Assassin’s Creed: series retrospective

Revealing itself like a hidden blade, Assassin’s Creed’s razor-sharp and refreshing combination of history, science fiction, and parkour-based action turned heads everywhere when it first emerged on our screens back in 2007. The result was a series rich in lore and unforgettable characters, spanning games, comic books, and even a Hollywood movie.

So with Assassin’s Creed Shadows sneaking up on its March 20 PlayStation 5 launch, here’s the perfect place to arm yourself with everything you need to know about the main strand of the series’ 13 titles.

Assassin’s Creed – 2007 – PlayStation 3 – Ubisoft

Introducing the world to 12th-century assassin Altaïr Ibn-La’Ahad, the fresh-faced sandbox action stealth game presented the concept of the Animus, a machine which allows people to relive the genetic memories of their ancestors. In this case, Altaïr’s life during the Third Crusade of the Holy Land is seen through his unsuspecting 21st-century descendant, Desmond Miles, as a winding plot unravels across both timelines.

Assassin’s Creed set the tone for the genre for generations to follow, but most importantly, it was a pioneering leap forward for its even more popular sequel…

On PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 (via backwards compatibility), the following three titles are available as part of Assassin’s Creed The Ezio Collection

Assassin’s Creed II – 2009 – PlayStation 3 and – 2016 – PlayStation 4 (Enhanced) – Ubisoft

Continuing Desmond’s story, this crafty follow-up surprised everyone by sneaking away from Altaïr and dropping us into the Italian Renaissance Era. Ezio Auditore da Firenze was now the historical recipient of the Animus, delivering a story of revenge that saw the likes of Leonardo da Vinci and Niccolo Machiavelli weaved into his quest. Even Desmond himself was granted more agency as he became entrenched within the modern-day Assassin Brotherhood.

If Assassin’s Creed cut new cloth for its iconic style and timeless gameplay, the sequel only helped sharpen its impact as Ezio became a fan-favorite character.

Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood – 2010 – PlayStation 3 and – 2016 – PlayStation 4 (Enhanced) – Ubisoft

Set immediately after the events of Assassin’s Creed II, Ezio was the focal point again for this swift and deadly sequel, as he aimed to expand and recruit members into the Assassin Brotherhood across Rome. While retaining the new notoriety system from the previous game that tracked your social infamy and wanted level, Brotherhood introduced the ability to enact assassinations via horseback, perform heavy weapon throws and use a crossbow and poison darts. Ezio could also call upon apprentice assassins for asset-earning missions or help.

Most notable was the inclusion of a fantastically devious multiplayer mode for the first time in the series, which let you hunt down friends and then drift away into a crowd like you were never there…

Assassin’s Creed Revelations – 2011 – PlayStation 3 and – 2016 –PlayStation 4 (Enhanced) – Ubisoft

Concluding the Ezio trilogy, Revelations featured the now-aged assassin traveling to Constantinople to find five keys needed to unlock Altaïr’s secret library that has the potential to end the war between Templars and Assassins. Meanwhile, a comatose Desmond is forced to achieve full Animus synchronization with Ezio and Altaïr to save his own mind.

Revelations granted Ezio even more mobility with zip lines and the new Hookblade, which not only provided quicker traversal but could also be used in combat, yanking targets into a close-range attack, throw or even theft. Random events with NPCs and Templar ‘stalkers’ also kept players on their toes.

Assassin’s Creed III – 2012 – PlayStation 3 and – 2019 – PlayStation 4 (Remastered) – Ubisoft

Setting the franchise in North America for the first time, Assassin’s Creed III drew a line under Desmond’s ongoing mission to prevent a global cataclysm. This time, his path to the past was via the memories of an 18th-century Templar called Haytham Kenway, and Kenway’s illegitimate son – Ratonhnhaké:ton, who becomes the assassin Connor.

Assassin’s Creed III unleashed a vast number of changes and improvements, with a greater focus on rural environments. Connor could duel-wield, perform a wider variety of counters, combos, and takedowns, and even use enemies as human shields. Animal hunting and naval combat were also introduced, and dramatic weather changes such as snow and rain impacted gameplay. In short, it was an (American) revolution for the series.

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag – 2013 – PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 – Ubisoft

With Assassin’s Creed III whetting the appetite for travel, Black Flag truly set the player free. Expanding on the previous game’s naval exploration and combat, Black Flag’s focus on the high seas during the Golden Age of Piracy allowed for a wider range of attacking enemy vessels, treasure trekking across underwater shipwrecks, sea animal hunts, and a variety of ocean-based side missions.

