Sony’s re-booted PlayStation Plus isn’t even two months old, yet it’s fair to say that the updated service has already found some solid success. Between the day one launch of Stray and the presence of first party hits like Returnal and Marvel’s Spider-Man, the Extra tier has gone down particularly well among PS4 and PS5 owners. One of the added benefits that has been garnering praise that shouldn’t be forgotten about either is Sony’s collaboration with Ubisoft.
Just before the re-booted PS Plus launched, Ubisoft announced that several of its biggest IPs and games would be added to the service’s Netflix-esque library. What came as a surprise to many has since proven to be a significant boon to the viability of Sony’s Extra subscription tier. While 50 classic Ubisoft games are set to land before the end of the year, players can already dive into a raft of entries from arguably the publisher’s biggest series, Assassin’s Creed.
Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag
The first entry from the open-world series that’s in the Ubisoft+ section of PlayStation Plus’s Extra, is Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag. First released on the PS4 back in 2013 as a launch title, nearly a decade later fans still hold the game up as one of the series’ best. While the journey of discovery that protagonist Edward Kenway embarks on remains a compelling tale, the expansive naval combat that players can experience is easily the best part of the game. So much so that it’s easy to see why Ubisoft has remained determined to keep the pirate-spin-off Skull and Bones in development.
Assassin’s Creed Freedom Cry
Black Flag is far from the only pirate-themed adventure that PS Plus Extra and Premium subscribers can embark on thanks to Sony and Ubisoft’s partnership. That’s partly because the impressive Assassin’s Creed: Freedom Cry is also a downloadable option available to PS4 and PS5 owners. Originally released as a DLC expansion for Assassin’s Creed 4, Freedom Cry was eventually converted into its own standalone experience in 2014. Thanks to protagonist Adewale, and the historic cases of slavery the game isn’t afraid to put into clear focus, Freedom Cry should not be missed.
Assassin’s Creed Rogue
Due to the success of Assassin’s Creed 4, it’s little wonder that Ubisoft has kept revisiting the game’s iconic naval gameplay. In Assassin’s Creed: Rogue, though, which was recently added to PS Plus’ Extra tier catalog, there’s more to the experience than that. As players are thrust into the shoes of Shay Patrick Cormac, it marks the first time that a Templar has been the sole protagonist for an entire game. Taking place between 1752 and 1760, Rogue also offers a neat ending to the two previously mentioned installments.
Assassin’s Creed: The Ezio Collection
Despite the success that Ubisoft has had with the Assassin’s Creed franchise in recent years, there are still some out there who hold up its early days as its golden-era. That’s partly down to the sheer likability of Ezio Auditore da Firenze, the second assassin that players were introduced to back in 2009. Thanks to Assassin’s Creed: The Ezio Collection, PS Plus Extra and Premium subscribers can see what all the fuss is about as they play through most of his life. Including remastered versions of Assassin’s Creed 2, Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, and Assassin’s Creed: Revelations, there’s plenty of Ezio-themed content for fans to savor in this single entry.
Assassin's Creed: Unity
When Ubisoft released the aforementioned Assassin’s Creed: Rogue back in 2014, it broke some of its established franchise traditions in the process. That’s because it also simultaneously released another mainline entry, Assassin’s Creed: Unity for the PS4 and Xbox One. Set against the backdrop of revolutionary-era France, players are placed into the shoes of Arno Dorian as he grapples with his own identity and turbulent love-life. Even though players are currently unable to play the game’s unique co-op modes, the story is still well worth checking out on PS Plus.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
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Even though rumors regarding the future of the franchise continue to circulate online, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is still its most recent mainline entry. Its presence on PS Plus is therefore significant, as it demonstrates the viability and health of Sony’s rebooted subscription service. Valhalla itself is an impressive game in its own right though, and one that sees players embark on an epic quest across 8th century England as the Viking raider Eivor. Blending together open-world exploration and traditional RPG mechanics like never before, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla‘s epic story can take anywhere upwards of 60 hours to finish.
Future Assassin's Creeds
Thanks to Ubisoft’s partnership with Sony, and the 50 games it’s promised will be added to PS Plus in 2022, it stands to reason that more Assassin’s Creed titles will come to the Extra tier soon. Assassin's Creed 3 Remastered, Syndicate, Origins, and Odyssey are all prime candidates, as these are the only remaining PS4-era games that are currently missing. Due to Sony’s hit-and-miss PS3-era support, the original Assassin’s Creed is the only mainline installment in the series that’s unlikely to feature.
PlayStation Plus subscribers get a handful of games every month.
