Assassin's Creed Unity

72%
Game Brain Score Based on 19,999 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Assassin's Creed Unity Game Cover
Assassin's Creed Unity boasts an amazing new gaming engine that unfortunately suffers from some graphical issues. Nonetheless, it's still a fun experience
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Assassin’s Creed® Unity is an action/adventure game set in the city of Paris during one of its darkest hours, the French Revolution. Take ownership of the story by customising Arno's equipement to make the experience unique to you, both visually and mechanically. In addition to an epic single-player experience, Assassin’s Creed Unity delivers the excitement of playing with up to three friends thro…

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

72%
Audience ScoreBased on 19,999 reviews
story2,535 positive mentions
stability1,731 negative mentions
  • story9,104 mentions

    The story of "Assassin's Creed Unity" is set during the French Revolution, following protagonist Arno Dorian as he seeks revenge for his father's death and navigates a complex relationship with Elise, a Templar. While the game features engaging assassination missions and a richly detailed Paris, many players find the narrative lacking depth and coherence, often criticizing it for being predictable and overly focused on a romantic subplot rather than the historical context. Overall, the story is seen as mediocre compared to other entries in the franchise, with some players enjoying the character dynamics and setting, while others feel it fails to capitalize on its potential.

    • “The story is engaging, but I really liked the combat mechanics in this.”
    • “The story of Assassin's Creed Unity is a gripping tale of political intrigue, conspiracy, and revenge.”
    • “The story follows Arno Dorian, a charismatic and likable protagonist, as he navigates the complex world of Templars and Assassins.”
    • “The story is set during the French Revolution, and I played a lot of the story, but it is disappointing in comparison to other AC games that tell a great, compelling story.”
    • “The story is a bit boring and has a weird ending.”
    • “The story is very weak; by the time the story picks up pace, either you have already lost interest in the game or the game is finished.”
  • gameplay2,970 mentions

    The gameplay of "Assassin's Creed Unity" has received mixed reviews, with many praising its refined parkour mechanics and the introduction of cooperative multiplayer features, which enhance the overall experience. However, players have also noted significant issues, including clunky controls, frustrating combat mechanics, and numerous bugs that detract from immersion and enjoyment. While the game offers a visually stunning representation of Paris and a variety of gameplay options, the execution of these elements often feels unpolished and inconsistent, leading to a divided reception among fans of the series.

    • “The gameplay is a perfect blend of stealth, action, and exploration.”
    • “The parkour mechanics in this game have to be the best in the series by far; it's what everyone wants the new games' parkour systems to be based off.”
    • “The gameplay is fun, the parkour is the best any AC game has had yet.”
    • “Worst game I ever played. It has very stupid game mechanics, I can't even fight in this game because of very stupid NPC AI and character animations. The parry didn't even work normally. The story is a mess, same as every other part of this game.”
    • “The amount of times the game mechanics made no sense whatsoever is a number that does not yet exist as it has happened that many times.”
    • “The gameplay didn't really evolve after this iteration. The main issue is the movement mechanics being a step backward.”
  • graphics2,756 mentions

    The graphics of Assassin's Creed Unity are widely praised for their stunning detail and vibrant representation of revolutionary Paris, often described as ahead of its time, even holding up well against modern titles. However, many players report significant performance issues, including frame rate drops and graphical glitches, particularly on lower-end systems, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite these technical challenges, the game's visuals are frequently highlighted as a major strength, showcasing impressive animations and environmental design.

    • “The graphics are stunning, and I found myself wandering around Paris just to soak in the sights.”
    • “The graphics are top-notch, even on mid-level settings.”
    • “The graphics still look good after 10 years, and the story is great. I can't wait to try out some other Assassin's Creed games in the future!”
    • “The most downside of the game for me is the graphic issues; apparently, the graphics go to shit if it hits over 120+ fps.”
    • “The graphics were total sh*t with textures failing or loading slowly; at times, the graphics looked like N64 level where the rendering distance seemed to differ at random.”
    • “I bought this to replay it on a great computer, and the graphics are horrendous for some reason on ultra at 200 frames; my character looks fine, but the buildings and resolutions of buildings look like an N64 game; I can literally see through the buildings.”
  • stability1,794 mentions

    The stability of "Assassin's Creed Unity" has been a significant point of contention among players, with many citing its notorious buggy launch and ongoing glitches. While numerous patches have improved the game's performance, players still report a variety of issues, including frame rate drops, freezing, and various visual glitches. Overall, while some players have found the game to be more stable now, many still experience frustrating bugs that detract from the overall experience.

