Now on it’s the tenth installment, Assassin’s Creed Origins, returns to it’s original format that we have all come to love. Some people may have grown tired of the series, but Origins brings the franchise back to it’s roots while adding to the overall mythology. The game play, story, and graphics are all top notch as the series looks to bring back the magic of earlier titles. Ubisoft has brought the glory back to one of it’s most loved franchises.
Set in Egypt, specifically the Ptolemaic period, the fictional history of real world events is what players will be going through. The Brotherhood of Assassins and the Templar Order, who have had a century’s long dispute about fighting for peace, will clash. Both groups have different ways of achieving peace and now players get to explore how everything came about. Setting the story in Egypt is an interesting choice, as the Templar Order has not even been formed yet. What the player sees is the original group, long before Altaïr Ibn-La’Ahad began his fight in Jerusalem. In Egypt, Bayek learns of the troubles effecting his homeland. There is a power struggle between the Pharaoh and his sister Cleopatra. The Roman Empire, led by Julius Cesar, makes frequent stops, most of the time not friendly ones. Among all this, Bayek learns that a secret organization might have more influence on events, and that the very fate of his people rests with him.
The story starts off slow, but quickly gains steam. This is a game that feels both familiar and brand new. Seeing how some of the things used in the series came into practice is fun. An example is the eagle sight used in earlier games. In Origins, we see that Bayek has a real eagle, that can be sent out in order to scout locations. This type of revel is common in the game and makes the discoveries very enjoyable. Some of the action looks like it came from the movie, but it is more of an acknowledgement then a direct inspiration. One of the biggest changes is that there is now hit boxes for enemies. This allows a player to focus attacks on a certain body part, and make their strike at the right time. It took a little getting used to, but it also made the character feel like I was in more control. The one thing I did not like was the camel. As a mode of transportation, it is insanely slow and left me longing for a horse.
Still in the third person perspective, players get to do quests and side quests in order to keep progressing through the story. The Valley of the Kings looks gorgeous, and is a perfect place for an Assassin. The buildings are not quite as high, but they don’t need to be when their are pyramids to scale and explore. The sounds make the game come alive, the crowded market sounds like a real market. While it might not have been the first choice for the setting by the developers, it feels real and it looks like real attention was put into practice.
Can the series keep going? This question seemed easy to answer after the sales and reception of Syndicate. This is not to say it was a bad game, but it lacked something that the earlier games had. There might also have been some gamers who felt a little burnt out on the series. The decision to delay this game let fans begin to anticipate again, and the development team put in the work to make this game take it’s place with Black Sails and Assassin’s Creed II. The series can go on, and I am excited to see where it decides to go from here.
A true return to form, Assassin’s Creed Origins is a game that any fan of the series or simply those who want to experience the great game play and visuals. If you suffered from too many games in a short amount of time, this game is the perfect one to get back to the series. Origins might tell the beginning of the story, but it is the sum of everything that came before it.
Assassin’s Creed Origins is available now on Xbox, PS4, and PC.
