Players sure have a lot of different opinions about theAssassin’s Creedseries, but one thing many fans will surely agree on is that few other series have stood out so much with its variety of historical settings alone.
Yes, fantasy is cool, but there’s something very special and exciting about exploring a take on a world we knowexisted in some form in the past. Exploring the Italian Renaissance, being part of the French Revolution, and even listening to sea shanties in the Caribbean during the Golden Age of Piracy are all unique treats.
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Ubisoft has been recreating these kinds of experiences in the series since the original in 2007, and has taken us to some truly marvelous places in that time. We’ve ranked some of the best settings of the franchise, considering factors such as their atmosphere, world map, and some of the sidequests on offer there.
To showcase the sheer range of locations on offer in the series, we’ll take a look at some cities, regions, and wider areas in the games.
10East End of Victorian London (Assassin’s Creed Syndicate DLC)
Assassin’s Creed With Steampunk Vibes And A Dark City
Assassin’s Creed Syndicate
Assassin’s Creed Syndicateis a great realization of 19th-century industrial London, with an atmosphere that really makes the player feel oppressed. The game’s first major post-launch DLC, however, was exactly what I wanted for a setting from this period.
The expansion adds a much darker tone and a more gritty city style to the East End of London, while it explores a separate storyline focused on the infamous Jack the Ripper, the elusive serial killer.
Also, we got to play a bit more as Evie, which is a great touch since I felt the game often prioritized her brother, Jacob. I’d have loved to have played more high-stakes missions as her during the main story, making them more the equal dual protagonists I felt they should have been, and fortunately the DLC gives a little taste of that.
The bad news, though, is that the expansion is just too short for my taste, lasting around three hours. There just wasn’t enough content here.
9The Holy Land (Assassin’s Creed)
A First Journey Back To The Past
Assassin’s Creed
Let’s take a little trip down memory lane to the Holy Land in the High Middle Ages from the very first Assassin’s Creed, since that setting is unmatched in terms ofnostalgic feeling.
It was the first time we had ever been on a historical adventure inside Animus, when the war between Assassins and Templars was just beginning to unfold, and the exploration and players’ sense of freedom were the game’s peak.
Compared to later titles, though, the Holy Land doesn’t have that much going on and can get a little repetitive with time, with only flags to be captured and a few Templars to be defeated as optional content. Also, the game hasn’t aged that well and the parkour gameplay can feel a little clunky nowadays, since it’s not as fluid and fast as newer games from the franchise.
But hey, we can’t just ignore it since it was the very first step of the franchise.
A Vibrant Culture And Really Cool Architecture
Assassin’s Creed Mirage
Assassin’s Creed Mirageis set in the Golden Age of Islam, with Baghdad serving as an important trade route in the world. This made the city full of diversity, scholars, traders, and very rich in culture.
The best part is that all of that is translated into the game’s world-building. Streets are full of different people, buildings have this really cool architecture where the walls of the city were built in a circle, and its world map size is formidable.
It’s interesting, too, that the game respects the desert’s emptiness. I just wish that the title had more unique quests and fewer activities that can sometimes feel formulaic, such as repetitive treasure hunting and short (fairly unrewarding) tales involving random citizens.
Also, I missed the Animus touch, which is important to the historical concept of the franchise.
7Rome (Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood)
Renaissance Rome With Famous Landmarks And A Sinister Vibe
Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood
Assassin’s Creed Brotherhooddoes an excellent job of presenting a visually stunning and engaging Rome, with the vibe of an old, beautiful city that has been corrupted for years. On top of the setting, we get to watch Ezio Auditore’s growth as a Master Assassin unfold.
Also, there are some challenging activities, such as facing the Borgias towers, exploring ancient tombs, and even getting along with factions, which makes a lot of the extra content meaningful and the world-building consistent.
Rome was a bit of a letdown visually in some respects, though. More vivid textures on buildings could have made the city architecture pop more, and perhaps even secure a higher spot in the ranking.
6Asgard (Assassin’s Creed Valhalla DLC)
Gotta Love The Viking Vibe
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
Fextralife Wiki
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s recreation of the Viking Age is aesthetically pleasing, but the Dawn of Ragnarök DLC is a truly unique experience inside that setting.
