Most Divisive Ubisoft Games

Ubisoft is a juggernaut within the video game industry, being the publisher/developer behind some of the most popular franchises on the planet, including Assassin’s Creed, Prince of Persia, and Far Cry. Even though Ubisoft is known for sticking to a specific formula for many of their games, they will venture out of their comfort zone every now and again, resulting in entries that are ambitious, experimental, and a little divisive.

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When a game is met with mixed reception from players, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s bad — just that it is an experience that will be either hit or miss depending on the player in question, and what they enjoy on a personal level. This has been the case with numerous Ubisoft titles for a multitude of reasons, and this list dives into these games to uncover what exactly has made them so divisive among fans.

8

Watch Dogs

While Drastically Different From Its Trailers, Some Players Still Came To Love Watchdogs

Open-World

Action

Adventure

Released

May 26, 2014

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

When the first trailer was released for Watch Dogs back in 2012, the game looked like a giant open sandbox where players would be able to hack into everything and anything with the press of a button. When the game officially released, however, it quickly became clear that, while hacking was still in the game (and very fun to toy around with), it wasn’t quite as expansive and natural as the trailers implied.

Many players also noticed a drastic graphical downgrade from the trailer too. While all of this caused some players to understandably be disappointed, others saw it in a much more positive light, considering it still featured some pretty unique gameplay mechanics and a rather compelling story. Speaking of story, the deadly serious tone of the narrative was also a point of contention; some people loved it, while others wished it would be more lighthearted — as it would be in the sequel.

7

Splinter Cell: Conviction

Conviction Was A Little Too Action-Heavy For Some Fans, But Others Enjoyed Its Unique Mechanics And Story

Stealth

Third-Person Shooter

Systems

After the release of Double Agent in 2006, Splinter Cell fans would be forced to wait another four years for a new entry in this beloved series, but when it finally arrived, Conviction turned out to be somewhat of a refined taste. Though the game does still try to incorporate the stealth gameplay that the Splinter Cell series is known for, it also leans a lot more heavily into the action genre — requiring players to think less about sneaking around their targets and more about how to take them out in the flashiest way possible.

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The Mark and Execution mechanic, which was introduced with this game, allows Sam to target multiple enemies before blasting them all away with the click of a button, which gives an idea of just how much more streamlined the gameplay is compared to previous installments. Those who want a much easier and more linear Splinter Cell will find a lot to love here, but there’s still a lot of longtime Splinter Cell fans who are waiting for the series to return to its roots (to return at all, really).

6

Far Cry 6

Ubisoft Made Some Big Changes To The Core Far Cry Gameplay Formula For The Sixth Entry

Systems

Released

October 6, 2021

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

Though Far Cry 6 still follows the basic Far Cry gameplay loop of liberating areas and activating radio towers, Ubisoft also implemented and removed a few features that made it quite controversial. One big example is how the game forces players to use ammo types to damage specific enemies, and while some players enjoyed this deeper level of strategy, others simply wanted ther guns to deal damage, regardless of what rounds they can spit out.

Another divisive change was the decision to replace the skill tree, which had been present in almost every game from the beginning, with a more complex progression system that is tied to the player’s armor and weapons. For some, this was a nice breath of fresh air after the series had seemingly perfected its core system with the previous games, but it was a step too far for other fans.

5

Avatar: Frontiers Of Pandora

Does Avatar Do Enough To Stand Apart From Far Cry? This Question Resulted In Many Differing Opinions

Systems

Released

December 7, 2023

OpenCritic Rating

Fair

When Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora was first announced to the world, many assumed it would be little more than a Far Cry clone, and while it definitely follows the same open-world formula, it still stands on its own in a few unique ways. For one, the lush and diverse planet of Pandora looks absolutely jaw-dropping, really adding to the immersion factor and allowing players to live out their dreams of living alongside the Na’vi.

Being able to soar across the skies with a mount and harvesting special fruits for EXP are just a few examples of mechanics that helped to give Frontiers of Pandora its own identity. Not everyone saw this as enough to make Avatar a truly different experience to what had come before, but there are still many who warmed up to it and enjoyed it for what it offers.

4

Star Wars Outlaws

Ubisoft’s First Attempt At An Open-World Star Wars Game Fell Short In Some Areas But Greatly Succeeded In Others

Open-World

Action-Adventure

Systems

Released

August 30, 2024

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

Publisher(s)

Ubisoft, Lucasfilm Games

There was a tremendous amount of hype leading up to the release of Star Wars Outlaws. After all, Ubisoft was touting it as being the ‘first’ truly open-world Star Wars game ever, though whether players would come to enjoy it or not would largely end up being dependent on what they are looking for. Star Wars fans who simply want to explore vibrant cities densely packed with aliens and quirky characters would have a ton of fun with the game.

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Meanwhile, those who were looking to dig into the RPG mechanics and combat felt that the game was a bit undercooked, especially the stealth, which some felt was too basic (though others came to enjoy it). Star Wars Outlaws is still an enjoyable game, but it definitely appeals to different kinds of players.

3

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

A Massive Open-World Game That Divided The Fanbase Due To Its Direction

Released

October 15, 2018

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Despite no longer being the most recent game in the franchise, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey still features the biggest map in the entire series, which is ultimately at the core of why it has received such a mixed reception. For those who are fully on-board with the new RPG direction the series has taken, having such a staggering amount of side missions and enemy encounters was a blessing, but those who wanted more of a return to form felt like they were being left behind.

Simply put, this is an enormous game, and at a time when the open-world genre was starting to become a little worn out, it resulted in Odyssey being the most divisive entry in the series. Ubisoft would slowly narrow down the maps with future games to replicate the classics more closely, but this would only happen after Odyssey split the fanbase.

2

Prince Of Persia: Warrior Within

Warrior Within’s Drastic Tonal Shift Wasn’t What Everyone Was Expecting, Splitting Opinions Among Fans

Released

November 30, 2004

After Sands of Time became an instant classic in the eyes of many upon its release, Ubisoft decided to carry that momentum into Warrior Within, which released the very next year. In a move nobody saw coming, Warrior Within went in a much darker direction than the previous game, with the Prince himself now being a stoic and moody protagonist who was more than happy to slice his enemies to shreds in combat.

The drastic change in tone and aesthetic resulted in Warrior Within being something of an acquired taste, with some digging the new style, and others being not quite as fond of it. The larger focus on combat, which ended up making the game a lot less diverse compared to Sands of Time, was another aspect of the game that every fan has their own personal opinions on.

1

Skull And Bones

After Escaping Development Hell, Skull And Bones Released To Mixed Emotions

Systems

Released

February 16, 2024

Skull and Bones was originally announced in 2017, but it would go through a very strenuous development cycle where it was delayed numerous times, with many suspecting it would inevitably be canceled. Too much surprise, the game was finally released in 2024, though the reception was mixed. On the one hand, many players enjoyed the game’s immersion and carefree tone that made them feel as though they were really there cruising across the deep blue seas with their buddies.

However, some felt that it could have been at least a little more complex and featured more content, considering the amount of time it took to develop. If Skull and Bones were released a year or two after being announced, there’s no doubt it wouldn’t have been anywhere near as divisive, but the expectations grew so high, especially with it being called a “quadruple A-game,” that it ended up splitting opinions.

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