The Assassin’s Creed franchise has been around for almost two decades at the time of writing this article, and during this time, several titles in different historical periods have been released. While not every game has received a much-needed sequel to expand on a character’s story, the fun is still there, even if players can’t connect as much with the leading assassins as they did with Ezio throughout his trilogy.

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Some Assassin’s Creed games focus on delivering the best gameplay experience possible, while others bet on their narrative a lot more to make up for any weaknesses in game mechanics. Here are the worst Assassin’s Creed games for newcomers. This list will not focus on quality, but rather on those titles that are the most inaccessible or complex for those getting into the franchise.

7

Assassin’s Creed 3

The Introduction Of Naval Combat Can Be A Bit Much

• Good story, although some characters lacked depth
• New game mechanics that can often feel overwhelming

Assassin’s Creed 3 is, by no means, the best installment in the franchise, as it lacked some depth with some of its characters. And while the story revolving around the American Revolution and its historical figures was interesting, there was some room for improvement. Having said that, that’s not the reason why the game has made the list, but rather because it implemented new game mechanics that, while attractive to longtime fans, might be too much for newcomers.

The introduction of naval combat, for example, was a great idea by Ubisoft, but it might take some newcomers by surprise.

6

Assassin’s Creed Rogue

The Story Isn’t The Best, So It Might Be Hard For Newcomers To Get Hooked On The Franchise

• Good leading character, but others have been better
• Since it serves as a bridge between previous titles, some parts of the narrative can be confusing for newcomers

Assassin’s Creed Rogue is not the most popular title in the franchise. This isn’t necessarily because it’s bad, but rather because it had an underdeveloped story that paled in comparison to other narrative masterpieces throughout the franchise’s history. Serving as a bridge between previous titles and taking place slightly before Assassin’s Creed Unity, it can be easy for newcomers to be taken by surprise by certain elements they were never exposed to and characters they’ve never seen before.

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Shay Patrick Cormac is a good leading character, but not as great or intricate as Ezio, Bayek, or Arno.

5

Assassin’s Creed Unity

Known For Being Quite Buggy

• Beautiful rendition of 18th-century France
• Bugs and glitches were prominent in this title

Assassin’s Creed Unity is a very fun title with a beautifully designed rendition of France during the French Revolution. However, the game’s innovative game mechanics and outstanding detail could not save it from the uproar that the buggy experience caused among players.

Although most of the bugs and game-breaking glitches have been addressed over the years, there may still be some left that can make the experience for newcomers less than pleasant. This can be considerably worsened by using mods, so players who want to keep their playthrough as uneventful as possible might want to tread lightly.

4

Assassin’s Creed Origins

The Franchise’s First Full-Fledged RPG Title

• First Assassin’s Creed title to introduce full RPG mechanics
• Newcomers should play previous titles that still had the classic formula

Assassin’s Creed Origins is probably the most controversial Assassin’s Creed title to date, as it was the first installment to heavily deviate from the standard formula that made the franchise famous in order to dive into RPG territory. For the most part, the game delivers on what it promises and is actually quite fun to play.

However, newcomers who want to get the classic Assassin’s Creed experience will want to start elsewhere. Starting with Altair’s story by completing the original Assassin’s Creed is a great idea, even though the title’s mechanics are a bit clunky.

3

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

The Map Is Quite Large And Can Be Daunting For Newcomers

• Ancient Greece holds many secrets
• The map can be a bit overwhelming for newcomers

Ancient Greece is probably one of the most important periods in human history, as it had some of the most renowned philosophers to have ever existed, epic wars, and tons of literary works that are still studied today. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey follows the formula that Assassin’s Creed Origins established and builds on it significantly with new characters, a compelling story, and improved mechanics.

While it’s not recommended for newcomers to the franchise to start by playing the games in the post-RPG era, those who wish to do it will find a few challenges in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. For players who’ve already completed the game a few times, there are some interesting ways to shake up a second playthrough out there.

2

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

Strategic Approaches And Wiser Combat Moves Are Required

• Several game mechanics that can be overwhelming
• The Viking era makes for an interesting setting

Years before Assassin’s Creed Valhalla was released, thousands of the Assassin’s Creed franchise’s fans had already been asking for a game set in the Viking era. When it finally came out, some players loved it, while others criticized it for the downloadable content and some historical inaccuracies that took away from the game’s narrative.

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The problem with newcomers having their first Assassin’s Creed experience with Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is the same as with other titles in the post-RPG era. There are too many game mechanics, and the main focus isn’t solely on assassinating targets as it once used to be. This title is great fun and should be played by fans of the franchise, but probably not as a first point of contact with this universe. Players who’ve already completed this game once, might be interested in finding a few new ways to shake their second playthrough up.

1

Assassin’s Creed Revelations

Diving Into The Franchise On The Third Installment Of A Trilogy Can Result In Many Things Not Making Sense

• The epic conclusion to Ezio’s Trilogy
• Set in Renaissance Constantinople

The Ezio Trilogy is regarded by most longtime fans of the Assassin’s Creed franchise as the best in its universe. Not only does it follow a character that players had three different installments to become familiar with, but it’s also set in Renaissance Italy and Constantinople, which are, to say the least, very interesting historical periods to explore.

Assassin’s Creed Revelations is probably the worst game for newcomers to get started with. Not because it’s bad or because the narrative is lacking, but rather because it’s the final installment of the Ezio Trilogy. This title is one of the most immersive in the Assassin’s Creed franchise, but since it continues Ezio’s story and also touches heavily on Altair’s, newcomers will be extremely confused by many of the events that take place throughout the narrative.

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