Sands of time

Assassin’s Creed Origins’ moment in the sun

This game has you surfing down the sides of the Great Pyramid, battling gods in the desert, and finding time for a Final Fantasy XV crossover, but one of Assassin’s Creed Origins’ standout moments is a smaller-scale affair.

The sandblasted bones of other unlucky victims are scattered around us. The sun is baking the sand into glassy crystals. Scorpions circle. We’re up to our neck in trouble, literally. Bayek is buried to his chin in the open desert, miles from civilisation. Managing to get one arm free,

Bayek has hope. But he’s yet to face his demons.

What follows is a chance for our hero to reflect on his situation and his journey. From out of the haze ghosts of Bayek’s past come to visit him, to test his resolve for the quest he’s taken on.

“Did my death please you?” asks the defeated Medunamun.

“Do you really think you can save our people, Bayek?” questions Bayek’s former ally Apollodorus.

“Where is our son, Bayek? Where is my Khemu? Bring me back our son,” screams Aya as Bayek’s own guilt takes hold.

As a metaphor for Bayek’s spiralling emotions and eventual rise from the sands of Egypt to become its saviour, this moment in the game impresses.

As our hero rediscovers his motivation, it takes his animal companions to physically drag him from his despair. First Senu, Bayek’s eagle ally, swoops down to startle his horse to gallop past the circling scorpions. As it passes, Bayek reaches out his free arm and grabs its reins, and it drags him free.

From this moment on Bayek has clarity of purpose. And so do we.