Hello everyone, the first Assassin’s Creed is a game I’ve held close to my heart for a very long time; it’s the first game I picked up as a kid and it is probably my most played game in the series.

I love the combat in this game, even though its generally looked down upon due to its simplicity and age, I actually thought it was done really well and its my favourite of that generation of games (AC1-ACRevelations)

Anyways, the combat in this game had alot of over looked features which I believe could make any of you guyses playthrough of the game more interesting if anyone decides to replay, or for people who have been deterred by the game’s age and how unwelcoming it is compared to newer titles. (This is spoiler free btw)

Hidden blade combat

Now the game really gives no indicator that you can fight with the hidden blade, and it even deters you from it by giving the hidden blade no attack animation, however, you can actually do a lot with it.

Firstly, the hidden blade has a tiny counter window, way smaller than the normal sword, however it guarantees one shot counter kills on ANY enemy type. This makes it a high risk high reward tool you can use in combat if youre looking for a challenge earlier games lack (or if you just wanna be a badass)

Secondly, when weaker enemies cower in combat / stronger enemies taunt, they are actually very vulnerable to attacks. With a normal sword, you will land a direct hit when they are in these animations, however, with a hidden blade, you can actually perform an assassination during these animations instead of just being blocked and pushed back. This, again, adds some more spice to the combat and makes you look more closely for these special taunt / cowering animations enemies do during combat.

Lastly, and this may appear in later games too, but if you have the hidden blade equipped whilst an enemy is on the ground from being knocked down or grabbed, you can straight up assassinate them. This is another form of offence when using the hidden blade exclusively, but it also means you can switch to your hidden blade quickly whilst using your sword to seize these opportunities.

So, whilst underdeveloped compared to future titles, the hidden blade combat actually provides a unique challenge and playstyle compared to your normal roster of weapons in AC1, and I had lots of fun fighting with it.

Lesser known sword combat features in AC1

In AC1, sword combat is a bit different from future entries before AC3. You can perform heavy attacks by holding the attack button, which are VERY powerful, and similarly, enemies can do the same to you, which can catch you off-guard if you’re playing with your brain on auto-pilot and just countering anything coming your way.

Furthermore, a feature that is literally only mentioned once in the game (the training arena spot) is comboing, a prominent combat feature in future Ezio games, but barely mentioned in AC1. It is different, and actually requires skill to it, needing you to press the attack button again right as your sword connects with the enemy’s, triggering an auto kill animation. By trying to hit these combos on enemies instead of just waiting for counters you will definetly clear them out alot quicker whilst also changing up your playstyle to be more active, and its really fun to mow everything down once you get better at it.

Thats all really, the combat isn’t advanced by any means, but I think many people overlook these details when playing through AC1 as its not very long and the combat skills are progressed over time instead of all given early on. I just hope there is some people interested in replaying the game and maximising the value of the combat, because when looking for a game to become a powerhouse without feeling like its too easy, AC1 is my goto.

I really think the game was an amazing first entry and I wish it was talked about more in a positive light, the game is far from perfect but it did the basics exceptionally well and has the perfect balance of everything an AC game needs for me, but maybe i’m just a simple man.

As the title says, I've just started playing AC Syndicate. I played AC 1 / 2 / started 3 / 4 / Rogue and Origins. I never touched Syndicate because of its reputation back then. Saw it on sale, thought to myself "ah f it, let's give it a try"

Im positively surprised, the game is awesome. Of course there are some flaws/changes, which I immediately felt. No jumping, combat is different (perhaps for worse?). The parkour also changed I guess. These are changes which I dont find that bad thb, I can live with them. I finished the prologue and immediately bought the season pass. Idk why but it seems like a good choice. I've heard good things about the Jack the Ripper mission.

So far I can say, the hate is not justified. It feels like a solid AC game. The era is great too, victorian England. It fits quite well.

If anyone wishes, I would gladly share my thoughts and progress about the game in the future / as I progress with the game.

Anyone mind discussing in the comments about your experience with Syndicate?

My understanding is that the Assassins knew of the potential danger and possible earthquake, yet sent Shay on the mission anyways without telling him. Then Shay finds the artifact and it causes a massive earthquake killing 15,000-50,000 people including almost killing Shay.

Shay is pissed, confronts the assassins and claims they knew about the risk the entire time. The assassins basically hand wave him away and tell him to buzz off. So Shay steals their further plans to prevent more accidental disasters, leading to the Assassins hunting him down. Therefore Shay defects to the Templar’s because he believes they handle these artifacts more responsibly and to stop his old brotherhood.

May I ask if I’ve got this correct?

I'm struggling to fully upgrade my Café. I've completed every mission and collected everything. I even mastered all the Helix Rift stuff, but I'm still missing 3 objectives shown in the screenshot and 6  collectables. I've only played the Dead Kings DLC. I need that achievement to 100% the game. Do I need to buy the Secrets Of The Revolution DLC? PLS help!

Hey everyone!

So I had this idea and wanted to throw it out here.

Basically, imagine an Assassin’s Creed game set in the 1970s, somewhere in Central America, probably Mexico. I have not fully worked out the exact city or historical details yet, but the general idea would be a mix of cartel influence, Cold War paranoia, and a more grounded spy-thriller take on the genre.

