Assassin's Creed is well-known for its evolving gameplay, memorable characters like Ezio and Evie, and most importantly, its exciting stories that mix real history with fiction. Each game takes you to a different time period, bringing historical events and figures to life. Storytelling has always been a strong point, keeping fans hooked on the battle between Assassins and Templars.

The first game in the franchise was released in 2007, and there have been many more installments since then, bringing players on new adventures and introducing them to new storylines and characters. The storylines are often fueled by the Assassin's journey, usually filled with loss, betrayal, and growth. With so many games in the series, some stories stand out more than others because of their memorable characters, strong emotions, historical impact, and shocking twists.

5 Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

Take To The Caribbean On The Jackdaw Ship

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is a highly rated installment in the franchise. With a score of 85 on OpenCritic, it received praise for being different from its predecessors. And it's true, too. Black Flag introduced a strong focus on naval exploration and combat, while keeping the same stealth mechanics that fans of previous games enjoyed. For the first time, you were able to take control of a ship and explore the Caribbean as a pirate-turned-assassin. Set in the Golden Age of Piracy, between 1715 and 1722, the game unfolds on both land and sea, as you face off against pirates and hunt for buried treasures.

The story is split between two timelines. In the modern-day setting, you control an employee of Abstergo Entertainment, a company run by the secretive Templars. Your job is to explore Edward Kenway’s memories using the Animus — a machine that lets people relive their ancestors’ experiences. However, as the game progresses, you uncover a deeper conspiracy involving Abstergo’s true motives.

The historical storyline follows Edward Kenway, a Welsh privateer who turns to piracy in search of wealth. He gets caught between the Assassins and Templars while hunting for a legendary site called the Observatory, which can track anyone in the world using a drop of their blood. Along the way, Edward interacts with memorable pirates and characters like Blackbeard, Charles Vane, and Anne Bonny. The game also covers the rise and fall of the Pirate Republic — the dream of a free and independent pirate society.

A DLC expansion for Black Flag, Freedom Cry, was released in 2014 and later became a standalone game. It follows Adéwalé, Edward’s former quartermaster, who becomes an Assassin and fights against slavery in the Caribbean.

Unlike earlier Assassin’s Creed games, Black Flag focuses heavily on naval exploration. You command the Jackdaw, Edward’s ship, and can upgrade it with better weapons and armor. Naval battles are a big part of the game, with players able to attack, board, and capture enemy ships. The open world includes islands, forts, and shipwrecks to explore, along with activities like harpooning sharks, hunting animals, and searching for treasure.

On land, you can sneak through jungles, climb buildings, and assassinate targets using classic parkour and stealth mechanics. The combat system is similar to previous games, allowing for sword fights and gunplay. You can also recruit a crew to help during ship battles.

4 Assassin's Creed: Revelations

Finish Exploring Ezio Auditore da Firenze's Story

Ezio Auditore da Firenze is undoubtedly one of Assassin's Creed's most memorable and fan-favorite characters, so much so that he has three Assassin's Creed games dedicated to his story. Revelations is the final game in the Ezio trilogy, bringing his story to a close, while also tying together the stories of Altair and Desmond Miles. Revelations has a score of 80 on Metacritic.

Set in the bustling city of Constantinople during the early 16th century, you take control of an older, more seasoned Ezio as he seeks the lost keys to Altair’s library in Masyaf. These keys hold the secrets of the Assassin Brotherhood and allow Ezio to relive moments from Altair’s past, providing deeper insight into the first game’s protagonist. Meanwhile, a war for the Ottoman throne is brewing, with the Templars seeking power and control over the region.

Revelations brings multiplayer back, allowing players to take control of Templar agents.

One of the most exciting additions in Revelations is the Hookblade, a tool that extends Ezio’s reach, allowing him to climb faster and zipline across the city. This addition makes movement through Constantinople more fluid and dynamic. The game also introduces a bomb-crafting system, giving you the ability to create various explosive devices for stealth, distraction, or combat purposes.

Beyond Ezio’s journey, the game explores Desmond’s struggle to regain consciousness after falling into a coma. Trapped in the Animus, Desmond explores his subconscious through puzzle-like platforming sequences, offering a more personal look into his past.

