Assassin's Creed is "so great" because it's "based on historical knowledge," Shadows art director says: "It's a way to revisit places that no longer exist"

A core part of Assassin's Creed's appeal lies in the opportunity to explore massive open worlds based on real historical locations. Longtime Ubisoft art director Thierry Dansereau, who worked on Assassin's Creed titles like Syndicate, Odyssey, and Shadows, recognizes that fact and adds that the opportunity for players to explore history at their own pace is an important part of the series' legacy.

"History is such a large playground for Assassin's Creed games, that to be able to talk about it, together, really tells a lot, for me at least," according to Dansereau, speaking at a series anniversary event attended by GamesRadar+. "For many people, it's a way to revisit places that no longer exist, places [that] encircle moments in human life. And I think video games allow that now – for you as a player to experience in your own way and at your own pace. And I think this is why this franchise is so great. It's based on historical knowledge, so it's a great way to learn."

Certainly, games are a great way to feel historical immersion. In college, I took a history minor focused on Cold War-era politics in large part because Metal Gear Solid 3 so thoroughly sparked my imagination about that stretch of history. Games usually give us fantastical depictions of even real settings, but there's often enough historical truth there to build players' curiosity.

There's perhaps no better illustration of that fact than Assassin's Creed's own Discovery Tour modes, which strip away all the action and conspiracy plots from the games to let you simply explore the open world as something of a massive virtual museum. But even in the less educationally-minded parts of the series, Dansereau's point stands – games do offer a compelling way to make history feel like a hands-on pursuit.

If you're looking to get into all the historical murder the series has to offer, here's how to play the Assassin's Creed games in order.