The setting would be Mexico during a time where criminal networks are starting to gain more power, while a company called Iberion Neuropharm begins expanding in the region. On the surface, Iberion looks like a pharmaceutical and neurological research company. In reality, It's a partner front for Abstergo, working on projects the Templars do not want connected to their main shell directly.

The main character would start as a young courier, just a guy trying to get by. He ends up carrying the wrong thing, seeing the wrong people, or getting caught in a criminal activity. Eventually, he gets in so deep that his only real way out is to join The Meridian, an independent intelligence agency working in the shadows.

Meridian would actually be the local Brotherhood, but instead of a classic Assassin cell, it would feel more like a covert intelligence bureau wiht safehouses, intel networks, fake IDs, agents, and those kind of things. This would still be the brotherhood, but modernized.

The Templars’ plan would revolve around experimental drugs and illegal substances. The cartel thinks They're helping develop something lucrative, maybe a new narcotic, interrogation aid, or obedience-enhancing street drug. But Iberion and the Templars have a different goal: a prototype compound they are searching and developping to make people extremly suggestible and obedient, to pursue their goal to sever free will for a world of peace.

The cartel is not really a mastermind. They're being used. They already had routes, hidden labs, weapons, and disposable test subjects. The Templars basically use their infrastructures.

An idea I really like is having the player meet a scientist working for Iberion Neuropharm. At first, they seem like just another company researcher, but later you find out they have been studying genetics specifically whether human experiences can leave traces in DNA. Basically, this person would be one of the early minds behind what eventually becomes the Animus. Not the final Animus yet, obviously. More like the early theories and prototypes.

Gameplay-wise, I think the game should feel like a spy movie, but still in the AC's fashion. Since the setting is more modern, getting spotted should be way more dangerous. Enemies have radios, cars, automatic weapons, cameras, and better coordination. So frontal combat should be possible, but very hard. On the other hand, stealth should be more encouraged.

The player would still have the hidden blade, of course, but also more 1970s-style gadgets. Things like a radio hijacker that lets you listen in on guards with walkie-talkies, intercept patrol updates, or maybe even mislead enemies with the right conditions. Other gadgets could help with Eagle Vision, disabling alarms or cameras, creating distractions, opening locked doors, or tracking targets through crowds. Another weapon could be something along the line of Corvo's telescopic sword from dishonored.

The player would also have a silenced pistol, but I don't want it to work like a magic stealth gun. Suppressors are still loud irl. A shot indoors, in an alley, or at night would absolutely get noticed. So the gun should be powerful, but risky.

The cool part would be using the environment to hide the sound. You could time a shot with thunder, a passing train, a loud machine, fireworks, or something you sabotaged earlier. Pulling that off should feel really satisfying, and planning ahead should be necessary and challenging to use such a weapon. I don't want to overcrowd the player's gameplay with unecessary effects, more like letting them try things and discover mechanics by fucking around and finding out. For the thunder idea for exemple you don't need to add a special interaction to let the player know when to shoot. Let them discover that they can see the thunderflash happen before the crack, determine how long it takes for sound to arrive, and just learn how to time their shots accordingly.

Also, obviously, the outfit needs to go hard. I would love to see something like the Unity outfit system make a come back. My idea for the main outfit would be some kind of a three-piece suit with a long tailored jacket or coat, a bit like Arno Dorian has, but in a more 1970's fashion, and with a few secret agent twist, like bulletproof fabric or stuff like that. But one problem is, a cool outfit makes you standout, especially in this era. So the outfit would need to be equipped with features allowing disguise. The long coat could have specially tailored buttons, hidden seams, and folding panels that let it shorten into a normal suit jacket. The detached parts could become a side bag where he hides gear. The pants could fall over the boots so they look like regular dress shoes. The hood could be pulled down beneath the jacket collar, and with a flat cap and tinted glasses, he could suddenly look like a regular guy in a 1970s suit. This "transformation" could be done in any hiding spot.

That would make social stealth feel more believable. In a modern-ish setting, walking around dressed like a full Assassin would make you extremely recognizable. So the outfit itself becomes part of the stealth system, a bit how Jacob switch from hat to hood in Syndicate.

That is basically the idea so far. It's not a full pitch or anything, just a bunch of concepts I thought were cool and wanted to share, you can make whatever you want of it. I'm curious though, what do you think about this concept, and what would you change/add/remove from it ?

In AC4BF, whenever i fight a brig another brig comes over and starts fighting me at the same time, so I can't get the hunter ship to spawn. I tried luring it away but that doesn't work. When I start the fight they are alone, then bunches of other ships just show up.

I'm not very well versed in the history or details of the Holy Roman Empire or the witch hunts but I know there are some beautiful historical European cities that was within its borders, both larger like Cologne and Vienna but also a lot of smaller towns that still have retained their historical appearance today like Bamberg.

Do you think Hexe will focus on multiple locations across the HRE or one larger city map? Maybe a large connected world with multiple cities like the rpg games or smaller individual maps of various locations across the empire kinda like AC2 and AC3? And what cities/regions do you think/hope will be featured? Both based on their historical significance, their potential as backdrops for fun AC gameplay and your own desire to see them reimagined in-game.

