Assassin's Creed

Game review by Marc Saltzman, Common Sense Media
Assassin's Creed Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 18+

Mature, cinematic thriller is history-based.

Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Windows 2007
Rate game

Parents say

age 12+

Based on 62 reviews

Kids say

age 12+

Based on 208 reviews

Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Rate game

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this game.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this game is very much about violence as you play as a hired hit man, of sorts, to take down key targets with cunning and strategy. This usually involves skulking through the shadows to remain undetected and figuring out how to accomplish the task, such as a knife to the throat from behind. People you kill fall to the ground and some blood is seen.

Community Reviews

iida
iida Adult
January 5, 2022
age 15+
Ballsie1274
Ballsie1274 Adult
August 20, 2021
age 13+

Definitely Okay but beware

The first Assassins creed game and all the others are educational. The first one is set in the 3rd crusade and shows you killing historical figure who disappeared around that area. The is some swearing but nothing that any tween or teen can handle. In fact most 12s (PG-13, I'm British) have more swearing, sexual content and sometimes violence. If your teen or tween is mature and has seen hardcore shows (like Torchwood or Class) They can handle. PS: There is also a Blood Off Mode that disables The Blood. Game should be rated 12-15 (PEGI and BBFC) Or, if your American E10+ or T (ESRB)

This title has:

Too much violence
See all 62 parent reviews

What’s It About?

Ubisoft's ASSASSIN'S CREED, designed for the Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 3, and PC, is an intense and near-photorealistic action game that lets you play as a retired assassin who is sent back into action in the late 12th century, when the Third Crusade is raging across the Holy Land. You are Altair, whose task is to suppress the hostilities on both sides with stealth and precision. But how you stalk and approach your target, perform the task at hand, and exit the scene safely will vary from player to player. This is because the authentically re-created cities you'll be visiting -- such as Jerusalem, Damascus, and Acre -- are open-ended and bustling with citizens.

Is It Any Good?

The game's wide-screen presentation and high-definition graphics are only outdone by its smooth character animation, dialogue (including a female character voiced by Heroes and Veronica Mars star Kristen Bell) and Hollywood-style music soundtrack (composed by British Academy Award-winner Jesper Kyd) that changes depending on what's happening onscreen. Some players, however, might be disappointed that the combat isn't as fleshed out as in past Ubisoft Montreal games. The planning and exit strategies, the action sequences in Assassin's Creed are simply well-timed button presses, rather than deep combat control schemes.

That said, Assassin's Creed is an imaginatively conceived and wonderfully executed single-player adventure that should take a good 10 hours to complete, and more than double that for the optional side missions. Mature gamers in search of a beautiful, exhilarating piece of interactive entertainment will be more than pleased with this hard-to-put-down adventure.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about whether this game teaches anything about this time period (12th century) in the Middle East or does the backdrop take a back seat to the violence? That is, could a player actually use a game like this one to learn about key moments in history such as the Crusades?

Game Details

Our Editors Recommend

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate