Assassin's Creed is set in 1191 during the Third Crusade. Desmond Miles, a bartender, is abducted by a mysterious organization and forced to relive the memories of his ancestor, Altaïr, an assassin. The captors are trying to recreate Altaïr's past to understand why the events he experienced were vital to them. The game follows two main protagonists: Altaïr and Desmond. When playing as Altaïr, the player is immersed in the Holy Land during the Third Crusade, tasked with killing nine historical figures deemed responsible for war and corruption. The player can also control Desmond between sessions in the "Animus", reliving his own memories.
The gameplay features a unique blend of stealth, strategy, and action. Players can use the environment to their advantage, climbing walls and using architectural details to navigate and evade enemies. The game's innovative freeroam system allows for intense chase scenes and strategic combat, as players choose how to take down their targets.
Players can gather information about their next target through eavesdropping, interrogation, or pickpocketing, then decide whether to approach the target directly or use stealth. Depending on the chosen path, the player must navigate the city, avoiding suspicion from citizens and knights, all while taking out their targets.
Altaïr's arsenal includes swords, throwing knives, and learned combat skills, which can be upgraded throughout the game. The player's choices and actions will shape the narrative, leading to multiple possible outcomes.
