Ubisoft is a video game developer and publisher known for creating popular franchises such as Assassin's Creed, Watch Dogs, and Far Cry. One thing that sets many of their games apart from others is their implementation of parkour mechanics. Parkour is a physical discipline that involves moving quickly and fluidly through an environment by using acrobatic techniques.
In many Ubisoft games, players are able to perform parkour movements like climbing, jumping, and sliding to traverse the game world in a unique and exciting way. These mechanics not only add a sense of immersion to the games but also allow players to explore the world differently, often opening up new paths and secrets to discover. In this way, Ubisoft has created a reputation for itself as a developer that provides innovative and exciting gameplay experiences through its implementation of parkour.
10 Steep (2016)
Steep is an open-world extreme sports game that takes players on a journey through mountain ranges. While it doesn't have traditional parkour mechanics, it does allow players to traverse the environment using a variety of techniques, including skiing, snowboarding, paragliding, and wingsuit flying.
Players can transition between these different means of transportation in order to explore the vast world, which is packed with challenges and hidden locations. Steep's gameplay is all about freedom and experimentation, allowing players to create their own paths through the snowed mountains and discover new ways to push their skills to the limit.
9 Rayman Legends (2013)
Rayman Legends is the fifth game of the series, and like the others, it doesn't necessarily have classic parkour mechanics, but it does require players to have a good sense of timing, precision, and control in order to navigate through various obstacles and enemies.
The game offers levels where the player must run, jump, and glide through elaborate obstacle courses with quick reflexes and agility. While it may not be parkour in the traditional sense, the emphasis on fluid movement and quick reactions makes Rayman a fun and engaging platforming experience.
8 Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist (2013)
The Splinter Cell games are mostly represented by their stealth action elements, but parkour movements were added to provide more fluid and dynamic motion options. Blacklist has the best parkour mechanics, as these elements are integrated into the game's stealth and navigation system, allowing players to quickly move around, climb up walls, jump across gaps, and slide under obstacles.
These parkour elements are not the main focus of the game, but they are used effectively to create a more immersive and dynamic gameplay experience. The movements can also be used to create new routes and strategies to approach missions, providing freedom and creativity in how fans choose to play the game. While parkour is not a major focus of the series, it adds a new dimension to the gameplay.
7 Naruto: Rise Of A Ninja (2007)
Rise of a Ninja follows the story of a young Naruto, as he trains and fights his way through the ninja world. The game implements parkour mechanics which allow players to use Naruto's ninja abilities to navigate through the game in new ways. Players can jump and climb walls, swing from tree branches, and even run on water. The parkour mechanics allow players to explore the game world in greater detail and complete objectives in unique ways.
The game also features a number of boss battles that require players to use their parkour skills to outmaneuver their opponents and gain the upper hand. Naruto: Rise of a Ninja is a fun game that combines the exciting world of Naruto with innovative parkour movements, making it a popular choice among fans of the series and action-adventure games in general.
6 Batman Vengeance (2001)
Batman Vengeance puts players in control of the iconic superhero, Batman, as he fights against some of his most notorious villains. The game's parkour movements allow players to use Batman's agility and acrobatic abilities to jump, glide, and grapple their way through the environment, scaling tall buildings and navigating through tight spaces with ease.
They allow players to approach challenges and combat situations from different angles and with different strategies. For example, players can use their parkour skills to avoid enemies and gain a tactical advantage, or they can use them to quickly move from one area to another during a chase sequence.
5 Far Cry 4 (2014)
Far Cry 4 is a first-person shooter known for its stunning graphics, open-world gameplay, and unique storytelling. The game's parkour mechanics are particularly notable, as they allow players to climb a wide variety of surfaces and structures, including cliffs, towers, and even buildings. Additionally, the grappling hook offered even more versatility in traversing the game world.
Players can climb and descend with ease, adding a level of freedom to explore the environment that was not present in previous games. Overall, the parkour mechanics in Far Cry 4 were a significant improvement over its predecessor, allowing for a more seamless experience for players who enjoy exploring the game's rich and varied open world.
4 Assassin's Creed Unity (2014)
Assassin's Creed Unity is considered by many to be a turning point for the franchise's parkour mechanics. The game introduced a new system called "parkour up/down" that allowed players to scale buildings and structures both vertically and horizontally with greater freedom and fluidity than in previous games. Unity also added more contextual movements, such as sliding under obstacles and smoother transitions from running to climbing.
Additionally, the introduction of a new "controlled descent" mechanic allowed players to safely descend from tall buildings without taking damage, adding a new layer of strategy to the parkour system. While Unity had some initial technical issues upon release, its parkour mechanics have been praised for their innovation and impact on the franchise's gameplay​​​​​​.
3 Watch Dogs 2 (2016)
Even though the Watch Dogs series is not known for its parkour mechanics, this type of flow is prevalent in the more recent entries of the series, such as Watch Dogs 2. The game's protagonist is much more agile and versatile, with the ability to climb, jump, and vault over obstacles with ease. Players can perform a wide range of parkour movements, including wall runs and slides.
Another new addition is the ability to chain together different movements and transition from one to the next smoothly, allowing players to create fluid, uninterrupted sequences of parkour movements. Overall, Watch Dogs 2's parkour mechanics offer a fun and satisfying way to traverse the game's open world.
2 Assassin’s Creed 2 (2010)
Assassin's Creed 2 features a mix of stealth, combat, and parkour movements. The game is often considered to have some of the best parkour mechanics in the series. It introduced new moves, such as the ability to sprint up walls, perform multiple wall jumps, and quickly switch directions while running.
The game also had a more refined control scheme and more responsive character movements, which made parkour feel more fluid and intuitive. The emphasis on rooftop traversal and vertical exploration also made parkour an integral part of the game's core mechanics, making it an enjoyable and immersive open-world experience for players.
1 Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time (2003)
The Sands of Time is a video game that mixes action, adventure, and puzzle-solving gameplay. It's considered unique for its early implementation of parkour mechanics, which allowed players to use various acrobatic movements such as wall-running, jumping, and sliding. This feature is a trademark of the game, seamlessly integrated into the gameplay, allowing players to navigate through the environments with precision and grace.
While fans consider that the Prince of Persia invented parkour in video games, many believe that the flow was so smooth, it almost made traversing the game too easy. However, the game continues to be an example of its movement mechanics, and seasoned players consider it the ultimate parkour experience video games can offer.