The Assassin’s Creed series has had us globetrotting through history since its debut in 2007. From Renaissance Italy to Ancient Greece, Ubisoft’s open world series has explored a wonderful variety of locations and settings, ensuring each conspiracy-packed game is a (semi) educational window into the past. Such an approach has made the series unique among its genre stablemates, which tend to whisk us away to fantasy lands or sprawling modern-day metropolises.
While the bones of Assassin’s Creed have mostly remained the same across its 14 mainline entries, the series has undergone a lot of changes over the years, including new takes on player progression and ever-expanding worlds.
But which Assassin’s Creed games are the best of the bunch? It’s a tough question. After much deliberation (and only a handful of arguments), though, we’ve eventually agreed on the top 10 mainline entries in the series.
So, without further ado, here are our top 10 Assassin’s Creed games.
Playing the latest game in the series? Check out our Assassin’s Creed Shadows guide.
10. Assassin’s Creed: Revelations
Assassin’s Creed: Revelations wrapped up Altair Ibn-La-Ahad and Ezio Auditore’s stories, and, despite some unremarkable additions like the Den Defense mode, it was a memorable and thrilling send off. From flying down ziplines in Constantinople to hanging out with Leonardo Da Vinci, Revelations was packed full of fascinating adventures.
Ezio and Altair’s final chapter was, in a way, both a sign of things to come and a celebration of what came before. Not only did we get one final fling with these two after seeing them grow and learn from lives full of adventure, but we had a chance to say goodbye to the first era of Assassin’s Creed.
9. Assassin’s Creed Syndicate
Assassin’s Creed games are often as defined by their locations as they are their protagonists, and Assassin’s Creed Syndicate’s 19th Century Victorian London in the throes of industrialization may be the most memorable of the bunch. Sneaking around factories, racing horse-drawn carriages down the street, and even fighting Jack the Ripper all ground Syndicate in a setting that, while still fantastical, feels real.
Contributing to this sense of place is the string-heavy score from Journey composer Austin Wintory that doesn’t sound like anything else in the series before or after: dueling protagonists Jacob and Evie Fry even have their own soundtracks. It’s a small touch, but it’s one in a string of small touches that makes Syndicate’s world cohesive. Also, it’s hard to recall any game this side of Bloodborne that lets you fight this effectively with a cane.
8. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla didn’t reinvent the wheel like Origins did, but it did make some pretty substantial changes. Combat is weightier and more impactful than ever before; traditional side quests have been replaced by world events, making exploration and discovery much more organic; and the absurd amount of loot you’d have to organize and sift through was toned down substantially, making rewards feel much more valuable on the whole.
Eivor might not be our favorite of the Assassin’s Creed protagonists, but her (or his) story is an engaging one, and is one of the best blendings of historical fantasy and mythology that the series has ever seen. Fans of Norse mythology are treated with a feast; not only do the sagas play a major role within the main campaign, but an entire game-length expansion set in the world of Thor and Odin practically turns Valhalla into a cousin of God of War.
7. Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood
Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood continues the story of Ezio Auditore da Firenze, cementing him as a fan-favorite protagonist for the series. It trades the diverse locations of Assassin’s Creed 2 for an expanded version of Rome and its surrounding countryside and builds on the new mechanics introduced in Assassins Creed 2 – swimming, property management, firearms, and recruitable allies. This chapter of Ezio’s story is filled with charm, wit, and drama, and, thanks to its updated combat, we got to be the aggressive combat assassin we all wanted to be.
It was also the first game in the series to introduce multiplayer, allowing players to step into the shoes of the Templars to see who among their friends truly was the best assassin or hunter. It may not have advanced the formula as much as its predecessor, but it’s still cherished by many as one of the very best.
6. Assassin’s Creed Origins
Origins marked a turning point in the series. It was the game that turned Assassin’s Creed from a stealth-focused action-adventure, into a straight-up open world RPG with a size and scope rivaled only by very few games. But even setting the historical significance of Assassin’s Creed Origins aside, it’s important to note that it’s also just a damn good Assassin’s Creed game.
Its central story involving Bayek and Aya, who initially set out to find justice for their murdered son and ultimately wind up founding the order that would eventually become the Assassin’s Brotherhood, is extremely compelling; the world of ancient Egypt is a marvel to explore; and while many facets of its mechanics were improved in later games, the shift to loot-based progression and a more action RPG style of combat was just the kind of shot in the arm that the series needed to reinvigorate it in the eyes of fans.
5. Assassin’s Creed Unity
After the tipsy sway of Black Flag’s pirate protagonist Edward Kenway, Assassin’s Creed Unity was a return to the tone of original Assassin’s Creed. As the first AC game to be exclusively released on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 (alongside PC of course), Assassin’s Creed Unity was a graphical powerhouse for its time, boasting enormous crowds of NPCs walking through the streets of a near 1:1 accurate recreation of Paris. Even today, it’s still remarkably handsome to look at.
