Poll: Let's talk about Assassin's Creed! Which is your favorite game?

[Evonisia]

I was never a big fan, mostly because of how dull I find the campaigns.

That said the one I got the most enjoyment out of was the first one. Something about the setting really worked for me, and while it is bullshit that the guards seem to trigger by your mere existence it did help create this ultra-sneaky gameplay style. I guess I actually felt like an assassin, which by say "Revelations" was long gone in favour of being a jack-of-all-murder.

 

[JohnnyDelRay]

I still stand by the very first in the series. Then again, I wasn't too keen on the pirate stuff and never gave Black Flag a chance, AC3 was so damn boring I ended on that one.

Reason I like the first, many would probably disagree with me is I thought the combat was more visceral and raw, the counter attacks are way more savage and with the sounds and animations feels like you're really slashing and driving blades in. Also, the assassinations themselves seem a lot more core to the story and were more fun to set up and execute, including the escapes.

AC2 people say improves on all fronts but I found it a bit cheesy, story and combat in their own respective ways.

 

[StatusNil]

I haven't played the latest ones, but I feel it's safe to say the series peaked with AC2. Venice gave me feels, man. Brohood was more like a great expansion pack for it, but it was already a step backwards in some respects. Like those silly and annoying "100% synch" conditions. Also, the modern day storyline went wonky in that one, with THAT stabbing incident. Still really liked it though.

I also found the first one pretty cool. So it lacked "side missions", whatever. It had the atmosphere down. I actually liked all the little incidental background details with no explanation you'd run into. And out of all the games in the series, the whole assassin brotherhood thing makes the most sense in it, for obvious reasons.

It's just very easy to forget how novel and exciting the "virtual tourism in history" aspect was to begin with, now that we've become so oversaturated with these games.

 

[sXeth]

I'd say 1 had the raw assassination gameplay down. Aside from the bizarre requirement to be public (mostly from what I recall), it gave you the most room to flex your strategic planning on the Assassinations.

2 was probably the best of the series overall (that I played, I missed Brotherhood).

Black Flag was my favorite game of the lot, but basically a separate entity with the franchise barely tacked on.

I didn't get far in my borrowed copy of Unity, and never played Syndicate either.

3 was just an unfocused mess, in which you only had one actual assassination even, and probably my low point of the series (basically where I quit it, though Black Flag lured me back by being an essentially different game)

 

[StatusNil]

the bizarre requirement to be public

Eh, not so much bizarre as still trying to be faithful to historical sources. That's how the real Ismaili "assassins" were supposed to have done it at the time.

 

[Asita]

It's a close one between II and Brotherhood for me, but I think I ultimately have to go with Brotherhood because of two things:

1) I did not like the "sparing" bit at the end of II. I get what they were trying to do with Ezio letting go of his need for vengeance, but considering the greater Assassin/Templar conflict, this was not a story that should have ended on that note and I think II was weaker for it.

2) I liked building up the Assassins in Brotherhood. For me that part of the game hit just the right sweet spot which made it feel like Ezio had not only ceased to be a student but was becoming a leader himself. It had just enough to be interesting but was short enough to keep from feeling like a chore, something I cannot say about the management mini-games in later installments (or at least the ones that I've played).

 

[JUMBO PALACE]

2 blew me away and is definitely my favorite. I miss the Assassin Tombs that the later games gave up on. Felt very Prince of Persia esque. Black Flag is a lot of fun and I even enjoyed the first one. Mostly for the time period. Haven't played any after Black Flag.

 

[Xprimentyl]

For me, Assassins Creed (hereafter "AC") was like moving in with a new girlfriend: at first (AC1) it was new and exciting, sex every night. Then, (AC2,)I found out she loved to cook; I was in heaven! Then (AC all the rest,) it became apparent that sex and cooking was ALL she did and all she'd EVER aspire to do; the sex got samey and boring and her meals overly frequent and bland. It'd become a joyless relationship and frankly, I'm glad we're taking some time apart.

That being said, I liked Black Flag best for the simple reason it was the least like all the rest. I liked doing the pirate thing and the sea battles were amazing, but the second a quest would drag me onto to dry land for the stock climbing and sneaking about, I couldn't have been more bored.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

I like the 'feel' of the first game the best. Felt like the genuine assassins vs. templars thing. AC2 and AC4 were great though.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

The one where you can hack cars and traffic lights and drones in San Francisco. I don't see it on the list.

Also, where's Rogue? I'm split between that and Unity, or the last chapter of Ezio's story. Having played all, am fairly indecisive. Kind of liked Syndicate, have yet to complete it though.