All Assassin’s Creed Games Ranked Worst to Best
This article ranks every mainline Assassin’s Creed game from worst to best, considering story, gameplay, and historical setting. The ranking below reflects a consensus of critical and fan reception, but individual taste will vary.
Ranking Criteria
Ranking over a dozen games across 15 years requires clear criteria. The primary factors are:
- Story & Characters: How compelling the narrative is and how well the protagonist is developed.
- Gameplay Mechanics: Combat, stealth, parkour, and mission design—how fun and fluid the core loop is.
- Historical Setting & World Design: How immersive and detailed the game’s version of history is, and how well the open world is built.
- Innovation & Influence: How the game pushed the series forward or, conversely, how it failed to evolve.
- Technical State: Bugs, performance, and overall polish at launch.
This ranking places the most recent RPG trilogy (Origins, Odyssey, Valhalla) alongside the classic action-adventure titles. It does not include spin-offs like Liberation, Rogue, or Chronicles to keep the focus on the main numbered entries and major releases.
The Bottom Tier: 15. Assassin’s Creed III (2012)
Set during the American Revolution, AC III is often cited as the weakest mainline entry. Its protagonist, Connor Kenway, is a stoic and determined Native American assassin, but his character arc is overshadowed by the more charismatic villain, Haytham Kenway. The game’s first half is notoriously slow, spending hours on Connor’s childhood and the introduction of Desmond Miles’ modern-day story. The combat was revamped to be more brutal, but the mission design suffered from tedious tailing and escort missions. The frontier wilderness, while ambitious, felt empty compared to the dense cities of previous games. It is a game with great ideas—ship combat was introduced here—but its execution and pacing make it the low point for many fans.
The Middle Ground: 14. Assassin’s Creed Unity (2014) & 13. Assassin’s Creed Syndicate (2015)
Unity was a technical disaster at launch, riddled with bugs and performance issues that overshadowed its genuine strengths. Set in Paris during the French Revolution, it featured the most detailed and beautiful city in the series to that point. The parkour was completely overhauled, allowing for fluid downward movement, and the new combat system required more skill. However, the story of Arno Dorian is a forgettable revenge tale, and the co-op focus diluted the single-player experience. Years later, patches have fixed most issues, but the initial reputation sticks.
Syndicate was a safer, more polished follow-up. Set in Victorian London, it introduced twin protagonists, Jacob and Evie Frye, who had a fun sibling dynamic. The game added a grappling hook, which made traversal faster but undermined the parkour. The combat was simplified to a more arcade-style brawler. It is a solid, entertaining game, but it lacks the ambition and memorable moments of the best entries. It felt like a step back after Unity‘s attempted revolution, and many consider it the last of the “old-styleâ€� games before the RPG overhaul.
The Solid Entries: 12. Assassin’s Creed Revelations (2011) & 11. Assassin’s Creed Rogue (2014)
Revelations serves as the conclusion to Ezio Auditore’s story and, originally, to Desmond’s modern-day arc. Set in Constantinople, it is a smaller, more personal game. It adds the hookblade and bomb-making, but the core gameplay is largely unchanged from Brotherhood. The story is a melancholic farewell to Ezio, and the present-day segments where you play as Desmond in the Animus are some of the most interesting in the series. It is a good game, but it feels like an expansion pack rather than a full sequel.
Rogue is an oddity: a game that casts you as a Templar. Set between Black Flag and Unity, it follows Shay Patrick Cormac, an Assassin who defects. The naval gameplay is refined, and the twist of hunting down former allies is compelling. However, it is short, reuses many assets from Black Flag, and its story is underdeveloped. It is a fun, if forgettable, side story that many players missed entirely.
The Great Games: 10. Assassin’s Creed (2007) & 9. Assassin’s Creed II (2009)
The original Assassin’s Creed was a revolutionary game in 2007. Its open-world design, parkour traversal, and social stealth were groundbreaking. The story of Altaïr Ibn-La’Ahad and the mystery of the Apple of Eden set the template for the entire series. However, it is extremely repetitive by modern standards, with only a handful of mission types repeated across three cities. The combat is clunky, and the modern-day sections are sparse. It is a classic that is hard to replay today.
Assassin’s Creed II is where the series truly found its identity. It took everything from the first game and improved it dramatically. The story of Ezio Auditore’s rise from a young nobleman to a master assassin is one of the best in gaming. The setting of Renaissance Italy is stunning, and the game is packed with side activities, from racing to tomb exploration. The combat is more fluid, and the assassination missions are more varied. It is a masterpiece of its era and a must-play for any fan, even if its age shows.
The Top Tier: 8. Assassin’s Creed Origins (2017) & 7. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey (2018)
Origins was a bold reinvention that saved the franchise from stagnation. Set in Ptolemaic Egypt, it introduced a full RPG framework: leveling, loot, skill trees, and a new action-combat system inspired by Dark Souls. The shift was controversial, but it worked. The world of Egypt is breathtaking, and the story of Bayek and Aya, the founders of the Hidden Ones, is emotional and grounded. The game is huge, but the quality of the content is high. It is not a traditional Assassin’s Creed game, but it is an excellent open-world RPG.