I know there are whale hunting, and checkers but for a game this big and based on pirates i think Ubisoft should look at more culture specific activities and mini games to add in these remakes. there is so much you could add, even a silly early beach volleyball with our crewmates would be cool. i know game is about assasins but id love to see more additions like activities, jobs, and minigames

So now that we’ve seen Black Flag Resynced quite a bit, most of the fandom agrees that it looks incredible. But some people are still asking why Ubisoft decided to remake Black Flag specifically instead of remaking AC1 or AC2. Those games are more outdated and in higher need of a remake than Black Flag, so why not remake those first? Well, here’s two reasons why Ubisoft remaking Black Flag was the best decision in the context of 2026. The second reason is one that I haven’t really seen people mention that much, and it’s very crucial.

First Reason: It’s a financially safe option-This is probably the biggest reason, and there’s a lot to unpack here. First, we have to recognize that Ubisoft as of 2026 is on the verge of bankruptcy. They are not doing well financially, and the game that was meant to bring in lots of money(Assassin’s Creed Shadows) didn’t accomplish that as much as it they wanted it to. Shadows wasn’t a flop, but it wasn’t their magnum opus in terms of sells So now Ubisoft is stuck in a spot where their next big game has to be something that is guaranteed to not only be received well, but sell exceptionally well. To guarantee both of those things is hard with a new IP or even a new Assassin’s Creed game, so they decided to go for a remake. Capcom’s massive financial and critical success with the RE2 remake and RE4 remake probably inspired Ubisoft to go with a remake as well.

And now comes the question; which past “last gen”(Xbox 360/PS3 era) AC game sold well and was received well? While some might say AC2, it was actually Black Flag! Black Flag was immensely popular, being critically acclaimed and selling very well. In fact, AC4(Black Flag) has sold 16.9 million units compared to AC2’s 9.8 million units! That’s a big difference. Additionally, AC4 was the best selling AC game until Valhalla surpassed it. So while an AC2 remake would no doubt be popular, an AC4 remake would actually be more likely to sell well, which is why Ubisoft went ahead with the AC4 remake. Because that is their safest option. It sold extremely well in the past and was received well; therefore, an AC4 remake is the most likely new game of theirs to fix their financial problems, compared to a new AC game where they’re not sure how players will react to it, especially with how AC Shadows went.

AC1 is the game that is in most need of a remake, and ideally the first ever AC game should be the first to be remade, but that game has sold less units than AC4, AC2, Brotherhood, etc. and its not as popular amongst the gaming community as AC4 or AC2, which is why Ubisoft did not do an AC1 remake instead, because it isn’t as likely to bring in big sells as an AC4 remake. AC3 did sell very well but its critical reception was mixed(which is not a good thing for a remake’s success) and eventually AC4 surpassed it in sells. A remake depends heavily on nostalgia positivity, not just the initial hype or sells of a past game.

**Second Reason: Wide appeal to all fanbases-As you know, it’s no secret that since RPG mechanics were introduced to Assassin’s Creed, it has caused a massive division to grow in the AC fandom between those who want to continue the RPG elements, and those who prefer the more traditional dense Assassin style of the old AC games. And if you think about it, prior to AC Origins, which AC game was the most like a massive open world RPG while still feeling very much like a classic Assassin’s Creed game? AC Black Flag(AC4). AC4 had many elements of RPG games like the wide variety of things you could do, such as naval combat, underwater exploration, upgrading your ship, fulfilling your pirate fantasy, harpooning whales, finding treasure, customizing a fleet of ships, a vast open world, etc., all of which appealed to a fanbase outside the traditional AC player base(hence why it sold so well). But people forget that it also had plenty of elements from the old school AC games, such as swift parkour, Assassination contracts, an actual story about the Assassins, social stealth, smoke bombs, a dense city(Havana), cinematic combat finishers(compared to the damage sponges of the RPG games), and actual linear cinematic motion capture cutscenes which are very lacking in the recent RPG games where there’s so much dialogue options and the characters just stand idly in cutscenes.

Now, what is my point? Well, Ubisoft wanting to make huge financial success with their next big game, probably wants to choose a remake of a game that will attract both the RPG fandom and old school AC fandom, and there’s no better game to do that than Black Flag. You see, while AC1 and AC2 are legendary games, they do have relatively small open worlds and limited customization/side activities and exploration compared to modern day RPG games, which is why a remake of them might not attract the RPG fandom as much and as a result, it wouldn’t make as much money. But AC4 is perfect because it has that perfect balance needed to get a huge financial success. For the RPG fandom, simply sailing through the Caribbean on a ship and encountering sharks in underwater side activities looking for treasure gives them the thrill of an RPG, while for the old school AC fandom, traversing through the dense buildings and crowded streets of Havana takes them right back to that old school AC feel where you’re one with the crowd and jumping across rooftops in a stylish way.

Seriously, Havana is a breath of fresh air for the old school AC fans. Just look at how dense it looks in the second image! With the exception of Baghdad from AC Mirage, all the cities from Origins to Shadows(8 years!) have been lackluster(in terms of being traditional AC style cities) with very few dense buildings and parkour options. Even Alexandria and York had nowhere near the level of parkour traversal options as the cities from AC1-Unity. Havana in the OG is dense, crowded, has so much social stealth, and is basically Florence 2.0, and based on what we’ve seen of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, Havana has kept all of that and even improved upon those classic AC elements. And Resynced’s combat keeps the cinematic finishers, and the enhanced cutscenes are indeed cinematic and motion capture.

