Assassin’s Creed Games: The Most Disturbing Tales Revealed

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Summary

  • Assassin’s Creed games explore mature themes like child death, child labor, and mental illness.
  • Some games like Origins and Odyssey have graphic violence and sexual content.
  • Valhalla and 3 focus on brutal killings and mistreatment of Native Americans.

The Assassin’s Creed series frequently explores mature subject matter, given that players assume the role of various professional assassins throughout the games. Each installment features a unique array of adult topics, often mirroring the historical era portrayed within the game.

This list explores five video games that feature mature themes, taking place across different historical eras where unsettling and dark concepts are presented. The games are organized based on the intensity and pervasiveness of these themes within each title and their overall effect on the gaming experience as a whole.

This list contains spoilers!

5. Assassin’s Creed Origins

A Hard-Hitting Child Death

Kicking off the list, Assassin’s Creed Origins continues the franchise’s tradition of violent assassinations and illicit trading. What makes it stand out among many of its predecessors is an early event in its storyline. The game starts with a lot of graphic violence (which becomes less intense as the game progresses), but what really stands out is the killing of a child.

In most video games, including Assassin’s Creed, murder is commonplace. However, it’s extremely unusual for a child to be killed, especially at the start of a game. The game Origins, in comparison to other entries in the series, appears relatively mild, though this initial shocking scene may take players aback.

4. Assassin’s Creed Syndicate

Experimenting On The Mentally Ill And Child Labor

Just like Origins, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate is relatively mild-mannered, yet certain scenes that stand out are unsettling not because they’re excessively violent, but due to the deeply troubling themes beneath each instance. The game takes place in London in 1868, during the Second Industrial Revolution. As a result, some of the portrayed societal attitudes towards children and the mentally ill are antiquated, manifesting on screen through depictions of child labor and questionable experiments.

In the game, players have an opportunity to liberate child laborers and seek justice for their harsh work environments, but these topics can be distressing for some. Additionally, the game’s downloadable content (DLC) centers around the crimes of Jack the Ripper, a notorious serial killer from London, thus introducing another mature theme if players decide to explore beyond the main storyline.

3. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

Vikings Being Vikings

In “Assassin’s Creed Valhalla,” mature themes become pivotal elements of the story and gameplay.

In comparison to some scenes in “Origins” and “Synicate”, “Valhalla” features a greater amount of brutality and gore throughout gameplay, giving it a more mature overall feel. While not all conflicts require violent resolution, many characters seem to favor violence over diplomacy, finding it the simpler choice.

2. Assassin’s Creed 3

Brutal Assassinations And Mistreatment Of Native Americans

In terms of overall violence level, Assassin’s Creed 3 is comparable to, if not slightly less gory than, Valhalla. Unlike Valhalla, combat in Assassin’s Creed 3 includes the use of guns due to its colonial America setting. This gives the fights a different feel compared to those in Valhalla, making them seem less personal and brutal. However, unlike Valhalla, Assassin’s Creed 3 does depict the player hanging their enemies, which can be quite disturbing visually.

In addition to its high level of violence, the game “Assassin’s Creed 3” is set during a particularly harsh period in history, known for its poor treatment of Native Americans. This unfortunate reality is vividly portrayed within the game’s narrative and environment. Although the language throughout the game is not excessively graphic, the way Native American characters, particularly those in Connor’s tribe, are mistreated and ultimately massacred can be deeply upsetting, especially when they are made to fight against one another.

1. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

Huge Amounts Of Sex And Violence

The last game on the list is “Assassin’s Creed Odyssey,” an installment in the series that unfolds in Ancient Greece. In this game, you assume the role of a mercenary, sailing across the Greek Isles to pursue a secretive organization causing global turmoil that your character encounters. What sets “Odyssey” apart is its high level of adult content and violence, allowing the player character to partake in various romantic interactions with diverse partners throughout the game.

As a devoted admirer, I must say that the shift towards RPG-style leveling in “Assassin’s Creed Odyssey” has noticeably reduced the frequency of graphic assassination scenes compared to other games. Yet, the game’s vast open world is brimming with intense violence and numerous deceased characters, a fact that puts it on par with its franchise peers in this regard.

Despite its potential as an educational tool for Greek history, the game’s mature and explicit visuals make it one of the most challenging games to recommend to younger audiences due to its adult content.

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2025-05-05 01:40