Ubisoft has been involved in so many different games that curating a list of its greatest titles is a little tricky. Not only did it publish just about every movie and TV tie-in game throughout the early 2000s – Lost: Via Domus, anyone – but it is also responsible for creating some of the most iconic and groundbreaking franchises of all time. Its influence within the open-world genre especially, is immense, even if, as of late, it has felt like the quality of its titles has slipped.

Still, if you’re looking for a collection of truly fantastic Ubisoft games, then you’ve come to the right place. As much as I’d like to put in some of Ubisoft’s lesser-known titles – you won’t find any CSI games, Rayman Raving Rabbids, or that one Naruto game here – these games are truly the very best that Ubisoft has created. In no particular order, these are the titles Ubisoft should be extremely proud of and we as players grateful we got to experience.

13

Just Dance

An Iconic Series That Deserves Recognition

As much as people may bemoan the addition of Just Dance on a list of Ubisoft’s greatest games, it’s hard not to recognize just how influential and prevalent the franchise has been since it first launched back in 2009. It likely exists in practically every house, bundled with dusty Wii remotes and the Xbox Connect. Just Dance is iconic for a reason, each entry more or less doing the same thing, but mastering it practically every time.

While it’s hard to pinpoint a specific entry that outshines the rest – for they are all largely the same – Just Dance 2014 featured a plethora of engaging content and a strong selection of songs genuinely worth dancing to. The dances, vivid colors, and generally positive tone of the series have made each game a memorable experience. Of course, later entries have dipped in quality somewhat, but it is hard to deny just how actually fun the Just Dance series has been for nearly two decades.

12

Far Cry 3

The Best In The Series & Revolutionary For Open-World FPS Games

Far Cry 3 may be the first game people think of when they are choosing Ubisoft’s greatest hits. It is not only one of the most recognizable titles, jettisoning the series into the realm of mass appeal with its memorable villains and enchanting world, but also a truly remarkable title that dictated the direction of almost every open-world game until Breath of the Wild came out.

We now lament the inclusion of radio towers in games, with even Far Cry 5 poking fun at them, but they were a fun innovation at the time, and, frankly, Far Cry 3’s version of them is easily the best. From Vaas to the delightful and secret-laden Rook Islands, Far Cry 3 isn’t just one of Ubisoft’s best; it may indeed be its very best. It also spawned a handful of decent sequels, many of which became some of the best co-op shooters, of which, frankly, there aren’t enough.

11

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag

The Most Beloved In The Series

It wouldn’t be a Ubisoft list without Assassin’s Creed, and while each entry has its strengths – perhaps, in my opinion, aside from the first and Valhalla – Black Flag has to be the most discussed and beloved. With the most recent Black Flag Resynced remake making players fall in love with Edward and its gameplay loop all over again, combined with Ubisoft’s failed attempt at recapturing Assassin’s Creed’s best entry in the years since, there is plenty of proof that AC: IV is worth caring about.

It is one of the few games that nailed naval combat, made exploring far too many islands actually fun, and is one of the few Assassin’s Creed games that actually has a good story. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag introduced us to one of gaming’s best protagonists, genuinely engaging parkour, and set the standard for this type of open-world game for years to come.

10

Ghost Recon Wildlands

Bringing The Series Back From The Dead

While each entry in the Ghost Recon series has something unique to set it apart from the rest, the open-world formula and drug cartel focus of Ghost Recon Wildlands is easily one of the most memorable in the franchise, which introduced a whole new generation of players to its gritty setting, with its sound design and level of detail for environments making for a world that is bursting with life and personality.

Although it may not be the most tactical experience at times, it’s hard to compete with the sheer fun factor and level of player freedom offered by Ghost Recon Wildlands‘ open-ended gameplay loop. Even with some of the gameplay improvements made in its sequel Ghost Recon Breakpoint, the original Wildlands experience is still widely considered the better game as a whole, especially with the right settings to enhance your immersion even further than normal.

9

Rayman Legends

An Underrated Classic

Ubisoft isn’t particularly well known, anymore, for games outside the open-world RPG genre. However, once upon a time, it experimented quite a bit with platformers, puzzle titles, stealth experiences, and so much more. Rayman Legends is proof that Ubisoft is capable of so much more than just copying and pasting the Assassin’s Creed formula.

