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, when Haytham Kenway completes his mission to assemble a group of assassins in the New World. Or so the player is led to believe. Haytham, equipped with a hidden blade and exuding the same charisma as the beloved Ezio Auditore, has up to this point played the role of a hero, liberating Native Americans from prison and confronting arrogant British redcoats. It's only when he utters the iconic phrase, "May the Father of Understanding guide us," that the shocking truth is revealed: we've been following the Templars, the sworn enemies of the Assassins.

This twist exemplifies the true potential of the Assassin’s Creed series. The original game introduced a fascinating concept—hunt, understand, and eliminate your targets—but it struggled with a lackluster narrative, with both protagonist Altaïr and his targets lacking depth. Assassin’s Creed 2 improved upon this by introducing the iconic Ezio, yet it still fell short in developing its antagonists, notably Cesare Borgia in the spinoff Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood. It wasn't until Assassin’s Creed 3, set during the American Revolution, that Ubisoft fully committed to developing both the hunter and the hunted. This approach created a seamless narrative flow from setup to payoff, striking a delicate balance between gameplay and story that has yet to be replicated in subsequent titles.

While the current RPG-focused era of the series has been generally well-received, there's a consensus among players and critics that Assassin’s Creed is experiencing a decline. The reasons for this are debated, with some citing the increasingly fantastical elements like battling gods such as Anubis and Fenrir, while others criticize the introduction of diverse romance options or the use of real historical figures like Yasuke in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. However, I believe the root of this decline lies in the series' shift away from character-driven storytelling, which has become overshadowed by expansive sandbox elements.

Over time, Assassin’s Creed has expanded its original action-adventure formula with RPG and live service elements, including dialogue trees, XP-based leveling systems, loot boxes, microtransactions, and gear customization. Yet, as the games have grown larger, they've begun to feel more hollow, not just in terms of repetitive side missions but also in their storytelling. While a game like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey offers more content than Assassin’s Creed 2, much of it feels less polished and immersive. The introduction of player choice through dialogue and actions, while theoretically enhancing immersion, often results in scripts that feel stretched thin, lacking the focused, screenplay-like quality of the earlier action-adventure titles.

This shift has led to a noticeable decline in character development, making interactions feel more like encounters with generic NPCs rather than complex historical figures. The Xbox 360/PS3 era of the series, in contrast, delivered some of the most compelling writing in gaming, from Ezio’s passionate declaration, "Do not follow me, or anyone else!" after defeating Savonarola, to 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 suffered in other ways. Modern games often simplify the moral dichotomy to Assassins = good and Templars = bad, whereas earlier titles explored the blurred lines between the two factions. In Assassin’s Creed 3, each defeated Templar challenges Connor's—and by extension, the player's—beliefs. William Johnson suggests the Templars could have prevented the Native American genocide. Thomas Hickey dismisses the Assassins' mission as unrealistic, while Benjamin Church argues that perspective shapes reality, with the British viewing themselves as victims. Haytham himself undermines Connor's trust in George Washington, hinting that the new nation might be as oppressive as the monarchy it replaced—a claim validated when it's revealed that Washington, not Charles Lee, ordered the burning of Connor's village. By the game's end, players are left with more questions than answers, enriching the narrative.

Reflecting on the series' history, it's clear why "Ezio’s Family" from the Assassin’s Creed 2 soundtrack became the series' theme. The PS3-era games, especially Assassin’s Creed 2 and 3, were fundamentally character-driven, with "Ezio’s Family" evoking not just the Renaissance setting but Ezio's personal loss. While I appreciate the expansive worldbuilding and graphical advancements of the current Assassin’s Creed games, I hope the franchise will eventually return to its roots, delivering the focused, character-centric stories that originally captivated me. However, in today's market, dominated by vast sandboxes and live service ambitions, such a return might not align with "good business" practices.