What are the best Assassin’s Creed games? It’s a question that we simply can’t answer alone, given the impressive reach of Ubisoft’s open world series — and so that’s why we asked you to rate every mainline game on PlayStation consoles. This article is the result of your ratings, with 14 different titles vying to be crowned the best of the best.
To be clear, this is not a final list. The ratings and rankings can and probably will change with time, as we republish the ratings article whenever new Assassin’s Creed games are released. Still, as of right now, these are the best Assassin’s Creed games according to the Push Square community. Hopefully you don’t regret your choices!
Publisher: Ubisoft / Developer: Ubisoft Sofia
Release Date: 30th Oct 2012 (USA) / 30th Oct 2012 (UK/EU)
Originally released alongside Assassin’s Creed III, Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation is an often forgotten instalment in Ubisoft’s series. The game puts you in the shoes of Aveline de Grandpré — the franchise’s first female lead. She scours the city of New Orleans for the members of Templar Order, who have all kinds of nefarious plans in place. The game also features a unique mechanic, in that Aveline can wear different disguises to go undercover during specific missions.
Publisher: Ubisoft / Developer: Ubisoft
Release Date: 18th Feb 2014 (USA) / 18th Feb 2014 (UK/EU)
Originally an expansion for Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, Assassin’s Creed: Freedom Cry focuses on Adéwalé, Edward Kenway’s sea-faring ally. The once enslaved Adéwalé embarks on his own journey to scupper Templar plans in Haiti. A brutal and bloody campaign ensues, as the stoic protagonist rallies against the slave trade and those who would perpetuate it.
Publisher: Ubisoft / Developer: Ubisoft Sofia
Release Date: 11th Nov 2014 (USA) / 14th Nov 2014 (UK/EU)
Assassin’s Creed Rogue takes the blueprint of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag — with its naval combat and island-hopping exploration — but it tells a slightly darker tale. Main character and former Assassin Shane Cormac defects to the Templar Order, and you’ll actually have to fight against the Brotherhood throughout this morally weighted adventure.
Publisher: Ubisoft / Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Release Date: 11th Nov 2014 (USA) / 14th Nov 2014 (UK/EU)
Assassin’s Creed Unity is widely regarded as a low point for Ubisoft’s series — mostly because of the dreadful condition in which the game launched. Riddled with bugs and performance problems on PS4, Unity’s technical issues hamstrung an otherwise impressive sandbox title. Set during the French revolution, Unity’s recreation of Paris is often jaw-dropping, and its story is full of political intrigue. The game’s surprisingly ambitious co-op missions and online components are also worth mentioning, but they’ve largely been forgotten in the grand scheme of things.
Publisher: Ubisoft / Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Release Date: 14th Nov 2007 (USA) / 16th Nov 2007 (UK/EU)
The title that birthed one of modern gaming’s most popular properties, Assassin’s Creed tells the tale of Altair, a member of the Assassin Brotherhood. Blending a historical Holy Land setting with staple gameplay mechanics like social stealth and the all-important Hidden Blade, this original release laid the foundations for Ubisoft’s immensely successful series. It’s fair to say that its sequels greatly improve upon most of what Assassin’s Creed attempts, but this is still where it all began.
Publisher: Ubisoft / Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Release Date: 30th Oct 2012 (USA) / 31st Oct 2012 (UK/EU)
Breaking away from Ezio and his daring escapades, Assassin’s Creed III was something of a new starting point for the sandbox series. The game’s opening acts are extremely slow — a characteristic that would draw a lot of criticism — but this tale of American revolution is underpinned by an intriguing setting and some eye-catching story beats. Protagonist Connor Kenway isn’t the most lively of Assassins, but his stoic demeanour fits the game’s serious tone. A bit of a divisive instalment, all told, but there’s still enjoyment to be found — especially in those brutal combat animations!
Publisher: Ubisoft / Developer: Ubisoft Quebec
Release Date: 23rd Oct 2015 (USA) / 23rd Oct 2015 (UK/EU)
The first game in the series to feature both male and female protagonists, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate arrived at a time when Ubisoft had to play it safe, following the heavily criticised launch of Assassin’s Creed Unity a year earlier. Syndicate takes place in London during the industrial revolution, which makes for a rather rich and interesting (but very unhealthy) backdrop. Leads Jacob and Evie Frye are tasked with taking control of the English capital, borough by borough. Cue a lot of skull-cracking fist fights, cockney accents, and brutal stealth takedowns.
