Summary
TheAssassin’s Creedfranchise has been around for nearly two decades now, and has undergone several evolutions in terms of gameplay, graphics and storytelling. As Ubisoft’s most popular series,Assassin’s Creedis among the biggest AAA names in the gaming industry, and has featured a diverse range of protagonists and playable characters.
Most playable characters inAssassin’s Creedgames share one trait in common: charisma. Almost every playable character in the series is recognized as a respected leader with an inspiring presence that wins the hearts of the people they interact with. Some of them, however, tend to be more charismatic than others.
Jacob Frye is one of the three playable characters inAssassin’s Creed: Syndicate,sharing the protagonist role alongside Evie Frye, his twin sister. While the game itself flew under the radar and didn’t receive a lot of attention compared to otherAssassin’s Creedtitles, the protagonists do stand out because of their uniqueness.
Jacob represents the yang to Evie’s yin, in that he’s a rebellious fighter and a man of action.His wit and outspoken personalitymakes him the respected leader of the Rooks, a notorious gang in London, as he fights to take down some of the city’s most influential Templars.
Bayek is the protagonist ofAssassin’s Creed: Origins, the first of the series' latest iteration of open-world games. After a slump in form, it’s thegame that is said to have revived the serieswith a different identity that drives the series' storytelling in a new direction.
As the Medjay of Siwa, Bayek’s journey takes him across Egypt in search of vengeance after a tragic incident destroys his family. As a Medjay, Bayek is considered the protector of his village, Siwa. He’s popular among the people he interacts with, and especially charming with kids. He is, however, determined in his goal for vengeance, and can appear stoic because of this.
7Aya (Origins)
She’s Literally Friends with Cleopatra
An interesting aspect ofAssassin’s Creed: Originsis the role of Aya, Bayek’s wife, as a playable character. She has an important role in the series as a supporting character to Bayek, but there is also a brief sequence where players get to play Aya.
Aya is arguably an even more influentialand charismatic figure in Egypt than Bayek is. She’s working with her husband in search of vengeance, and is also a capable warrior on her own journey in search of justice. She meets some major political figures in Egyptian history, and becomes a close aide to Queen Cleopatra.
It’s a little weird to include this character on a list of playable characters, but that doesn’t change the fact that this famous Spartan commander was actually playable inAssassin’s Creed: Odyssey,for a brief sequence in the beginning of the game.
As far as charisma goes, he’s arguably the best of the lot. He led a small group of soldiers against an entire army and stood his ground. And the game does him justice, demonstrating his charismatic leadership effectively. His speech roused confidence in his soldiers as they put up a valiant effort against insurmountable odds. The only reason he’s lower on this list is that his sequence as a playable character is so short.
5Kassandra (Odyssey)
The Intelligent and Sarcastic Misthios
As the canonical protagonist ofAssassin’s Creed: Odyssey, Kassandra is widely regarded as the main reason the game is the most popular among the open-world RPG styleAssassin’s Creedgames. Players can also choose to play as Alexios, Kassandra’s younger brother, but it’s clear he doesn’t fit the game’s narrative as the protagonist as well as Kassandra does.
Kassandra isn’t just charming and witty, she’s also a kind and intelligent warrior who shows empathy towards everyone she interacts with. She knows when she needs to pick a fight, and when she’s better off using her words to resolve conflicts.Melissanthi Mahut puts in a masterful voice acting performanceto bring the Spartan warrior’s wit and charm to life.
Assassin’s Creed 3is a long game. While Connor is the main protagonist, players are treated to a long prologue of around 6-8 hours with Haytham Kenway, Connor’s father, as the playable character. And Haytham is the polar opposite of Connor in terms of personality.
As the son of Edward Kenway, Haytham brings a charming and intellectual personality, and oratory skills that command authority and respect among his peers. He clearly got his father’s charisma, but this charisma is complemented by a different personality that feels calmer and more composed, inspiring confidence among his allies.
Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flagis widely regarded among the best games in the series, and for good reason. It took everything that’s good fromAssassin’s Creed 3, and made it better, while addressing most of its faults. Among the biggest issues withAssassin’s Creed 3was its protagonist, Connor.His grandfather, Edward Kenway, who is the protagonist inBlack Flag, is a much more interesting character.
Starting out as an impulsive and ambitious pirate, Edward Kenway matures into a formidable personality as the story progresses. He has a brutish charm about him that earns the friendship of even the infamous Blackbeard, and he inspires the people around him to join his cause.
Altair is the very first protagonist in theAssassin’s Creedseries. While the first game isn’t regarded as highly as the Ezio trilogy that succeeded it, it has become a cult classic. The protagonist, Altaïr, has his own set of fans that adore him for his accomplishments.
Altaïr starts out as a petulant, reckless, overconfident young initiate who looks down on the rules and regulations of the Assassins. As part of his penance, he matures over time as he gains perspective from all the Templars he kills about the value of life. His story is further expanded inAssassin’s Creed: Revelations, where he’s a playable character alongside Ezio. This game reveals that he went to great lengths to expand the order and lay down its foundations, which paved the way for future assassins like Ezio.
Ezio Auditore Da Firenze is by far the most popular protagonist across theAssassin’s Creedfranchise. It’s arguable that this is because he was the protagonist of threeAssassin’s Creedgames back when the franchise was in its heyday. The popularity ofthe “Ezio trilogy” of games, as it is now called, propelledAssassin’s Creedinto the mammoth franchise it is today.
The reason Ezio is that popular is because of his charisma. One might argue he’s the king of charisma in theAssassin’s Creedworld. He’s got an effortless charm about him that lets him instantly befriend most people he interacts with, to the point where he gets on the nerves of his enemies, earning the friendship and loyalty of some of the most famous figures in Renaissance history.