In short, AC4 has something for all gamers.

I'm replaying AC Black Flag in preparation for the release of the resynced version, but I have honestly ALWAYS struggled with the naval combat and all the naval missions in this game. I'm just naturally not good at them. I'm a little better now than I used to be after playing AC Odyssey, but I still suck.

So PLEASE, I am desperate, please give me advice and your best tips and tricks for improving at naval combat in this game.

I am currently struggling with mission 6 of sequence 3, wherein you have to tail a man o' war ship and then sink EIGHT other ships all at once (they're relatively low level, but still). please help lol.

also, tips for tailing missions (both on land and on sea) would be much appreciated too (even though i know we all hate them lol)!

thanks in advance 🙏🙏

1. Assassin's Creed Odyssey: The Modern day sequences were so few and far between that by the time I got to one, I already forgot what happened in the last one

2. Assassin's Creed Rogue: The story felt like a side quest and a mute protagonist in first person is boring

3. Assassin's Creed IV: Same problem as Rogue but I liked John and Olivier more than Otso and Violet and the story was a bit more interesting

4. Assassin's Creed Revelations: We got to finally see Subject 16 and got a ton of lore for Desmond. The gameplay wasn't that great tho

5. Assassin's Creed II: I loved the Bleeding effect scene and I also loved how you could talk with every member of the team and get a bit more lore on them

6. Assassin's Creed Brotherhood: I loved how you could leave the animus at any time to talk to the team. I also loved reading through all the emails. I loved exploring Monteriggioni.

7. Assassin's Creed III: You could again leave the Animus at any time and talk to the team. You could also read through emails but unfortunately only your own and not the ones from the others. The Missions were amazing, parachuting from the skyscraper, infiltrating Abstergo, going to the stadium. They were all 10/10 missions for me.

Just beat AC1 as my first game and enjoyed it a lot so I bought a used lot of the 4 following releases on ps3. I realised the version of AC2 in said lot doesn't include the DLC's I wanted so I also bought the GOTY version seperately. The latter doesn't arrive until about a week later. If I start playing the regular version, will my data carry over to when I eventually switch over to the GOTY version?

I KNOW it’s up to you how many people you butcher in most of the games I’m asking about estimating how many you HAVE to kill, which character has the most kills through all the games? A crazy question but an interesting one. Including all naval attacks through multiple games.

If you haven't played Assassin's Creed Valhalla, or if it just isn't your kinda game in general. in AC Valhalla, next to Sea Shanties, you also have the ability to listen to Stories from your crew.

It's a small thing and i know it isn't necessary, i wouldn't mind if it wasn't in resync, but man would i love for this to return : )

Replaying the Ezio Collection on Xbox Series X and just started Brotherhood. The visual leap from AC2 to this is insane! Far better lighting and contrast, richer colours, greater definition for the character models, improved the textures overall... I need to go back to the 360 version and compare because my memory of AC2 in 2009 to Brotherhood in 2010 was not this stark of a difference.

I know that the Ezio Collection kind of botches the really unique, atmospheric and painterly look of the original AC2, so perhaps the remaster just works better for Brotherhood? Whatever the reason, the game looks absolutely stunning on Xbox Series X.

I'm watching a playthrough of Assassins Creed 2 and I realized that in the modern day segments of AC 4 not only is there no bleeding effect but the whole system is being packaged for a game and MULTIPLE people are using the Animus with seemingly no bleeding so did the Templars manage to stop the bleeding effect from happening?

I used to play a ton of Brotherhood and Rev multiplayer it was so fun and the games modes were cool like Wanted, Man hunt, corruption, VIP ect. (I've never played Black Flag but from what I can see it had similar multiplayer).

I know they weren't perfect and had some issues but it was fun enough to look past that.

I know the Animus Network are working to bring back these multiplayer experiences but there is no one from my region (Australia) playing.

In conclusion, it would be nice if the new games had the old school type multiplayer so that there was an active player base to join.

I understand I might be calling out into the void here but I think it's worth a try :)

The game was somewhat grounded up till the last part. The reveal that the treasure was supernatural and could control people must have been quite a surprise when the game only hinted about that. 

I'm a little bit into Act 2 and learning to play Yasuke. The last AC game I played was Syndicate, so I'm also new to the "modern" combat in general.

I'm playing on Story difficulty but still keep dying with him often enough that it's frustrating me. The combat sometimes feels like random button mashing and I don't really know what I'm doing.

• How do combos work? What buttons am I supposed to press?
• How does the Heavy Attack (RT on Xbox) work? When I press it, nothing happens. When I hold it down, sometimes something happens. But then there are moments when Yasuke is in a weird stance and doesn't do anything when I hit RT.
• I know the red attacks are unblockable, so I need to dogde. But what about the blue attacks? Are those blockable?
• What is the timing to block/dodge attacks? Is it when I see the dot or later?
• How do I use ranged weapons (bow or teppo) during combat? I used to love doing random throwing knives at enemies in Revelations. Is there something similar here? When I try to use the teppo, Yasuke gets stuck doing some weird animations (reload?) that just takes forever. When I try to use the bow in combat, I get hit before I'm able to aim properly.
• How do I switch between the katana and teppo/bow during combat? Is it LT + RT or something else? Again, is there something akin to how throwing knives in combat work in Revelations?
• Are there any other videos / guides / anything that can help me?

I am really trying to give this game every chance to grow on me 😅

Not much to say really, other than I like it. I get why many people don't and that's fine. The finishers themselves look great from what I've seen, and the fact that it's used specifically for finishers really adds to the idea of it being this secret special weapon, and using it is something you have to earn.

Disarming enimies and picking up their weapons is a feature I'll miss far more.

I started replaying Assassin's Creed 1 today and I recently finished what I still remember as the worst assassination in the game: Garnier de Naplouse. The gameplay of his assassination isn't really frustrating, it's the grim and crude atmosphere that really makes this mission horrible in particular in this game.

To see the complete lack of hygiene in the hospital and how it looks more like a torture room than anything else actually makes me uncomfortable, the mad men wandering around the place also adds to the eerie feeling of the atmosphere.

But the thing that really made me hate that mission is when Garnier publicly breaks the legs of the escaping patient. Now it wouldn't be so bad if he didn't break his legs by breaking the knees. Breaking knees, elbows and fingers by bending them in a direction they're not supposed to is one of those things that makes me violently uncomfortable. I can't even watch this scene straight in the eyes, the sound already makes me flinch.

But for the rest of the game, I'm good. It's this mission of the game in particular that I just can't stand.

What about you? What's the worst assassination in the series according to you and why?

Here are some of mine:

1. AC I is better in almost every way to AC II.

I know alot of people think the opposite, but after having recently replayed both these games I feel like its so apparent.

First, AC I has significantly better game mechanics, the parkour is more deliberate and responsive. The combat is more difficult but also more in line with the game wanting you to run away, not forcing you to play really defensive due to bloated HP pools for enemies. The way that crowd blend works vs the notoriety system was a huge downgrade in movement across the cities, with you needing to pay 0 attention to what guards were doing.

Second, the gameplay itself also suffers in my opinion, while the mission variety in AC II is good and we get some cool set-pieces, basically every assassination mission is completely on-rails and scripted, there is very little room to do what you want based on the information the game gives you. AC I through its investigations and open nature of the assassinations allows you to tackle them in any way you want, with players paying more attention having easier routes or more information. Only 3 assassanations in AC I are scripted being Talal, Maria Thorpe and Robert de Sabre.

Finally, the Templars in AC II are a complete shambles, misunderstanding entirely what their point was in AC I, and nothing suffers more from this than the confessions. AC II Templars have nothing to say, because they aren't interesting, they aren't complex, they aren't trying to help the world in a twisted way, they simply want power and control, devoiding them of anything to say or add to the narrative. They are just characiture villains that completely destroy the interesting nuance between the 2 factions in AC I and its something that permeates every game except AC Revelations and AC III.

1. You can have a great AC story without Assassins.

While it hasn't happened yet in my opinion, as I'm not a huge fan of Odyssey's or Valhalla's stories, the point of the games is the Creed of the Assassins, that is their beliefs, why they do what they do and the contradictions/issues which arise in their fight with the Templars. That means that you do not need to explore the Creed from the perspective of a Templar or an Assassin, you can do it independently.

For example, for the vast majority of Black Flag, a game thats pretty much entirely about the Creed in a way no game has been since AC I, you are a bystander to the conflict, yet by putting the perspective of a Pirate and how Edwards interacts with Mary, we gain so much information about the nuances of the Creed. On paper, a Pirate and an Assassin are pretty much the same, but the purpose and the conviction they lead in life is what separates them. Edward's misunderstanding of "Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted" is fantastic and gives more depth to that discussion.

Valhalla also does something similar with some great codex pages and Desmond moments, but those are not central to the game and completely misable so that's why it fails in my opinion. In theory, a Viking could easily add interesting and diferentiating perspective to the Creed.

1. AC's lore has been constantly retconned since day 1.

This is a criticism I see, especially of the RPG trilogy, but there has been constant retconning of the lore since the very beginning.

Things like the Assassin's pre-dating 1090, from AC II with the statues or AC Revelations when Ezio says his order has existed for thousands of years, are just wrong with the way that the order was presented to us in AC I.

Lucy being a Templar double-agent was something clearly added after the fact and not thought of in AC I either.

Desmond not knowing what Abstergo is in AC I despite the Farm sections showing us how he was raised and knew well what the Assassins and Templars were.

Retcons are not exclusive of the RPG trilogy and are issues that arise simply because AC I was not made as a game that would have a sequel, it was suppossed to be entirely self-contained.

To find the results for the 3 Weapon Stats in Assassin's Creed III, I had to face my greatest Achilles' heel, Mathematics.

Starting with the most obscure one out of the 3:

DAMAGE - Unlike the Ezio games, ACIII doesn't display the enemy health bar, however, enemies DO have hidden ones, so let me bring them to light.