    • “Game runs great now!”
    • “My experience was completely bug free, ran like a dream and I loved it!”
    • “After a year and several patches, the game runs great.”
    • “People often will say that they fixed this game with updates, but Unity still is a buggy unfinished mess.”
    • “It's been almost a decade since Assassin's Creed: Unity first released, and the game is still plagued by a significant amount of bugs and glitches.”
    • “The game is buggy, not as much as it was on release, but it is still buggy.”
  • optimization1,153 mentions

    Assassin's Creed Unity has faced significant criticism for its optimization, particularly at launch, where it was plagued by severe performance issues, including frame rate drops, glitches, and bugs. While many players report improvements due to subsequent patches, the game still struggles with optimization, especially in crowded areas, leading to inconsistent performance even on high-end systems. Overall, while some users have managed to enjoy the game with decent performance, the consensus remains that it is poorly optimized and requires a powerful rig to run smoothly.

    • “Despite its rocky start and initial performance woes, the game has been largely redeemed through patches and updates.”
    • “The city of Paris is beautiful, full of NPCs, and after initial problems years ago, the game runs smoothly considering how much is going on.”
    • “The game is well optimized and can run smoothly on a GTX 965M.”
    • “Upon release, Unity was notorious for its performance problems—glitches, frame rate drops, and various bugs plagued the experience.”
    • “The GPU usage sometimes rockets up to 100%, causing frame drops from time to time. The normal gameplay performance is around 120fps, but it can suddenly drop to 1fps every 10-20 minutes, which is really annoying and can break the immersion.”
    • “The optimization for this game is terrible because for the game to even look like it's running smoothly, I have to keep the camera facing the ground.”
  • music194 mentions

    The music in Assassin's Creed Unity is generally praised for its quality and ability to evoke the revolutionary spirit of the era, with many reviewers highlighting the soundtrack as a standout feature that enhances the game's atmosphere. However, some players noted a lack of ambient music during exploration, which detracted from immersion, and while the soundtrack is well-composed, it may not be as memorable as those from earlier titles in the series. Overall, the music is considered a strong aspect of the game, contributing positively to the experience despite some criticisms regarding its usage.

    • “The sound design and musical score in Unity are exceptional, perfectly capturing the revolutionary spirit of the time.”
    • “The soundtrack is a masterpiece.”
    • “The music is beautiful too; I really love it.”
    • “The soundtrack isn't very memorable sadly.”
    • “The music was, however, rather underwhelming; it’s okay, I guess, but compared to Jesper Kyd's masterpiece in AC2, it’s nothing to write home about.”
    • “I completed the game two days ago, and by today I already don't remember the music.”
  • grinding187 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it excessively tedious and time-consuming. Critics highlight the repetitive nature of side quests, the need for extensive grinding to unlock upgrades and gear, and the intrusive presence of microtransactions that exacerbate the grind. While some players appreciate the depth and variety of activities available, the overall sentiment leans towards the grinding experience being a significant detractor from enjoyment.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “A bit grindy sometimes.”
    • “One long, tedious grind.”
    • “The game is pretty boring – go there, kill him (just the usual Ubisoft grinding).”
    • “Microtransactions and grind: Unity incorporates microtransactions and a heavy emphasis on grinding for in-game currency, which can feel intrusive and detract from the overall experience.”
    • “The need to constantly earn or purchase currency to unlock upgrades and equipment can become tedious, leading to a sense of frustration and artificial padding.”
  • monetization183 mentions

    The monetization in "Assassin's Creed Unity" heavily relies on microtransactions, allowing players to purchase cosmetic items and upgrades with real money. While some players find these optional purchases unobtrusive, many criticize them for feeling intrusive and detracting from the overall experience, often leading to a grindy gameplay style that encourages spending. Overall, the presence of microtransactions has sparked significant backlash, with many reviewers expressing disappointment over their integration into a full-priced single-player game.

    • “Progression feels meaningful and the microtransactions, while present, are truly unobtrusive and unnecessary to regular gameplay.”
    • “Be advised that while there are microtransactions in the game, and at first some of the higher tier items may seem exorbitantly priced, it is not an issue to earn enough in-game currency to buy them.”
    • “Microtransactions and grind: Unity incorporates microtransactions and a heavy emphasis on grinding for in-game currency, which can feel intrusive and detract from the overall experience.”
    • “The game has some amounts of good, progression is fun and completing side things is rewarding, but the addition of microtransactions to this series prevents you from becoming a true 'god-like' assassin by the end of the story.”
    • “Putting microtransactions on a single-player/co-op game, simply to get items early instead of encouraging players to get them through effort is just... wrong.”
  • humor178 mentions

    The humor in the game is largely derived from its numerous bugs and glitches, which players find amusing rather than frustrating, often leading to hilarious moments during gameplay. The protagonist, Arno, is described as witty and charismatic, contributing to the game's comedic tone, while the absurdity of certain situations and NPC behaviors adds to the overall lighthearted experience. Despite some players expressing frustration with the game's mechanics, many appreciate the humor that arises from its janky execution and the entertaining interactions within the co-op mode.