It is a colorful, frenetic, action-packed platformer with some of the most fluid, creative, and engaging level design in the history of the genre. Rayman Legends isn’t particularly overlooked – there are far more obscure Ubisoft hidden gems out there – but it doesn’t get nearly as much attention or praise as it deserves. Frankly, it should be uttered in the same breath as Ori and the Will of the Wisps.

8

Anno 1800

Offering Countless Hours Of Strategic Fun

While it might not have the most fleshed-out combat in the series, the real-time strategy game Anno 1800 is easily the best the series has to offer by a wide margin, nailing everything that fans love about the nearly 30-year-old franchise while making it far more accessible for beginners. Having perfected the long-running Anno formula, 1800 combines detailed city-building with in-depth economic, production, and expansion systems that offer an incredibly engaging gameplay loop.

With numerous gameplay modes and post-launch DLC adding even more to enjoy from the series that you can get well over a hundred hours of new content from, Anno 1800 is the perfect example to show that Ubisoft is capable of. The studio might be best known for its blockbuster action games, but it can also offer equally unique experiences to satisfy fans of a variety of genres.

7

Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory

Still One Of The Greatest Stealth Games

There’s quite a considerable amount of desire for a new Splinter Cell game from its most dedicated fans, and it isn’t hard to see why. While not every game in the series is perfect, those that really nailed the formula have proven to be some of the greatest stealth games of all time. Chaos Theory, which really refined the series’ trademark gameplay, should be the blueprint for all games like it. It is genuinely that good.

It cleverly integrates both stealth and action mechanics to emphasize the former while still catering to the latter. It ditches the instant fail state when caught, and inside allows tension to build and players to wrangle their way out of difficult situations as they see best. Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory is creative, gritty, dark, fun, and a genuinely compelling game that remembers that stealth mechanics have to be more than just throwing stones to distract enemies and attacking them when their backs are turned.

6

Driver: San Francisco

A Truly Inventive Driving Game

Driver is one of Ubisoft’s most underrated series, and I wish more people talked about it. It is the precursor to Ubisoft’s The Crew, although minus the online-only requirement and poorly implemented microtransactions. Instead, Driver is just a really great series about driving across beautiful cities with excellent handling, and fun novel additions to help spice things up.

Case in point is Driver: San Francisco, a game that not only features some of the best driving mechanics in all gaming, but also the fun gameplay feature of teleporting between cars, allowing you to switch vehicles literally on the fly. It’s as fun as it sounds, and the game’s gorgeous version of the titular city makes for an excellent sandbox to drive around in. With explosive missions to complete, a fun story that ties into Driver 3, San Francisco is easily one of Ubisoft’s best games.

5

Rainbow Six Siege

One Of The Greatest Comback Stories In Gaming

It is easy to forget that Rainbow Six Siege, a game that still ranks as one of the best multiplayer shooters of all time, launched in a pretty dire state. Six Siege was not favorably received at launch and required a serious amount of hard work and dedication from Ubisoft to turn it around. Fortunately, the developer managed to make it not just a great game, but a ridiculously profitable one too.

Rainbow Six Siege may have had its ups and downs over the years – and a rather bafflingly bad extraction spin-off game – but it still remains a consistently excellent game that manages to meaningfully integrate tactical gameplay, environmental destruction, and interesting character design in a way few other games have dared. Rainbow Six Siege isn’t for everyone, but Ubisoft genuinely did an amazing job with it, at least eventually.

4

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

A Modern Classic

There are lots of great Prince of Persia games, but none are as good as one of its most recent entries, The Lost Crown. Once again, Ubisoft proved it can make decent games outside its well-known and familiar formulas with this masterfully crafted MetroidVania. Its precision platforming, interesting abilities, captivating boss fights, and unique art style put a fun spin on the franchise that I’m not sure any of us saw coming.

It is a shame that the team behind it was disbanded and moved to other projects, despite a sequel allegedly having been pitched and rejected. There was a lot of potential for this universe to have more great games like it that we’ll never get to see realized. Regardless, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is another feather in Ubisoft’s very versatile cap, and a great showcase for what the publisher can do when it lets its most creative developers break away from the formula.