When ‘Assassin’s Creed’ first came into our lives in 2007, little did we know how completely it would take over our lives. The overarching story of the eternal clash between the Assassins and the Knights Templar was engrossing, and the gameplay mechanics were marvellously blended into breathtaking open worlds. The stylish combat and fluid parkour traversal made playing the games a treat. The games described different storied times such as the French Revolution, the Italian Renaissance, and the Golden Age of Piracy among others, so gloriously, many of us still consider these games to be our true history teachers. With stellar games such as ‘Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag’, ‘Assassin’s Creed: Rogue’ and of course, ‘Assassin’s Creed II’, the franchise has been the epitome of success that established lofty standards of emotional storytelling backed by solid gameplay mechanics.
Before we begin, a special mention should be given to the ‘Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell’ franchise as well, also by Ubisoft. However, the parallels there are too strong, and the list below celebrates games which are either not so well-known, or have more subtle connections to ‘Assassin’s Creed’, hopefully broadening our horizons in the process. Here is the list of video games similar to Assassin’s Creed that are our recommendations. You can play these open world games like Assassin’s Creed on for PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, mac and even online.
17. Republique (2016)
Republique is an episodic stealth action series developed by Camouflaj for iOS initially. The game was then later adapted for android, Windows and OS X due to heavy demand. There are 5 episodes in total and a version containing all the 5 episodes was released for the PlayStation 4 in the year 2016. At first glance, the game might not seem all that similar to the Assassin’s Creed series, but the game does take a lot of influences from the AC series. After playing the game for some time, you’d find yourself drawing similarities right from the stealth mechanics to the gameplay style. This is perhaps one of the best games you can play on mobile handheld devices whether you find the games similar or not and you are bound to love this one.
16. Darksiders III (2018)
Darksiders is a game that takes place in a different dimensional plane where the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are fighting to clear their name. The plane is in disorder and all the souls within the land has been banished by the council and the series follows the actions of the Four Horsemen during these perilous times. Darksiders III follows up on the storyline of Darksiders II and takes place simultaneously to the events portrayed in Darksiders II. You take control of Fury, sister to War and Death, and her subsequent struggles to find and conquer ‘The Seven Deadly Sins’. You, as the player, are required to traverse the land and fight monsters while solving extensive puzzles in order to unlock certain areas of the map. The game was developed by Gunfire Games and published by THQ Nordic for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows PC systems in the year 2018.
15. God of War (2005)
God of War is a massively popular video game series that follows the story of Kratos, a warrior from Sparta. Kratos is deceived by his master, Ares, the Greek God of war and eventually ends up killing his own wife and daughter. Stricken by grief, he seeks vengeance and goes on an elaborate quest to please the other Gods, however soon finds out that pleasing others is not the way. He decides to take matters into his own hands and travels far and wide with his son in order to fulfill his destiny. They travel through many realms and finally find themselves at the abode of the Norse Gods. The game is an incredible take on mythic history and contains some of the best dialogues and voice-acting present in modern games. It has managed to sell over 27 million units as of 2018 and has won several game awards from prestigious publications. This is one game you must try out right from the first installment and hence we are posting the very first God of War game which came out in the year 2005 for the PS2. The game has since then received about 7 mainline installments with the latest one being released in 2018 for the PS4. If you do not happen to have a PS2 lying around, make sure you catch up on the story before you start playing the later titles.
14. Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018)
The name Tomb Raider has become synonymous with adventure gaming ever since the first Tomb Raider was released back in the year 1996. The game was a fan favorite and went on to dominate the gaming charts all over the world. Lara Croft, the protagonist of the story also generated a lot of hype as she was one of the few female leads for action-adventure video games. The game has been elevated to legendary status after a blockbuster film was also made on the game series with the lead character being player by Angelina Jolie. The latest title in the series ‘Shadow of the Tomb Raider’ was developed by Eidos Montreal and Crystal Dynamics and published by Square Enix in the 2018 to overall positive reviews. The game follows the story of its prequel ‘Rise of the Tomb Raider’ where Lara Croft makes her journey to the legendary city in the Amazon, Paititi. This is one game you must play if you are a fan of the Assassins Creed series.
13. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (2019)
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice follows the story of Sekiro, a shinobi who is set to take revenge upon a samurai who attacked the shinobi and captured his lord. The game is being developed by FromSoftware and will be published by Activision for the Windows PC, Xbox One and PS4 on the 22nd of March, 2019. The game is set in third person view and involves extensive combat systems using traditional Japanese weapons. It also relies heavily on stealth mechanics, allowing the player to one-kill opponents if they manage to get in range of their enemies without being detected. This is one game we are keeping our eyes out for and we can bet fans of the Assassin’s Creed series will feel right at home with this one.
12. The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt (2018)
The Witcher: The Wild Hunt is one of the best RPG video games that are available on modern consoles. The Wild Hunt is the third installment in the massively popular series, The Witcher, that has been adapted from a novel of the same name. It is set in a fictional world inhabited by deadly creatures and follows the story of Geralt of Rivia, one of the last remaining Witchers, beings that are able to use magic and fight these deadly monsters. The game has been widely acclaimed as one of the best video game experiences out there is one you shouldn’t miss.
11. Horizon Zero Dawn (2017)
Horizon Zero Dawn is set in a post apocalyptic dystopian future where the new population of the planet has grown to worship the creations of the previous race and have mistaken AI machines for actual wildlife. This is a game you have to play to really understand what it is all about and the lush green post apocalyptic world inhabited by towering mechs is one you should really experience on your own. Horizon Zero Dawn is one game we highly recommend if you love playing sprawling action-adventures set in a beautiful open world.
10. Dying Light (2015)
‘Dying Light’ garnered a huge fan following after its initial release in 2015, mainly due to how seamlessly it spanned across several genres. It was an open-world first-person game with elements of survival and horror, set in a zombie apocalypse. Add to that, the stealth mechanics, and the parkour-based traversal system, and ‘Dying Light’ has a whole lot in common with the Assassins. With plenty of weapons and a fluid aesthetic, ‘Dying Light’ emerges out of the hackneyed zombie genre as a genuinely refreshing offering.
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9. Far Cry 4 (2014)
The ‘Far Cry’ series has always focused on gritty narratives with a decidedly political twist. ‘Far Cry 4’ upped the ante back in 2014, with a gripping tale of revenge, and a deeply personal journey of paying respects to the departed. With superb stealth, a gorgeous and lush open world, ‘Far Cry 4’ evokes much of the mythos so typically associated with the ‘Assassin’s Creed’ franchise, through the location of the Himalayas.
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8. Deus Ex: Human Revolution (2011)
At first glance, there seems to be little in common between the famously historical ‘Assassin’s Creed’ series and the futuristic dystopian franchise of ‘Deus Ex.’ However, the differences end there, as both the series, and ‘Human Revolution’ in particular, focus on tyrannical systems of governance and public mistrust of those who are different. The game’s stealth mechanics are among the very best, and the role-playing elements are comprehensive, something evident in the recent ‘Assassin’s Creed’ games, ‘Origins’ and the upcoming ‘Odyssey.’
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7. Batman: Arkham Origins (2013)
With ‘Arkham Asylum’, ‘Arkham City’, and ‘Arkham Knight’, ‘Arkham Origins’ is easily the most underrated game of the widely acclaimed franchise. While much of the flak was directed towards how the game felt similar to ‘Arkham City’, there was praise for its boss fights and how it depicted a younger Dark Knight. It is in these boss battles that ‘Arkham Origins’ finds common ground with ‘Assassin’s Creed’, with the overarching plot being eight of the world’s greatest assassins hunting our hero to claim the $50 million bounty put on him by crime lord Roman Sionis a.k.a the Black Mask. The combat style was more direct and the stealth more pronounced. Gotham City loomed over in its magnificent urbanity for the first time, drawing parallels to the open worlds in ‘Assassin’s Creed.’
