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The Assassin's Creed series has had a tumultuous past. While the initial few titles were all best-sellers, Unity was a debacle. The series much like a few other Ubisoft titles, has seen its fare share of repacking accusations. So after another average outing on the Victorian UK, when Ubisoft decided to go back deeper in its history with Assassin's Creed Origins, fans of the series were definitely excited.
Assassin's Creed Origins takes the game back to the Ancient Egypt in the Ptolemaic era. The story focusses on Bayek, a medjay and his journey to avenge his son's death and deliver Egypt from oppression. The enemies are an ancient organisation, even before the Templars, known as the Ancient Ones, who have used everything from sheer power to shadowy tactics like poison and more to have their way. Along the way in the game we meet many eminent historical characters like Cleopatra and Julius Caesar, as we travel across many historical locations like Memphis, Pompei, Alexandria, Giza and more.
One of the strongest features about the story is the conviction the protagonist Bayek's character has. The character has been created with much emphasis on this trait. He comes across as someone looking for closure, laughing around and being affectionate with his loved ones in one moment while turning into an avenger channeling his rage into his blade the next. The Origins weaves a captivating tale the player could easily connect with and be invested in the history and the incidents that have shaped the character of Bayek. Even outside of the core story, Bayek's wandering around Egypt is littered with small quest-chains that introduce characters, many of whom he knows from his years as a medjay. Picking up these relationships in the middle, by and large, opens the door for a level of personality and nuanced affectation that you don't often see in interactions with minor characters.
The game-play is decent with elements like crafting and looting being quite important aspects. We noticed a change in the combat over previous editions, a much diverse armoury with shields and tools that matter quite significantly in battle mode. As the side quests roll on, it becomes clear that the gameplay isn't nearly as astounding as the game's setting. Helping us plot our incursions is our faithful pal, Senu, an ever-present eagle whose eyes you can look through as she circles overhead. A glance from Senu will tag enemies, animals, treasures, and infiltration points. Unlockable skills let you use Senu as a distraction, as she can harass enemies and even show us the future path of an enemy as they stroll through camp. Aya, who we also control in some sections and is present for many of the game's core story moments, is equally well-defined, and perhaps more interesting. She's more of the traditional self-serious and strong character and plays the love interest. Then we have Layla Hassan: A boisterous Abstergo employee using DNA from Bayek's mummy to see his life. She experiences Bayek's story through the Animus, a device to see the life of a historical figure using their DNA.
While Assassin's Creed Origins reaches great heights in this new setting, it routinely runs into issues that bog down the overall experience. Technical issues make for an inconsistent experience and its new gameplay pillars wobble under the weight of its systems. But despite this, the world of Origins remains fresh and exciting to explore, which is a testament to the remarkable setting and compelling story. Assassin's Creed has undergone many changes in its long and storied history, and Origins feels like the first step in the start of a new journey.