Top 10 Assassin's Creed Games

“Liberation” was initially released as a Vita exclusive before making its transition to consoles and PC as “Assassin’s Creed: Liberation HD” two years later. The game takes place in a refreshingly original 18th century New Orleans and features the series’ first female protagonist in Aveline de Grandpré. It was your typical “Assassin’s Creed” fare with a few Vita tweaks, including a unique multiplayer experience and the use of the console’s camera, gyroscope, and touchscreen. It had a beautiful setting, and the protagonist was an interesting departure from what came before, but aside from that, it’s your standard “Assassin’s Creed” experience.

It’s true that “Unity” had a rough start. It received mixed reviews from critics due to the game’s broken controls and performance issues, and gamers were left massively disappointed, especially since “Unity” was coming off the invigorating “Black Flag.” However, we have to give respect to Ubisoft for their restorative efforts, as the game is actually pretty good now that it has been patched. The story missions are well-paced, engaging, and challenging, and the game’s version of 18th century Paris is perhaps one of the series’ most detailed and beautiful. Give it another shot. You may be surprised.

While “Assassin’s Creed” wasn’t perfect, it was the game that started it all, so of course it deserves a spot on this list. The game’s primary story takes place in 1191 during the Third Crusade, which provides it with a unique and fascinating environment for players to explore. The game also utilized some revolutionary movement mechanics, which allowed for fun traversal throughout the detailed landscape. That said, its shortcomings were numerous, including the incompetent AI and repetitive missions. However, these flaws left room for improvement; this game was the cracked and imperfect foundation on which a now-flourishing series was built.

Serving as the finale to the Ezio trilogy, “Revelations” was a solid exit point for the series, but it certainly wasn’t a revelation. The game was the same solid “Assassin’s Creed” experience we had grown to love over the preceding years, and some new gameplay implementations like the hookblade kept things relatively fresh and exciting. However, it was around this point that the series was beginning to show its age, and fans were experiencing some franchise fatigue. That said, it was still a more-than-worthy send-off for Ezio, and we have to applaud it for that.

“Rogue” served as the final game to be released for the seventh generation of consoles, where the series had been residing for the previous seven years, and it served as a respectable bow before the games went to do bigger and brighter things. Despite it basically being Black Flag 2.0 and failing to innovate, “Rogue” was still an interesting title, particularly for its story. The main character, Shay Patrick Cormac, was complex and riveting to explore, and playing as a Templar provided a fresh twist on the stagnating series. It certainly wasn’t perfect, but it was still a good time for those interested in the series’ lore.

After the slight disappointment that was “Revelations,” it was make or break for the “Assassin’s Creed” series. Luckily, they pulled it off for “Assassin’s Creed III,” despite some imperfections. The series moved away from Europe and presented players with a gorgeous America set during the American Revolution, and the change of location and resulting new characters helped reinvigorate interest in the series. However, some gameplay mechanics, like horse riding, were a little wonky, and the game could be dreadfully boring at times. Regardless of its flaws, “Assassin’s Creed III” was still a ton of fun.

After the initial debacle that was “Unity,” fans were all but done with the “Assassin’s Creed” series, and as a result, little mind was paid to “Syndicate” upon its release one year later. However, those that did play it found a revitalizing and surprisingly good entry, complete with likable characters, an engaging story, and arguably the most engrossing depiction of Victorian London in gaming history. While the gameplay was still the same old “Assassin’s Creed,” it was a huge step up from “Unity,” and it promised an invigorating upward trajectory for the series which we hope continues with “Origins.”

After the stellar release of “Assassin’s Creed II,” fans were left clamoring for more, and “Brotherhood” delivered. While the story continues the events of “II,” the two games are drastically different thanks to some huge improvements to the gameplay, like the recruitment system, modified combat mechanics, and a surprisingly good multiplayer mode. The game took what “Assassin’s Creed II” did and improved upon it in many ways, which arguably makes this entry the most refined and polished of the Ezio trilogy. “Assassin’s Creed” doesn’t get much better than this.

While “Brotherhood” may have perfected the mechanics of “II,” it was this game which truly put “Assassin’s Creed” on the map and provided gamers with one of the best experiences of the seventh generation. This game shifted away from the Crusades to Renaissance Italy, and the move did wonders for the series – the environments were breathtaking and littered with fascinating historical figures and original characters. Many improvements to the gameplay were also made, including eagle vision, which significantly aided in assassination attempts. The game was a massive success both commercially and critically, and it showed the heights that this series could reach.

At a time when gamers were feeling tired and burnt out on the “Assassin’s Creed” series, “Black Flag” splashed some water on our faces and woke us up to the series’ imaginative possibilities. The game took place during the Golden Age of Piracy, and the original setting and resulting gameplay elements, like naval exploration, an underwater component, and pirate ship battles, helped to breathe new life into the series. It also had an engaging story and magnificent graphics, proving that Ubisoft can dance with the best of them. “Black Flag” was a monumental success, and it has yet to be topped.