Assassin’s Creed is one of those franchises that, when mentioned, elicits the classic ‘Oh my god, I remember X, Y, Z’. Its collection of layered storylines, rich historical environments, and incredibly captivating gameplay is just too irresistible for gamers to pass up.
Ubisoft is absolutely no stranger to brilliant game series, being the publisher of the rhythm game Just Dance, first-person shooter Far Cry, and action-packed Tom Clancy games. Assassin’s Creed is essentially one of its ‘bread-and-butter’ franchises that have solidified a place in gaming history. Like games with best payout rates, it has proven to keep players coming back for its unique blend of historical fiction and science fiction genres. But how did it come to be the legendary name it is today? Where did the idea for it come from? Let’s take a walk down memory lane.
The Origins of Assassin’s Creed
Assassin’s Creed is by no means the first action-adventure game set in a historical period. In 2003, Ubisoft developed Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, the fourth of the Prince of Persia series, which revolves around a prince tasked to save his kingdom. The game involves puzzle-solving, as well as combat and time manipulation. As the game received critical acclaim and was deemed one of the greatest games ever made, it’s no surprise Ubisoft was looking to create some sort of sequel.
The team tried to take as much of the gameplay from The Sands of Time as possible but bring it into an open world. In terms of the narrative, they wanted to mix things up. After extensive research into secret societies, the team discovered the Order of Assassins and developed a whole new narrative around it. But without the Prince as the main character, they weren’t quite sure whether it made sense to turn it into a Prince of Persia game.
Eventually, Assassin’s Creed was released in 2007, the first instalment in a one-of-a-kind series that would take the world by storm. Developers and animators worked tirelessly to harness the potential of new consoles and technology and use moments from history to create an immersive experience.
Evolving the Game
Gamers and critics instantly praised almost every aspect of the game—the art, originality, visuals, and storytelling. It won multiple awards at E3, and two spin-offs were made within the following two years, Assassin’s Creed: Altaïr’s Chronicles and Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines. The only problem critics kept bringing up was the quality of gameplay. Repetitive gameplay, lack of evolution, and a failure to get the fundamentals right made it quite clear that the developers were in over their heads with ambitious ideas and struggled to fully deliver. But both critics and fans cut them some slack, as overall, it signalled a fantastic start to one of the gaming industry’s finest series.
Building a Legacy
Since the first instalment, there have been 12 mainline entries, with Assassin’s Creed Shadows (the 13th) set to release in 2025. Let’s go through them all.
Assassin’s Creed II was a chance for Ubisoft to prove itself. Fans waited with bated breath, wondering if the team would take in the feedback and improve. Sure enough, they did, and gamers enjoyed a much stronger combat system, mission structure, and narrative. Then, Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood included multiplayer for the first-ever time, and Revelations sought to end protagonist Ezio’s story—yet the series formula was becoming too predictable.
And so, it was back to the drawing board for Ubisoft. But that’s the company’s brilliance: they use every instalment as an opportunity to improve. Assassin’s Creed III was a chance to turn it all around, where they introduced a new protagonist, Connor Kenway, and the new time period of the American Revolution. Again, the ambition was there, but the delivery wasn’t. In fact, many saw it as a step backwards.
In 2013, Ubisoft was back up the rollercoaster, releasing one of the best instalments in the series, Black Flag. Players loved exploring both land and sea, with the game focusing on pirate-themed gameplay and open-world exploration. A year later, the company made the bold move to release two Assassin’s Creed titles in one year: Rogue and Unity. It was almost like throwing two games into the video game ether and seeing which would fare better. Unity was littered with bugs despite its fantastic graphics and historical accuracy, while Rogue took a backseat yet became an underrated gem.
Something Ubisoft seems to like doing with Assassin’s Creed is testing the waters. Syndicate (2015) reminded fans of this, as they introduced two new protagonists that offered varying gameplay styles and homed in on the open-world experience even more intensely. By no means was it as pioneering as earlier instalments, but it delivered the polished Assassin’s Creed-esque experience that fans knew and loved.
A Temporary Shift to RPG
But would Ubisoft continue this trend? Given its history, of course not. Origins (2017) was yet again another dramatic shift, bringing in a new combat system and inserting RPG elements. Odyssey (2018) took these elements and ran with them, and Valhalla (2020) took the baton and picked up the pace. The RPG trend was alive and well, especially in the broader confines of gaming, so it seemed like the Assassin’s Creed series wanted to evolve alongside it.
Assassin’s Creed Beyond
In Ubisoft fashion, Assassin’s Creed threw fans for another loop with Mirage (2024), returning to what the series was best known for: parkour gameplay mechanics and a return to the classic stealth-centred approach. So, with the upcoming Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, it’s another guessing game. Are we going to see those core elements that make the franchise what it is? Or are we heading in a new direction? Only time will tell.
Tyler Harrison is a huge horror movie fan always on the hunt for the next big scare. His reviews offer deep insights into classic slashers and the latest releases, exploring themes and innovative techniques. Tyler’s passion for horror makes his perspective essential for any enthusiast.
