Before Resynced, every Assassin’s Creed game and the best order to play them

Back in 2013, (it has been over a decade already?) Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag gave us one of the most memorable open-world adventures. After all, no gamer can forget sailing across the Caribbean, exploring tropical islands, and just living life as pirate Edward Kenway. I personally remember spending hours just controlling my ship, and engaging in those iconic sea battles. Fast forward to 2026, Black Flag is still thought of as one of the best Assassin’s Creed games ever made. Maybe that is why its remake is on the way. Assassin’s Creed Resynced comes out super soon (July 9 to be exact) and if you’ve already played the earlier Assassin’s Creed games, you know just how big it is. But in case you aren’t really familiar with the earlier Assassin’s Creed games (Hello, Gen Z readers) or want to explore other games before jumping straight to Resynced, read on. 

Here we have done the homework and listed every mainline Assassin’s Creed game in chronological order, followed by the release order and the games we’d recommend playing before jumping into Resynced. This is going to be a long read so grab a cup of coffee, put your reading glasses on, and let’s get going. 

Also read: Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced coming soon: What is different and what remains same

Assassin’s Creed games in chronological order

Let’s start with the chronological order of the game. Now this simply means arranging them based on when their stories take place in the game’s history, not when they were launched. And because Assassin’s Creed jumps across different centuries, this order is very different from the franchise’s release date timeline. Now that that is cleared up, let’s go. 

1. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey (431 BC)

Right at the beginning of the chronological order is Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. Set in Ancient Greece during the Peloponnesian War, the game lets you explore one of the largest open worlds Ubisoft has ever created. There are two protagonists you can play as – Kassandra or Alexios. And no matter which character you choose, Odyssey is a fun-filled ride. Since the main story is slightly different for the two characters, it is worth replaying as well. 

2. Assassin’s Creed Origins (49 BC)

If Odyssey tells the earliest chapter of the Assassin’s Creed universe, Origins explains how everything truly began. Set in Ancient Egypt, the game follows Bayek, whose personal journey eventually leads to the creation of the Hidden Ones, the organisation that later evolves into the Assassin Brotherhood. It also marked a turning point for the franchise, introducing a much deeper RPG system and a completely refreshed gameplay formula. 

3. Assassin’s Creed Mirage (861 AD)

After several massive RPGs, Ubisoft promised to return to its stealth roots with Mirage. Set in ninth-century Baghdad, the game tells us the story of the central character named Basim. The game offered a smaller, more focused adventure that promised to feel much closer to the classic Assassin’s Creed games. However, when Mirage finally launched, it didn’t really get a positive response from players and critics.

4. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (872 AD)

Set during the Viking expansion into England, Valhalla tells us the story of Eivor. You can choose to either play as a male or female character here and Eivor’s goal is as simple (and complicated) as establishing a new home for his/her clan.

Valhalla leans heavily into RPG mechanics and opened up to mixed reviews when it was launched. However, it still carries forward many of the series’ core ideas through its exploration, hidden blade combat and connections to the Hidden Ones. PS: This is also one of the biggest games in the franchise, with enough content to keep you busy for hours.

5. Assassin’s Creed (1191)

The first Assassin’s Creed game. This is where it all began. Set during the Third Crusade, the original Assassin’s Creed introduced Altaïr and established many of the ideas that would define the series, including parkour, social stealth and carefully planned assassinations. Even today, it remains an important piece of Assassin’s Creed history, although the gameplay now feels far simpler than modern titles.

6. Assassin’s Creed II (1476)

For many fans, this is still the best Assassin’s Creed game ever made. Renaissance Italy serves as the backdrop for Ezio Auditore’s story, which combines memorable characters, political intrigue and satisfying progression. Assassin’s Creed II transformed the franchise from an interesting concept into one of gaming’s biggest series.

7. Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood (1499)

The story of Brotherhood picks up immediately after Assassin’s Creed II and expands almost every idea introduced in its predecessor. Rome becomes your playground as Ezio strengthens the Assassin Brotherhood and takes the fight to the Templars. The ability to recruit and command fellow Assassins remains one of the game’s most memorable features.

