Classic Games

Assassin's Creed

History as playground

Assassin's Creed blended historical settings with open-world action, creating a franchise spanning centuries of stealthy parkour and hidden blade combat.

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Overview

Assassin’s Creed merged Prince of Persia’s acrobatics with open-world exploration and historical tourism. Players climbed landmarks, blended with crowds, and assassinated targets across meticulously recreated historical settings. The franchise became Ubisoft’s flagship, releasing annual entries that spanned the Crusades to ancient Greece.

Fast facts

  • Developer: Ubisoft Montreal.
  • Publisher: Ubisoft.
  • Creator: Patrice Désilets.
  • Framing device: Animus genetic memory machine.
  • Franchise sales: 200+ million units.

Core mechanics

System Function
Parkour Fluid movement across architecture
Crowd blending Hide in plain sight
Eagle vision Highlight targets and clues
Hidden blade Signature assassination tool
Synchronisation Viewpoint reveals map

Historical settings

Entry Era Location
Assassin’s Creed 12th century Holy Land, Crusades
AC II 15th century Renaissance Italy
AC III 18th century American Revolution
AC IV: Black Flag 18th century Caribbean piracy
AC Origins Ancient Egypt Ptolemaic period
AC Odyssey 5th century BCE Ancient Greece
AC Valhalla 9th century Viking expansion

The Animus concept

Framing narrative:

  • Modern-day protagonist (Desmond, later others).
  • Accesses ancestor memories via machine.
  • Explains respawning (desynchronisation).
  • Connects disparate historical periods.
  • Became increasingly sidelined over time.

Design evolution

Early entries (2007-2015):

  • Linear story missions.
  • Dense urban environments.
  • Annual releases.
  • Stealth emphasis.

RPG era (2017-present):

  • Open-world regions.
  • Levelling and gear systems.
  • Dialogue choices.
  • Longer development cycles.

Technical showcase

Each entry demonstrated:

  • Crowd simulation (hundreds of NPCs).
  • Historical architecture recreation.
  • Draw distance for landmark climbing.
  • Motion-captured combat.

Franchise sprawl

Beyond games:

  • Novels and comics.
  • Film adaptation (2016).
  • Mobile spin-offs.
  • Crossovers and collaborations.

Criticism and refinement

Common critiques:

  • Repetitive mission structure.
  • Collectible overload.
  • Formulaic open-world design.
  • Historical accuracy vs. entertainment.

Responses: varied game pace, reduced annual releases.

Cultural contribution

Assassin’s Creed popularised:

  • Historical tourism in games.
  • Parkour as game mechanic.
  • “Ubisoft open-world” template.
  • Educational Discovery Tour modes.

See also