joy to watch unfold. Brotherhood’s innovative Brotherhood system, the iconic Renaissance Rome setting and its engaging plot solidified its place as one of the best in the series.
Special Mention: Assassin's Creed Revelations
Ezio Auditore’s swansong was a fitting conclusion to his epic journey. Exploring Constantinople’s iconic landmarks while unravelling the mysteries of the First Civilization made Revelations a must-play for any Assassin’s Creed fan. The last of the Ezio trilogy bade an emotional farewell to one of the most iconic characters of video games history. The ending scene still makes one grab for the tissue box.
1. Assassin's Creed II
The ultimate Assassins Creed experience! Man, one gets a rush of nostalgia when reminded of AC2. It was such a vibe from start to finish. Running across the rooftops of Renaissance Italy, blending into crowds with a simple button press, and of course we got introduced to the legendary Ezio Auditore laughing off getting hit by crossbow bolts. The storyline with the Auditore family tragedy and Ezio’s quest for vengeance just hit different. Sure, the newer AC games are flashy, but AC2 will always have a special place in the hearts of long-time fans.
Love Assassin’s creed games!