From its inception in 2007, Assassin’s Creed has undergone a huge amount of change, continuously reshaping the landscape of open-world gaming.
The hugely popular franchise quickly went from a niche experimental title to a cultural phenomenon, captivating gamers worldwide with its compelling narratives, immersive environments, and ever-evolving gameplay mechanics.
But at its heart was stealth.
The game was designed for sneaky stalking and quick kills, then for escape and evasion tactics when the deed was done. Coupled with a parkour open world element, this was game changing stuff for players used to following a single path (more or less) to get through a mission or storyline.
The changes along the way have been so impactful that the latest releases barely resemble the first game back in 2007. While it is still one of the most successful franchises in the world, I wonder if it is as good as it used to be.
The Inception: Altaïr
Assassin’s Creed’s debut entry introduced players to the enigmatic Altaïr, an Assassin navigating the tumultuous era of the Third Crusade. This groundbreaking title laid the cornerstone for the series, establishing core elements that would become hallmarks of the franchise. Climbing viewpoints to unveil the map, wielding the iconic Hidden Blade, and harnessing the power of Eagle Vision were innovative concepts that set the stage for future iterations.
It also introduced social stealth which was key to the game’s success.
Despite its pioneering nature, the inaugural instalment wasn’t without its flaws. Altaïr’s character depth paled in comparison to subsequent protagonists, and the controls, while ambitious, often felt imprecise. Nonetheless, the game’s open-world design, with the expansive Kingdom connecting major cities, hinted at Ubisoft’s ambition to craft vast, explorable landscapes.
Assassin’s Creed II
Two years later, Assassin’s Creed II ushered in a renaissance for the series, introducing the charismatic Ezio Auditore and transporting players to the vibrant Renaissance era. Refined combat mechanics, smoother platforming, and a deeply personal narrative propelled the game to new heights. The addition of factions like thieves, mercenaries, and courtesans enriched the gameplay, while the ability to blend seamlessly with crowds solidified social stealth as a vital component.
Spanning multiple cities, from Florence to Rome, Assassin’s Creed II offered a diverse tapestry of environments to explore. Optional challenges, such as the Assassin Tombs, provided worthwhile side content, further enhancing the game’s replay value.
Brotherhood
Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood marked the series’ first foray into a single, sprawling city – Rome. Ezio’s journey to rebuild the once-great metropolis expanded upon the shop-buying system introduced in its predecessor. The game’s antagonist, Cesare Borgia, shared a personal connection with Ezio, adding emotional depth to the conflict.
Brotherhood’s combat animations and execution variety elevated the satisfaction of combat encounters. Moreover, it boasted one of the most fluid modern-day storylines in the franchise’s history. The introduction of recruitable Assassins, who could undertake narrative-driven missions, gave the game life outside of the player’s direct experience too, and it felt as though the developers could do no wrong.
Revelations: A Disjointed Detour
While Assassin’s Creed Revelations transported players to the captivating city of Constantinople, its narrative felt disjointed from the overarching plot. Ezio’s goals, centred around unlocking Altaïr’s library in Masyaf, lacked cohesion with the political landscape of the Ottoman Empire.
Nonetheless, Revelations expanded upon the Assassin recruit system, granting players control over their recruits’ progression. The addition of the hook blade, while innovative, failed to significantly impact traversal mechanics. Furthermore, the game’s “Den Defense” minigame, a tower defence mode, was widely avoided by players.
Assassin’s Creed III: The American Frontier
Assassin’s Creed III marked a pivotal shift, transporting the series to the American Frontier and introducing Connor, a Native American protagonist. While initially divisive, Connor’s character has since been re-evaluated as a thoughtful and groundbreaking representation.
The game featured numerous cities to explore, complemented by the vast Frontier map, harkening back to the original Kingdom. Assassin’s Creed III introduced the franchise’s first true crafting system, although its necessity was debatable. The homestead missions and dynamic seasonal maps added depth to the experience, but the true standout feature was the introduction of naval combat, foreshadowing the series’ future direction.
Black Flag
Hailed by many as the pinnacle of the franchise, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag transported players to the Golden Age of Piracy. Edward Kenway’s transformation from a selfish privateer to a Master Assassin was a captivating journey, punctuated by tragic moments that resonated with fans.
Black Flag’s addictive naval combat and the ability to explore the vast Caribbean Sea were game-changing additions. The revamped Eagle Vision, allowing players to tag and track enemies through walls, addressed a long-standing issue. Fast travel between viewpoints further streamlined the experience, although the abundance of tailing missions drew criticism.
