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.
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.