Assassin’s Creed: Origins
Publisher: Ubisoft
Release Date: October 27, 2017
Platforms: PS4, PC, Xbox One
Rating: Mature
Genre: Action-Adventure
Gift of the Medjay
Written by Jesse Seilhan
Annual releases often lead to discontent. Take the heat given to franchises like Madden or Call of Duty for not innovating more than the game that came out 12 months earlier did. Even non-annual series that are prolific, like Halo, Battlefield, or Far Cry, the desire for more than just a minor graphical update and a few bug fixes is strong. Perhaps no game series showcases this more than Assassin’s Creed, a much maligned franchise that shot itself in the foot with poor quality and frequent retreads year after year. While the early showings of AC were revolutionary, everything after the second game felt like a copy and paste into a new century, with good games like Black Flag being the exception. But with Origins, Ubisoft took a few years to get it right, and they did just that.
While this is an Assassin’s Creed game (don’t worry, you still kill people), you won’t be doing most of the annoying and bothersome aspects of the series. No more trailing people to overhear conversations, no more lengthy stealth sections that result in instant death or mass chaos if you mess up, and you are much more proficient in combat, making head-on attacks a more viable option, especially when the ancient shit hits the fan. Instead, you have a massive world to explore, a list of bad people to kill, and all the freedom in the world to do whatever you want in whatever manner you choose. The game rewards creativity with dynamic fire physics, a fun weapon set, and an interesting story that moves you through.
The biggest difference you’ll notice right away is the inventory management. For the first time in an AC game, you are constantly finding new weapons, armor, and shields to equip, all with various power ratings and attributes. Some weapons are built for draining enemy health, while others cut through armor better. While it might sound overwhelming, it’s not that bad, as a simple green or red arrow lets you know if that fancy new bow is better or worse than your current one. It does layer in the color-coded system many RPGs employ, with purple items outperforming blue, gold better than purple, and so on. It’s not rocket science, but it is a nice addition to a game that previously just asked you to fight off an entire horde with a single sword and wrist blade. You certainly feel more powerful right from the start.
But what about the story? This one feels the least Assassin’s Creed-y of them all, as you aren’t spending much time in present day at all, and you aren’t even sure if it has anything to do with Assassins or Templars for dozens of hours into the game. It tells a simpler story, about Bayek, a Medjay (think Egyptian Cop) who is tasked with solving some of the town’s problems. They start small, like locating a missing kid or stray farmer, but eventually tragedy strikes and Bayek is forced to enter the larger cities in Egypt, teaming up with his badass wife Aya to exact revenge for the wrongs that have been done to them and their people. It’s a much more subtle and nuanced story than the swashbuckling adventures of old, and while there is some mysticism and intrigue, long gone are the references to aliens and such. This really is a standalone story that requires no previous knowledge of the series, perfect for onboarding new fans.
For Origins, the sum is greater than its parts, as a bunch of risks and extra time paid off. While fans of the series might want more of what makes AC unique, others will appreciate the changes as they make for a more compelling and better game. Hopefully, this is the new blueprint for the series, as the traversal and experimentation are as solid as ever, but the new combat and RPG systems make for a more engrossing experience. This is also one of the biggest games of the year, meaning you will get your money’s worth if you spend even full price for the game. Pick this one up even if you aren’t a fan of the others, as there is something special in this release.