Inevitably, when a company becomes so massive, especially within the entertainment industry, it seems to be doomed to corporate greed and poor business practices. Back in 2007, what is considered one of the greatest years in gaming, we were introduced to Assassin’s Creed. At the time, we didn’t imagine we’d get a zillion fucking sequels, so predictions of where the series were to go next was topic of fascination. The franchise didn’t truly shine until the Ezio Trilogy (3 & Black Flag as well), which I personally think of as the golden-age, but the introduction we got prior to this was innovative for the time. If you played it shortly after release, you probably have fond memories of running around historical cities, leaping across rooftops, sneaking up and stabbing guards and scaling crusader buildings before swan-diving off into conveniently placed haystacks. Mucking around in this game was a joyful time-sink.
The game established an interesting lore between the Assassins and the rival Templars. It also took an unconventional approach at taking place in modern times and told through a series of drawn-out flashback sequences accessible via the animus. We first take control of Desmond Miles, a boring asshole who is the descendant of a lineage of assassins. We discover, through Desmond, that he has a shred of the stabby essence within him but needs to learn, through his ancestor (Altaïr), how to control it. The plot is a little contrived, but if you research what Ubisoft originally had planned for a quadrilogy, it would’ve probably panned out much better. Long story short; Desmond was going to have 4-5 games where, through each ancestor, he would gain a new skill and learn a new aspect of the Assassin Brotherhood. Therefore, by the last game, Desmond would advance to Master Assassin and ultimately take down the evil Abstergo Corporation. Imagine how much cooler that would’ve been! Obviously, this whole idea was shafted as Ubisoft saw the monetary potential in annually sodomizing this dead horse so now every year we become closer and closer to getting Assassin’s Creed on Pluto. This wasn’t always the case…
In the original, you play as trained assassin Altaïr who, along with his brotherhood of assassins, are fighting against corrupt crusader templars and trying to make the world a more peaceful place by, well… stabbing the shit out of people. I always enjoyed the dialogue exchanges between our anti-hero (Altaïr) and the foes we had just slain. After taking out a major target, a cutscene will trigger and we’ll get a more insightful scene between the two opposing figures. This would become a staple for the future of the series and has always been one I was compelled by. The game sparked my interest in the medieval crusader time period through treading the beautiful renditions of historical cities like Damascus, Acre and Jerusalem. I think the game did a remarkable job of immersing the player into the 12th century. There was a certain rhythm to the parkour and free-running that was oddly peaceful, especially when you’re in the zone. The game encouraged exploration by having a fair amount of collectables and side quests- picking up flags in different cities as well as taking out additional Templar targets. Plus, there was always some sick pleasure I’d gain from beating the piss out of street beggars that would naggingly hump my leg at every turn. Some of the action-music in the game, when being pursued by the enemy, is ultra hype. Assassin’s Creed did lay the groundwork for the improved games to come. However, it is primitive compared to some of the later entries.
Surely, every video game shows its wrinkles after a certain point, it’s just that some age worse than others. I’d be lying if I said that this game has stood the test of time; it really hasn’t. It’s dated as fuck. The mission structure throughout the entire story is extraordinarily repetitive. It has you gathering dirt on your presumed target through a series of repeated tasks. Altaïr will conspicuously pickpocket someone and then that person will notice mere seconds after, turn around and act puzzled on whom it might’ve been, despite being the most sketchy looking mother fucker in the city. As cool as his signature getup is, it basically screams “I’m totally not an assassin lol”. He’ll sit on a bench and eavesdrop on the latest town gossip as well as go on stalker-missions to kill low profile targets which quickly lose their novelty. The combat, although fun at the time, is narrow and relies heavily on counter-attacks, regardless of which weapon you’re using- sword, dagger, or the hidden blade. This makes all combat encounters feel formulaic. Traversal that was innovative for the time, can feel frustratingly sluggish and clunky in 2025.
The gameplay mechanics are basic and lack the depth and refinement seen in the later entries. Assassins Creed feels like a rough prototype for the more polished games that would follow. When the game was released, it was a groundbreaking experience, offering a unique blend of stealth, parkour and open-world exploration that felt fresh. However, looking back now, its repetitive mission design, limited combat mechanics, and clunky traversal make it feel dated. If you’re a huge fan of some of the later games, especially when you reach AC: Revelations that brings back our OG Altaïr, in a pivotal way to the plot, and wish to experience his younger years, I wouldn’t dismiss it entirely. Just beware that it’s going to feel ancient now. Strike from the shadows and master the blade.
Chao,
Mikhail
Verdict: 7/10 (As it stands today)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassin%27s_Creed_(video_game)