Assassin's Creed Origins stands out as an action-adventure game that transports players to the sands of Ancient Egypt during a time of political turmoil. Released for PS4, this title marks a shift in the series toward deeper role-playing elements, where you take on the role of Bayek, a Medjay protector, unraveling conspiracies and laying the groundwork for the Assassin Brotherhood. With its vast open world filled with historical landmarks, the game blends exploration, combat, and storytelling in a way that appeals to fans of narrative-driven adventures.
Gameplay
In Assassin's Creed Origins, the core loop revolves around traversing a detailed recreation of Ptolemaic Egypt, from the bustling streets of Alexandria to the hidden tombs beneath the pyramids. You control Bayek in third-person view, using free-running mechanics to scale structures and navigate environments. Combat relies on a hit-box system, allowing for light and heavy attacks with various weapon types, including swords, spears, and bows categorized by rarity levels like common, rare, and legendary.
Stealth plays a key role, with tools such as the hidden blade for silent takedowns and an eagle companion named Senu for scouting ahead and marking enemies. Progression comes through earning experience points from quests and combats, which unlock skills in three branches: Hunter for ranged combat, Warrior for melee strength, and Seer for stealth efficiency. Crafting and upgrading gear, like the bracer or quiver, requires resources gathered from hunting animals or looting convoys, adding a layer of resource management to the experience.
Quests vary from main story missions that advance the plot to side activities, such as solving stone circle puzzles or raiding bandit camps. Naval elements appear in specific sections, where you command ships in battles, while taming wild animals provides temporary allies in fights.
Game Modes
The game focuses on a single-player campaign, but it includes several distinct modes to enhance replayability. Discovery Tour serves as an educational tool, stripping away combat to let you explore Ancient Egypt through 75 guided tours covering history, culture, and landmarks, curated with input from historians.
New Game Plus allows replaying the story while retaining unlocked skills and gear, offering a fresh challenge with carried-over progress. Trials of the Gods pits you against high-level bosses modeled after Egyptian deities, testing combat skills in timed events. Nightmare difficulty ramps up enemy toughness, and a horde mode introduces waves of scaling opponents for endless survival challenges.
Factions and Mechanics
Several factions shape the conflicts in Assassin's Creed Origins. The Order of the Ancients acts as the primary antagonists, a secretive group pulling strings behind Ptolemy XIII's rule and opposing Cleopatra. Bayek and his wife Aya form the Hidden Ones, the precursor to the Assassin Brotherhood, focused on assassinating key members of the Order to restore balance.
Other groups include Roman forces invading regions, Ptolemaic guards loyal to the pharaoh, and bandits scattered across the deserts. Mechanics tied to these factions involve targeted assassinations, where you gather intel, infiltrate strongholds, and execute plans. Adrenaline builds during fights for powerful finishing moves, and environmental interactions, like setting fire to oil jars, add tactical depth to encounters.
Is It Worth Playing?
Assassin's Creed Origins holds up well years after its 2017 release, with a 2022 update enabling 60fps performance on compatible hardware, keeping it smooth on modern systems. It has sold over 10 million copies worldwide and earned generally favorable reviews, with scores like 84 from PC Gamer and 9 from IGN highlighting its revamped combat and immersive world.
If you enjoy open-world action-adventure games with strong historical settings and a mix of stealth and direct combat, this title delivers a compelling experience. The narrative explores themes of revenge and justice, supported by memorable characters and emotional quests. However, those sensitive to repetitive side content or technical glitches in older builds might find some frustration. Overall, it suits players seeking a lengthy solo journey through a vividly realized ancient era, especially with free additions like Discovery Tour expanding its appeal beyond pure gameplay.