5 Best Video Games Like Assassin’s Creed
By Sam StoneJuly 14, 2026 8:00 pm EST
Ever since 2007, Ubisoft has provided thrilling open-world historical environments for players to explore with its “Assassin’s Creed” franchise. The video game series revolves around the Assassin Brotherhood’s shadowy war against the Templar Order to steer the course of humanity. Each game is set in a different period in history, ranging from ancient Egypt and the Crusades to the American Revolution and the Viking Age. The best “Assassin’s Creed” games mix intuitive combat mechanics with a memorably engaging open-world environment that takes advantage of its setting.
Fans seeking other modern games with open-world and wide linear experiences will find no shortage of options. We’re highlighting the best, including some titles that also prominently place players leaping across rooftops or with an emphasis on stealth. These games’ expanded scope also feature rewarding side missions and a strong story encouraging players to delve deeper into their world, all while emphasizing exploration and melee combat in their own ways
Batman: Arkham City
Warner Bros. Games
After 2009’s “Batman: Arkham Asylum” started the entire “Batman: Arkham” story, the game’s 2011 sequel “Batman: Arkham City” went even bigger and better. The game opens with Bruce Wayne arrested and sequestered in a portion of Gotham City that’s been converted into a maximum security prison. Switching to his Batman persona, the Dark Knight stalks the sprawling prison grounds, battling familiar foes as he learns of the mysterious Hugo Strange’s true motives. Like its predecessor, the game also features an extensive challenge mode while giving players the option to also play as Catwoman.
While “Batman: Arkham Asylum” is a fantastic game reinventing what the DC superhero could be in video games, “Batman: Arkham City” is a much less claustrophobic adventure. The game’s titular setting gives players a true open-world environment to explore, with Arkham City packed with Easter eggs to the wider Batman mythos. The game’s predator sequences also return, encouraging players to stealthily stalk enemies from above before picking them off one-by-one. A truly ambitious realization of the mechanics introduced by its predecessor, “Batman: Arkham City” is a boldly bombastic follow-up.
Dishonored
Bethesda Softworks
Taking a steampunk approach to the genre, “Dishonored” offers a wide linear experience from a first-person perspective. The mythology of “Dishonored” revolves around an industrial city devastated by a plague and under the rule of a royal guard named Corvo Attano. After being framed for the Empress’ assassination, Corvo becomes an assassin himself and sets out to find who was responsible for the killing. Corvo has both supernatural powers and a set of steampunk gadgets and weapons he can use during his various missions throughout the city.
With an emphasis on stealth and multiple ways to complete each mission, “Dishonored” feels like Bethesda Softworks’ answer to “Assassin’s Creed.” The 2012 game boasts an incredibly atmospheric environment to explore, full of moody elements and memorable characters. The game also boasts action RPG elements, with Corvo steadily becoming more formidable as the story progresses. An immersive adventure that makes use of its unique narrative and environment, “Dishonored” is an evocative action RPG adventure.
Watch Dogs
Ubisoft
Ubisoft’s other open-world franchise, “Watch Dogs,” similarly places players in open-world metropolises to explore, but within the realm of a modern techno-thriller. The game takes place in a vision of Chicago where many of the Windy City’s core functions are hackable. The protagonist is Aiden Pearce, a hacker determined to avenge the murder of his niece orchestrated by a rival hacker. This leads Aiden to uncover a vast conspiracy while eluding assassins around the city, using his hacking skills to his advantage.
While “Watch Dogs” took some flak for its ending, the open-world scope and third-person action certainly evokes Ubisoft’s other long-running franchise. The game also encourages Aiden to navigate his surroundings vertically, gaining a wider perspective of the city, with its own melee combat mechanics. Sequels doubled down on the hacking elements and cyberpunk aesthetics while taking the narrative to different cities around the world. A relatively grounded sci-fi twist on the genre, “Watch Dogs” is a must-play for “Assassin’s Creed” fans.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
CD Projekt
Since 2007, CD Projekt’s “The Witcher” series has provided fans with fantasy adventures across various overworlds, but it took things to the next level with “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.” The game has monster hunter Geralt of Rivia reunite with his long-lost lover Yennefer in time to search for their adopted daughter Ciri. This places them at the center of a war raging across their realm, with Ciri hunted for her magical abilities. Along the way, Geralt can complete various side quests while his major decisions have visible consequences in how the story unfolds.
“The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” ranks among the best fantasy games of all time, tremendously improving upon the foundation laid by its predecessors. The scope has been increased significantly, with its open-world map containing several regions and cities to be explored, not unlike an “Assassin’s Creed” title. The narrative is the most engrossing in the series, with the variance in Geralt’s individual choices heightening the game’s replayability. An absolute triumph from CD Projekt, “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” is a true masterpiece of the video game medium.
Ghost of Tsushima
Sony Interactive Entertainment
When it comes to expansive, open-world historical settings, few can match what “Ghost of Tsushima” brings to the table. The 2020 game is set in 13th century Japan as the Mongols invade the Japanese island of Tsushima, forcing samurai Jin Sakai into hiding. Jin systematically dismantles the invaders’ presence, taking down various strongholds and high-value targets around the island. This is done through fierce swordfights and more furtive attacks as Jin retakes his homeland from the formidable enemy army.
Critics praised “Ghost of Tsushima” for its immersive and authentic vision of feudal Japan and tantalizingly intuitive swordplay. Before “Assassin’s Creed Shadows” covered similar narrative territory, the 2020 PlayStation 4 game offered players its own sweeping historical epic. That said, there are similarities between the two games beyond setting, including an emphasis on stealth and smoothly handled sword fighting mechanics. One of the best PlayStation 4 games ever, “Ghost of Tsushima” lives up to the hype around it.
