There’s no doubt that 2026 redefines the era of modern gaming. From RPG to AAA, we have a plethora of games at our disposal.
However, gaming was considered different when I spent around 10 hours a day in front of my screen. What was peak gaming?.... You ask, well, a classic white and red cloak with a hidden blade and an iconic leap of faith was considered peak gaming at that time. Yeah, you guessed that right, we are talking of none other than the legendary Assassin’s Creed franchise.
It is more than just a game, a blueprint that inspired millions of studios to embrace stealth mechanics, covert eliminations, and an open-world sandbox with crazy storytelling that remains in our hearts.
Nonetheless, Ubisoft’s recent Assassin’s Creed games don’t feature much of the latter, breaking a prolonged interest in the franchise.
Still, if you have experienced each era of the Assassin’s Brotherhood and want some more heat in 2026 rather than touching grass, then here are the best games like the Assassin’s Creed series you need to add to the wishlist.
1. Middle-earth Franchise
Developed by Monolith Productions, the Middle-earth franchise drenches itself in the Assassin’s Creed play-style. Set in the fictional world of Middle-earth, explore the stunning world-building between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
From explosive parkour to stealth exterminations, the Middle-earth franchise offers cinematic storytelling straight from the Tolkien era. Further, the game’s award-winning Nemesis System is like a jewel in the crown for gamers with zero restraints.
Instead of fighting generic, low-rewarding enemies, Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War from the Middle-earth franchise create AI-driven enemies like Orc Captains and Warlords with evolving personalities like unstoppable adaptation, which help the enemies to read our attack patterns (aren’t we fighting Mahoraga here?).
What’s more dreadful? These enemies remember past battles, and if you get killed, they get promoted and become more powerful, making the entire franchise even more challenging than Assassin’s Creed. Surely one of the best games like Assassin’s Creed you can vouch for!
2. Watch Dogs Franchise
Ubisoft is widely known for its breathtaking narrative that keeps players grinding for just one more objective in its modern open-world games. There’s one such game that matches the energy level of Assassin’s Creed on the same level, but in a modern age.
Community favorite Watch Dogs series is by far one of the best games players can experience in their gaming history.
A perfect blend of Grand Theft Auto and Assassin’s Creed, the game delves deep into a near-future world powered by the Central Operating System. Although the game does not showcase hidden blades or ancient cults, players can enjoy this open-world sandbox with amazing parkour, stealth mechanisms, and digital dominance.
Released in 2014, the Watch Dogs franchise continues with its second part, and the latest instalment titled Legion. The narrative revolves around Aiden Pierce and Marcus Holloway, excavating the dark secrets and evil plots done through mass surveillance by the Central Operating System.
3. Horizon : Zero Dawn
Developed by Guerrilla Games and released on February 28, 2017, Horizon: Zero Dawn bears a lot of resemblance to the Assassin’s Creed franchise, as both games possess fluid combat, excessive parkour, and heavily focus on stealth.
For players who love vast exploration and scenic beauty throughout a large open-world sandbox, Horizon: Zero Dawn is a go-to.
Although it does not share any fictionalized historical accuracy like the Assassin’s Creed games, the game dives deep into a post-apocalyptic world showered with wild mecha beasts.
A game filled with open-world freedom, fallen civilization, and regressed colonies, what else do you need on a late night to with rock&roll?
The narrative revolves around Aloy (protagonist), who sets out on a journey of self-exploration and unravels secrets behind the Project Zero Dawn, which was led by Dr. Elisabet Sobeck. Driven by a task to stop Hades, a rogue AI built to destroy the world if reconstruction goes wrong.
4. Hitman 3
The legendary series of all time, also known as the epitome of stealth games, the Hitman franchise have influence a generation of gamers with its all-out stealth experience as an ICA agent.
Not truly a game that shares blood relation with the Assassin’s Creed franchise, this “mass killing without a trace” game stands out above all.
Moreover, Hitman 3 from the World of Assassination Trilogy delivers everything a player can wish for. Being a semi-open-world game, Hitman 3 heavily focuses on killing with disguise.
Developed by IO Interactive and released on January 20, 2021, this game serves as the finale of the trilogy. Hitman 3 further improved their stealth mechanics by dropping more disguises, puzzles, and a profusion of weapons at your disposal.
Although this game does not cover ancient orders or open-world chaos, it’s considered one of the most calculated games in the entire community.
You finish the pending business as Agent 47, a genetically engineered clone with supernatural intellect. A killing machine with numerous items to exterminate targets in a vast sandbox, we are generously gifted by IO Interactive.
5. Rise of the Ronin
What we have here is a replica of the Assassin’s Creed series, but from the 19th century Japan. Assassin’s Creed: Shadows might have faced difficulties due to the benchmarks set by this game.
Developed by Team Ninja and released on March 22, 2024, the game showcases the chaotic environment in an evolving Japan. This open-world action RPG lets you embark on a wondrous journey across a war-devastated Japan in the 19th Century.
Sharing the same identities as Assassin’s Creed, this iconic game thrives on enemy base infiltrations, scouting through patrols, and stealth eliminations.
A game where tradition collides with modernization and the whole country stands on the brink of revolution. It’s a match made in heaven for players craving fictional historical accuracy, katana-wielding clashes, and Bushido (a samurai code of ethics, moral values, and behaviour throughout the warrior class).
Players get to play this game as Ronin and experience foreign powers, pro-shogunate forces, and anti-shogunate revolutionaries, making this game an utmost choice-driven game.
Wrapping Up
To be honest, this list can’t be completed as there are several games like Assassin’s Creed that a player must experience at some point in their life. However, the games listed above should end your craving with their intense storytelling, stunning world-buildings and brutal stealth assassinations. Till you touch some grass, Vai, Amico, enjoy your time exterminating targets.