Summary
Over its long tenure in the industry,Ubisofthas released a plethora of games spanning across a wide range of genres, but not all of them have stuck around in the long term. Whether it’s due to outdated game mechanics, unpleasant visuals, or even just a story being unmemorable, there are plenty of reasons whya game can become ‘dated’ and forgotten about. On the other hand,Ubisoftstill has its fair share of classics that are still just as fun today as they were when they released.
Though Ubisoft has stuck with their go-to open-world gameplay formula for many of their more modern games, there was once a time when they were true pioneers, resulting in them putting out plenty of unique titles that were far ahead of their time. At the same time, they have also released games in the last few years that, thanks to continued support, have only gotten better with age. Here’s a look at someUbisoft games that have aged the best.
Many people seePrince of Persia: The Sands of Timeas the definitive platformer game, and despite releasing over two decades ago by this point, its influence can still be felt in the majority of games within the genre. What makes the game such a blast to play is how much variety is packed into each level. While one moment,the Prince will be running across wallsand narrowly dodging booby traps, the next, he’ll be partaking in some fact-paced combat or interacting with the story’s main characters.
This diverse gameplay loop ensures players' eyes are always glued to the screen, and since this was way before giant open worlds took over Ubisoft’s design philosophy, it makes for a breezy playthrough that can be completed in only a few hours. As a result, it’s still an absolute blast to dive back into the Prince’s grand adventure across the ancient city, and though a remake is said to be in the works, the game honestly doesn’t even need one.
When the fourth mainlineFar Crygame released for the eighth generation of consoles in 2014, it became clear pretty quickly that this game was going to be a visual treat. Kyrat, which isthe setting of the game, is simply jaw-dropping from a visual perspective. Being based on the Himalayan Mountains, the entire area is covered in vibrant and eye-catching colors that decorate not just the natural landscapes, but also the traditional architecture, too.
Far Cry 4also perfectly nails the balance between exploration and combat. InFar Cry 5, it felt like the Peggys were popping up to intercept the player just a tad too often, which could disrupt the immersion of the gameplay, butFar Cry 4negates this by spreading the outposts a little further from one another and making enemy road patrols less frequent.
Rainbow Six Siegewas promised to be an intense and strategic tactical-shooter game upon its release, and though it certainly had its own unique style, the lack of Operators and numerous bugs meant it felt a little barebones as a product. However, Ubisoft would continue refining and adding to the game with each passing year, and with the playerbase rising at an alarming rate, it eventually turned into the best tactical shooter on the market.
While the game could have easily been lost to history if Ubisoft hadn’t decided to continue working on it,the introduction of new Operators, Gadgets, and tons of balance changes have made it into a game that is only improving more and more overtime. With the emergence ofSiege X, which is proposed to be a drastic overhaul to the core game,Siegewill be reaching even higher heights, despite being over a decade old.
For Honorwas a pretty big gamble for Ubisoft. Despite looking like a traditional action game on the surface, the gameplay is actually a lot more in-depth, to the point where it feels morelike a traditional fighting game, with players needing to carefully strike, block, and parry during an enemy encounter. However, this is paired with a large-scale MOBA-esque multiplayer mode, which sounds absurd on paper, but it actually works extremely well in practice.
Despite the risk,For Honorhas stood tall as a shining example of how a little bit of experimentation and thinking outside the box can result in a fresh and unique experience for players to enjoy. This game is still immensely popular and continues to receive updates, which just goes to show how beloved it still is after all these years.
Leading up to its release,Black Flagseemed as though it was going to be just anotherAssassin’s Creedgame but, this time, based in the era of pirates. As a result, many people predicted that it would include naval combat, but nobody could have ever expected just how fun and satisfying these sections of the game would truly be. When sailing across the glistening open seas, players can sing merry songs with their crewmates, blast apart other ships with cannonballs, and disembark to explore small islands scattered around the Caribbean.
Speaking of islands,Black Flaghas one of thebiggest maps in the entire series, with much of it being covered by water, but it’s still a joy to navigate between the islands thanks to the ship mechanics. It’s not uncommon to hear many modern pirate games being compared toBlack Flag, which is a testament to just how drastically it changed the game when it comes to naval combat and sailing mechanics.
For many people,Splinter Cell: Chaos Theoryis, and has always been,the pinnacle of the stealth genre. This game goes extremely above and beyond with its mechanics, much more so than a lot of stealth games nowadays. For example, Sam is able to shoot out lights and use darkness to sneak around a room of enemies, but he can also equip an aural monitor to keep track of the amount of noise he’s making, too.
Having such a dedication to immersion makes for a truly intense playthrough, and it remains a game that fans of the series are still returning to, no matter how many years go by. After gradually building on the mechanics in the previous games, Ubisoft finally nailed the stealthy gameplay loop withChaos Theory, which remains one of the most popular stealth games out there.
Despite being one of, if not Ubisoft’s most popular franchise once upon a time, the classicRaymangames have largely been forgotten about, primarily because they have been replaced by superior 3D platformers. However,Rayman Originsis an entirely different story, not only because it takes a 2D perspective but also because of its captivating art style.
The clever use of lighting, paired with the striking color palette, helps the game stand out from many other platformers on the market and is a big reason why it has remained a popular entry in Ubisoft’s catalog. Simply put, it’s unlikely that this game will ever fade into obscurity thanks to how incredible it looks and plays. It’s a true revival of one of Ubisoft’s most iconic IPs.
While Ubisoft has released a ton ofAssassin’s Creedtitles since the second game, they have admittedly struggled to reachthe story heights of Ezio’s adventure, considering how utterly captivating it was. With the endlessly charismatic Ezio playing the leading role, the game’s narrative explores his character in great depth and how his thirst for vengeance eventually leads him into the Assassins.
Alongside the story,Assassin’s Creed 2’s core stealth gameplay has also aged like a fine wine. Recent games in the series have become much more action-focused, which has been a cause of division among fans, but the second game uses narrow environments and large crowds of people to create an immersive and satisfying stealth gameplay loop that will always be fun to toy around with.
