Summary
Ever since the first installment in the series came out in 2007,Assassin’s Creedhas redefined what a stealth game is supposed to be. With itsextremely likable main characters, strong historical influences, and exciting methods of dispatching enemies from the shadows, it’s not surprising that this franchise has survived for so long.
That said, even among the greatest treasures, some jewels shine brighter than others. Stealth mechanics are one of the key elements that makeAssassin’s Creedgreat; however, there are others, such as combat design, that can make the difference between a timeless classic and a forgettable release in the series' long life. Here are theAssassin’s Creedgameswith the best combat.
WhenAssassin’s Creed 4: Black Flagcame out, the franchise was already well-established and had a massive following of loyal gamers, some of whom had been devoted fans since the days of Altair.
While the game shines in several areasa, such as the sea shanties and the ability to sail the open seas, it lacks a certain sparkle in others, such as in its combat. AlthoughBlack Flaghas one of the largest variety of enemies in the series, they sometimes f teeloo easy to kill, which can be disappointing.
For thousands of players, Altair’s story was the spark that lit the fire in theirAssassin’s Creedjourney. Even from day one, the game felt new, refreshing, and complex enough to merit several hours of dedication in order to learn the ropes and discover every nook and cranny of the map.
For a 2007 game, it still holds up very well by modern standards. However, one of the reasons it doesn’t rank higher on this list is its combat mechanics.Assassin’s Creedhas parries, heavy attacks, and even counter-kills, which makes the game fun to play, but it can’t hold a candle to other installments that do combat better.
For most old-school gamers,the Ezio trilogyis undoubtedly the most recognizable aspect of theAssassin’s Creedfranchise, and how can it not be? It has a compelling story with relatable characters, beautiful cities with intricate details, and some of the best combat mechanics in the series.
As the closer of the magnificent Ezio trilogy,Assassin’s Creed: Revelationsintroduced new game mechanics and weapon variants, such as the Hookblade, which made free running and street fights much more fluid. All in all, while the game doesn’t innovate as much as the earlier installments of the trilogy, it still deserves praise for what it gets right.
Every great story must start somewhere.Assassin’s Creed 2managed to take the best aspects of its predecessor and improved on them significantly, while also adding a fair number of its own new ideas. This game was the birth ofintricate hidden blade upgradesand mechanics, such as poison darts, ledge assassinations, double hidden blades, and many more.
Ezio Auditore’s origin story also introduced more complex counter-kill moves, several weapon upgrade possibilities, and enemy animations that make combat feel significantly more complete without being overwhelming or tedious. It was a huge improvement on the series' first game.
Love it or hate it, it’s undeniable thatAssassin’s Creed Originswas a turning point for the franchise. Released afterAssassin’s Creed Syndicate, this title saw a transition from the stealth-focused single-player game mechanics of the last nine games, to a more RPG-based approach to both story and combat.
As opposed toAssassin’s Creed Valhalla,Origins' combat feels fast-paced and flows naturally. The introduction of shield parries and weapon ranking systems makes fighting enemies and performing assassinations in this game a very enjoyable experience.
The French Revolution is a well-known and exciting part of human history, which is why a game set during that period was always meant to be great. AlthoughAssassin’s Creed Unitydoesn’t break the mold when it comes to the overall game mechanics, objectives, and pace of the franchise, it does make the player’s mistakes more costly. In previous games, failing to approach an enemy quietly wasn’t punished too severely; worst-case scenario, a group of pushover guards would rush to the spot and that was that.
Unity, however, isn’t like that. This is the first installment in the franchise where players must actually design their assassination plans carefully and remain in the shadows as often as possible, as escaping the guards is a lot harder than before. This game’s combat is also heightened by the impact the right clothes/armor have, and how wisely Arno chooses his attack windows. All in all, if players can ignoreArno’s tragic lifein the aftermath of the game,Unityis a great title to play.
LikeUnity,Assassin’s Creed 3is set in another revolutionary period of human history, but instead of guillotines and cake-loving monarchs, the game explores the world of the American founding fathers and the Independence War. The introduction of the Rope Dart makes Connor a force to be reckoned with, as it allows players to explore and discover new and improved ways to fight enemies, or even drag them to dark corners where they can be dispatched quietly.
The game’s finisher animations look considerably more polished than in previous releases, which is admirable, as almost every weapon seems to have a different one. Also, medicine isn’t an option in this installment, so players are forced to pick their fights wisely and be more careful while free running to avoid falling to their deaths.
The premise of running freely throughout the beautiful Roman countryside in the Renaissance era is very attractive, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to whyAssassin’s Creed: Brotherhoodis so great. The combat mechanics in this title innovated so much on the previous entry that, at times, it feels like a completely different game than its predecessors.
With the introduction of Assassin recruits who can fire arrows at enemies from a distance, chain kills, and even spear launching to dismount enemies, it’s hard to make a case againstBrotherhood. Let’s not forget about Da Vinci’s war machines either, which completely changed the Ezio trilogy in the best possible way.
