The Assassin's Creed series has countless entries with labyrinthine narratives, but the writing is unfortunately bland. The dialogue isn't particularly dynamic, meaning the characters are uninteresting as a result. That said, some figures stand out amid the mid-tier scripts.
Given how many games there are, it makes sense that the writers would stumble on a few engaging individuals. These characters not only tie into the larger Assassin's Creed timeline, but they do so while undergoing intense personal journeys. These transformations keep players engrossed long after the historical immersion wears off.
6 Edward Kenway
This swarthy scallywag confronts a changing world. Like many, Edward enjoys the freedom offered by high-seas piracy. However, that lawless life isn't sustainable, at least not without a unifying ideal beyond personal gain. It's a hard lesson; one made more effective by his pirate friends slowly dying off.
Though this makes the journey somewhat fragmented, it allows Edward to see the merits of nobler pursuits. These take the form of the Assassins and their mission to combat Templar tyranny. Edward's arc mirrors the maturation that many young characters undergo; it simply uses a rebellious phase in history to illustrate that. The Golden Age of Pirates--both its rise and fall--becomes personified in one character, and the transition is just as bittersweet as one would expect.
5 Bayek
This Egyptian Assassin is different from the others in that he's a family man. Bayek is a seasoned warrior, but he would rather be a devoted father in his humble village. It's not often fans see protagonists satisfied with such a simple life. This gives Bayek an earthly humanity that is easily relatable and hard to dislike.
Thus, it's more tragic when Origins rips that humanity away. Amid his child's death and his wife's spy duties under Cleopatra, Bayek faces a world against the little guy. He eventually relinquishes his identity and helps form the Assassins to make the world a safer place for future generations. While this journey feels forced at points due to him lacking his wife's dogged initiative, players can still tell it comes from a place of caring. That's ultimately why Bayek's arc remains compelling and distinct from the typical revenge mission.
4 Shay
Some learn to see the Assassin Brotherhood's merits, but Shay goes against the grain by falling out of love with it. That's not surprising since they seem like villains several times in the series. These guys kill people to make a point or influence progress in certain areas. To them, the ends always justify the means.
That's why Shay is so refreshing. One can't operate on that mindset indefinitely and still claim to hold the moral high ground. Doing so can cause people to lose perspective on what they wanted to accomplish in the first place. Shay organically learns the Assassins have fallen victim to this as the audiences do.
His subsequent defection to the Templars feels earned. What's more, is that fans still sympathize with him. He gradually comes to terms with his choice as he hunts down his former brothers. As they show their true colors, it only reaffirms how they've lost their way. By the end, his values differ so greatly that fans only wish he'd turned sooner.
3 Haytham Kenway
Here's another journey on the other side of the conflict. As the primary Templar antagonist of Assassin's Creed 3 and father of protagonist Connor, Haytham Kenway would normally change his worldview or realize the error of his ways. Well, that doesn't happen. By the end, he still holds his Templar beliefs; he instead sees newfound value in his son. Even that defies convention, though.
Although Haytham spends much of the game trying to recruit Connor as an ally, he never considers the kid a viable threat. As Connor deals him a death blow, Haytham admits his own naivety, saying that he should have snuffed his son out years ago. This is a wonderfully morbid twist on the paternal arc seen so often in entertainment, and it only adds further nuance to the game's best character.
2 Altair
The original Assassin is a lifelong member of the Brotherhood. A showoff working his way back into the organization's good graces, he soon realizes the corruption at its center and the stakes of its grander mission. Sadly, the monotone, anachronistic voice acting robs this arc of the weight it deserves, which is where it benefits from being part of a series.
Subsequent games pick up the slack in Altair's story. Armed with a new voice, flashbacks reveal the Assassin's further growth into seniority. These paint a poignant portrait of a man with a purpose far exceeding his short life. Seeing him work around that limitation to safeguard the world truly brings his journey into perspective.
1 Ezio
This Italian is emblematic of the series hitting its stride. Ezio starts as a clownish kid with a penchant for women and brawling. He quickly grows into an angry Assassin, thirsty for revenge. This gradually gives way to becoming a believer of the Creed, fighting to uphold its ideals in the face of Templar incursions. Finally, he ends his run as a sharp old-timer with a fair few regrets and a drive to ensure his work continues in future generations. The breadth of that journey speaks for itself.
What really helps, though, is carefully developing it over three games. Fans can see every step in Ezio's evolution, identifying with him at every turn. His character has the most complete picture of anyone in the series, and he remains the most engaging because of that.