Assassin's Creed 2 and 3: The Pinnacle of Series Writing

One of the most unforgettable moments in the entire Assassin’s Creed series occurs early in Assassin’s Creed 3, as Haytham Kenway assembles his team in the New World. Players might initially believe they are joining a group of assassins due to Haytham's use of a hidden blade and his charismatic nature, reminiscent of Ezio Auditore. Up until this point, Haytham has played the hero, freeing Native Americans from prison and confronting British redcoats. However, the revelation that he is a Templar comes as a shock when he utters the phrase, "May the Father of Understanding guide us." This twist showcases the series' potential for complex storytelling.

In my opinion, this setup exemplifies the peak of Assassin’s Creed's narrative capabilities. The original game introduced an innovative concept of identifying, understanding, and eliminating targets, yet it struggled with character development, leaving both Altaïr and his targets lacking depth. Assassin’s Creed 2 improved this with the introduction of the iconic Ezio, but his adversaries, such as Cesare Borgia in Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, remained underdeveloped. It was not until Assassin’s Creed 3, set during the American Revolution, that Ubisoft truly devoted effort to fleshing out both the hunted and the hunter. This approach created a seamless narrative flow and achieved a balance between gameplay and story that has not been replicated since.

While the current RPG-focused era of the series has generally been well-received, there's a consensus among players and critics that Assassin’s Creed is experiencing a decline. Discussions often focus on the increasingly fantastical elements, such as battling mythological figures like Anubis and Fenrir, or the inclusion of varied romance options and historical figures like Yasuke in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Personally, I believe the decline stems from the series' shift away from character-driven storytelling, which has become overshadowed by its expansive sandbox environments.

Over the years, Assassin’s Creed has expanded its original action-adventure framework with RPG and live service elements, including dialogue trees, XP-based leveling systems, loot boxes, microtransactions, and gear customization. However, as the games have grown larger, they've begun to feel less substantial, not only in terms of repetitive side missions but also in their storytelling. For example, while Assassin’s Creed Odyssey offers more content than Assassin’s Creed 2, much of it feels less polished and less engaging. The introduction of multiple dialogue options and scenarios can dilute the narrative, making it harder to create sharply defined characters and maintain immersion.

The focused, screenplay-like scripts of the series’ early action-adventure era allowed for characters with depth, as seen in Ezio’s passionate speech after defeating Savonarola or Haytham’s poignant final words to his son, Connor:

*“Don't think I have any intention of caressing your cheek and saying I was wrong. I will not weep and wonder what might have been. I'm sure you understand. Still, I'm proud of you in a way. You have shown great conviction. Strength. Courage. All noble qualities. I should have killed you long ago.”*

The narrative quality has also declined in other ways. Modern games often simplify the conflict into a clear-cut good vs. evil dichotomy, whereas earlier entries explored the blurred lines between Assassins and Templars. In Assassin’s Creed 3, each defeated Templar challenges Connor’s (and the player’s) beliefs. William Johnson suggests the Templars could have prevented the Native American genocide. Thomas Hickey criticizes the Assassins’ idealism, while Benjamin Church argues that perspectives differ, with the British viewing themselves as victims. Haytham questions Connor’s faith in George Washington, hinting at future despotism—a claim validated when it’s revealed that Washington, not Charles Lee, ordered the burning of Connor’s village. By the game’s end, the narrative leaves players with more questions than answers, strengthening the story.

Reflecting on the franchise's history, the enduring appeal of "Ezio’s Family" from the Assassin’s Creed 2 soundtrack, composed by Jesper Kyd, underscores the impact of the PS3-era games. These games, especially Assassin’s Creed 2 and Assassin’s Creed 3, were fundamentally driven by character narratives. The melancholic guitar strings of "Ezio’s Family" captured Ezio's personal loss rather than just the game’s setting. While I appreciate the expansive worldbuilding and graphical advancements in the current generation of Assassin’s Creed games, I hope the series will return to its roots with more focused, character-centric stories. However, in an industry increasingly focused on expansive sandboxes and live service models, such a return may not align with "good business" practices.