This expansion basically puts Eivor inside famous mystic realms from Norse mythology, especially Asgard, which is beautiful and completely packed with unique visual details, giving it a truly magic atmosphere. There’s also a special touch: We get to play as a reincarnated body for the almighty Odin himself.
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That results in a very fun and ambitious interpretation of the Norse Gods, with the appearances of Fenrir, Loki, Baldur, and other iconic figures. It’s the most impressive expansion from the Assassin’s Creed series to date, offering more than 20 hours of content will little filler.
5Paris (Assassin’s Creed Unity)
We’ll Always Have Paris
Assassin’s Creed Unity
Despite its controversial release,Assassin’s Creed Unitydoes an admirable job of recreating one of the most turbulent periods in European history, and should be remembered for that.
France’s capital is alive in this game, with beautifully designed scenarios, buildings with mind-blowing architecture, and a hypnotizing atmosphere. There are so many people, so many crowds, that it creates a sense of a city in uproar.
It’s simply fun to just wander around the city while enjoying the view and the unique vibe. That said, Unity is a game with great world-building, but its storytelling and characterization lack something for me that holds the game back.
4Ancient Greece (Assassin’s Creed Odyssey)
An Epic Athens With A Mythological Touch
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
From being able to climb the enormous statue of Zeus to kicking enemies off a cliff with a Spartan kick,Assassin’s Creed Odysseybrings us the brilliant, brutal spirit of Ancient Greece.
Its open world is visually stunning and full of ruined temples, beautiful beaches, and, of course, an exciting recreation of the city of Athens to explore. Kassandra and Alexios’ dynamic and family drama are the cherry on top, delivering characterization that titles such as Unity lacked.
The game also does a great job ofimplementing Greek mythologyon special quests, letting the player face Medusa and the Minotaur, and even attempt to answer the Sphinx’s weird riddles. The only bad news is that these activities are too short.
3Feudal Japan (Shadows)
A Fantastic Open World With Samurai Style
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Feudal Japan is one of the most beloved historical settings in any medium, and Ubisoft turned that to its advantage withAssassin’s Creed Shadows, which boasts very impressive recreations of iconic cities and locations from that time.
For instance, you can invade Osaka Castle, visit the Honnō-Ji Temple, pray at Kasuga Shrine, or even run past the Seta Bridge — and every single one of these experiences is very unique.
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Having two protagonists, Yasuke and Naoe, instead of only one gives space to tell two different tales and lend a twist tothe samurai emphasis of the world exploration and combat, which is very fun to play.
2Florence (Assassin’s Creed 2)
An Impressive And Unforgettable View Of Italy
Assassin’s Creed 2
The Italian Renaissance inAssassin’s Creed 2was the first big leap for the series in 2009 (yes, dear reader, we’re kind of old), and Florence is still one of its most remarkable settings yet.
Ezio Auditore and his thrilling story made thousands of players fall in love with the city, and the world-building and the gameplay improvements are pretty impressive. Also, it was the first time an Assassin’s Creed game had fast climbing mechanics, which made parkour so irresistible.
That added to the iconic atmosphere in Italy, and the surprising missions through the cities (like becoming friends with the iconic Leonardo Da Vinci) make this experience one of those I wish I could forget just to play it again for the first time.
1The Caribbean (Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag)
There’s Nothing Like Naval Combat, Sea Shanties, And Pirate Vibes
Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag
Black Flagwas my first Assassin’s Creed experience, and there’s something about the Caribbean setting that is so heartwarming and mesmerizing at the same time.
Its world map is so full of life, with its bright, sunny climate, beautiful tropical beaches, and captivating pirate atmosphere. Its size is on point,not too big nor too small, with three distinct cities, jungle islands, and various small settlements to explore.
And there are so many different activities, such as whaling, sailing, diving, and the amazing naval combat. Many may not remember that the latter was actually the reason why Skull and Bones was made.
Just please take me to a ship, so I can hear some more sea shanties from my pirate crew!
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