The best Assassin’s Creed game is Assassin’s Creed II, the 2009 Renaissance adventure that fixed the original’s flaws and still holds a 91 on Metacritic. Brotherhood (89) and the pirate epic Black Flag (88) lead the classic era, while Origins began the modern RPG run. This ranking follows critical consensus across the mainline series.
The series splits neatly into two: the stealthy classic games and the sprawling open-world RPGs. The best of each is below.
91
Assassin’s Creed II, the highest score
89
Brotherhood, the classic-era favourite
2017
Origins began the modern RPG era
2
Distinct eras — classic stealth & open-world RPG
The best Assassin’s Creed games, ranked
The mainline series ranked by Metacritic and critical consensus.
#
Game
Year
Metacritic
1
Assassin’s Creed II
2009
91
2
Brotherhood
2010
89
3
IV: Black Flag
2013
88
4
Origins
2017
84
5
Valhalla
2020
84
6
Odyssey
2018
83
7
Shadows
2025
82
8
Assassin’s Creed
2007
81
9
Revelations
2011
80
10
III
2012
80
11
Mirage
2023
76
12
Unity
2014
70
The top Assassin’s Creed games by Metacritic — the Ezio trilogy leads.
How we ranked them
This list follows critical consensus, led by Metacritic. The Ezio trilogy — Assassin’s Creed II, Brotherhood and Revelations — plus Black Flag define the classic top of the series, scoring in the high 80s and low 90s. The modern RPGs (Origins, Odyssey, Valhalla, Shadows) score a little lower but are the biggest and best-selling entries, so they cluster in the mid 80s. Black Flag is a special case: at 88 it sits third by score, but it’s many fans’ outright favourite for its pirate setting. Spin-offs like the Chronicles games are left out.
The essential Assassin’s Creed games
Four games that define the series.
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Assassin’s Creed II
2009 · 91
The Ezio classic that perfected the formula — the best in the series
Which game you start with depends on the style you want.
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The best entry points
For the classic stealth-platforming series, start with Assassin’s Creed II — the best place to begin the Ezio story. For the modern open-world RPGs, Origins is the cleanest starting point, or jump straight to Shadows for the newest. Black Flag stands alone brilliantly if you just want pirates.
Best Assassin’s Creed games FAQ
What is the best Assassin’s Creed game?
By critical consensus, Assassin’s Creed II — its 91 on Metacritic is the highest in the series and it perfected the original’s formula. Brotherhood (89) and Black Flag (88) are the other classic-era greats.
Is Black Flag the best Assassin’s Creed?
It’s the fan favourite for many, thanks to its open-sea pirate gameplay, though critics score Assassin’s Creed II and Brotherhood slightly higher. Black Flag also works as a standalone, so it’s a great place to start.
Which Assassin’s Creed should I play first?
Assassin’s Creed II for the classic stealth series, or Origins for the modern RPG era. Both are natural starting points. If you only want one, Black Flag is the most self-contained and beginner-friendly.
Do I need to play Assassin’s Creed games in order?
Not strictly. There’s an overarching modern-day thread, but each game’s historical story stands alone. The Ezio trilogy (II, Brotherhood, Revelations) is best played in order; the RPG games can be played independently.
What is the newest Assassin’s Creed game?
Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2025), set in feudal Japan, is the newest major entry and the latest of the big open-world RPGs. It scored 82 on Metacritic.
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