Assassin’s Creed is one of the longest running franchises in gaming right now. The series has spanned three console generations, mixing its sci-fi mysteries with real world history. Players have delved into the pasts of some of gaming’s most beloved protagonists including Altair, Ezio, Kassandra (my personal fave), and current day Assassin, Desmon Miles. Outside of the historical intrigue full of murderous plots, Assassin’s Creed has also been an outline of sorts for open-world games ever since Ubisoft became a factory for that particular sub-genre.

Towers that remove the fog-of-war that has become a mainstay of games with large maps, icons that dot the horizon letting you know there’s something to be done in a myriad of places, gameplay that focuses on out-of-vehicle traversal, a combat system that is insanely easy to learn (as well as master if we’re being honest), and more. It was no surprise that a pioneer of such games ballooned in popularity, and as time flew by, we delved into more periods of time, ranging from the Persian Empire to the industrial revolution in London. Of course, we moved around modern day as well, just not to the same extent (and no, I’m not going to count Watch Dogs).