Assassin’s Creed Origins is a new take on the formulaic franchise, sending players to explore the mysteries of Ancient Egypt and the rise of Cleopatra. Everything has changed, and here are seven examples that might get you interested in the series again.
After the release of Assassin’s Creed Unity, fans have mostly agreed that the basic premise is pretty played-out. Improvements came in Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, putting players in control of a pair of assassin siblings in London, greatly improving the gameplay, but avoiding any structural changes to the series.
That all changes in Assassin’s Creed Origins. This is a true sequel, one with new mechanics, new combat — basically new everything. Let’s get into the nitty-gritty and show off seven serious changes in the upcoming Assassin’s Creed.
#1: It’s Set 1,000 Years Before The Templars & Assassins
Instead of rehashing the endless conflict between Templars and Assassins, Origins takes place in ancient Egypt, at the time of Cleopatra. The Roman Legion occupies the north-African breadbasket, and arenas have been established across the nation.
You take the role of a local village protector named Bayek. The Assassin Brotherhood is still a thing, because both societies (in Assassin’s Creed lore) are based on precursor ancient civilizations. The goal of Origins, it seems, is to refresh the setting and offer players something new instead of another standard Templar conflict.
#2: The Combat Is Inspired By Dark Souls
Taking a page from the Dark Souls playbook, you’ll have to lock-on, block, attack and parry in a slower, more precise style. You won’t be swarmed by giant groups of opponents, instead pitting Bayek against small groups, or even on-on-one.
Like Dark Souls, you have a shield to block incoming attacks and light or heavy attacks for offense. You’ll be able to dodge, too — an important tactic, because enemies are much more difficult this time around.
#3: And Mounted Combat Has Been Expanded
No more awkward sword-swinging foolishness, Origins lets you ride into battle on horseback (or camel-back) and all your combat controls match-up whether you’re on-foot or mounted. You’ll even encounter enemy riders as well, forcing you to take on the group while riding.
#3: The Mini-Map Is Gone For Good
Remember the mini-map that used to take up the bottom-right corner of your screen in every Assassin’s Creed entry? That’s gone. Instead of hunting collectibles and chasing waypoints, you’ll take quests — similar to Skyrim, Fallout or other open-world RPGs.
#4: Eagle Vision Has Been Replaced With an Actual Eagle
Taking away the mini-map might sound like an annoyance, but you’ll gain a trusty partner to make exploration much easier. At any point, you can send your eagle to fly into the sky, searching for quests or other “?” spots of interest.
Like Metal Gear Sold 5‘s binoculars, you can use your eagle to mark enemies in an area before engaging (or sneaking) to complete a quest.
#5: Gain Levels And Unlock Skill Trees
Following the open-world RPG format, the hero of Origins doesn’t just gain XP and levels. As you level up, you’ll unlock skill points, letting you enhance your arsenal of abilities down several separate skill trees.
The three skill trees are: warrior, hunter and seer. The warrior is all about combat and melee weapons. The hunter focuses on archery and enhances your eagle’s abilities, while the seer unlocks skills related to tools, such as smokescreens.
#6: Explore Everything, Everywhere
Black Flag included a gentle smattering of underwater exploration during its diving bell segments, but Origins allows our hero Bayek to explore literally anywhere along the Nile. Hop into a skiff and track treasure, then swim underwater to collect it.
That’s not all. The various tombs, pyramids, and other locations are basically “dungeons” in all but name. You’ll be able to delve into these places much like Skyrim, and if you’re not prepared for a challenge, you can so easily get turned into a bloody puddle.
#7: And There Are Big Boss Battles
Ending the first official trailer, there’s something we haven’t really seen in any of the other Assassin’s Creed games — real boss battles. A giant snake attacks Bayek, and that isn’t the only challenging super-opponents you’ll encounter.
In the coliseums, you’ll often do battle with unique enemy types, but survive long enough and there are true-blue bosses that appear. These armored opponents have their own unique moves and personalities, and while Origins isn’t meant to be as difficult as a game like Dark Souls, these titanic battles aim to get your blood pumping, rather than end in an anticlimactic stabbing like almost every other Assassin’s Creed battle.
There’s so much more new and different in Assassin’s Creed Origins we can’t cover it all here. You’ll also find Far Cry’s wild animal systems, ambient faction battles, and an inventory system overhaul. Keep following The Escapist as we bring you more Assassin’s Creed news in the near future.
