Ubisoft has always been a reliable franchise that produces games worth checking out. However, they have recently been heavily criticized for releasing only franchise titles and not making new IPs. Assassin’s Creed, Tom Clancy, and Far Cry are some franchises Ubisoft relies on to maintain its market image. Despite being good franchises, fans want something new. That being said, this piece will look at the best Ubisoft games of all time and see which ones the French Studio has innovated on the most.
Contents
- The Best Ubisoft Games of All Time, Ranked
- 10. Immortals Fenyx Rising
- 9. Beyond Good and Evil
- 8. South Park: The Fractured But Whole
- 7. Child of Light
- 6. Rayman Legends
- 5. Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Chaos Theory
- 4. Assassin’s Creed 2
- 3. Watch Dogs
- 2. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
- 1. Far Cry 3
The Best Ubisoft Games of All Time, Ranked
As a rule of thumb, we will only select one game per franchise so that the list is not saturated with Assassin’s Creed or Far Cry titles. In that way, we can look at other deserving IPs as well which are worth checking out and investing in aside from Ubisoft flagship titles.
Ubisoft as a studio has a large portfolio of renowned titles that have won awards and done massive numbers in sales. The truth is that this studio is here to stay for the new age of gaming and we cannot wait to see what new IPs they come up with. That being said, let us take a look at the best ones they have already released.
(Note: This list is subjective and lists the writer’s opinion.)
10. Immortals Fenyx Rising
- Developers: Ubisoft Quebec
- Publishers: Ubisoft
Imagine God of War but much more toned down and customizable. By doing so, you would have Immortals Fenyx Rising. As the title suggests, the story is about Fenyx, a hero whose story is a lot different than the usual protagonists Ubisoft serves up. It is an open-world game which is customary for the studio but it is different from the other games we have seen from the studio. The game separates itself from Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry franchise and you can distinctly see the difference.
You can customize the hero, Fenyx according to your convenience. Aspects like gender, voice, and appearance are customizable while the open world is inspired by Greek Mythology. Another major change of pace is that instead of killing you, the Gods are trying to help you achieve your mission. This game is for God of War fans who want something new to experience. The combat is brilliant and the traversal is quite fun.
Resource collection is an important part of the game as you use it to upgrade your armor and weapons going forward. The story is a narrative told by Prometheus and is much more toned down than God of War. That being said, this game holds up quite well even if you are comparing its Greek influences to one of the greatest video game franchises of all time. That in itself is a major feat.
9. Beyond Good and Evil
- Developers: Ubisoft Pictures, Ubisoft Milan
- Publishers: Ubisoft
In gaming, there are many times when you play as sneaky journalists like in the Spider-Man franchise where you play as MJ. However, this is a completely different ball game altogether. Beyond Good and Evil holds up pretty well even after 20+ years of release and is an incredibly fun game to play. This game follows the story of Jade, an investigative reporter who is on a mission to uncover an alien conspiracy. What follows is a brilliant puzzle-solving and stealth-based adventure.
This game is considered as ‘one of the best games ever made’ by fans despite being a failure at launch commercially. Over the years, the game managed to gather a following due to its intuitiveness, Jade’s character, and unique gameplay. Aside from fighting bad guys, the game focuses heavily on stealth as well, allowing Jade to sneak around enemies and also use her trusty camera for information. For a game released more than 2 decades ago, it is creative and unique which a lot of projects lack even today.
The story is well written and complements Jade’s character, motivations, and gameplay aspects pretty well while the side characters have personalities of their own. All in all, this game is a gem that a lot of people still don’t know about. It is available on Steam for quite a cheap price. It is worth picking up for its story elements alone, the gameplay is just a huge plus that comes along with it.
8. South Park: The Fractured But Whole
- Developers: Ubisoft San Francisco
- Publishers: Ubisoft
South Park has been a crucial part of pop culture in these few years and its significance has extended to the gaming world thanks to the games. This one in particular is a direct sequel to South Park: The Stick of Truth and picks up a day after its end. The story follows the New Kid on the block. The New Kid gets access to ten different classes which they can switch from according to their convenience. Aspects such as gender, appearance, and superpowers can always be changed along with other aspects.
