ASSASSIN’ S CREED ORIGINS
The time-hopping series enters the Nile high club Format PS4 ETA 27 Oct Pub Ubisoft Dev Ubisoft Montreal
Absence really does make the heart grow fonder, it turns out. Ubisoft Montreal’s open-world assassination series has taken a (much-needed) break since 2015’s AC: Syndicate, but now the historical hitmen are back, bigger and badder than ever.
In development since before even 2014’s disappointing Unity, Assassin’s Creed Origins is winding the clock way back. Of course, thanks to numerous online leaks, you probably knew this, but don’t let that spoil the pharaonic party. Whether you’re going in with fresh eyes or not, this Egyptian epic looks set to deliver the most spectacular sandbox the series has ever seen.
Try not to gasp, but the latest Assassin’s Creed takes place in ancient Egypt. Shocking, we know. Specifically in 49 BCE, during the Ptolemaic Dynasty: a period when Egypt was ruled by a family of Greeks descended from one of Alexander The Great’s generals, in a reign that spanned some 275 years. The setting marks quite a radical jump – Syndicate was set in the late 19th century, after all. Taking place hundreds of years before even Altaïr’s cutting Crusades-era quest, it’s not
hard to see why Ubisoft chose the name ‘Origins’.
Into this ancient, stabby setting steps forth one Bayek: a warrior known as a Medjay who fights for his fellow Egyptians. You’re not dealing with a couple of sociopathic scallywags this time around – although those Frye twins were an entertainingly naughty pair – instead, Bayek is an esteemed, battle-hardened dispenser of justice, and in return commands the respect of his countrymen.
He’s a protector first, Ptolemaicera Punisher second. Think of Creed’s latest hero as a sort of ancient bobby on the beat; a type of military scout who protects the pharaoh and his people’s interests. In other words, he’s a far cry from past, outwardly selfish protagonists, like Black Flag’s Edward Kenway.
BAYEK FOR BLOOD
Enough with the history lesson, though. You’re here for the promise of a vast open-world Egypt, Ubisoft’s trademark “emergent” play ( shudder) and a whole lot of blood-spilling swordplay. Bayek may appear a little po-faced at this stage, but the world of Origins looks like it offers the most open-ended chunk of sandbox real estate Creed has ever cooked up.
The scale looks nothing short of astonishing. Sweeping cities have always been AC’s jam, and that’s not about to change. Bayek gets the chance to scamper about all manner of ancient Egyptian architecture in the cities of Alexandria and Memphis, with a rejigged, more nuanced parkour model. More excitingly, all those vast swathes of sun-baked desert hint at the most truly open world since 2013’s Black Flag.
That’s no coincidence. Assassin’s Creed IV and Origins both share the same key figure behind the scenes: creative lead Ashraf Ismail. On first inspection, those oh-so-cinematic panning shots of regal pyramids propped up by mighty sand dunes, shimmering gorges, and winding rivers may not immediately scream “high seas pirate hijinks”. Look a little closer, though, and there are glimpses of towns surrounded by shimmering lakes, and flooded horizons that stretch out for miles. Starting to see the AC IV comparisons? Unlike the boxy (albeit undeniably evocative) streets of Syndicate’s old timey London, Origins’ sandbox lets you exercise those homicidal legs like never before.
PYRAMID SCHEME
The latest Creed is also aiming to capture the sort of seamless social vibrancy GTA has always been so good at evoking. As such, NPC behaviour is now governed by a proper day/night cycle; civilians carve time out of their schedules to eat, sleep, work, and even answer… um, calls of nature. Ahem. City activity is also affected in similar fashion, meaning town squares bustle with crowds during the day, then are much quieter when night falls. You’ll also see various warring factions battling on horseback, and it’s entirely your choice whether or not the muscly Medjay gets involved with their day-to-day squabbles.
This is an altogether different flavour of world, so it’s only reasonable Bayek is an entirely new breed of hero. Creed’s traditional free-running button has been ditched, replaced by a true analogue movement system in which pushing the stick determines how quickly Bayek will peg it. The up and down parkour controls have also been jettisoned, while on the combat front, enemies are no longer anywhere near as polite as past foes.
In old Creed entries, the bad guys were always such a considerate bunch. They’d
“CREED’S FREE-RUNNING BUTTON HAS BEEN DITCHED, REPLACED BY ANALOGUE MOVEMENT.”
patiently wait their turn until you’d killed all of their pals before engaging in a scrap. Now, they’re absolute jerks, just as they should be. Multiple enemies attack Bayek in unison, and combat is no longer built around a series of methodical, one-hit-kill counters. Instead, your heroic hardass has to focus on dodging attacks, and as he lands successful hits of his own an adrenaline gauge fills up. Once topped up, the meter is used to unleash powerful finishers. It’s a hugely welcome change that makes fighting in AC: O an engaging
two-way dance of death, rather than the glorified QTE-esque encounters of old.
To complement this more free-form fighting style, the series’ approach to weapons has also been altered. There’s now a brand-new gear system in place that allows you to improve specific parts of Bayek’s get-up by crafting materials. To further emphasise these RPG trappings, there’s a fresh levelling system (that caps out at 40), and even Destiny-like loot. Legendary items are squirrelled away throughout the world, and unearthing these prize weapons could make all the difference in battles against tougher guards.
BARELY EAGLE
Then there’s your new sidekick. More so than even a warbling Joe Cocker song, Assassin’s has always loved eagles, yet no entry in the series has actually allowed you to play as one… until now. That’s right, you can finally fly around as a majestic bird of prey. Enter Senu: Bayek’s talon-wielding chum, and the coolest feathered friend we’ve seen since BioShock Infinite’s colossal Songbird.
In the past, eagles would circle the skies of Creed’s cloud-scraping vantage points; swooping through epic 360-degree panning shots as soon as your hooded hero triggered a sync point. Here, Senu’s role is far more hands-on (claws-on?). Like Takkar’s tamable owl in Far Cry Primal, Bayek uses this badass bird to act as his eyes, scouting out enemy strongholds and other far-off points of interest from the safety of the skies above.
A single press of the D-pad lets you control Senu, and the gliding sidekick’s extraordinary eyesight can make her Egyptian owner’s life a hell of a lot easier. Your noble pet’s list of party tricks is pretty impressive. She can tag enemies and identify their rank from hundreds of feet above; spot handy resources; pick out nearby animals; and listen in on conversations like a flapping, feathered voyeur. She can even hover in one spot – the bird essentially acts as a beaked version of the drone from Ghost Recon Wildlands.
BY ‘ECK IT’S GOOD
Not that Senu is the only beast to star in Bayek’s adventure. Assassin’s Creed has been somewhat light on animal action since Black Flag – Ubisoft could hardly squeeze feral panthers or great white sharks into Syndicate’s Victorian-era London, we’d have got a badger instead – but Origins is thankfully embracing its inner Far Cry. Hippos! Crocodiles! Big cats! Goats! And best of all… Rideable. Freakin’. Camels. You can still ride horses, of course, but ponies are soooo 2015.
And there are still tonnes of other features we’ve barely got space to cover. A Skyrim-style compass that replaces the traditional minimap; gladiatorial arena battles; tombs to raid; complex puzzles that don’t just revolve around switches. Add it all up, and there’s no question you’re looking the most ambitious Assassin’s Creed ever. Can Ubi mix all these ingredients together to create the ultimate sandbox stew? We’ll find out when Origins launches 27 October on PS4.