8. Assassin’s Creed Revelations (1511)

Ezio’s journey reaches its conclusion in this game, which also connects his story with Altaïr’s legacy. Set largely in Constantinople, the game focuses less on introducing new mechanics and more on delivering a satisfying ending for one of gaming’s most beloved protagonists.

9. Assassin’s Creed Shadows (1581)

Ubisoft finally took the series to Feudal Japan with Shadows. It is worth mentioning that this is the most recent Assassin’s Creed game, before Resynced launches. The game features dual protagonists , Naoe and Yasuke. As far as the gameplay is concerned, it comes with a stealth-focused gameplay mixed with direct combat. It also marks the beginning of a new chapter for the franchise through the Animus Hub. The game drew a lot of comparisons from Ghost of Tsushima, which is also set in Feudal Japan.  

10. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (1715)

The original Black Flag changed expectations of what an Assassin’s Creed game could be. Instead of focusing entirely on cities and rooftops, Ubisoft embraced naval exploration, allowing players to captain pirate ships across the Caribbean. Even years after release, many players still consider it one of the franchise’s finest adventures. 

11. Assassin’s Creed Rogue (1752)

Rogue offers something the series rarely does by putting players in the shoes of a former Assassin who joins the Templar Order. That shift in perspective makes it one of the most unique entries in the franchise while also connecting several games within the broader timeline.

12. Assassin’s Creed III (1754)

Set against the backdrop of the American Revolution, Assassin’s Creed III introduces Connor and explores one of the most significant periods in American history. While opinions on the game remain divided, it plays an important role in the franchise’s larger narrative and introduces several gameplay improvements over earlier titles.

13. Assassin’s Creed Unity (1789)

Unity takes players to Paris during the French Revolution and remains one of the best-looking Assassin’s Creed games even today. Although its launch was overshadowed by technical issues, later updates changed it into a polished experience with some of the strongest parkour mechanics in the series.

14. Assassin’s Creed Syndicate (1868)

The timeline concludes in Victorian London with the story of twins Jacob and Evie Frye. Syndicate blends industrial-era London with fast-paced traversal, gang rivalries and lighter storytelling. It was also the final mainline Assassin’s Creed before Ubisoft shifted towards the RPG formula introduced in Origins.

Assassin’s Creed games in launch order

Now that was all about the chronological order. But if you wish to experience the series exactly as Ubisoft built it, here’s the launch order of the games.

1. Assassin’s Creed (2007)
2. Assassin’s Creed II (2009)
3. Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood (2010)
4. Assassin’s Creed Revelations (2011)
5. Assassin’s Creed III (2012)
6. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (2013)
7. Assassin’s Creed Rogue (2014)
8. Assassin’s Creed Unity (2014)
9. Assassin’s Creed Syndicate (2015)
10. Assassin’s Creed Origins (2017)
11. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey (2018)
12. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (2020)
13. Assassin’s Creed Mirage (2023)
14. Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2025)

So, what’s the best way to play?

Now you might be wondering which order you should go for. In my opinion, if you’re completely new to Assassin’s Creed, the order in which they were launched by Ubisoft is still the better way. This is because you will get to experience how the gameplay has evolved over the years while also keeping the modern-day storyline in the order Ubisoft intended.

That said, if you have already played some of the older Assassin’s Creed games or just want to explore the game’s story from the first game to the last, the chronological timeline makes much more sense. Watching the Hidden Ones slowly evolve into the Assassin Brotherhood across different centuries is guaranteed to make the games feel more connected. 

Which Assassin’s Creed games to play before Resynced?

Now every Assassin’s Creed game is vast. And will keep you busy for hours. But do you have to play all of them to enjoy Resynced? Absolutely not. You can just play it as an isolated title and will still have a lot of fun (my first Assassin’s Creed game was Black Flag). But still, if you want to establish some context before jumping into Resynced, here are the games I would suggest you play. 

First is the original Assassin’s Creed simply because it lays the foundation for everything that follows. Then there is Assassin’s Creed II which remains one of the strongest entries in the franchise and introduces Ezio, a character many fans still consider the face of Assassin’s Creed. Meanwhile, Origins explains the birth of the Hidden Ones, while Odyssey explores the series’ more modern RPG direction.

So if you only have time for a couple of games before Resynced arrives, these are the ones I’d recommend starting with.

Also read: This game was made by just 2 people in 2 months and has already sold millions of copies