3 Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

Explore Rome And Rebuild The Brotherhood

Released in 2010, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, is the second part of the Ezio trilogy and has a score of 89 on Metacritic. The story follows Ezio Auditore da Firenze as he continues his fight against the Templars, focusing on rebuilding the Assassin Brotherhood in Rome. The game also includes modern-day sequences where Desmond Miles, the present-day protagonist, relives Ezio’s memories through the Animus device to uncover secrets that can help stop a global disaster.

Brotherhood won multiple awards, including a BAFTA for Best Action Game, and sold over 7 million copies by 2011.

Set during the early 1500s, Brotherhood takes place mainly in Rome, a city under the control of the corrupt Borgia family. Ezio works to weaken their power by recruiting new assassins, destroying enemy strongholds, and helping the people of Rome. You can explore the city freely, complete side missions, and take down enemies using Ezio’s stealth, combat, and parkour skills. New gameplay features include recruiting and commanding fellow assassins in battle.

Brotherhood builds on what Assassin's Creed II started, but improves on its predecessor with a stronger story and new gameplay features. It was also the first Assassin's Creed game to introduce multiplayer.

2 Assassin's Creed II

Enter Ezio's Story Of Revenge For His Family

Assassin's Creed II was released in 2009 as the sequel to the first Assassin's Creed game. It's also the first game to introduce Ezio Auditore da Firenze and his story, which takes place during the Renaissance in Italy, between 1476 and 1499. Ezio, seeking revenge for the wrongful deaths of his father and brothers, becomes involved in the conflict between the Assassins and Templars.

The first game in the franchise isn't just known for what started it all — it's also known for its own strong storyline.

Ezio is helped by historical figures in Assassin's Creed II like Leonardo da Vinci, who provides him with new weapons and gadgets based on ancient designs left by the original Assassin, Altaïr. You can also upgrade their villa, buy new weapons, and interact with NPCs in more ways than in the first game, including hiring mercenaries or courtesans for assistance.

Several DLC were released for Assassin's Creed II. The Battle of Forlì was the first, expanding the story of Forlì and the character of Caterina Sforza. Bonfire of the Vanities followed, adding new missions, like a flying machine memory and access to Florence's southern district.

The combat system is more complex than before, allowing players to disarm enemies or use their weapons. There’s also a notoriety system, where Ezio’s actions in the game world affect how the guards and civilians react to him. The game has a rich story filled with twists, and you can enjoy exploring the detailed world, completing main missions, and side quests like races or assassination contracts.

With a score of 90 on Metacritic, Assassin's Creed II received widespread acclaim for its engaging story. It's definitely one of my favorite Assassin's Creed games, allowing me to explore different cities in Italy. Plus, it introduces the Eagle Vision ability, which allows you to easily locate important characters and places (a huge help).

1 Assassin's Creed

Learn The Backstory And Where It All Started

There's nothing quite like the original game in a franchise. It's where it all began and, in the case of Assassin's Creed, introduced players to the world of Assassins vs. Templars. It set the stage for what would become a legendary series, and the captivating storytelling that would follow in the games to come. Still, the first game in the franchise isn't just known for what started it all — it's also known for its own strong storyline.

Assassin's Creed focuses on the story between two secret groups: the Assassins and the Templars. The Assassins fight for freedom, while the Templars want to bring order to the world. The story centers around ancient artifacts called Pieces of Eden, which have the power to control people's minds. Both groups want to find and control these artifacts.

Thanks to the success of the original Assassin's Creed game, the franchise has released 14 mainline games. The newest game, Shadows, is set in feudal Japan in 1579.

The backstory explains that the Isu, an ancient species, created humans to live alongside them. But when the first humans, Adam and Eve, became immune to the Isu's control, they stole the Pieces of Eden. This led to a war that ended with a solar flare destroying the Isu civilization. The Isu’s legacy is hidden in myths, and their technology and artifacts are scattered across the world, often kept in secret places called Temples.

In the present day, Abstergo Industries, a company controlled by the Templars, uses the Animus device to relive their ancestors' memories to find the Pieces of Eden. You control characters like Desmond Miles and Layla Hassan, who explore the memories of famous Assassins like Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, Ezio Auditore, and Kassandra.

Assassin's Creed received a score of 81 on Metacritic. The game’s open world, parkour, and combat made it stand out. Plus, it combined history and fiction, a style that became a defining feature of the series.

Source: Metacritic 1, 2, 3, 4, 5