There is a crafting system as well which allows you to use resources to make things that can aid you on your journey. In terms of the story and world-building, the game does quite well and succeeds the previous one brilliantly. You can gather social media followers to complete some missions. The characters and superpowers are quite innovative and they will help you out when you are stuck in a rut,
In short, South Park: The Fractured But Whole keeps the franchise alive with dark jokes, deadpan humor, and voice acting that is consistent with the tone of the games. We recommend that you check out the prequel if you want to know how this game evolved from the previous one. Both are games that are worth exploring just because of how effortlessly funny the story and characters are.
7. Child of Light
- Developers: Ubisoft Montreal
- Publishers: Ubisoft
The Child of Light is an intuitive story told which reminds us of Jotun, a game that also tells the story of someone who dies and is navigating the afterlife. The game starts with the princess of Austria, dying in her sleep and waking up in the land of Lemuria. Her objective is to bring back the sun, the moon, and stars which the Queen of the Night holds in control. What follows is a beautiful story that is a mix between a side scroller and a role-playing game.
The combat is kind of like the Persona and Final Fantasy games. The turn-based combat gives you time to plan strategies and execute attacks. You can attack an enemy from behind to ambush them and give you an advantage. Aside from Aurora, you can play multiple other characters during the battles who have varied abilities which are useful in battles.
The game’s story and visuals are beautiful and it almost feels like an indie game. The Child of Light received tons of love for the visuals and storytelling. The subtlety and freshness this game brings is a welcome change in the sea of AAA games that have been populating the market for quite a while. We recommend that you play this game if you want something different from the usual categories you find on the market.
Ubisoft has done a stellar job stepping out of its comfort zone on this one.
6. Rayman Legends
- Developers: Ubisoft Montpellier
- Publishers: Ubisoft, Nintendo (Wii U)
Rayman has been one of the longest-running Ubisoft franchises and for good reason. This platforming video game franchise is a breath of fresh air for most gamers. The most appealing part of this game is undoubtedly the art which will make anyone fall in love with every single aspect of this title. In addition to the beautiful art, the gameplay is stellar and simple, allowing players to enjoy the spectacle.
The iconic characters of the franchise are back and better than ever. The story is silly and does not take itself too seriously which is exactly what you want from this franchise. There are more than a hundred levels in this game which will ensure hours of gameplay and unique levels that are sure to increase the fun tenfold. For players wanting to play with other ones, there is a multiplayer mode as well called Kung Foot which blends the game’s combat into football quite well.
The game’s biggest appeal is its simplicity and how it stuck to its routes when it comes to delivering satisfying side-scrolling adventures without complicating anything just for the sake of being complex. Due to that fact, this game was commercially a success and was praised by tons of critics for doing it right. If you grew up playing Sonic or Mario, then this is one of those games you should try out.
Each level radiates bright charm and imagination which is lacking in tons of video games today.
5. Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Chaos Theory
- Developers: Ubisoft Montreal, Ubisoft Annecy
- Publishers: Ubisoft
When it comes to stealth no franchise does it better than Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell series. Aside from that, we have Metal Gear Solid and the Hitman franchise. However, the Splinter Cell franchise revolutionized stealth in games we see today, and that is why it is one of the best Ubisoft series ever made. The game’s stealth mechanics are something that gaming franchises like Watch Dogs and Hitman borrow heavily from.
The lighting, mechanics, physics, and realistic gameplay hold up pretty well even today and offer a deep dive into how quality the games were back in the day. Getting away from enemies is quite difficult and staying hidden is next to impossible. Sam Fisher returns and he is better than ever. The realism of this game is only rivaled by how smooth the gameplay looks and feels. There is also a multiplayer mode for players who do not always want to fight against AI.
Aside from the arsenal of weapons Sam Fisher possesses, he also has certain grenades which can make crowd control quite easy. Essentially, the gameplay combines stealth, gunplay, and realistic infiltration mechanics quite well to make a game that every FPS player will love. The Splinter Cell franchise is one that developers should study so that they can learn to make stealth that does not get boring.
Aside from the franchises we mentioned earlier, the Batman Arkham franchise is the only one that has a smooth and satisfying stealth experience.
4. Assassin’s Creed 2
- Developers: Ubisoft Montreal
- Publishers: Ubisoft
Assassin’s Creed 2, according to this writer’s opinion, is the greatest Assassin’s Creed game of all time, partly because of the main character, Ezio Auditore. In addition to having great character development for the protagonist and a stable plot, the most appealing aspect of this game is the open world. The player gets access to multiple Italian cities such as Florence, Venice, San Gimignano, Forli, and Monterriggioni.
