To play Assassin's Creed in story order, follow the release sequence for the overarching modern-day plot (AC1, AC2, Brotherhood, Revelations, AC3, Black Flag, Rogue, Unity, Syndicate, Origins, Odyssey, Valhalla, Mirage), but for historical settings, start with Odyssey (Ancient Greece), then Origins (Egypt), Mirage (Baghdad), Valhalla (Vikings), and so on. Release order is best for the full meta-story, while historical order offers chronological settings, with Black Flag, Unity, and Syndicate being somewhat standalone historically.
The "best" Assassin's Creed game is subjective, but Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is often cited for its pirate fantasy and naval combat, while Assassin's Creed II and its sequel Brotherhood are lauded for classic stealth, story, and the iconic Ezio Auditore. For RPG fans, Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Origins are popular for their vast worlds and deeper mechanics, though they lean less on traditional stealth, with newer titles like Shadows blending the old and new.
Neither Assassin's Creed Valhalla nor Odyssey is objectively "better"; they excel in different areas, with Odyssey praised for its vibrant Ancient Greece, engaging protagonist (Kassandra/Alexios), and myth-driven story, while Valhalla is favored by some for its detailed Norse setting, focused alliance structure, stronger combat, and base-building, though its story and stealth can be divisive. Your preference depends on whether you prefer the bright, mythological feel of Greece or the grittier, alliance-focused Viking era.
The hardest Assassin's Creed game often cited by players is Assassin's Creed Unity, due to its notoriously clunky controls, challenging combat where enemies are tough to take down efficiently, and demanding stealth, making progression a frustrating grind rather than a smooth experience. Other contenders for difficulty include Assassin's Creed Origins (tough combat without easy heals/stealth) and Odyssey (Nightmare mode, hard bosses like Medusa) for RPG-style challenges, while older titles like Brotherhood are tough for 100% completion due to tedious tasks.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey is a 2018 action role-playing game developed by Ubisoft Quebec and published by Ubisoft. It is the eleventh major installment in the Assassin's Creed series and the successor to Assassin's Creed Origins (2017).
I think typical time to beat just the story is around 60 hours or so which is a little bit longer than Odyssey. If you are feeling any sort of burn out from Odyssey I would recommend taking a bit of time off before launching into Valhalla. It's a massive game and the story alone is very very long.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla is a 2020 action role-playing game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. It is the twelfth major installment in the Assassin's Creed series, and the successor to 2018's Assassin's Creed Odyssey.
There's no single "worst" Assassin's Creed game, as opinions vary, but Unity (due to launch bugs), Rogue (rushed feel, weak writing), Assassin's Creed III (bland hero/missions), and Memories (poor mobile game) are frequently cited, with some newer RPGs like Valhalla or Odyssey also criticized for straying too far from classic formula or being bloated.
While specific player counts vary by platform and time, Assassin's Creed Valhalla often appears as the most played or best-selling, especially on PC (Steam) and historically, with massive player engagement, alongside recent entries like Assassin's Creed Shadows showing high peaks, but classic RPGs Odyssey and Origins, and even Black Flag, consistently rank high in player numbers and sales across the franchise's history, with Valhalla leading recent sales figures.
Yes, all Assassin's Creed games are connected through an overarching modern-day story and the recurring conflict between Assassins and Templars, but they are often split into distinct sagas, with some historical stories being more self-contained or directly linked (like AC2, Brotherhood, Revelations) while others form mini-arcs (like Black Flag, Rogue, Unity) or offer standalone experiences with lore nods. You can play many as standalone adventures, but playing in order (or at least through the core trilogies) offers deeper context for the overarching lore.
While subjective, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is frequently cited as having the best story for its compelling pirate protagonist Edward Kenway, rich world, and compelling blend of fortune-seeking and ancient mysteries, with Assassin's Creed II praised for its iconic character (Ezio Auditore) and emotional depth, and Origins for its strong central relationship. Other top contenders often include Brotherhood, Rogue (for its unique perspective), and Odyssey (for RPG fans).
Do I need to play all Assassin's Creed games in order?
No, you don't have to play Assassin's Creed games in strict order, as most modern entries function as standalones, but playing in release order (or focusing on specific arcs like the Ezio Trilogy) offers a much richer, more cohesive experience for the overarching lore and modern-day story, especially for the early games where direct sequels exist (like Brotherhood following AC2). Newer titles are more self-contained, but the older ones build a continuous narrative.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla is often criticized for its bloated, repetitive open world filled with checklist activities, a confusing and overly long structure, clunky stealth mechanics that feel disconnected from the series' roots, uninspired side content like pointless collectibles, weak story pacing, and a lack of focus, leading many to feel it lost its Assassin's Creed identity in favor of a generic Ubisoft RPG formula. Issues also include poor checkpoints, unengaging main character voice acting, and a design that tries to balance old-school AC with the newer RPG style, failing at both for some players.
If you're a fan of story-driven games, Odyssey is the clear winner. However, if you're looking for something different and enjoy the Viking era, Valhalla is worth a try.
There's no single "best" Assassin's Creed, but fan favorites often center around Assassin's Creed II (Ezio Trilogy) for its story/setting, Black Flag for pirate adventure, and the RPG-style entries like Odyssey/Origins for massive worlds and deep gameplay, while the newer Shadows is praised for stealth. The "best" depends on what you want: classic stealth (AC2), naval action (Black Flag), or modern RPG mechanics (Origins/Odyssey).
Assassin's Creed Valhalla's length varies significantly by playstyle, but generally takes 60-65 hours for the main story, around 100 hours for main story plus side quests, and 150+ hours for 100% completion, with many players spending hundreds of hours exploring its vast world and content. Expect substantial playtime, easily extending beyond 100 hours if you engage with side activities and collectibles, as noted by HowLongToBeat.com and Reddit users.
The crossover saw both games receive a new free story arc update, with "Those Who Are Treasured" in Odyssey that had Kassandra travel to the island of Korfu to explore the consequences of obtaining the immortality-granting Staff of Hermes Trismegistus, while "A Fated Encounter" in Valhalla had Eivor travel to the Isle ...
Origins has a better story and characters, gameplay is good, graphics are great which are almost the same in odyssey too but the environment of origins makes everything look so much better. Odyssey has slightly better gameplay but the voice acting only gets worse and the story drops off or is ruined by writing etc.
Odyssey takes place hundreds of years before Origins and so that story could easily have been told first, either way you're not really missing out on info by not playing Origins.