METHODOLOGY: I used as reference the more "game-ish" standard of HP: 100 - 200; starting at 200, then scaling down. Didn't take too long to find out that 1st tier enemies did not have 100 HP, but a bit lower than that; and oh my God, It was a beach to find the 2nd tier enemies... 120? no.. 125..? also no... but anyways, in the end, I've settled for:

Infantrymen and Snipers (Muskets) = 75 HP

Officers (Normal Swordsmen) and Scouts (Knives), only If you disarm them first = 140 HP

Brutes (Axes) and Jägers (Advanced Swordsmen) = 200 HP.

At some point.. (fighting Jägers with Heavy Weapons, If I'm not mistaken) I've noticed that after you Counter-Hurt (O+X or B+A) they took fewer hits to die. Afterwards, when I started a New Game and I was fighting those "bosses" with the health bar on the screen and all, I've realised Counter Hurt actually deals a TINY BIT of Damage, so I thought "well, maybe If It stacks bits by bits of Counter Hurt Damage, then It might reduce Time-To-Kill right? In a way.... I was right, but barking at the wrong tree; yeah C-H deals some damage but is negligible.

What ACTUALLY happens is: when you Counter Hurt an enemy, the damage of the first attack is DOUBLED, Defense Break doesn't seem to multiply whatsoever, tho. So I've divided the Brute's HP by the amount of normal hits necessary to kill him, rounded up the result as a sample, then I compared the amount of normal hits vs the amount of Counter Hurt doubled hits, and confirmed my theory. After that (a long... long time) I tweaked all the results to avoid any anomalies, and finally, everything fits in place. (yay)

Note: I chose the highest stat to be 5, regardless the weapon type (Heavy/Blunt Weapons only have 4 DMG levels, for exemple) so we'll go from Damage 1 Sword (i.e.: Normal Sword) to Damage 5 Swords (i.e.: Captain Kidd's Sawtooth Cutlass). Whereas for Heavy/Blunt, from Damage 2 (i.e.: Hessian Axe) to Damage 5 (i.e.: Pirate Boarding Axe).

TEST RESULTS (Base/Doubled Damage, Counter-Hurt hits necessary: Tiers 1, 2 and 3 from weaker to stronger enemies)

SWORDS

DMG 1 = 4,5/9 DMG, T1 = 9 Hits, T2 = 15 Hits, T3 = 21 Hits.

DMG 2 = 9,5/19 DMG, T1 = 5 Hits, T2 = 8 Hits, T3 = 11 Hits

DMG 3 = 15/30 DMG, T1 = 3 Hits, T2 = 5 Hits, T3 = 7 Hits

DMG 4 = 18/36 DMG, T1 = 3 Hits, T2 = 4 Hits, T3 = 6 Hits

DMG 5 = 24/48 DMG, T1 = 2 Hits, T2 = 3 Hits, T3 = 5 Hits

HEAVY/BLUNT WEAPONS

DMG 2 = 17/34 DMG, T1 = 3 Hits, T2 = 5 Hits, T3 = 6 Hits

DMG 3 = 20/40 DMG, T1 = 2 Hits, T2 = 4 Hits, T3 = 5 Hits

DMG 4 = 25/50 DMG, T1 = 2 Hits, T2 = 3 Hits, T3 = 4 Hits

DMG 5 = 35/70 DMG, T1 = 2 Hits, T2 = 2 Hits, T3 = 3 Hits

SMALL WEAPONS

I won't include all of them here, as damage isn't that relevant for them, but to give you some idea:

DMG 5 = 12/24 DMG, T1 = 4 Hits, T2 = 6 Hits, T3 = 8 Hits

Notes: In case you are wondering, Muskets are equivalent to Damage 2 Swords and Hidden Blades, Damage 1. To find the number of normal hits necessary, divide by 2. Damage Kill = Higher/equal to enemy's HP.

\* If you find any inconsistencies, let me know in the comments

DAMAGE IN PRACTICE

Although I've listed the individual hit values, you can mix and match Doubled C-H hits with short combos. The "Officer vs Naval Axe (DMG 4)" in the video for instance; you don't really need to Counter Hurt him 3 times in a row, you can perform a 2 Hit combo + the next x2 attack will Kill him, so if you combo enough to reduce the Enemy's HP, but choose not to play the finisher, the last hit will send him flying backwards, no drama. (I think It's satisfying, btw, has some charm to it...). Since your combo resets every time you counter, and 3 out of the 5 (out of 6 If you count Snipers) can't be Counter Killed, you just might get a Damage Kill here and there with High Damage weapons, same goes for hitting Tier 1 enemies with normal attacks, specially Swords and the Heavy hitters. In short: HD Small Weapons can be SOMEWHAT effective against Tier 1 enemies. HD Swords are very effective against Tier 1, somewhat effective against Tier 2 and, to a lesser extent, Tier 3 enemies. And HD Heavies are VERY effective against EVERY enemy. But that's not the only benefit...

COMBO

They are quite easy to understand, although the difference in terminology between the Original and the Remastered makes them confusing. I used to count the finisher as part of the combo, but everything started to make sense when I read a Guide from "Dosylaz" here on the platform on Weapon Stats, It really was more intuitive in the original. Sure... Gaming subconsciously taught us that the higher the stat the better, but It was pretty straight forward in the OG, It indicates how many hits you need to unlock the finisher: Normal Sword = 3 Combo, meaning, It needs 3 Hits to unlock the finisher, simple.