The combat in this game is simple but is difficult to master, there are tons of weapons you can use ranging from the hidden blade to a sword or even an axe. Ezio’s movement feels fluid while the parkor is second to none. Aside from advancing the story, there are lots of side missions you can do which have you doing things from stealing to assassinating. The gameplay is non-linear which rewards players the freedom to take on the story at their own pace.
Almost every aspect of the game is executed flawlessly ranging from weaponry, clothes, skills, stealth, parkor, movement, story, and character development. You can also interact with NPCs for various things such as healing, clothing, and weaponry. Eagle Vision helps you simplify your surroundings while your arsenal and skills grow over time.
In all seriousness, Assassin’s Creed 2 is one of the best and most complete Ubisoft games of all time and it still holds up pretty well today even after a decade.
3. Watch Dogs
- Developers: Ubisoft Montreal
- Publishers: Ubisoft
Watch Dogs is a relatively newer concept but the story that follows is something that blends well with the gameplay. This title is essentially an action-adventure game with a huge open world that is in your grasp. Using the technology in your hand, the city becomes your slave as you hack barriers, people’s tech, cameras, and phones to do your bidding. Players take control of Aiden Pearce who uses his phone to control anything that is tech.
As you advance through the game you acquire better ways to control the technology and use the environment to do your bidding. Other features include advanced movement like crouching and scaling surfaces and doing more to otherwise inaccessible areas. There are weapons you can use ranging from ARs to machine guns and Snipers. Aside from that, we also have IEDs and proximity mines. The open world is brilliant and is based on the city of Chicago.
The making of a new IP and its massive success prompted Ubisoft to make two more games for the franchise. The first one was Watch Dogs 2 and the third one was Legion which were released a few years after each other. The franchise has gone on to become one of the most iconic ones of all time and the fans have been loving the GTA-like portrayal of the characters. This game inspired Ubisoft to keep making these games that eventually showcase how easily accessible tech makes the world.
2. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
- Developers: Ubisoft Montreal
- Publishers: Ubisoft
Ubisoft Montreal never disappoints. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time was released 20 years ago and it is still the greatest PoP game ever made. It tells the story of the Prince but how his need to acquire his father’s approval leads to the destruction of everything he has ever known. Now, armed with the Dagger and the Sands of Time, he has to go back to fix everything and stop anyone from acquiring the Dagger in the first place.
The story is told beautifully and the Prince is always learning. The voice acting is beautiful and manages to make the characters human. Some puzzles will challenge your mind and the combat is simple to learn and hard to master. For a twenty-year-old game, the combat is complex enough that you cannot breeze through every fight and need strategies to emerge victorious. As usual, you can recover HP by drinking water and there are tons of upgrades you can find hidden that will boost your health and provide additional slots for the Dagger.
Fans were disappointed when the remake of The Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time was delayed indefinitely. However, some of them still hold out hope to see one of the best games ever remade. We just have to wait and see what Ubisoft has planned for it. For now, a new Prince of Persia game is releasing in January of 2024 and fans are more excited than ever.
1. Far Cry 3
- Developers: Ubisoft Montreal
- Publishers: Ubisoft
Another massively successful game produced by Ubisoft Montreal. Far Cry 3 is one of the best games ever made and that is partly because of the memorable villain, Vaas Montenegro. The game is grim, brutal, and realistic enough to be considered outlandish and downright scary. Some sequences in the game are brutal and not for kids. Far Cry 3 is the perfect Far Cry game and it is not even close. The single-player story is magnificent while the Co-Op is fun and the Multiplayer is chaotic.
The story revolves around the protagonist Jason Brody who is stranded on an island and is captured by pirates led by Vaas. His friends are captured but he manages to escape and is rescued by the townsfolk who are under the oppression of the pirate mercs. In exchange of the rescue and help to his friend’s whereabouts, he helps the townsfolk with the pirate problem.
What follows is a game filled with twists, turns, shocks, and awes as Far Cry 3 explores the human psyche and the dark side of greed, lust, and love. Some missions are unique and outlandish, there are tons of resources you can use to upgrade your weapon capacity. There are tons of weapons that have unique pros and cons while the skill tree makes Jason a one-man army against the pirates.
You can use jet skis, boats, ships, hand gliders, cars, and bikes to travel between islands which makes exploration fun. Fast Travel is also an option. Completing outposts can unlock Fast Travel and unlocking radio towers can reveal more on the minimap. There are tons of things to do and you will never get bored.
