Why The First Assassin’s Creed Is Better Than You Remember

Assassin’s Creed was the original installment of what would eventually become the Assassin’s Creed franchise by Ubisoft. Released back in 2006, players walked in the footsteps of Altaïr Ibn-La’Ahad, an Assassin during the time of the Crusades. Assassin’s Creed introduced the core functions of the series, including many of the parkour and stealth gameplay features that are still present in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, the latest installment of the franchise. Unfortunately, the original does not receive as much attention compared to other Assassin’s Creed games, most notably those in Ezio Auditore’s era.

While Assassin’s Creed 2, Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, and Assassin’s Creed Revelations built off of the popularity that Altaïr Ibn-La’Ahad’s character had helped accrue, there were still many overlooked charms to Assassin’s Creed 1. The world of the Crusades always seemed so alive and filled with tension that detection always felt a moment away. The characters who occupied minor roles in the story guided players through the story, but it was ultimately Altaïr’s actions that held the most weight.

Perhaps one of Assassin’s Creed’s greatest successes is its world-building. While AC1 didn’t have a large open world that is so common in its latest installments, each city still felt unique and alive in its own way. While the general AI and NPCs needed some improvements while functioning, and players could encounter a fair number of glitches along the way, it was thrilling to be able to use the crowds to Altaïr’s advantage while evading Templar soldiers. The inclusion of Assassin Dens throughout each location gave a feeling of safety and security in the company of fellow Assassins that maintained them, a detail that was lost later in the series.

Assassin’s Creed’s Story Held Weight & Didn’t Overstep

The first Assassin’s Creed begins with Altaïr Ibn-La’Ahad leading two of his Assassin brothers in a mission to steal back a powerful artifact from Templar Crusaders excavating in a tomb. The tomb collapses thanks to Altaïr’s arrogance, one Assassin is killed, and the other Assassin is crippled. The flippant attitude and superiority complex which makes Altaïr so unlikable gives way to a finely written character arc. In being forced to revert to the trainee rank, Altaïr learns respect, patience, caution, and wisdom. Characters such as Malik and Maria stand as harsh contrasts to Altaïr’s hasty nature, resulting in active characterization with each conversation they share. Once the blindly obedient student, Altaïr rises up to overthrow his Mentor’s tyrannical madness for the good of the Assassin Brotherhood.

Another aspect about the first Assassin’s Creed game that is often overlooked is the modern storyline and how non-intrusive it was. Desmond Miles was introduced as the first modern protagonist of the series, but his story was quite simplistic and never left his room. There weren’t worldly stakes that had been put into place yet, and it was simply a side plot about a normal man who was kidnapped and used for his ancestry. The cast of characters introduced in modern times was small, consisting of Lucy, Warren Vidic, and Desmond Miles. The present Assassin Brotherhood and Templar Order were mired in mystery, leaving fans with more questions than answers. As a result, speculations ran rampant, and players were encouraged to actively try to solve the mysteries left for them in the Animus and Abstergo’s facility.

Later installments in the Assassin’s Creed series capitalized on open-world RPGs gaining popularity and steadily moved away from its stealth-parkour roots. The original Assassin’s Creedexplored the Golden Age of the Assassin Brotherhood during the Crusades and still managed to make the player feel important in the presence of many other Assassins. The weight of Altaïr’s actions felt deserved instead of spoon-fed, resulting in a thrill of adrenaline after having completed each Templar assassination mission. While there were still a few glitches and irritations that could hinder gameplay, it was not nearly as flawed as many remember it to be.

About The Author

Natalie Lindner
(499 Articles Published)

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Natalie Lindner is a Game Features Writer for Screen Rant, creating content on the past, present, and future of games in the industry. Prior to this, she worked out of a writing consultancy in Rhode Island from 2018 to 2021, where she helped college students improve their writing abilities. Natalie has contributed her video game writing to several smaller websites and projects since 2018 and is eager to continue that journey with Screen Rant.

Working out of New Hampshire, Natalie spends the time she isn’t writing about games outside; hiking or biking. On those rainy days, she can be found striving for action on the latest FPS or perusing the latest comic books.

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