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6. The Saboteur (2009)
‘The Saboteur’ was an action-adventure game set mainly in the open world of World War II German-occupied France released by Electronic Arts (EA). The game superbly employs a noirish colour palette to denote freed regions and places still occupied by Nazis. Apart from the parallels between the Nazis and the Knights Templar as shown in most of the ‘AC’ games, save a refreshing ‘Rogue’, ‘The Saboteur’ possesses capable stealth mechanics and a robust customisation system. It is an underrated gem, and one all ‘Assassin’s Creeed’ fans should play as soon as they can.
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5. Tenchu: Stealth Assassins (1998)
‘Tenchu: Stealth Assassins’ centres around a pair of ninja in feudal Japan, and their quest to end corruption in their lord’s province. It was one of the first ninja games to actually incorporate stealth. This is significant as stealth is almost synonymous with ninjutsu. From featuring martial arts in combat to adopting elements of historical fantasy and Japanese myth, ‘Tenchu: Stealth Assassins’ is eerily similar to the ‘Assassin’s Creed’ series at its core. This is a bona fide stealth classic that everyone should enjoy.
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4. Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands (2010)
The ‘Assassin’s Creed’ series was originally designed by Ubisoft as the spiritual successor to the legendary ‘Prince of Persia’ franchise. The inclusion of ‘The Forgotten Sands’ is unsurprising, however, the link between these two series needs to be more well-known.
A swashbuckling, charismatic protagonist, fluid combat mechanics, puzzle sequences, a narrative steeped in history and lore, all of these factors and much more find their most immediate source in this series. Being the last main release in the series, ‘The Forgotten Sands’ aesthetic lies the closest to the ‘Assassin’s Creed’ games, and exemplifies the grand scale of combat and the fluid mechanics the series was known for.
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3. Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor (2014)
This 2014 action-adventure open world fantasy became a thoroughly unexpected hit when gamers and critics alike became aware of its sprawling world, its extraordinary Nemesis System, and a compelling revenge tale based in the fantasy world of none other than J.R.R. Tolkien himself.
The story takes place between ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and follows a Ranger, Talion (Troy Baker) who bonds with the wraith of the Elf Lord Celebrimbor (Alastair Duncan) and their journey to avenge their loved ones. The combat is seamless, the story centres around revenge, and Talion engages in parkour and weapons to finish off his enemies, making this quite similar to ‘Assassin’s Creed’ and its core tenets.
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2. Thief (2014)
The ‘Thief’ series rebooted in 2014 through the eponymous title focusing on master thief Garrett (Romano Orzari) and his remarkable heists, stealing from the privileged and powerful. The game is set in a stunning fantasy world, replete with gothic and Victorian elements. ‘Thief’ focuses primarily on stealth, with secrecy coming into the plot as well, making this very closely related to the ‘Assassin’s Creed’ games.
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1. Dishonored (2012)
The moment one dives into the exquisitely detailed world of Dunwall, with its ivory towers, its bridges and burly soldiers, its sewers and rats, with a heady concoction of betrayal, intrigue, conspiracy, and revenge, one forgets this is a game. We are compelled to consider Corvo Attano’s story as our own, such is the quality on offer from Arkane Studios in this exceptional game.
There are quite a few similarities between Corvo and Altaïr, or Ezio, and even Connor Kenway, to a great extent. They are all defined by a great wrongdoing that has been done to them, and their mission is to get back at the perpetrators as completely as they can, and on their own terms. Corvo’s story as he attempts to clear his name and reclaim Dunwall from a terrible conspiracy is exhilarating. The traversal is smooth, with special abilities such as Blink, and other abilities such as Possession give a delicious twist to the game itself. ‘Dishonored’ is a game all ‘Assassin’s Creed’ fans must play, even though it also shows a troubled individual’s quest for vengeance, but it is the different perspective that makes all the difference in the world.
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