Summary
Assassin’s Creedis one of the most popular gaming franchises ever, and easily Ubisoft’s most successful property, serving as the developer’s backbone for almost two decades. Like any long-running franchise,Assassin’s Creedhas seen significant changesover the years, both in terms of narrative and gameplay, but there are a few enduring traits that separate the franchise from the crowd.
Released in 2007, the firstAssassin’s Creedgame is fairly restrained in terms of its scope, and has more than a few rough edges and half-baked ideas. Nevertheless, it was wildly impressive for its time and a true testament to the increased power of seventh-generation consoles. More significantly, it established a number of narrative, structural, and gameplay staples that have stuck with the series to this day, weathering even the most drastic changes and transformations, like those introduced inAssassin’s Creed Odyssey.
The ABCs of Assassin’s Creed’s Gameplay
Assassin’s Creed Always Has (Light) Stealth
It’s noMetal Gear Solid, but allAssassin’s Creedgames feature stealthto varying degrees. The franchise’s specific brand of stealth is built around blending in with crowds and leveraging various distractions or in-plain-sight hiding spots for the best possible advantage. Crucial to the series' approach to stealth is the fact that it’s almost always optional, which allows players to approach many missions however they see fit.
Parkour and Assassin’s Creed Go Hand-In-Hand
Though its depth and quality can vary greatly between releases,Assassin’s Creedis incomplete without parkour, which has been a feature of every game in the series. A major selling point of the first game, the pre-OriginsAssassin’s Creedtitles leveraged parkour as a satisfying and unique method of traversal in dense, urban environments. Throughout the series' lifetime, parkour has evolved significantly, withAssassin’s Creed 3introducing nature-centric freerunning andUnityarguably having the franchise’s best movement system to date. Although it has been streamlined and de-emphasized in recent titles, parkour will likely always be a major part ofAssassin’s Creed.
Assassin’s Creed’s Narrative Throughline
The Story of Assassin’s Creed Is a Tightrope Act
Assassin’s Creed’s modern-day story is hit-or-miss, and it can often feel like Ubisoft isn’t quite sure what it wants to do with the series' connective narrative tissue: modern-day segments can range from the fairly ambitious and action-heavy missions ofAssassin’s Creed 3to the stripped-down cutscenes ofMirageandSyndicate. However, it’s undeniable that the out-of-Animus content is an essential part ofAssassin’s Creed, as it’s what ties the series together; for better or worse, the modern-day story is what makesAssassin’s Creeda proper series, rather than a collection of spiritual successors.
Assassin’s Creed: A History Buff’s Dream Come True
It should go without saying that the most essential part ofAssassin’s Creedis its focus on real history. In fact, there’s an argument to be made that this is the real reason that players keep coming back to the series, as the anthology format is flexible enough to allow for a virtually infinite combination of settings, heroes, side characters, and cameos from historical figures. Each newAssassin’s Creedgame represents a world of potential, and it’s always exciting to see what locations and time periods the series will tackle next.
Assassin’s Creedis ever-evolving, so a collection of definitive series traits can be hard to nail down. For instance,Assassin’s Creedin the modern age has sadly become defined by aggressive microtransactions, which is something that can’t be said of the franchise’s older releases. Hopefully, gamers of the future can look back atAssassin’s Creedfor its best, most creative traditions, not its misfires or cynical business practices.
Assassin’s Creed: Mirage
WHERE TO PLAY
Play as a cunning young street thief seeking answers in this majestic Middle Eastern open world. Experience the home of the original Assassins in this exciting new narrative-driven, open world adventure. 15 years since the first Assassin’s Creed redefined adventure, experience the franchises' trademark parkour and stealth like never before - in Assasin’s Creed Mirage. In this smaller scale, back to basics Assassin’s caper, you play Basim, a young street thief seeking answers. Roam the richly-detailed, reactive and vibrant streets of 9th century Baghdad, uncovering the mysteries of the past as you fight to secure your future. Stalk the shadows. Become the ultimate assassin.