Publisher: Ubisoft / Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Release Date: 14th Nov 2011 (USA) / 16th Nov 2011 (UK/EU)
The third and final instalment in the ‘Ezio trilogy’, Assassin’s Creed Revelations features an older Ezio who’s hellbent on learning the truth behind the once ancient organisation that he now leads. It’s a darker, perhaps more serious story than what you’ll find in the previous games, as Ezio comes to terms with the violent legacy that he’ll one day leave behind. Gameplay-wise, Revelations builds upon its predecessors in a number of ways, introducing new tools like the hookblade and throwable bombs, while also pushing dynamic elements such as random world events.
Publisher: Ubisoft / Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Release Date: 12th Nov 2020 (USA) / 12th Nov 2020 (UK/EU)
In a lot of ways, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is like a blend of Origins and Odyssey. Like Origins, there’s much more focus on storytelling in this epic Viking saga. But like Odyssey, Valhalla leans heavily on expanded RPG mechanics, such as levelling up, equipment, and skill trees. You play as Eivor, a vision-haunted Viking warrior who leaves Norway to establish a new home in 9th century England. Featuring a lush open world stuffed with all kinds of landmarks and secrets, Valhalla is a real time-sink of a game, but its story-driven acts offer up some of the best characters and narrative beats in the entire series.
Publisher: Ubisoft / Developer: Ubisoft
Release Date: 5th Oct 2018 (USA) / 5th Oct 2018 (UK/EU)
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is much more of an open world RPG than it is a traditional Assassin’s Creed title. The second instalment in the series’ “open world trilogy”, this ancient Greek adventure may overlook a lot of the game design that defined its predecessors, but there’s no denying that its interlocking RPG systems make for a deep and engaging experience. Levelling up, loot, skill trees, and randomised elements like bounty-hunting mercenaries all play a part across a truly gigantic map. The story’s not bad either, as protagonist Alexios or Kassandra embarks on a branching journey to learn the truth about his or her legendary bloodline.
Publisher: Ubisoft / Developer: Ubisoft
Release Date: 27th Oct 2017 (USA) / 27th Oct 2017 (UK/EU)
A stunning recreation of ancient Egypt is the backdrop for Assassin’s Creed Origins — a game that redefined Ubisoft’s series. Going full open world and throwing a bunch of RPG systems into the mix, Origins breathed new life into Assassin’s Creed after Unity and Syndicate struggled to leave a lasting impression. Origins follows the surprisingly emotional story of Bayek, a determined mystic and warrior, who, with the help of his estranged wife Aya, establishes the Hidden Ones — the precursor organisation that would one day become the Assassin Brotherhood.
Publisher: Ubisoft / Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Release Date: 16th Nov 2010 (USA) / 19th Nov 2010 (UK/EU)
A direct sequel to the beloved Assassin’s Creed II, Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood refined a lot of the gameplay elements that II popularised. Slick combat, improved stealth opportunities, and a superb recreation of Rome make Brotherhood stand out. And, of course, Ezio Auditore da Firenze is back — arguably with even more swagger — and this time, he’s the spearhead of Italy’s ballooning guild of Assassins. Perhaps the game’s most famous mechanic is the ability to call upon these rookie killers both in and out of combat, which really hammers home the sense that you’re building a brotherhood.
Publisher: Ubisoft / Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Release Date: 15th Nov 2013 (USA) / 29th Nov 2013 (UK/EU)
It’s a pirate’s life for Edward Kenway, the charismatic but troubled protagonist of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. Taking control of your own ship and crew, this is an excellently realised pirating sim with some typical Assassin stuff thrown in for good measure. An impressive naval combat system makes exploring the high seas a real thrill, and boarding imperial vessels for some swashbuckling battles simply never gets old. Outside of those tedious tailing missions, Black Flag is a top class Assassin’s Creed title.
Publisher: Ubisoft / Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Release Date: 17th Nov 2009 (USA) / 19th Nov 2009 (UK/EU)
Assassin’s Creed II is the game that put Ubisoft’s series on the map. It improved upon everything that its predecessor introduced, with more in-depth social stealth, combat, and mission design. The story was a hit as well, following the rise of beloved protagonist Ezio Auditore da Firenze. After his father and brothers are framed and executed, Ezio embarks on a twisting and turning quest for revenge against the Templars — a cult-like organisation that seeks to control society from behind the scenes. With a brilliantly realised renaissance Italy as its backdrop, Assassin’s Creed II remains a memorable and atmospheric PS3 classic.
What’s your favourite Assassin’s Creed game? Do you agree with these rankings, or are you readying your Hidden Blade? Join the brotherhood in the comments section below.
Source by www.pushsquare.com
