The Prince of Persia trilogy was already working wonders for Ubisoft. But things took a new turn for the better as a character design initially intended for a mode in the Prince of Persia franchise soon bore fruit into a whole new series altogether.

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From its first installment way back in 2007, Assassin's Creed has evolved into a video game phenomenon that changed the studio's fortunes and the video game industry. With 12 main games, 17 spin-offs, graphic novels, a movie, and various shorts, the Assassin's Creed franchise is Ubisoft's most prestigious. The effort put into these games is evident from the evolution of their cover arts!

9 Assassin's Creed - The First Four Games

Assasins Creed Roots Altair Ezio Connor

The first four installments are very similar, and it is only suitable to rank them collectively as one.

The cover art of the first installment of Assassin's Creed gave nothing away. The lead protagonist, Altair, amidst a ghostly crowd set against the white background, was nothing more than a mere poster sticker for the game inside. The iconic robes, the signature hidden blade, and the emblem of the Assassin's Creed all make their first appearance. The cover art of the second installment takes the same theme as the first one, with minor tweaks here and there. Altair is replaced by the new protagonist, Ezio. The color palette of the ghostly crowd takes to a blood-red shade as opposed to the cool blue from the first part. One can also see the white background replaced with the textures of the playroom of the Animus.

The players were well accustomed to the game when Brotherhood and Revelations were released. The cover arts maintained the same theme as its predecessors. With the Shadowy crowd taken away, Brotherhood boasts the game's character roster. At the same time, Revelations show off Ezio and Altair on the cover, while the animus texture remains the same.

8 Assassin's Creed Rogue

Assasins Creed Rogue

Rogue is the fifth main game in the franchise and has a specific connection with the Black Flag. The cover art shows the main character set in snow-clad mountain surroundings and a ship with a black mast in the background.

However, the fan's main focus was the two unidentified hands wielding the hidden blade and the main character wearing what seemed to be a Templar's emblem. Either way, the cover art had the fans of the black flag thinking that the game had much more in store with the pirate theme.

7 Assassin's Creed Syndicate

Assasins Creed Syndicate

Released in 2015, Assassin's Creed Syndicate was set in London when the city was at the peak of the Industrial Revolution. However, the game met with mixed reviews due to its narrative and split the fanbase into two. The game is also notable for introducing the concept of two playable characters.

However, the cover art did not quite match the franchise's standards. The cover art features Jacob and Evie's lead character amidst the other essential characters clad in late 1800s outfits. It was nothing new, nor anything special.

6 Assassin's Creed 3

Assassins' Creed 3

Assassin's Creed 3 featured the first cover art in the franchise that strayed from its usual main character in the animus background. This cover clearly shows the lead character, Connor, embroiled in the Revolutionary War between the American Colonists and British Empire.

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The cover art also shows that fans would now play as an Assassin in relatively modern times with gunpowder and cannons. The lead character is also seen in action for the first time (in the cover art), killing a soldier.

5 Assassin's Creed Unity

Assassins Creed Unity

Unity was excellent, and quite a few fans were taken aback by the game's visual flex and smooth parkour. The game is the 8th installment in the franchise and was back to exploring history in fictional depth.

The cover featured four Assassins in their own unique and special Assassin robes. One can clearly understand the period of the setting. However, when taking a closer look, it would be easier to spot that the four characters have all been given unique traits with the weapons that are carried. The backdrop also shows Paris in ruins, showcasing that the game's setting would be the French Revolution.

4 Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag

Assassins Creed Black Flag

The cover art for Assassin's Creed 4 is certainly striking. There are dozens of historical settings that are ripe for an Assassin's Creed game, and this proved to be one of them. The game literally screams that the players would be playing the role of Pirate!

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The cover features the main character wielding a pair of pirate blades and looking down upon his freshly defeated foe. The scene aboard a pirate ship with the pirate flag showing off the Assassin's emblem was everything fans never expected from the franchise, yet they got one anyway!

3 Assassin's Creed Valhalla

Assassins creed Valhalla

Assassin's Creed Valhalla is the latest release in the franchise. The game, released in 2020, is set in the later part of 800 AD and weaves a fictional story of the Viking's expansion into the British Isles. The game follows Eivor, a Viking who can be played as both male and female as per the player's wish.

The cover art of the soft reboot is nothing to rave about. One can see Eivor with his Raven (his companion) atop his shoulder. A platoon of his men charging forward and his warship behind him completes the rest of the picture.

2 Assassin's Creed Odyssey

Assassins Creed Odyssey

The 11th installment in the franchise and the second of the new soft reboot, Odessey is set in the Greek surroundings retelling the mythological history of the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta from 431 to 422 BC. Fans can either play as Alexios or Kassandra.

This is one of the most gorgeous cover arts in the entire franchise. It shows either of the two playable characters set in the backdrop of Ancient Greece (Kassandra for Steam versions). The cover art has so many things happening - the scenic beauty of Athens, the statue of Poseidon in all his might, the player's ship, the Adrestia, and the two unidentified members of the enemy faction ready for a battle.

1 Assassin's Creed Origins

Assasssins Creed Origins

Assassin's Creed Origins was released in 2017 and is the tenth major installment in the series. The story follows Bayek of Siwa and his wife Aya through the Ptolemaic period (49–43 BC) in Egypt. The game goes all the way back before the times of the Assassin Brotherhood and Templars. In a way, the game rightly justified its name. This was the first game of the soft reboot, which took to a new way forward with a hitbox-based combat system and much more.

This was the first game in the entirety of the series that did something new with the cover art. It put the main character in the setting rather than the usual hero worship styles. Origins feature the lead character walking towards the Egyptian backdrop with the iconic pyramids in all their glory. The decision to move from the typical minimalist, character-focused styles to the historical narrative and set-pieces set the tone for the upcoming games in the franchise.

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