Unfortunately, Unity’s launch was a bit of a bumpy ride. A cavalcade of bugs, glitches, and an intensely overburdened map meant it was quickly written off by many. However, in the years since it has (thanks to several patches) blossomed into a firm favourite among Assassin’s Creed fans. Its enhanced movement system resulted in arguably the most fluid and elegant parkour the series has ever seen, which in turn allowed for excellent hit-and-run tactics. Its main assassination missions are also a series highpoint, offering a multitude of ways to infiltrate locations and bury your blade deep in a target’s neck. And frankly, seeing Notre Dame in all its glory makes AC Unity well worth the price of admission.
4. Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Feudal Japan is the most-requested setting for an Assassin’s Creed game of all time, and so Ubisoft faced towering expectations when it finally decided to visit the Sengoku period. Thankfully, Assassin’s Creed Shadows was exactly what the series needed; it brings the focus back to assassinations, putting increased emphasis on stealth and infiltration. And while still expansive, the open world and RPG elements are more restrained than those in Odyssey and Valhalla, resulting in a tighter, more balanced experience.
For the first time since Syndicate, Shadows features two playable protagonists. Naoe’s toolkit is rooted in stealth, while Yasuke is a brutal fighter who captures the period’s samurai fantasy. While Shadows is best experienced from a mix of both perspectives, taking control of Naoe and making use of her grappling hook and climbing abilities allows you the full freedom to explore what is undoubtedly the series’ most astonishing world, complete with landscapes that dynamically change with the shifting of the seasons.
3. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Assassins’ Creed Odyssey takes Origins’ combat style and new-found focus on role-playing, adds some extra ingredients to the mix, then sets it all against the sprawling backdrop of Ancient Greece, aflame with the war between Athens and Sparta. It’s an enormous, vibrant game, with some of the most stunning vistas we’ve seen in the series; both at land and sea (naval warfare returns here, and it’s wonderful).
The new spin on Assassin’s Creed’s notoriety system sees you hunted across these environments, in a series of cat-and-mouse chases that are the most tense in any Assassin’s Creed to date, while the nation struggle system sees you fighting large scale battles in the name of Athens or Sparta. It’s also got a relatively compelling story for a game that can take 60-odd hours to beat, with some eccentric sidequests, fronted by a genuinely charismatic protagonist – whether you play as a male or female. Even after you finish Odyssey, there’s still so much to plunder and discover, and it’s a delight to simply exist in its world.
2. Assassin’s Creed 2
In many ways, we have Assassin’s Creed 2 to thank for not only proving the formula works but for also giving us the defining analogy of a video game sequel fulfilling the promise of its underwhelming original. Though later entries would add even more depth, ACII made assassination missions more dynamic, with increased flexibility in how you approached objectives, more options for hiding or causing distractions, better combat, and better mobility with the ability to actually swim. New catacomb missions let players put their parkour skills to the test, the upgradeable homebase villa gave players a reason to keep investing in picking up collectibles and coins, and new weapons and gear from everyone’s favorite video game character, Leonardo da Vinci, kept gameplay fresh.
All of these changes were also connected to a beautifully realized Italian Renaissance era that introduced an all-time protagonist, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, and meaningful additions to the current-day story that brought the two time periods together in the wildest way possible. I mean, you fistfight the pope only to have an otherworldly deity speak through Ezio to Desmond in the present day. It was an unforgettable ending to an entry that proved how incredible Assassin’s Creed could be.
1. Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag
After a long run of assassin protagonists, Black Flag tried something different, introducing us to a main character who was a pirate first, and an assassin second – and the ensuing adventure thrived because of it. It introduced a massively entertaining sandbox playground in the Caribbean, featuring a plethora of islands teeming with treasure and activities to embark upon – and an upgrade system that made the idea of hunting wild animals and harpooning something other than a chore. Instead of relegating the idea of sailing as means to an end, it built upon the framework of Assassin’s Creed 3’s naval combat to make nautical adventures the shining point of Black Flag.
Whether it was hunting hapless merchant ships or bracing against some of the toughest buccaneers ever to sail the seas, attacking other ships cemented itself as something too good to pass up any time one floated by on screen. Aided by its impressive seamless transition from land to sea, it allowed the freedom of choice for players to either sail circles around enemy ships while blasting them to pieces, or ramming head on to leap onto the enemy ship, before unloading a brace of pistols like a whirling dervish. Not only did Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag cement itself as one of the greatest in the series, it has easily become one of the greatest pirate games to immerse yourself in as well.
Every Assassin’s Creed Game Tier List
Every Assassin’s Creed Game Tier List
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And there you have it! Those are our top Assassin’s Creed games. Disagree with the ranking? Think another entry should have been on the list? Let us know your favorite Assassin’s Creed in the comments.
Upcoming Assassin’s Creed Games
If you’re wondering what’s coming next in the world of Assassin’s Creed, there are a few titles to keep on your radar. Assassin’s Creed Shadows has just released and sees you following the path of both a shinobi and samurai in Feudal Japan. Assassin’s Creed Jade, set in ancient China, is also in the works for mobile devices, but has no confirmed release date yet. If that’s not enough Assassin’s Creed goodness for you, beyond those we have Assassin’s Creed: Codename Hexe to look forward to, the mysterious and occult-looking adventure that’s set to bring new ideas to the series.
