Assassin's Creed Origins

Assassin’s Creed entry set in Ancient Egypt

Assassin's Creed Origins is a premium role-playing game that serves as the tenth mainline installment of the Assassin’s Creed franchise. Set in Ancient Egypt, the player follows the Medjay Bayek of Siwa and his wife as they seek revenge for the death of their son. This pursuit led to the creation of The Hidden Ones, a precursor to the Assassin Brotherhood featured in the other AC games.

Assassin's Creed Origins is known for its massive open-world set design, a concept continued with Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, although it suffers from writing and gameplay concerns.

Trace the origins of the Brotherhood

As mentioned, Assassin’s Creed Origins is set in Ancient Egypt, near the end of the Ptolemaic Period. Bayek of Siwa is a Medjay, similar to the paramilitary police at the time. As such, this brings the player to an all-new location with the massive open-world Egypt. This game also introduces us to a new cast of characters, from Queen Cleopatra to Pompey. 

For an AC game, this puts a heavier emphasis on crafting. Players can now hunt wildlife and use materials to craft improvements. It also revamps the leveling system, adapting RPG-style skill trees and letting players place points on being a Hunter, Warrior, or Seer. Lastly, the combat system gives you a more active role in fighting, defending, and parrying—a clear departure from the early game’s focus on waiting and countering.

Still, some of its changes introduce new challenges, even for veterans of the franchise. For example, the combat is made challenging with the new system, feeling Soulslike even. Enemies now have levels that set boundaries on what’s possible with both assassination and direct combat. Also, while the overall story sounds promising, the details of how it was told are shaky, negatively affecting the narrative.

A standout yet divisive entry in the franchise

Assassin’s Creed Origins revitalizes the franchise by setting the stage in Ancient Egypt with Bayek of Siwa, incorporating a vast open-world environment and a new cast including Cleopatra and Pompey. The game emphasizes crafting, introduces RPG-style skill trees, and revamps combat, creating a more dynamic and challenging experience. Despite some narrative shortcomings, the game’s innovative changes breathe new life into the series, appealing to both new and veteran players.