"Assassin's Creed 2 and 3: The Pinnacle of Series Writing"

One of the most memorable moments in the entire Assassin’s Creed series unfolds near the start of Assassin’s Creed 3, when Haytham Kenway has finished assembling his group of so-called assassins in the New World. Players are initially led to believe these are allies, as Haytham wields a hidden blade and exudes the charisma reminiscent of the beloved Ezio Auditore. Up to this point, he's portrayed as a hero, freeing Native Americans from prison and confronting arrogant British redcoats. The twist comes when he utters the Templar motto, "May the Father of Understanding guide us," revealing that we've been following the series' antagonists, the Templars, all along.

To me, this twist epitomizes the potential of Assassin’s Creed. The original game introduced a fascinating premise—hunting down, understanding, and eliminating targets—but it stumbled with a lackluster narrative and flat characters like Altaïr and his targets. Assassin’s Creed 2 improved by introducing the more dynamic Ezio, yet failed to give the same depth to his enemies, with Cesare Borgia in Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood being notably underdeveloped. It was not until Assassin’s Creed 3, set during the American Revolution, that Ubisoft truly committed to developing both the hunters and the hunted. This approach created a seamless narrative flow and a balanced blend of gameplay and story that has yet to be matched.

While the current RPG-focused era of the series has been generally well-received, there's a consensus among players, critics, and community discussions that Assassin’s Creed has been on a downward trajectory. Theories about this decline vary, from the increasingly fantastical settings involving mythological beings like Anubis and Fenrir, to Ubisoft's introduction of diverse romance options, and the inclusion of real historical figures such as Yasuke in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. However, I believe the root cause lies elsewhere: the series has gradually moved away from its character-driven storytelling, which is now overshadowed by expansive sandbox environments.

Over time, Assassin’s Creed has evolved from its action-adventure roots to incorporate RPG elements like dialogue trees, XP-based leveling, loot boxes, microtransactions, and gear customization. Yet, as the games have grown larger, they've begun to feel less substantial, not only in the repetitive side missions but also in their core storytelling. Although games like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey offer more content than Assassin’s Creed 2, much of it feels less polished and more superficial. The addition of player choice through dialogue and actions, while meant to enhance immersion, often results in a diluted narrative. The tightly scripted stories of the action-adventure era allowed for well-defined characters, something that's been compromised in the expansive, player-driven structure of newer titles.

Consequently, games like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, despite their expanded content, often lack the depth and engagement of earlier entries. This can break the immersion, as interactions with characters feel less like engaging with historical figures and more like dealing with generic NPCs. This is in stark contrast to the compelling writing of the Xbox 360/PS3 era, which produced some of the best narratives in gaming, from Ezio's passionate rebuke, "Do not follow me, or anyone else!" after defeating Savonarola, to Haytham Kenway's poignant final words to his son, Connor:

"Don't think I have any intention of caressing your cheek and saying I was wrong. I will not weep and wonder what might have been. I'm sure you understand. Still, I'm proud of you in a way. You have shown great conviction. Strength. Courage. All noble qualities. I should have killed you long ago."

The narrative quality has also suffered in other ways. While newer games often simplify the moral conflict to Assassins = good and Templars = bad, the earlier titles explored the nuances between the two factions. In Assassin’s Creed 3, each Templar, as they face their demise, challenges Connor's (and the player's) beliefs. William Johnson suggests the Templars could have prevented the Native American genocide. Thomas Hickey mocks the idealism of the Assassin's cause, while Benjamin Church argues that perspective shapes reality, with the British viewing themselves as victims. Haytham himself undermines Connor's trust in George Washington, predicting that the new nation will be just as tyrannical as the British monarchy, a claim that gains weight when it's revealed that Washington, not Charles Lee, ordered the burning of Connor's village. By the game's end, players are left with more questions than answers, enhancing the story's impact.

Reflecting on the franchise's history, the enduring popularity of Jesper Kyd's "Ezio’s Family" from Assassin’s Creed 2, which became the series' theme, underscores the impact of its character-driven approach. The melancholic tones of the track were meant to evoke Ezio's personal loss rather than merely the game's Renaissance setting. While I appreciate the vast worldbuilding and graphical improvements of recent Assassin’s Creed titles, I hope the series might one day return to its roots, offering focused, character-centric stories that originally captivated fans. However, in today's gaming landscape, dominated by expansive open worlds and games with live service elements, such a shift might not align with current industry trends.