After skipping a year, Ubisoft’s long-running open-world historical murder simulator series Assassin’s Creed[1] is back, with Assassin’s Creed Origins[2]. It’s unlike anything else we’ve seen in the long-running series and at the same time, it’s still familiar. But is it any good? We tell you in our Assassin’s Creed Origins review.
Set in ancient Egypt, the game has you donning the role of Bayek. He’s a medjay, sort of like a sheriff, tasked with protecting the interests of the Pharaoh and the common man. As you would expect, Assassin’s Creed Origins’ plot is one of revenge and retribution. This is familiar ground for Ubisoft, with past titles such as Assassin’s Creed 2, Watch Dogs[3], and The Crew[4] using the same tropes. There’s some interesting bits of dialogue and a couple of amusing characters such as the librarian Phanos, but by and large, Assassin’s Creed Origins’ story is but an excuse to traipse across a sprawling open-world.
And as is typical for Assassin’s Creed, there’s also a meta-plot taking place in the current time period involving the animus - a series staple that allows one to relive the memories of their ancestors and the company behind it, Abstergo. Without spoiling much, these segments are handled a lot better than previous titles, where it sometimes felt like an afterthought. There’s a welcome amount of lore in the form of emails, notes, and audio logs that do a good enough job to keep you equally invested in these parts of the game.
Regardless of the era you are in, Assassin’s Creed Origins is visually stunning. Be it taking a boat ride along the Nile at dusk with the rays of the setting sun...