Assassins Creed Origins - Review

Another year, another Assassins Creed game.  I have a strange relationship with the series, I like it and I don't.  There is something that intrigues me about the games but at the same time I know I'm letting myself in for a level of disappointment.  I can't quite put my finger on what it is about them, perhaps it's their similarity to Fifa.  A new one gets released each year, there are improvements made each time but in many ways, it's the same game.  Anyway, I finally decided to play Assassins Creed Origins.


Museli.  I am not a big breakfast person but on occasion, I do like some cereal.  Muesli is my fall back cereal, it's not particularly exciting but it's reliable and does the job.  Playing Assassins Creed Origins I found myself asking, was this my muesli?

Story


Where to start?  There is a machine called the Animus, which allows you to see the memories of your ancestors. This is the part of the basis for series, the rest of it revolves around good and evil.  In honesty though that is a huge oversimplification of the series.  Anyhow, I digress.


The game takes place in 48 BCE Egypt and sees you take control of Bayek.  Unfortunately, Bayek is about to have a bad day.  Shortly after the murder of his son, Bayek decides to seek revenge.  Quickly it becomes apparent that this task will be a lot more difficult and intricate than he could have imagined.  It will involve Greece, The Roman Empire and Cleopatra.


Overall the story is okay but feels less like Assassins Creed and more like a stand-alone game.  While there are nods to the series as a whole it feels very isolated from the others.  The closest comparison would be Resident Evil VII Biohazard, it's a good enough story but just doesn't feel like part of the series.

Graphics


The visuals are fantastic, they are lush and the whole world feels really organic.  The pyramids look amazing, the cities, towns and marketplaces feel alive which really helped sucked me into the world.  The people look really detailed and the animals are simply amazing.


Overall the game visual spectacle and is certainly one of the strongest parts of the game if not the strongest part.



Music


The music has a middle eastern sound with a little of the Assassins Creed series music we have gotten used to hearing grated on top of it.  The creator of this score is American composer and performer Sarah Schachner.  Some of her work includes Assassins Creed Unity, Call of Duty: Infinity Warfare and Anthem.


The score runs a little over seventy minutes, my favourite tracks included 'Assassins Creed Origins Main Theme', 'Return of the Medjay', 'I walk on your water' and 'The Alexandrian Pleiad'.


Overall the score is okay but nothing really standout, especially by comparison of the others in the series.

Gameplay


Assassins Creed Origins has overhauled the combat system which has made it more challenging but also more rewarding.  Enemies have levels assigned to them similar to an RPG meaning that running blindly into enemy forts swords and shields swinging is not going to end well.  While you will have many weapons and tools including swords, spears, bows and shields the best weapon/tool in your arsenal is Senu.  Senu is your eagle friend, great for locating objectives, annoying enemies, and marking targets.


There is now a distinct levelling up system which will allow you to unlock new abilities.  Some will allow you to focus on your skills as a warrior, some on stealth and others will unlock new tools.  No matter what your preferred play style is there is something there for everyone.


Similar to previous games there are shops to buy and sell goods along with buying craft materials.  There is more focus on upgrading equipment that in pervious games, so prepare to hunt.


Overall the gameplay was pretty solid with few complaints, I won't lie I missed being able to use my hidden blade whenever I fancied but it's called origins after all.




Final Thoughts

So, after thirty hours how did I feel?  Not bad. The story was alright, the visuals were fantastic, the music was okay and the gameplay was great.  The story was alright but it didn't really add a whole lot to the Assassins Creed Universe.   The visuals and gameplay were the best parts for sure and really helped in improving the series as a whole.  The music was okay but was a far cry from the likes of Assassins Creed Black Flag.  Overall this one gets a slightly underwhelming 3 out of 5