Why Do All Ubisoft Games Feel The Same?

When I was 12, I played the Splinter Cell series and the Assassin’s Creed Ezio trilogy and declared them my favorite stealth games. I recall diving into the shadows as Officer Sam Fisher, carefully planned each move and relishing the parkour adventures of Ezio Auditore through Renaissance, Italy.  

I said to myself, “These are the best stealth games I have played.” Those games kept my eyes glued to the TV screen for hours through their unique and captivating gameplay. In fact, an immense level of respect was developed in my heart for Ubisoft Studios for creating such great masterpieces.

Fast forward to today, I can’t stop but feel a bit of disappointment from Ubisoft every time I buy their new releases. I once had excitement for Ubisoft seems to have vanished in thin air. The magic of creating masterpieces is gone; all Ubisoft games feel like clothes cut from the same fabric. 

Ubisoft And Its Repetitive Formula

Ubisoft is a famous video game company that has produced games like Far Cry, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon, Watch Dogs, Skulls, and Bones. They have excellent success in the game industry with their fluid gameplay mechanics and have made a great fanbase. However, their success story has now started to get bumpy.

Ubisoft games, while being visually stunning, lack uniqueness and new elements. Each game has an influential introductory cinematic segment followed by the same repetitive formula.

The games consist of main missions and side-quests that feel utterly useless to the main story. Take Far Cry as an example. It has three to four liberating towers and outpost missions that get boring after a few minutes.  

From climbing towers in Assassin’s Creed to the hacking puzzles in Watch Dogs, the core gameplay mechanics showcase similarities. The repetitive nature strips away interest in the game in merely one or two hours.

This approach has been called the “Ubisoft Formula” by the players. Players find the new titles too familiar leaving no room for genuine surprises or innovations.

Collaborative Work

One of the primary reasons for the downgrading of Ubisoft games is the involvement of multiple studios in making a game. Different time zones and regions necessitate standardization ensuring a consistent and cohesive final product. This approach is efficient for studios that follow the same guidelines and tools.

However, this downside serves as the pillar of a lack of creativity. There is no room for experimenting with new ideas when developers must stick to the orthodox styles. This means that instead of pushing the boundaries and taking risks, all Ubisoft games deliver the same design. 

Live-Service Models

The live-service model (LSG) is a strategy video game companies use to increase the game’s engagement. Here, engagement doesn’t mean fun at all. It means the ability to keep bringing back players for more. 

After that, these companies release paid new game content and advertise LSGs by making players feel missing out on something. 

Ubisoft games are often tedious because of the shift towards live service models. To keep players engaged in a game for more extended periods, Ubisoft continuously prioritizes microtransactions through DLCs and other playable stuff. Look at the epic failure of Skull and Bones.

The highly anticipated Skulls and Bones struggled to find footing in the industry and didn’t have the lifespan Ubisoft wanted. With overwhelmingly negative reviews, it has been rumored that Ubisoft is reviving the soulless game with DLCs.

This approach results in games being filled with repetitive content. It often frustrates me to think about Ubisoft stooping so low to keep the games running instead of putting something new to the table.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage

Before Assassin’s Creed Mirage’s release, Ubisoft received criticism mostly centered around the Assassin’s Creed franchise. Honestly speaking, Assassin’s Creed sucked after Black Flag. However, Ubisoft claimed Mirage to be a game changer, but this claim was just a gimmick.

Despite crawling back to the roots of the first Assassin’s Creed game, Mirage couldn’t manage to meet most of the people’s expectations. Some had a blast with it and found its stealth great. While others considered its characters and cutscenes pretty mid. 

Personally, I think the combat of Mirage was a bonker. It felt more like the clumsy swinging of a sword in the air. 

I Have Zero Hopes For Ubisoft

Ubisoft has proven its ability to deliver top-notch games over the years yet it couldn’t handle the stardom. Although it is a major player in the industry with its redefining titles, I have zero hopes that Ubisoft will ever be able to show that greatness again. Once you have played their game, you have experienced that entire specific franchise.

It seems as if the distinct charm of Ezio’s vendetta against the Templars and the journey of Prince of Persia has been lost in the race of Ubisoft’s modern titles.