The Assassin's Creed franchise has a long and storied history, with many fans the world over loving its historical fiction take. That said, despite its success, many feel as though nothing could ever surpass Ezio and his adventures throughout the Assassin's Creed 2 trilogy. With each game bringing fans to new locales and introducing them to new assassins, there is of course going to be a wide diversity in what fans consider the best, but the fact that so many seem to agree on Ezio's journey is rather telling and shows that he has truly become the icon of the franchise.
Though the original Assassin's Creed focused on Altair and was well received, it was rather difficult and suffered from some clunky controls at times. It was a product of the times. However, Assassin's Creed 2 ironed out all the kinks from the first game, creating a refined, refreshing experience that was simultaneously incredibly fun to play and awesome to watch. Future installments of the franchise were subject to criticism of being too similar, prompting more recent entries such as Assassin's Creed Origins or Odyssey have changed up the formula in order to avoid things getting stale. These changes were well received for the most part, but there are still those that feel as if the newer games don't feel like Assassin's Creed games on a fundamental level.
Ezio's Legacy - Assassin's Creed
If one were to ask a stranger to name one character from Assassin's Creed, odds are if they are able to, it would be Ezio. Though characters like Altair, Edward, and Bayek are beloved within the franchise, none are as iconic as Ezio himself. Ezio was responsible for rebuilding the Brotherhood of Assassins, brought the group into a more modern era by introducing various hidden blade mechanics, and became the next true master assassin after Altair.
The trilogy of games devoted to him mark the perfect crossroads. The original Assassin's Creed was far too difficult and lacked solid controls, while Assassin's Creed 3 and onward were almost too accessible, providing an experience that was not as distinctive as Ezio's trilogy. Beyond this, the story, world-building, and setting of Ezio's adventures feel so appropriate for the assassin. Perhaps the most important thing about these entries is their heavy focus on the Brotherhood of Assassin's and Templars' struggle, something which is lacking from more recent entries.
Assassin's Creed Without Assassins?
Fans were no doubt thrilled when they learned that Assassin's Creed Valhalla would put them in the shoes of a viking warrior, and the same feeling was felt when Odyssey was announced. Settings like these are exciting, and it is understandable why Ubisoft would pursue them. That said, the Brotherhood of Assassins wasn't even established during these time periods, leading the game to feel like it lacks elements that would make it distinctly Assassin's Creed. Yes, there's still hidden blades, and at times the garments look similar to those of Altair's or Ezio's, but something still feels off when talking about Hidden Ones or the Order of the Ancients as opposed to Assassins an Templars.
Though Ezio shared the rags to riches background of other protagonists such as Connor from Assassin's Creed 3, he grew into so much more and became enveloped in the world of assassins. Playing a pirate, a greek warrior, or a viking are all fun and enticing, but most would agree that things feel very different now than they did when Assassin's Creed 2 first released. That said, change is good, and it is important that the franchise doesn't grow stagnant. Hopefully Ubisoft will find a way to imbue the charm and setting of Assassin's Creed 2 into its latest foray, Assassin's Creed Valhalla.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla will be available this holiday season for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.