    • “Funny game about being British and stabbing people.”
    • “Now this game is amazing, most of the bugs I encounter are funny as hell if anything, and last barely any time.”
    • “The gameplay has changed here from past Assassin’s Creed games, for starters, you have less control over the combat, locking on is done here automatically but it’s a coin toss whether it would work or not, half of the times Arno will sheath his sword in the middle of a battle if you face some enemies behind you, on the other hand, the difficulty is all over the place, the game is trivial in the main missions in this regard, but in the secondary activities, it’s brutal, and sometimes, hilariously, it emphasizes how poorly balanced the combat can be when you get surrounded by a ridiculous amount of enemies.”
  • atmosphere169 mentions

    The atmosphere in "Assassin's Creed Unity" is widely praised for its stunning recreation of revolutionary Paris, characterized by vibrant streets, detailed architecture, and a bustling environment that immerses players in the historical setting. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to convey the socio-political climate of the time, with crowds and ambient sounds enhancing the experience, despite some criticisms regarding the narrative and occasional technical issues. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered one of its strongest aspects, offering a captivating and authentic feel of 18th-century France.

    • “The attention to detail in the architecture, the vibrant streets, and the tumultuous atmosphere of Paris immerse you completely.”
    • “The open-world design allows players to explore this vast city seamlessly, offering a deep dive into the historical period with its architecture, crowds, and atmosphere feeling authentic and alive.”
    • “The atmosphere and music are so good, sometimes I go 'hang out in Paris' even when not wanting to whack people.”
    • “Nearly everything feels scaled down in some way, but I think the worst changes were in atmosphere and cohesion.”
    • “The story is forgettable and very detached from the atmosphere of the revolution.”
    • “The atmosphere here felt bland, with every single NPC around the world seeming like zombies; when a crowd is disturbed by something, they all react in the exact same way, making them seem lifeless.”
  • emotional103 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding the story deeply impactful and capable of evoking strong feelings, while others criticize it for being disjointed and lacking emotional depth. Many players connected with the protagonist's journey and relationships, particularly the romance, but felt that the execution of key emotional moments often fell flat or felt rushed. Overall, while there are touching moments and character arcs that resonate, the inconsistent storytelling and character development hinder a fully immersive emotional experience.

    • “Game made me cry.”
    • “His journey from a troubled young man seeking revenge to a skilled assassin navigating the political intrigues of revolutionary France is both engaging and emotionally resonant.”
    • “The story of Arno and his adoptive sister/lover Elise de la Serre was very touching, with the aspect of joined forces between the Assassins and Templars, which makes it refreshing.”
    • “Mind-numbing, boring story and a waste of an interesting setting.”
    • “Only negative things that I noticed are 1.) the pretty boring story, no major or unexpected plot twists - I don't think they will ever reach the quality of Ezio's storyline again.”
    • “This game also makes the mistake a lot of games do by showing us the more interesting story within their boring story by beginning with the fall of the Templar order in France by Philip the Fair, which would be a way more interesting game to play, if we're honest.”
  • replayability78 mentions

    Overall, the replayability of the game is a mixed bag. While many players appreciate the multiple pathways in missions, gear customization, and the engaging co-op features that enhance replay value, others criticize the game's bugs and repetitive elements, leading to a perception of limited long-term enjoyment. Despite these drawbacks, fans of the series often find enough content and variety to justify multiple playthroughs.

    • “Especially the later missions are complex intrusions and assassinations with plenty of different options and replay value.”
    • “It captivates you through the whole game and I would 1000% recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the series or is in search of a great story-driven game with fun gameplay and great replayability.”
    • “The gameplay is highly replayable and very fun; the assassinations all feel different, and even the multiple chasing parts of the game manage not to feel repetitive.”
    • “Despite this, I still did enjoy the story, but I don't think it has very much replay value compared to how some of the others do it so well in the rest of the series (before and after this game).”
    • “This game left empty emotions; there was nothing to do in it, no replayability, a very short plot that could be much longer and more interesting.”
    • “I did not run into any glitches, but overall the story was weak, the gameplay too short, and replayability was very small/limited/not fun.”
  • character development67 mentions

    Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting it as a significant weakness. While some appreciated the potential for deeper storytelling, particularly with the main character Arno and his relationship with Elise, most felt that the development was rushed and insufficient, leaving them disconnected from the characters. Overall, the narrative and character arcs were seen as lacking depth compared to other entries in the franchise, resulting in a less engaging experience.

    • “Immersive storytelling and character development ✨”
    • “His character development is a highlight of the game.”
    • “I find Arno to be extremely likable and really a compelling character; it has very good character development and they gave a good conclusion to his story.”
    • “However, the narrative falls short, as the story is brief, resulting in insufficient character development for all the characters.”
    • “The story is not consistent; the character development is really a joke.”
    • “It seems like this game is trying to do too much at once without focusing on story or character development.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

69% average critic score

Buy Assassin's Creed Unity

Play time

20hMedian play time
39hAverage play time
17hMain story
79hCompletionist
6-50hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 134 analyzed playthroughs

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