Assassin's Creed is one of the most famous game series in recent history; since Ubisoft launched it in 2007 as an alternative to its declining Prince of Persia series of games. The game, which should actually be called Prince of Persia: Assassin, took a difficult turn in its development and spawned a completely different series, releasing a total of 11 major Assassin's Creed games, as well as a few spin-offs, DLC and a movie. Of course, for a 15-year-old franchise, it's perfectly reasonable to have some ups and downs over the years. Unfortunately, not all games have been bestsellers and critically acclaimed when they were released, and several Assassin's Creed games have indeed received harsh criticism. But Assassin's Creed 2 didn't.
Considered by many to be the best Assassin's Creed game ever, backed by a Metacritic score, Assassin's Creed 2 remains the highlight of the series because of its incredible storytelling, fantastic gameplay, and true Assassin's Creed gameplay experience. It may be assumed that the younger generation of gamers did not play an earlier Assassin's Creed game than Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag in 2013 and subsequent versions. So, to bring the conversation closer to those who haven't played any of the previous versions of Black Flag, let's start with a short history lesson to help the younger generation understand why Assassin's Creed 2 is still the best game in the series.
Newly released in 2007, Assassin's Creed is based on the acrobatic games of the Prince of Persia series, but set in an open world, is a huge hit, mainly because it is set in a historically appropriate environment, rather than the fantasy environment in which Prince of Persia originated from One Thousand and One Nights. Everything is better conceptualized; gameplay, combat, action, open-world setup, and so on. But compared to Assassin's Creed 2, the narrative of the original game did lay the groundwork for the success of the series, and now it seems to be developing crudely.
What really makes Assassin's Creed 2 even better than its predecessors is that the city is bigger and prettier, the weapons are more diverse and upgradeable, and the open world is more vivid and easier to customize. For example, players can restore the former beauty and glory of the town of Monterigioni with the currency their character earns in the game – when they don't use the expanded arsenal the game provides to kill the Templars.
But a better way to kill is just a small snippet of Assassin's Creed 2's huge success. The game introduces additional gameplay elements such as collectibles, mercenaries, weapon and armor merchants, ancillary missions, and a host of other mechanics to bring the world to life. It just offers more interaction than previous games. This brings us to the most critical element of the best Assassin's Creed game ever, and that is its protagonist and its narrative.
Ezio Auditore Da Firenze is the second Assassin that players have had the privilege of controlling, and despite Ubisoft's efforts through numerous game versions, the fun has never been replicated. Ezio is probably the most memorable and beloved protagonist in the series, because of his wit and boyish charm, which is what you would expect from an Italian assassin in the Renaissance. These elements of his personality make him one of the most famous protagonists, not only in his native game series, but in the entire game world.
Ezio's motivation was to avenge the unjust summary execution of his father and brother. And his journey to becoming an Assassin, confronting the game's opponent, Rodrigo de Borgia, and ultimately saving his life, proved to be the ultimate arc of character development in one of the most compelling and fascinating narratives the game world has ever seen. The entire story of the best Assassin's Creed game emphasizes the life of a Creed Assassin, which ultimately makes it very different from the rest of the series. It maintains an equally proportional balance of emotionally rich narratives and action-oriented games.
Since 2009's Assassin's Creed 2, a large number of Assassin's Creed games have been released, but none of them have been able to replicate the entire gameplay experience. The newer entries in the series, starting with Black Flag and continuing through Origins and Odyssey, are great games in their own right. But longtime fans of the series agree that they don't feel much like an Assassin's Creed game. By delving into history, crossing the Persian Hassans, entering the history of spartan warriors, and piracy on the high seas, in the new version, being an Assassin seems less important anymore, and the stealth games and battles of cloaks and daggers are clearly severely weakened.
The latest installment in the Assassin's Creed game series, Assassin's Creed: Valhalla, continues to prove why Assassin's Creed is one of the best game series in the world. But according to those who accompanied the series from the beginning, Assassin's Creed: Valhalla's stunning graphics, massive amount of content, and gameplay mechanics still can't match the series' gem, Assassin's Creed 2, the best Assassin's Creed game of all time, and perhaps always will be.