Which Assassin's Creed should you play first in 2026?

that Assassin's Creed A franchise may be one of the biggest names in gaming, but that doesn't mean everyone has played it. This historic open world series with mystical sci-fi elements has many games with a long history, and some gamers may feel intimidated when deciding where to start.

That’s why we have this list. If you're sitting here in 2026 thinking about jumping into the world. Assassin's Creed I'm curious about the series. Where should I start?Below are some that stand out: exchange Depending on what drew you to the series in the first place, this is a great starting game.

Assassin's Creed Brotherhood

The best of old school

There are two main “eras”: Assassin's Creed Games: Original series from the first game to the next syndicate, And the RPG series began Assassin's Creed Origins And it's making some progress (although the RPG elements have been toned down in recent releases). Among the previous runs of games, this is the most complete iteration of the series formula. Assassin's Creed Brotherhood.

It's an odd place to jump into the middle of the Ezio Auditore trilogy, but if you're simply looking for the best example of the old school. exchange Game, I'll never be better than you union. From the setting to the combat, to the story, to the addition of fellow assassins who can join the fight at the touch of a button, this game is one of only two games from its predecessor. Assassin's Creed Days considered a true classic. The other one is…

Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag

The ultimate pirate fantasy

Surprisingly there are very few pirate games out there. there is sea ​​of ​​thieves If you want a continuous multiplayer experience or skull and bones ​​​​​​If you want to go through that yourself. The reason for the lack of genre diversity may be that it is not that popular; Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag Despite being released over 10 years ago, it already serves as a near-perfect pirate game.

When it comes to fully embracing the sense of place, atmosphere, and setting and characters you want to portray, this is as good as: Assassin's Creed ​​​​​​Get Captain Jackdaw, exploring deserted islands in the Caribbean, bartering with unsavory characters in Nassau, lowering sails and riding the waves to the crew's latest shack tunes – you won't find a more immersive experience in the series. With a remake, Resync Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag It's rumored to be filming for a 2026 release, so this would be a good place to start. exchange travel.

Assassin's Creed

initiator

If you instead decided to start your journey from scratch, 2007 would be Assassin's Creed This is the game you want. It's certainly not the best game in the series, but it's also the shortest, giving us a glimpse into how the series began and how each idea has evolved over the past 19 years.

The best part of this game is actually the modern-day storyline, which is one of the most underrated and underutilized aspects of the franchise. This dystopian sci-fi story arc grows in importance over the next four games, culminating in a surprising conclusion to Desmond and his personal journey both in and out of the Animus. Almost everything in this game is repeated and improved upon in subsequent entries, but it's still worth playing if you're the type who needs to start from scratch.

Assassin's Creed Shadow

Best AC game in years

positivity all around Assassin's Creed The franchise has suffered a major downturn since its launch. unity. The games that followed weren't bad by any stretch, but they were exhausting. Annual releases are one thing when you're making an online-focused FPS with a following. call of Duty, But it's a lot more to expect franchise vets to play yet another (very similar) open-world game every year. The pace of annual releases slowed down, some formulas changed, and there were a few bright spots during that time, but the narrative never went back to what it was before.

That is, until 2025 Assassin's Creed ShadowIt got the best response. Assassin's Creed The game has been enjoyed for a long time by critics and fans alike. This makes it the second biggest launch in the series' history. shadow Exploring the long-requested setting of feudal Japan. A stunningly realized, massive open world that offers everything fans of the series could want. assassins creed, And some new elements. It's also very polished, which is unusual for this series. If you're not too worried about the overall story and just want to try the highest level of modernity. Assassin's Creed game, shadow This is the way to go.

Assassin's Creed Syndicate

The most unique game in the franchise

Expressing the end of the old school Assassin's Creed It paved the way for both the gaming and RPG series, and in many ways serves as a catalyst for change between the two. Assassin's Creed Syndicate A very unusual entry in this series. Sometimes it feels like it's not a big deal. exchange game. Instead of flashy combos and quick finishers seen in previous action-focused games, it features a skill tree, equipment with unique stats, XP, and a combat system focused on quick strikes and blocks.

It is also the most modern setting for a series exploring London in 1868. This allows the two main assassins/gangsters, Jacob and Evie Frye, to use more advanced techniques, including grappling hooks and pistols. Lastly, it featured a duo of protagonists, the aforementioned Frye siblings, making it the first game in the series to do so (of course AC shadow). These twin leaders are assassins and gang leaders. syndicate Includes a gang territory side story where you drive out rival gangs and conquer territory. It's an incredibly complex system that can unfold in many interesting ways, making it some of the series' most interesting side content. This is an understatement exchange However, this series is a great game to start with as it is a smaller version of the 2010s series and later ones.

Assassin's Creed Odyssey

The best RPG trilogy

We've talked a lot about RPG series, but we've covered very little of them here. There's a reason for that. more recent exchange The game was a mixed bag. Some games are loved, while others are more controversial. There is no denying that he is the shining star among the entire group. Assassin's Creed Odyssey. very good syndicate, There's a lot of feeling like there's nothing in this game. exchange I experienced it, but in the end it's just a fantastic game, so why split hairs?

As far as open world is concerned, Odyssey It's huge. The main campaign will take you well over 40 hours to complete, and can easily be doubled if you want to do everything. Best of all, doing it all isn't a chore. It's a joy. From exploration to combat and side content, Odyssey The quality is excellent, with fantastic cities to enjoy parkour and lush Greek islands to discover. It also brings back the navigation mechanic seen in . black Flag, And although they're not as piratey as they used to be AC4, It's just another cool gameplay mechanic to play in a fully loaded game. if you want Assassin's Creed This first foray into the series makes for a game you'll sink nearly 100 hours into. Assassin's Creed Odyssey.

Assassin's Creed Mirage

Easiest Jump Off Point

Another reason the RPG series gets a lot of criticism is that the games it contains are so bad. long. The entire series basically consists of open world games that require a lot of effort, but nonetheless Origins, Odyssey, Valhalla, and shadow The game is asking for a lot of time to see the credits roll. But in between Valhalla and shadow It is a small-sized game called . Assassin's Creed: Mirage.

Clearly acting as a direct response from Ubisoft to the length of the previous three games, mirage If you're not completely sold, this is a great place to start. Assassin's Creed stratagem. It has all the core elements of the series, with a much greater focus on stealth, but does it all within a tight 15-hour runtime. As a true introduction to the series without the huge commitment (and price tag) that comes with most entries; mirage It's as safe a bet as you can make.

Assassin's Creed Unity

The pinnacle of parkour

that Assassin's Creed The series gets its name from the backs of many major works, but the most consistent of them all is undoubtedly the series' parkour traversal system. It's not just about exploring historical places and visiting historical monuments. You will literally climb to the top and survey the entire city from a perspective no one in history has ever been able to experience firsthand. If that experience is what made you take the plunge in the first place. Assassin's Creed Series — not the setting, not the combat, not the story, but parkour — then Assassin's Creed Unity Here's where to start.

Not only did the series (unfortunately) never replicate the parkour system seen in . unity, But it has firmly moved away from that. The reason is a mystery. In fact, the freerunning mechanism unity It's so smooth and intuitive, and there's so much detail in the animation that it will become second nature in a heartbeat. The story isn't bad, the combat is solid, and the visuals are great, but the reason I play is Assassin's Creed Unity Above all, there is the incomparable pleasure of traversing the rooftops of Paris. This game also received a 60fps patch on March 5th, so now wouldn't be a good time to check it out.