Assassin’s Creed – Every Game Ranked (INCLUDING VALHALLA)

Assassin’s Creed is one of my favourite videogame series of all time, and more often than not I can find a lot of enjoyment in them. They might not be perfect, but boy are they fun.

Over two years ago I made a ranking of the AC games (without Valhalla at the time), and my opinions have changed quite a lot since then. So, with a new frame of mind, how would I rank all of the main games in the series?

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Meh

12 – Rogue

Rogue has a neat premise that pits you as a Templar fighting against the assassins, but the novelty wears off there.

It’s basically just a shameless re-skin of Black Flag, and next to nothing about this game is fresh or unique. The only main series game I never finished.

OK

11 – Assassin’s Creed

We have to give major props to the original for setting up the story and tone that we know and love – the whole Animus / simulating your ancestor’s past premise is genius, and the atmosphere here is more reflective of that Sci-Fi historical hook.

Unfortunately, after playing the other eleven games that came after it, the original doesn’t hold up too well. I’m glad the series has improved on every level, but it makes replaying Altair’s adventures almost impossible.

Good

10 – Unity

I used to have this as my least favourite due to the egregious glitches and poor story, but nowadays I hold it in a more positive light.

The parkour and stealth gameplay is arguably the best the series has ever been, and if the story / characters were stronger this could have ranked as one of the best we’ve had.

9 – Valhalla

The most frustrating entry in the series, Valhalla is an amazing game buried under countless layers of filler and laziness.

The combat is the best we’ve had (until it too gets stale), and the viking-era England is a joy to explore, but the 60+ hours of necessary filler content makes the whole thing such a grind. It’s way too repetitive, and it strays too far from the AC formula (why bother planning an attack from the shadows when open combat is so powerful?).

8 – Syndicate

Syndicate has a lot of the same problems that Unity had, but there are a few updates that made it slightly more fun.

The London setting is one of my favourites, and the zipline tool is way more fun than it had any right to be. Unfortunately, the mission types and bickering between the Frye twins get stale quickly, and the plot is one of the weakest in the series.

Great

7 – Revelations

Revelations is quite comfortably the “least good” of the Ezio trilogy, but of course it’s still loads of fun.

Seeing Ezio in his twilight years is fascinating, and the addition of the hook blade was a feature I loved. Shame those tower defence segments were a bit naff.

6 – Assassin’s Creed III

I remember this game getting a lot of hate on release – heck, even I wasn’t a fan at first. Connor is a huge step down to Ezio, and the shift from the beautiful Italy to the gritty Americas was jarring to say the least.

Over time, I’ve come to appreciate Assassin’s Creed 3 for what it is. The combat is arguably the best in the series, and the personal story between Connor and Haytham is one of my favourites.

5 – Odyssey

The game that used to be at the top of my list, but after replaying it (and after the initial hype wore off) I started to see a lot more of its flaws.

Let’s be clear – the combat is pretty rubbish, the protagonist is boring, and it’s way too far removed from the assassins to be considered an Assassins Creed game. Despite all of that, the beautiful setting and funny sidequests make Odyssey a game I’d much rather replay than the previous ones on this list. That and the Cult of Kosmos being the most fun I’ve ever had taking down an entire group.

Amazing

4 – Assassin’s Creed II

Even though some of the gameplay has become outdated as the series has moved on, I have to give a lot of credit to Assassins Creed 2 for making the series what it is today.

The Italian setting and improved stealth / combat systems wouldn’t be out of place in 2022, and Ezio Auditore makes one of the best first impressions in gaming history. While not a game I’d replay too often, it certainly holds a dear place in my heart.

3 – Origins

On my first playthrough, I would’ve said that Origins was the weakest of the new RPG trilogy. After careful deliberation, I realise just how stupid that take was.

This is the perfect AC game for the modern era – the protagonist is the best since Ezio, the stealth is at an all-time best, and the Egyptian open world setting is jaw-dropping. I have my issues with the pacing and the combat system, but Origins was a thoroughly enjoyable game that will be revered in the years to come.

2 – Black Flag

The fan-favourite, Black Flag was exactly the entry that the series needed after a few sub-par games.

Edward Kenway is a fantastically charismatic protagonist, and his arc of slowly becoming an assassin rather than immediately learning the ropes made for a nice change of pace. On top of that you have amazing naval combat and a Caribbean world filled to the brim with places to explore – it’s no wonder so many fans hold this in such high regard.

All-Time Great

1 – Brotherhood

My most replayed game, and when I think about it I realise that Brotherhood has everything I want from an AC game.

The story is personal and engaging, the gameplay is improved upon from the previous two entries, the side quests and collectibles are at a series best, Ezio is in full flow as a master assassin, and the Borgias are the best set of villains we’ve ever had. On the whole, I struggle to find any glaring faults.

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