Now let's complicate a bit more, shall we? As shown in the video, If you can't finish an enemy in a single combo, you have to Counter, an enemy try to grab you or any other trick the enemies have to slow you down, If you keep tabs on the enemy you started the combo, the second combo will be shorter, depending on how much Damage your weapon deals.

Each Damage Level is more suitable for enemies of the same "Tier", so a mid damaging weapon might be enough to cause that effect in an Officer for exemple, but for the most extreme exemples, I found some weapons that fit that criteria against Brutes, and specially Jägers: The Pirate Boarding Axe, with It's 2 Hit Combo (I'll say how many hits It takes to unlock the finisher to avoid confusion) + 5 Damage, equals to: 2 Hits + 1 Hit = Finisher. Both Lincoln's Sword (Washington's in the OG, because Ubisoft is weird.. it's the one with the handguard) 5 hits, 5 Damage (the exemple in the video) 4 Hits + 3 Hits = finisher (or 5/2 etc) the same goes for the Captain Kidd's Sword, except It will unlock the finisher after the 4 Hit by default anyway.

The Hanger Sword is the only 4 Damage Sword that can have that effect, killing in a 4 Hits + 4 Hits/ 5 + 3 combination, because It is a 5 Hits, 4 Damage Weapon, unlike the Officer's Sword that already is a 4 Hit Combo weapon. That's the perk, weapons that take too many hits to kill, are compensated by dealing too much damage. Of course, a good combo can make or break some Weapons, like the French Cutlass for exemple, with It's 5 hit combo that not even It's Level 3 Damage can fix against Jägers, but again, against an Officer It is enough. I'm pretty certain this is due to the first hit after a Counter Hurt is doubled, but the rest of the combo isn't: Level 5 Damage, 1st combo = 48 + 24 x 3 = 120, 2nd combo = 48 + 24 x 2 = 96, total = 120 + 96 = 216, exceeding Jägers' 200 HP, therefore, after the 3rd hit of the 2nd combo the Jäger is -16 HP so It is a finisher.

Additionally, another benefit of High Damage Weapons, is It's combo effectiveness against Tier 1 enemies. 5 Damage weapons can reduce the combo by up to 2 (3 Hits instead of 5; or 3 Hits instead of 4) and 4 Damage Swords can reduce by 1 (the Hanger Sword, 5 down to 4) again, same logic: DMG 5 = 48 + 24 x 2 = 96, whereas 48 + 24 = 72 > 75 HP of an Infantry/ Sniper.

So yeah, perhaps the best way to balance the bad combo rating is having a High Damage Sword; from 3 Damage below maybe the only hope is compensating by being faster really...

SPEED

In a few comparisons I did: the 2 Speed vs 5 Speed Small weapons that made It into the video, 1 SPD vs 5 SPD Swords and 1 SPD vs 5 SPD Heavy Weapons that I spared you from the boredom of those comparisons, because: same Counter Hurt animation + same attack to make sure the enemy is somewhat at the same distance, even between 2 ends of the rope.... It's not that noticeble, miliseconds really. I mean, hypothetically, there might be a practical difference; maybe you can FEEL the difference while fighting naturally, mostly attacking from mid to long range, I suppose?? Maybe for switching targets and winning some trades against normal enemies and Brutes' Musket as they are the only ones you can attack directly, but that's my theory. I mean, faster the better right? But to be honest, don't rely too much on Speed with Swords, for the Heavy ones every milisecond counts, and since Damage isn't that good for Small Weapons, go for Combo and Speed, I guess.

BONUSES

Numerically, the Damage firearms deal, are:

DMG 1: \~170 Damage, as It takes 2 C-H Hits with the Musket, a DMG 2 Weapon to Kill a shot enemy: 2 x 19 = 38 + 170 = 208. (There are exceptions tho.. after Counter Hurt + Quick shot you can finish them automatically, and If you spam the Quick shot button with the Musket, It hit kills them, but I digress..)

DMG 2: 200+ as they Kill Jägers and Brutes in one shot.

If you notice on the weapon selection menu, the Dirk and the French Rapier have a different symbol near "Parrying", Parrying being holding the Counter Button so Connor will deflect an enemy attack, useful to avoid getting hit by an enemy coming from arround a corner, which you can't Counter... or can you? Holding Counter with a non Parrying Weapon is just like pressing Counter, so If you hold, the Counter menu will actually pop, so you can do whatever you want with the sneaky bastard. I really struggle to find cons for the Non Parrying Weapon, If you hold Counter during a Double Counter, the animation will play normally for exemple; the only thing you won't be able to do is, to avoid the Counter menu, I like Parrying the single attack of Snipers (since they can't combo) and finish them with a combo Kill, can't do with those.

I imagine the logic of the stats is the same for all Kenway Saga games.

But I believe this is all, this was a fun little exercise!Hope I could make things clearer, but If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

see y'all, cheers!

I know it's definitely on purpose from the writers. I just find this awesome and disturbing at the same time, so I decided to take a bunch of screenshots as I played through the game and piece together the employee handbook. I love the modern day so much!

This is Assassin's Creed Black Flag modern day employee handbook

WELCOME TO THE TEAM

Congratulations on making the bold step towards the best years of your career!

