Let’s be honest. Trying to figure out the Assassins Creed games order is a nightmare if you’re looking at a shelf of twenty different boxes. You’ve got numbers, you’ve got subtitles like "Revelations" or "Valhalla," and then you’ve got the mobile spin-offs that nobody talks about. It’s a mess.
If you want to jump in today, you basically have two choices. You play them in the order they were released, or you try to follow the historical timeline. Most people think the historical timeline is the "smart" way to do it. They’re wrong. Starting with Odyssey just because it takes place in 431 BC is a recipe for total confusion because the modern-day meta-narrative—the stuff with the Animus and Abstergo—will make zero sense.
The series isn't just about stabbing Templars in cool hats. It’s a dual-layered story. If you skip the release order, you lose the evolution of the technology and the slow reveal of the Isu, those ancient "gods" who left their junk all over the planet.
The Release Order: Watching the Tech Evolve
If you’re a purist, you start at the beginning. 2007. Assassin’s Creed.
The first game is clunky now. There, I said it. Altaïr is a bit of a dry protagonist, and the mission structure is repetitive as heck. You go to a city, you eavesdrop, you pickpocket, you kill. But you sort of need to see where it started to appreciate how much Assassin’s Creed II changed the world. When Ezio Auditore da Firenze stepped onto that balcony in Florence, the gaming world shifted.
We stayed with Ezio for three games: AC II, Brotherhood, and Revelations. This is often called the Ezio Trilogy. It’s the heart of the franchise. If you’re looking for the Assassins Creed games order that defines the "feel" of the series, this is it. You see a man grow from a cocky teenager to a weary mentor.
Then things got weird. Assassin’s Creed III took us to the American Revolution. People hated Connor at first because he wasn't Ezio. He was stoic and angry. But the parkour in the trees? Revolutionary. It led directly into Black Flag, which is arguably the best pirate game ever made, even if it’s a bit of a "meh" Assassin game.
The Mid-Series Identity Crisis
After the "Kenway Saga" (which includes AC III, Black Flag, and Rogue), Ubisoft hit a wall. Unity launched in a broken state. It’s famous for the "no face" glitches where characters just had floating eyeballs and teeth. It’s a shame, actually, because Paris is the most dense, beautiful city they ever built.
Syndicate followed, taking us to Victorian London. It was fun. It had a grappling hook. It felt a bit like Batman. But the fatigue was real. Players were tired of the same map-clearing formula. So, Ubisoft took a break.
The RPG Reset: Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla
In 2017, everything changed. Origins wasn’t just a new setting; it was a total mechanical overhaul. They ditched the "press one button to parry everything" combat and went full Hitbox-based RPG.
- Origins (Egypt)
- Odyssey (Greece)
- Valhalla (England/Norway)
These games are massive. Like, "don't see your family for a month" massive. Odyssey is particularly polarizing. Some fans love the freedom and the scale of the Aegean Sea. Others complain that it moved too far away from the hidden blades and social stealth. Personally? I think the scenery alone makes it worth the 100-hour investment.
The newest entry, Mirage, is a bit of a "greatest hits" album. It’s smaller. It’s set in Baghdad. It’s a love letter to the 2007 original. If you’re overwhelmed by the 100-hour epics, Mirage is a refreshing pallet cleanser.
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Playing by the Historical Timeline (The Chaos Method)
If you ignore when the games came out and play based on when the characters actually lived, the Assassins Creed games order looks like a fever dream.
- Odyssey (431 BC): You play as Kassandra or Alexios during the Peloponnesian War. There are no "Assassins" yet, just the proto-organization.
- Origins (49 BC): Bayek of Siwa founds the Hidden Ones in Ptolemaic Egypt. This is the "true" beginning of the brotherhood.
- Mirage (861 AD): Basim’s origin story in Baghdad.
- Valhalla (872 AD): Vikings invading England. You cross paths with the Hidden Ones, but you’re mostly doing Viking stuff.
- Assassin’s Creed 1 (1191 AD): The Third Crusade. The Holy Land.
- The Ezio Trilogy (1476 – 1512 AD): Renaissance Italy and Constantinople.
- Black Flag (1715 AD): The Golden Age of Piracy.
- Rogue (1752 AD): A very cool perspective where you play as an Assassin who defects to the Templars.
- AC III (1754 AD): The American Revolution.
- Unity (1789 AD): The French Revolution.
- Syndicate (1868 AD): The Industrial Revolution.
See the problem? If you play this way, the modern-day story involving Desmond Miles, Layla Hassan, and the end-of-the-world plots will be completely out of whack. You’ll see characters die and then reappear three games later with no explanation. It's a mess. Don't do it unless you've already played them all once.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Lore
There is a common misconception that the Templars are just "the bad guys." In the better-written games, like Assassin’s Creed III or Rogue, the line is blurry. The Templars want order and peace through control. The Assassins want freedom, even if it leads to chaos.
Sometimes the Assassins mess up. Badly. In Rogue, the Assassins accidentally cause a massive earthquake that levels a city because they didn't understand the Isu artifacts they were messing with. It’s these nuances that make the Assassins Creed games order worth following. It isn't just a history lesson. It's a philosophical debate with hidden blades.
Also, people often forget the "Initiates" or the transmedia stuff. There are comics and books that bridge the gaps between games. For example, the ending of Syndicate and the start of Origins has a weird gap in the modern-day plot that is partially explained in the Uprising comic series. You don't need to read them, but if you're wondering why a certain major villain suddenly disappeared, that’s why.
The "Essential" Path for Busy People
Let’s say you don't have 1,000 hours to spare. You want the "Vibes" of the series without the filler. If you want to understand the Assassins Creed games order through its most important beats, here is the curated list:
1. Assassin's Creed II. It’s the gold standard. Skip the first one if you must and just watch a YouTube summary. Ezio is the face of the franchise for a reason.
2. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. It captures the "adventure" spirit of Ubisoft better than almost anything else. Plus, sailing a ship while your crew sings shanties is peak gaming.
3. Assassin's Creed Origins. It’s the best of the "new" style. Bayek’s voice actor, Abubakar Salim, gives arguably the best performance in the entire series. It’s emotional, raw, and the Egyptian setting is breathtaking.
4. Assassin's Creed Mirage. Since it’s short, it’s a great way to see what the modern version of the "old" style looks like.
Actionable Steps for Your Playthrough
If you’re ready to dive in, don't just buy a "Complete Bundle" and burn out by game three.
- Check the sales. These games go on sale for pennies on the dollar almost every month on Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox.
- Play the Remasters. If you’re playing on a PS5 or Series X, get the Ezio Collection and the AC III Remastered. They look significantly better and fix some of the older lighting issues.
- Don't 100% the maps. This is the biggest mistake. If you try to collect every single chest and feather in Unity or Valhalla, you will quit. Focus on the gold "Main Quest" icons. The side content is often just busywork.
- Watch the "Embers" short film. Once you finish Revelations, find the animated short called Assassin's Creed: Embers. it’s the final chapter of Ezio’s life and it’s a total tear-jerker.
The Assassins Creed games order is really about what kind of history you enjoy. If you love the idea of running across rooftops in the rain, go for Syndicate. If you want to be a Viking legend, go for Valhalla. Just remember that at its core, this is a series about the tension between control and freedom.
Start with the Ezio Collection. It’s the safest bet and the most rewarding narrative experience. From there, you can decide if you want to continue the chronological release or jump ahead to the sprawling RPGs of the modern era. Just keep your blade hidden and stay out of the haystacks if you can help it.