Summary
People weren’t sure where theAssassin’s Creedseries fit in the gaming world, but it’s becoming a lot about exploration. The series started in the stealth genre, slowly becoming more about action role-playing. The mainline series, however, has never veered away from open-world designs.
Assassin’s Creed’sdevelopers are continually pushing the envelope in open-world design. The series spans at least twenty-two games, making it one of the longest franchises in history. Players can’t go wrong withAssassin’s Creedif they are looking for a breathtaking open-world game.
Updated on Jul 29, 2025, by Gerardo Molina:It’s amazing how much the Assassin’s Creed franchise has evolved since the first title came out in 2007. While Altair’s story was rich and the game mechanics inside it were innovative and fun, they seem rather basic and limited compared to what the franchise offers today. It’s undeniable that, while the Assassin’s Creed universe is still going strong, its golden era was somewhere between 2009 and 2016, as players were given The Ezio Trilogy, Assassin’s Creed 3, and Black Flag, which are considered by many to be the magnum opus of the series.
Being so focused on exploration and parkour, it only makes sense that an open-world setting befits these games, which is why most of them have free roaming and an almost limitless sense of discovery.
Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlinesis a massive achievement that deserves its time in the spotlight for a bevy of reasons. The fact that a fully-fledged open-worldAssassin’s Creedgame was somehow playable on a portable console around 15 years ago is a huge technical achievement that deserves due praise.
Of course, trying to work around the limited hardware of a PSP leads to certain aspects of the game being toned back, with the detail and interactivity of the open world being one such casualty. Cyprus is a fascinating environment to explore in its own right but pales in comparison to the worlds present in the mainline entries, and understandably so.
Of the many offline PC open-world games that simply must be played, nobody is going to considerAssassin’s Creed Roguefor such an honor. It’s not the worst in terms of gameplay, but the “open world” was way too linear, filled with some ofthe most frustrating missions in the series.
Cormac spends all of his time tracking down Assassins and not enough time exploring the world. The game came out on the same day asAssassin’s Creed Unityand it was clear which of the two games was given priority in world-building.
In a simpler time when players could hold all theAssassin’s Creedgames in one hand,Assassin’s Creed: Revelationswas a knockout open-world game. Featuring two of the most prominent figures in the series,Revelationstakes place in different timelines.
It’s not the most expansiveAssassin’s Creedopen world, but it does win points for the setting. The game takes gamers to places like the 16th-century Assassin’s Base in Constantinople and the 12th and 13th centuries in Masyaf. The best way to play this is part of theAssassin’s Creed: The Ezio Collection. Not only does this title offer an amazing closure to the most beloved trilogy in the franchise, but it also answers many questions and unsolved mysteries that were presented in the previous installments.
Moreover,Assassin’s Creed: Revelationsimplemented new game mechanics that built upon those that were already part of Ezio’s moveset in previous installments, consecrating him as the ultimate master Assassin.
The latest title in theAssassin’s Creedseries,Mirage, is a mixed bag for many. Sure, reverting to the roots of theAssassin’s Creedseries is welcome, but doing so at the cost of the world’s scale is not something that many fans were fond of.
That being said, Baghdad’s small world is packed with detail, and the city itself certainly feels alive. However,Assassin’s Creedfans have seen better attempts to recreate smaller and more intimate city environments in other games, which makes this city feel like a step back from the advancements this series has enjoyed.
The fifth major installment in the franchise, and the third in the main series,Assassin’s Creed 3,was released afterAssassin’s Creed: Revelations. As a sequel, the game features an open world ready for exploration. As usual in the early games, players use parkour mechanics and stealth to carry out missions.
Assassin’s Creed 3takes place in the 18th century when piracy was commonplace. This entry was not quite the blockbuster main series game avid fans were looking for, yet there are times when the open world is impressive. The game’s setting, which deeply touches on the American Revolution, has historical figures, such as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Charles Lee, which add a layer of realism to the story, even if the title isn’t fully historically accurate in many areas. Moreover, Connor’s agility makes it very easy to traverse through the American forest areas to deal with his enemies one at a time.
Widely considered one of the bestAssassin’s Creedgames,Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhoodis set in 16th-century Rome. The city of Rome is in ruins due to corruption within the Borgia papacy. The game still follows the Templars, who attempt to gain control.
Along with present-day sections featuring Desmond Miles, players slip into Ezio’s shoes, an Assassin who advocates free will and peace. The open world encourages exploration rather than having a linear focus.Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhoodalso features one of the most complete (if not the most complete) combat systems in the franchise, as it streamlined the process of chaining kills to deal with enemies faster than ever before. Moreover, the ability to recruit other assassins and coordinate attacks with them adds greatly to the experience and makes it much more enjoyable.
SyndicatemodernizedAssassin’s Creedin a way never seen before. The game takes players into a fluid open world with an astonishing amount of detail.Assassin’s Creed Syndicatecontains an abundance of side missions in the 1869 London setting.
The Templars return, once again, but this time they must face twin assassins, Jacob and Evie. Players can travel the world on a carriage or parkour their way with the help of a grappling hook. London is exquisitely designed, but not overly large; it’s one of the few open-world games that can be beaten in under ten hours. This makes it one of thegames in the franchise with the most replayability.
The fifth mainlineAssassin’s Creedgame,Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag, is a sight for sore eyes. The Caribbean map is one of the largest in theAssassin’s Creedseries, and the world is more massive than it seems.
At approximately 90.2 square miles, this open world is of epic proportions. Packed with islands, wildlife, and quests to keep players engaged,Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flaghas one of the best maps in the franchise’s history.
From the rolling hills of England to the foreign tides of America to the back alleys in France,Assassin’s Creed Valhallaexecutes on the environment on the ground. But perhaps its best contribution to the series was in the sky.
Eivor goes through rain, fog, snow, and sun, and the weather never ceases to amaze. It’s got one ofthe most confusing stories in gamingand drops the ball on its characters, but a debatable plot doesn’t stop the agriculture and architecture from shining through.
After the release ofPrince of Persia: The Sands of Time, a project was in development namedPrince of Persia: Assassin.This later evolved into a more ambitious project with a more in-depth story calledAssassin’s Creed.
Bringing a book to life in a video game isn’t easy; readers are particular in how their worlds are detailed. There isn’t much to do inAssassin’s Creed’stwelfth-century Jerusalem, but the city itself is beautiful. The freerunning mechanics were a step forward for exploration, but the game’s open world pales compared to more recentAssassin’s Creedgames.