Odyssey doubled down on the RPG formula. Set in ancient Greece during the Peloponnesian War, it features a massive world, a branching dialogue system, and multiple endings. You can choose to play as Alexios or Kassandra (Kassandra is the canon choice). The combat is satisfying, and the naval gameplay returns. However, the story is bloated, and the level-gating can be frustrating. The game is also less about being an Assassin—you are a mercenary, not a member of the Hidden Ones. It is a great game, but it feels less like an Assassin’s Creed title and more like a Greek mythology RPG.
The Masterpieces: 6. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (2013) & 5. Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood (2010)
Black Flag is a fan favorite and for good reason. It took the naval combat introduced in AC III and made it the centerpiece. Playing as Edward Kenway, a pirate who stumbles into the Assassin-Templar conflict, is a joy. The game is a brilliant pirate simulator, with ship upgrades, sea shanties, and island exploration. The story is surprisingly deep, with Edward’s arc from selfish rogue to a man of principle. The modern-day sections are weak, but the historical world is so compelling that it doesn’t matter. It is one of the best pirate games ever made, and a top-tier Assassin’s Creed.
Brotherhood is the best of the classic formula. It takes everything from AC II and refines it. Set in Rome, it expands Ezio’s story and introduces the assassin recruit system, which lets you call in trained assassins to help in combat. The game is tighter, faster, and more polished than its predecessor. The Borgia faction adds a layer of strategy to the open world. It is a direct sequel that improves on the original in every way, and many consider it the peak of the series’ traditional style.
The Overall Best: 4. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (2020) & 3. Assassin’s Creed Mirage (2023)
Valhalla is the most ambitious game in the series. Set in 9th-century England, it follows Eivor, a Viking raider, as they forge a new home. The game is enormous, with a main story that can take over 60 hours. It combines the RPG mechanics of Origins and Odyssey with a return to more traditional Assassin elements, like social stealth and a hidden blade. The combat is brutal and satisfying, and the settlement-building adds a layer of strategy. The story is long and sometimes meandering, but the character of Eivor is compelling. It is not perfect, but its sheer scale and quality make it a top contender.
Mirage is a love letter to the classic games. Released in 2023, it is a smaller, more focused experience that returns to the stealth and parkour of the early entries. Set in 9th-century Baghdad, you play as Basim, a street thief who becomes a Hidden One. The game strips away the RPG leveling and loot systems, offering a more streamlined experience. It is a beautiful, tight, and well-designed game that proves the series can still do stealth well. It is not as epic as Valhalla, but it is a more cohesive and enjoyable experience for many fans. It ranks high because it respects the core fantasy of being an assassin.
The Absolute Best: 2. Assassin’s Creed II (2009) & 1. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (2013)
Wait, we already placed these. Let’s re-rank properly. After careful consideration, the top two are:
2. Assassin’s Creed II (2009) – It is the quintessential Assassin’s Creed experience. The story of Ezio is iconic, the setting is beautiful, and the gameplay is a massive improvement over the original. It set the standard for the series and remains a beloved classic.
1. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (2013) – It is the most fun and memorable game in the series. The pirate fantasy is perfectly realized, the world is alive, and the story is surprisingly emotional. It is a game that transcends its franchise and stands as a masterpiece of open-world game design. It is the game that even non-Assassin’s Creed fans love.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Assassin’s Creed game should I start with?
If you want a classic experience, start with Assassin’s Creed II. If you prefer modern RPGs, start with Origins or Odyssey. If you want a shorter, stealth-focused game, play Mirage.
Is Assassin’s Creed Valhalla too long?
Yes, it is one of the longest games in the series, with a main story that can take over 60 hours. Many players find it too bloated, but if you enjoy Viking history and large open worlds, it is worth the time.
What is the correct chronological order of the games?
The chronological order by historical setting is: Odyssey (Ancient Greece), Origins (Egypt), Mirage (Baghdad), Assassin’s Creed (Crusades), II (Renaissance), Brotherhood (Rome), Revelations (Constantinople), Black Flag (Pirates), Rogue (Seven Years’ War), III (American Revolution), Unity (French Revolution), Syndicate (London), and Valhalla (Viking England).
Are the RPG games (Origins, Odyssey, Valhalla) real Assassin’s Creed games?
Yes, they are official mainline entries, but they focus more on RPG mechanics and less on stealth and parkour. Some fans see them as a departure, but they are still part of the official canon.
Which game has the best story?
Many fans consider Assassin’s Creed II to have the best story, due to Ezio’s character arc. Others prefer Black Flag for its emotional narrative, or Origins for its grounded, tragic tale.
Is Assassin’s Creed Mirage a full-length game?
Yes, it is a full game, but it is shorter than the recent RPG entries, with a main story of about 15-20 hours. It was designed as a smaller, more focused experience.
Related
Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.