Combining exploration on both land and sea to such an extent gave Welsh pirate Assassin Edward Kenway unparalleled freedom, mirrored by Kenway’s ability to not only free-aim but also use up to four flintlock pistols together. Not a bad trick to have up one’s sleeve in a world with the likes of Blackbeard, Calico Jack, and Benjamin Hornigold.

Assassin’s Creed Rogue – 2014 – PlayStation 3 and 
– 2018 – PlayStation 4 (Remastered) – Ubisoft

True to its title, Assassin’s Creed Rogue allowed players to control Assassin-turned-Templar Shay Patrick Cormac, offering a dramatic twist of focus for the series. The result was a fascinating spin on expectations across all levels of the gameplay.

While much of the previous elements remained – naval combat and exploration, and a vast open world, albeit mostly set across the icy North Atlantic and mid 1700s New York City – Shay has access to a wider access of projectile weapons, and he’s constantly under threat from Assassins. There are even missions where you must intercept and defend an Assassin target from their hooded assailants.

Assassin’s Creed Unity – 2014 – PlayStation 4 – Ubisoft

Released at the same time as Assassin’s Creed Rogue on PS3, Assassin’s Creed Unity, brought the franchise to PS4 for the first time, powered by an all-new game engine. While the chilly Rogue focused on a different narrative direction to previous titles, Unity’s jaunt across Paris during the French Revolution warmed things up with a gameplay first for the series: an optional co-op campaign for up to four players.

Collaboration, shared resources, and highly customizable weapons and gear that affected your playstyle were all prominent, as you assumed control of Assassin Arno Dorian.

Assassin’s Creed Syndicate – 2015 – PlayStation 4 – Ubisoft

19th Century Victorian era London was the next stop, arriving with two more series of innovations. Not only were there twin Assassin protagonists that players could switch between – Jacob and Evie Frye – but Evie’s inclusion marked the first time you could play as a female Assassin in the mainline titles.

Their task to find a piece of Eden and free the Big Smoke from Templar rule was aided by the ability to use carriages as transport, and a ‘kidnapping’ mechanic where the twins could hold an enemy hostage to blend in and access restricted areas. Sneaky.

Assassin’s Creed Origins – 2017 – PlayStation 4 – Ubisoft

Jumping all the way back to Ptolemaic Egypt and gently rebooting the series, Assassin’s Creed Origins explored the bloody beginnings of the Assassin Brotherhood (the Hidden Ones) and Templar Order (the Order of the Ancients) conflict. The vengeful Bayek of Siwa is our gateway to the past this time, channeled via former Abstergo Industries employee Layla Hassan in the modern-day era.

Offering more role-playing elements than its forebears, Origins featured a greater focus on leveling up systems and progression, intricate crafting, and complex combat mechanics that also allowed Bayek to enter a frenzied state or perform brutal finishing moves. 

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey – 2018 – PlayStation 4 – Ubisoft

Leaning on the more mythological aspects of Ancient Greece, Odyssey continued Layla’s story in the modern day while giving players the chance to become one of King Leonidas’s descendants, Kassandra or Alexios. While the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta was central to its narrative, Odyssey built on the firm foundations set by Origins’ RPG-inspired elements, adding dialogue choices and NPC relationships, branching quests, and even multiple possible endings.

Naval combat also made its welcome return, and a ‘mercenary system’ expanded on the earlier game’s ‘stalker system’, with richly written bounty hunters targeting you. Oh, and let’s not forget the tense encounters with mythological creatures such as the Sphinx and Minotaur…

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla – 2020 – PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 – Ubisoft

If the title didn’t give it away, Valhalla placed players into the Viking invasions of 873 AD, running alongside the final part of Layla’s globe-trotting modern-day story. Valhalla reintroduced the Assassin/Templar war’s prominence in the series, entangling Viking raider protagonist Eivor – who you can choose to be male or female – into their growing conflict.

Further refining the previous games’ mechanics, Valhalla brought back the player settlements mechanics that were last fully explored in Black Flag, as well as offering the chance to enjoy drinking contests, fishing and the hilarious insult hurling flying competitions.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage – 2023 – PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 – Ubisoft

With its more direct and linear story, focus on stealth over action, and reemphasis on parkour-based movement, Mirage was a pushback to the series’ roots. Even the modern-day narrative was reduced to give players more time in 9th Century Baghdad with street thief turned Master Assassin, Basim Ibn Ishaq, who we first encountered in Valhalla.

And now? It’s not long before we experience the next stage of the Assassin/Templar war, this time in 16th-century Japan alongside shinobi Fujibayashi Naoe, and legendary samurai Yasuke, in Assassin’s Creed Shadows on March 20.

But remember: “Nothing is true, everything is permitted.”