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

One of the most iconic moments in the Assassin's Creed series occurs early in Assassin's Creed 3, when Haytham Kenway concludes his mission to assemble a group of what players initially believe to be assassins in the New World. Haytham's use of a hidden blade, his charisma reminiscent of Ezio Auditore, and his heroic actions up to this point—such as freeing Native Americans from captivity and confronting British redcoats—lead players to trust him. However, when he utters the phrase, "May the Father of Understanding guide us," the revelation that we've been following a Templar, not an assassin, is both shocking and masterful.

This twist exemplifies the series' potential at its peak. The original Assassin's Creed introduced a fascinating premise—identify, understand, and eliminate targets—but it struggled with a lackluster story and one-dimensional characters, including protagonist Altaïr and his targets. Assassin's Creed 2 improved upon this with the charismatic Ezio, yet the antagonists, like Cesare Borgia in Brotherhood, remained underdeveloped. It was not until Assassin's Creed 3, set during the American Revolution, that Ubisoft fully fleshed out both the hunted and the hunter. This enriched the narrative flow and created a harmonious balance between gameplay and story that has not been replicated since.

While the current RPG-focused era of the series has been well-received, there's a consensus among many fans and critics that Assassin's Creed is experiencing a decline. Debates abound over the causes, from the increasingly fantastical elements like battling gods such as Anubis and Fenrir, to the introduction of romance options and the use of real historical figures like Yasuke in Assassin's Creed Shadows. However, I believe the true issue lies elsewhere: the series has moved away from its roots in character-driven storytelling, now buried beneath expansive, open-world sandboxes.

Over time, Assassin's Creed has expanded its original action-adventure formula with RPG and live service elements, including dialogue trees, XP-based leveling, loot boxes, microtransactions, and gear customization. As these newer installments have grown in size, they've begun to feel hollow, not only in terms of repetitive side-missions but also in their storytelling. Despite Assassin's Creed Odyssey offering more content than Assassin's Creed 2, much of it feels less polished and immersive. The inclusion of player choice through dialogue and actions can theoretically enhance immersion, but in practice, it often dilutes the narrative, making scripts feel stretched and less refined than those in the more focused, action-adventure era.

This shift away from tight, character-focused narratives has led to interactions feeling more like encounters with generic NPCs rather than complex historical figures. The Xbox 360/PS3 era, in contrast, delivered some of the most compelling writing in gaming, from Ezio's defiant speech 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. While modern games often simplify the conflict to a clear-cut battle between the "good" Assassins and "bad" Templars, the earlier games explored the moral ambiguities and blurred lines between the two factions. In Assassin's Creed 3, each Templar's final words challenge Connor's—and the player's—beliefs. William Johnson suggests the Templars could have prevented the Native American genocide, Thomas Hickey questions the feasibility of the Assassins' mission, and Benjamin Church asserts that perspective shapes reality, with the British viewing themselves as victims. Haytham himself challenges Connor's trust 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 end of the game, players are left with more questions than answers, which strengthens the narrative. Reflecting on the franchise's history, the enduring appeal of Jesper Kyd's "Ezio's Family" from Assassin's Creed 2—now the series' theme—underscores the power of character-driven stories. The melancholic strings of the track evoke Ezio's personal tragedy more than the Renaissance setting. While I appreciate the expansive worlds and graphical improvements of recent Assassin's Creed games, I yearn for the series to return to its roots, delivering focused, character-centric stories. Unfortunately, in today's market dominated by vast open worlds and live service models, such a return may not align with "good business" practices.