Rogue and Unity
2014 witnessed the release of two distinct Assassin’s Creed titles: Rogue and Unity. Rogue followed in Black Flag’s footsteps, offering a compelling glimpse into the Templar perspective while bidding farewell to naval combat, at least temporarily.
Unity, the first entry built for eighth-generation consoles, was marred by technical issues at launch, including frame rate drops that rendered the game nearly unplayable. However, once these issues were resolved, Unity’s meticulous recreation of Paris during the French Revolution was a visual masterpiece. The introduction of the “free run down” mechanic, allowing players to descend buildings without plummeting to their demise, addressed a long-standing frustration.
Syndicate
Assassin’s Creed Syndicate built upon Unity’s foundations, transporting players to Victorian London. The twin protagonists, Evie and Jacob Frye, offered distinct narratives, with Evie focused on tracking down Pieces of Eden while Jacob sought to dismantle Templar control over the city.
Syndicate reintroduced the ability to whistle, a fan-favourite feature, and introduced the innovative zipline mechanics. As the architectural scale increased, the zipline became an essential tool for traversal, complementing the game’s carriage driving and additional side activities like races and train robberies.
Origins
After a brief hiatus, Ubisoft returned in 2017 with Assassin’s Creed Origins, an ambitious recreation of Ancient Egypt. Bayek and Aya’s dual protagonists offered a personal story of revenge, contrasting with the more distant villains of previous entries.
Origins cemented the series’ RPG elements, overhauling the combat system to discourage button-mashing. The reintroduction of the bow and arrow, coupled with a deep levelling system, added tactical depth. Eagle Vision evolved into Senu, Bayek’s literal eagle companion, providing a unique scouting mechanic.
The game had become more combat heavy as opposed to stealthy by this point, although stealth was still an option, but it was easy enough to fight off a large number of enemies if that is what was preferred.
Odyssey
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey pushed the boundaries even further, incorporating romance options, a mercenary system akin to Middle-earth’s Nemesis System, and epic boss battles against mythical creatures. The return of naval combat, albeit less complex than its 18th-century counterpart, added an engaging layer to the Greek world exploration.
Players could choose between Kassandra and Alexios, immersing themselves in a narrative steeped in Isu lore. Ikaros, Kassandra’s eagle companion, proved more refined than Senu, although the game’s excessive length and lack of side content variety drew criticism from some fans.
Valhalla
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla promised a more concise and meaningful experience than Odyssey, but its execution was divisive. Drawing inspiration from FromSoftware’s challenging combat design, Valhalla introduced scarce healing and intricate boss battles.
Set in the bleak and unforgiving Dark Age Britain, the game’s grim atmosphere aimed for historical authenticity but may have deterred some players. While social stealth made a welcomed return, its implementation fell short of expectations, and the protagonist Eivor’s character didn’t lend itself naturally to stealthy gameplay.
This is probably as far away from the original concept of a stealthy assassin as the game got. There were numerous full on army attacks, skirmishes and ambushes, and very little benefit to hiding in the shadows.
Mirage
Assassin’s Creed Mirage, released in 2023, marked a return to the series’ stealth-focused roots while introducing new elements. Set in 9th-century Baghdad, players controlled Basim, a street thief turned master assassin, in a compact yet richly detailed open world. The game emphasized stealth gameplay more strongly again, with a notoriety system and various tools reminiscent of earlier titles. Mirage featured a streamlined 15-20 hour experience though, eschewing the RPG elements of recent entries in favour of more focused, mission-based gameplay.
While praised for its back-to-basics approach and beautiful recreation of Baghdad, some critics noted occasional technical issues and a relatively simple plot. Despite these minor drawbacks, Mirage offered a blend of classic Assassin’s Creed gameplay with modern enhancements.
Is Assassins Creed Losing It’s Way?
Assassin’s Creed’s evolution over the past 15-20 years has been nothing short of remarkable.
Few games achieve multiple generations of fans yet Assassins Creed retains those who played it in 2007 as well as attracting younger players only just old enough for the sort of violent content the game contains.
Although not all of the franchise’s releases have been unanimously successful, no one can accuse the developers of failing to try new things, and their impact on the industry is undeniable.
Is it better now than it was? I don’t know if that’s a fair question. The original game was groundbreaking. No follow up can ever have that same sort of impact. That said, they are able to match and even better it in terms of story, gameplay, and overall enjoyment.
Some have and some haven’t, but I think Creed had to change as player’s have changed. Few have the patience for stalking their way through an entire game these days, so finding a balance between stealth and all out combat is required.
Assassin’s Creed has managed it before, and I think they can do it again.
