[h1]Assassin's Creed Origins[/h1]
After spending quite a few hours exploring Egypt and eventually finishing the main story, I can say that Assassin's Creed Origins is probably one of the most interesting entries in the series for me
It feels different from the older Assassin's Creed games, but at the same time, it still manages to preserve the feeling of being an Assassin's Creed game
[h2]The World & Atmosphere[/h2]
The first thing that really stood out to me was the world
Ancient Egypt is absolutely beautiful. From Alexandria and its Greek influence to the deserts, villages, temples and the pyramids of Giza, the game does an amazing job of making the world feel alive
There is a huge variety of environments, and travelling from one region to another rarely feels repetitive
I especially enjoyed simply walking around and looking at the architecture. The cities feel distinct from one another, and there is a lot of attention to small details
Markets, farms, temples, wildlife, people working and travelling around the world all help make Egypt feel like an actual place rather than just a map filled with objectives
[b]The atmosphere is probably my favorite part of the game.[/b]
[h2]Historical Authenticity[/h2]
I also really appreciated how much the game tries to represent Ptolemaic Egypt
Obviously, this is still a video game and historical accuracy is not absolute, but the mixture of Egyptian, Greek and Roman influences makes the setting particularly interesting
The architecture, clothing, weapons, settlements and religious elements all contribute to that feeling
Visiting places such as Alexandria, Memphis and Giza while knowing their historical importance makes exploration much more enjoyable
For me, this is what Assassin's Creed does best: taking a historical period and turning it into something you can actually walk through and experience
[h2]Exploration[/h2]
Origins encourages you to explore rather than simply follow the main objectives
There are tombs, temples, ruins, camps, caves, hidden locations and plenty of things to discover while travelling through the world
Senu is also a great addition to exploration. Being able to fly over an area and look for enemies, objectives and points of interest feels much more natural than the traditional Eagle Vision from previous games
I also liked that the world doesn't constantly feel like it is pushing you toward the next objective
Sometimes I would simply start travelling somewhere and end up spending a considerable amount of time exploring something completely unrelated
And honestly, [b]those moments were some of my favorite parts of the game[/b]
[h2]Combat[/h2]
The combat is probably the biggest change compared to the older games.
It feels much more direct and physical. Instead of relying almost entirely on counter-attacks, you actually have to pay attention to positioning, dodging, blocking and the type of weapon you're using
At first I wasn't completely convinced by it, especially because it can feel somewhat clunky in certain situations
But after getting used to it, I started enjoying it quite a lot
Different weapons have noticeably different feels, and fighting stronger enemies requires more attention than simply waiting for an attack and countering it
It also works surprisingly well with stealth
You can still approach camps quietly, assassinate enemies and use the environment to your advantage, but the game doesn't force you to play that way all the time
[b]You can still play like an Assassin, but Origins also lets you go full action if that's what you want[/b]
[h2]Bayek & The Story[/h2]
Bayek is probably one of the strongest parts of the game
He feels like a believable person rather than simply another Assassin's Creed protagonist moving from objective to objective
His relationship with Aya, his connection to Egypt and especially the personal motivation behind his journey give the story a much more emotional foundation
I also liked the way the story gradually connects Bayek's personal journey with the creation of what would eventually become the Assassin Brotherhood
That said, I don't think the main story is perfect
There are moments where the pacing feels uneven, and some of the characters and plotlines don't receive as much development as I would have liked
Still, Bayek himself carries a lot of the story, and his journey is interesting enough to keep me invested until the end
[h2]The World Feels More Important Than The Main Story[/h2]
One thing I noticed while playing is that I often found myself more interested in the world than in the main quest
There is something satisfying about simply riding through the desert, discovering an ancient ruin or entering a tomb without knowing what is inside
The setting is so well constructed that even ordinary exploration can feel like part of the experience
The game doesn't need to constantly give you something spectacular to do
Sometimes just being in Egypt is enough
[h2]The Leveling System[/h2]
This is probably one of the aspects I enjoyed the least
The RPG elements work reasonably well, but sometimes the level requirements can make the world feel less natural
An assassination that should logically kill an enemy can fail simply because your Hidden Blade isn't upgraded enough
I understand why the system exists, but it can occasionally take away from the fantasy of actually being an Assassin
Fortunately, upgrading equipment and progressing through the game isn't particularly difficult, so it never became a major problem for me
[h2]Sound & Music[/h2]
The music fits the setting extremely well
It isn't necessarily the kind of soundtrack that constantly stays in your head, but it does an excellent job of creating the atmosphere of the game
The combination of music, environmental sounds, animals, crowds and the general silence of the desert makes exploration feel immersive
There are moments when simply riding across the desert with the music playing in the background feels better than doing another quest
[h2]So, Is It Still Assassin's Creed?[/h2]
I think this is where Origins becomes particularly interesting
It doesn't feel exactly like the older Assassin's Creed games
The combat, progression system and open-world structure make it feel closer to an action RPG, while stealth is no longer the only way to approach most situations
But I don't think that necessarily makes it worse
The core ideas are still there: historical settings, exploration, assassinations, hidden locations and the conflict between different factions
Origins simply presents them through a different structure
And considering that this is a game about the origins of the Brotherhood, I actually think the change in direction fits the setting quite well
[h2]Final Thoughts[/h2]
Overall, I really enjoyed Assassin's Creed Origins
It has one of the best worlds in the series, an incredibly interesting historical setting, a protagonist that is easy to care about and a combat system that, while different, becomes quite enjoyable once you get used to it
Its biggest strength is definitely Ancient Egypt itself
The game makes you want to explore simply because there is always something interesting to look at or somewhere worth visiting
The story has its weaker moments and the RPG mechanics aren't always a perfect fit for Assassin's Creed, but neither of those things stopped me from enjoying the experience
If you enjoy historical settings, exploration and open-world games, [b]Origins is an excellent experience[/b]
And even if you are mainly interested in the historical side of Assassin's Creed, I think Egypt alone makes this game worth experiencing
The game doesn't just give you Ancient Egypt as a backdrop for the story
[b]It makes Egypt the experience itself[/b]