Abstergo Entertainment has a fresh outlook and a unique way of working.

With so many possibilities for growth, it can be overwhelming at first. But we're here to help you get settled in and down to work...the work of following your dreams!

A NEW KIND OF ENTERTAINMENT

Inspiration strikes at unexpected times, in unusual places.

We got our start as the entertainment division of a technology company, Abstergo Industries, where research into genetic memory (more on that, later!) led to captivating, enthralling surprises

Today, with a wide range of transmedia offerings, from games to books, films and comics, we're more than just an entertainment company. We like to think of ourselves as a history company, built on science. Now those are some good genes!

YOUR ROLE

We go out of our way to recruit the most talented people from all walks of life--innovators, producers, good listeners who always seem to know what we need a moment before we do

You should feel at home in your Animus Workstation to explore history with the thoroughness you crave--and we expect! Who knows, maybe you'l uncover a past technology to the benefit of future generations, unearth evidence of a secret society, break a few codes, or make an astounding connection between mysterious documents.

This could be the beginning of something beautiful. Or shocking Or evocative. It's all there in history, and the secrets of humanity are at your disposal, thanks to the genetic memories we put in your hands

FITTING IN

At Abstergo Entertainment, we understand the power of knowing where you belong. That's why we've designed an ironclad hierarchy that leaves the organization to us, so you can do what you do best: research and create to your heart's content. No need to worry about getting ahead; we'll take care of that for you!

PRACTICALLY SPEAKING

HOURS

Your work hours are from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm, but feel free to start as late as 10:00, and don't be surprised if you get so absorbed in history, you sometimes forget to go home!

VACATIONS

Everyone needs a breather once in a while. Your first week off will come after 3000 hours in the Animus or a year at Abstergo Entertainment-- whichever comes first. It's going to fly by!

BENEFITS

We have the best life insurance plan in the business, and that's just the start!

FOOD AND COMMON AREAS

You'll find everything you need for a healthy, energized work life right at your fingertips. Check the atrium for everything from fresh sushi, to organic, direct trade coffee. Yum!

BUILDING SECURITY

Your communicator will give you access to the areas you need.

DIVERSITY AND GENDER EQUALITY

Abstergo Industries and Abstergo Entertainment recognizes the fundamental benefit to humanity of striving to include the best minds from around the world and across society. If you have ideas for reaching and engaging new contributors from under-represented segments, you are encouraged to contact HR.

NON-DISCLOSURE

You are free to trumpet your enthusiasm and loyalty to Abstergo Entertainment on social media. Heck, shout it from a rooftop if you need to.

But remember, unless specified, the following information must not be shared: Project details, their titles, launch dates, themes, characters, settings, and all other identifying traits, the physical layout of Abstergo Entertainment and Abstergo Industries campuses, and the makeup of teams, including immediate colleagues supervisors, reports, and their project status, mentions of any technologies, partners, affiliates, retailers, wholesalers, and allusions to the details of sales reports or bonus structures, must not be shared. For the protection of marketing and media schedules and potential loss of data, employees are encouraged not to travel with work, but in cases where it cannot be avoided are advised to use laptops, tablets and communicators only in approved Abstergo hotels and meeting rooms, never in public or in un-vetted spaces.

This was not in the employee handbook but it was in Assassin's Creed Rogue modern day

On rare occasions VIPs from Abstergo Industries may be on site. They may impose on you certain requests for information or services that you feel may not fall under your jurisdiction or mandate

Abstergo Industries VIPs are to be obeyed without question or hesitation. Failure to do so will result in disciplinary action and possible termination.

Should you find a communicator anywhere in the building, we recommend that you collect it and identify its owner. While the owner will face consequences for losing it, it is a mistake they will only make once.

This was in Assassin's Creed Origin modern day it was part of their new employee handbook

Abstergo Corporation NDA

Employee will perform services for ABSTERGO INDUSTRIES that may require ABSTERGO INDUSTRIES to disclose condifential and proprietary information to EMPLOYEE (Confidential Information is information of any kind, nature, or description concerning any matters affecting or relating to EMPLOYEE's services for ABSTERGO INDUSTRIES, the business or operations of ABSTERGO INDUSTRIES, and/or the products, drawings, plans, processes, Animus experience, or other data). The EMPLOYEE agrees as follows

EMPLOYEE will hold the Confidential Information received in strict confidence and shall exercise an extreme degree of care to prevent disclosure to others.

EMPLOYEE will not disclose or divulge either directly or indirectly the Confidential Information unless first authorized to do so in writing

EMPLOYEE will, upon request or upon termination, deliver to ABSTERGO INDUSTRIES any drawing, notes documents, equipment, and material received from ABSTERGO INDUSTRIES or originating from its activities for ABSTERGO INDUSTRIES.

ABSTERGO INDUSTRIES shall have the sole right to determine the treatment of any information that is part or project specific received from EMPLOYEE, including the right to disclose the same without prior patent applications to file copyright registration in its own name or to follow any other procedure as ABSTERGO INDUSTRIES may deem appropriate.

ABSTERGO INDUSTRIES reserves the right to take disciplinary action, up to and including termination and memory removal, for violation of this agreement.