Review: Assassin's Creed Origins

Look who arrived... Assassin's Creed Origins, the latest entry in Ubisoft's acclaimed franchise. Released to platforms Playstation 4, Xbox one and PRAÇA, the title is renewed by bringing a new protagonist, a rebuilt combat system and a formidable map in an open world set in the Ancient Egypt.

Without a doubt, even the most die-hard fans recognize that Assassin's Creed needed completely reinvent yourself, avoiding becoming a “more of the same” franchise. It was just after Assassin's Creed Syndicate, set in the Industrial Revolution and released in 2015, that Ubisoft decided to put the killers in the fridge to buy time and return in style. Assassin's Creed Origins cuts to the chase: it's the triumphant return that all of us gamers have been waiting for years.

Assassin's Creed Origins is a new journey, as it takes the player to the origins of the Brotherhood of Assassins, in Ancient Egypt, among pyramids and tombs hidden in the desert. the protagonist is Bayek of Siwa, a pharaoh's protector and defender of the Egyptian people who becomes a killer when he witnesses the death of his son.

Furthermore, bayek is undoubtedly one of the main characters most interesting of the entire series. That's because the character is forced to deal with his cruel past, which turns him into a merciless, tormented killer with a thirst for revenge. The deep story and its motivations narrow the relationship between player and character in a unique way.

To explore the desert, Bayek has the help of a camel – which can later be replaced by a horse in the stable – and his eagle Senu. By activating it, he gains a panoramic view of the area and, from there, manages to map the entire enemy territory, in addition to relevant points of interest, such as hidden items, shortcuts, tombs and extra missions.

Even so, the presence of the bird (something similar to the drone in Watch Dogs 2), one of the novelties presented, is one of the biggest additions to the game, which guarantees a different dynamic, more focused on strategy. The combat system has also been completely redesigned to give fights a new pace. Instead of relying on timed animations, Bayek's movement is the perfect mix between The Witcher and Dark Souls, with moves that demand intelligent positioning.

The rhythm of combat present in Assassin's Creed Origins is like an authentic dance, in which dodging and defending are essential steps. While it works well, the new battle system requires adaptation and practice – a lot of practice, especially for older fans who are used to the light and fast-paced fighting of previous titles.

Although it is a third-person action game, it features a loot system inherited from current RPGs, something similar to what is seen in Destiny and The Division. Instead of buying equipment, Bayek starts to acquire them in missions and activities around the world. Weapons and clothing have levels of rarity and power, so you'll need to exchange them for better options on a regular basis.

In the game, there is also a robust progression system that offers the player several unlockable skills. Of course, this is not a big news in the Assassin's Creed franchise, but the level of depth of attributes is admirable, which allows new ways to play and act in front of enemies.

The bow, for example, which has become an indispensable item, has gained special attention and brings new skills through the skill tree. Bayek must hunt animals with his bow and arrow to obtain raw materials in the best Far Cry style. Still, you can use the collected material at any time to make even bigger bags and additional accessories that increase defense and increase the damage rate.

Unlike previous titles, missions now require a recommended level to be properly completed. You can even take a chance on maximum level tasks, but you'll have to fight a lot more, since the enemies deal high damage and absorb attacks with certain ease. Because of this, it is necessary to return to points already visited on the map to solve advanced activities.

While maintaining the traditional essence of Assassin's Creed, the new Origins is the game more ambitious and diversified. You'll still have to take leaps of faith to unlock new areas on the map, but the missions bet on variety, avoiding that classic feeling of always doing the same thing.

In addition, the character Bayek is able to explore and climb pyramids, deserts, hidden tombs and oases in five colossal regions across the map. Even so, the game "provides" the players with the biggest map already seen in the series – and one of the greatest in games of the genre. The scenarios at Cyrenaica, Siuá, Guiza, Nilo and Faium are even frightening because of their positively exaggerated dimensions. There are hours and hours to explore! 😀

Assassin's Creed Origins proves that the extended production time it only did good for its look and all the features that make it up. The game has evolved a lot, it's impressive compared to Syndicate and the care with the details of the scenarios is to leave anyone amazed. The lighting and dynamic weather work is also impeccable, providing incredibly realistic scenes.

Drawings of pharaohs engraved on the walls, well-known monuments and historical figures give the air of grace and contribute to immerse the player in a parallel world in the ancient egypt. To top it off, there are still unforgettable cinematic moments, even in activities that are not directly related to the campaign.

As expected, Origins is yet another open world game to suffer from typical formula problems, like textures that disappear from one hour to another and characters that travel through inaccessible areas, nothing compared to Syndicate. Even with slips that will certainly be corrected through updates, this is one of the most stable titles in the Assassin's Creed franchise at launch.