Assassins Creed Origins - Worth the Wait

Assassins Creed: Origins (AC:O)

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     With only 7 hours game-play clocked so far, I am already overwhelmed by Origins and haven't even began to scratch the surface of the story-line. There is so much to keep the player occupied for hours on end and to that effect, the two year gap in the franchise was definitely worth the wait in my opinion. I feel like the entire game has been revamped for the better, standing proudly alongside The Ezio Collection and Black Flag. Who knows, upon eventual completion, this could be my favourite game of the entire series to date. In this post we'll be looking at key features that I believe have made AC a literal game changer.

What's Changed?

     With each new installment, there comes changes, however these changes are normally subtle as  elements have generally been copy and paste in the franchise (mission tasks, movement, territory etc). This is generally coupled with the addition of a new game-play mechanic such as the rope launcher in Syndicate and bomb crafting in Revelations.  Assassins Creed Origins blows Ubisoft's copy and paste method out of the water, changing so many different yet familiar mechanics, turning it into something great.

Skill Trees

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     The skill tree was introduced to the series in Unity and further developed in Syndicate, where players would earn skill points upon completion of memories or find them within the open world. Origins' skill tree however resembles more of an RPG element seen in games such as The Witcher 3. A well developed skill tree appears to provide great benefits to the way you play. Unlike any other AC game, Bayek (the main protagonist), uses experience points gained from completing quests, locations, combat and other actions in order to level up and gain skill points. Leveling up Bayek is critical when facing opponents and completing quests as figures resemble difficulty - the higher your opponents difficulty to your own, the less likely you are to succeed. Aside from this, as you level up you gain access to better equipment and there is a lot to choose from. Although Bayek is provided the option to purchase weapons, there are many weapons that can be found in the world via looting guards and chests. I love having a greater variety of weapons to choose from, especially when you can equip multiple weapons and swords at once and cater your load-out to the situation. It appears to be pot-luck what you receive from looting, but I  have noticed that the higher your own level, the better the loot - but maybe this could also be dependent on the level of the area you are currently in. The best part about this, is that you no longer have to grind in-game currency in order for a better load-out.

Quests

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     Questing is a big change to the series and is what also gives me an RPG vibe. It appears that DNA sequences are gone, and the player is provided with greater options to explore and deviate from the main story-line. (Story related quests make up the segments of the story - See trophy lists for main mission quest names). It is simply because of the side quests and need to level up, that I haven't ventured too far within the main story itself yet. I have found that side quests are unique within themselves and vary from killing guards, solving mysteries and stealing; but there might be more I have not discovered playing yet. They mostly follow linear paths with the game directing you where to go if you choose to track a quest, however some side quests also require the player to explore the region and discover things for themselves. An example of this type of quest can be found early on as Bayek comes across a stone circle that gives the player a look into Bayek's past with his son after matching up constellations; there are 12 stone circles in total for players to find.

     I believe that the side quests are just as engaging as the main quests, with some providing cinematic elements to it's cut-scenes to give more information either about Bayek's past or his personality in general, to which I have found the quests as a whole very enjoyable.  Due to work constraints, I only generally get to play games casually meaning I spend less time playing than I would like. However, that being said, previous AC games I have been able to complete the main DNA sequences fairly quickly and some titles I have managed to do that and obtain the platinum trophy in just over a week. Therefore I think that it was a fantastic idea for Ubisoft to introduce quests to the AC series in order to prolong it's player base with the sheer amount there is to see and do. As I write, Ubisoft have introduced special event quests named, 'Trails of the Gods' with the current event facing Anubis. I'm yet to challenge this quest however due to myself only reaching level 17 so far and the quest recommending the player be level 40. Upon successful completion of theses quests you obtain special in-game gear specific to the events. I'm not sure if I am locked out of this event due to level or will be very tricky to obtain, but I know I don't want to miss out on this loot, so I am wondering whether the same trials with come around again.
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Game-play Mechanics

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     There are notable dramatic changes with the previously familiar game mechanics in Origins, that in my opinion have now changed the series entirely for the better. Eagle vision has always been a part of the Assassins Creed franchise allowing the protagonist to see people and objects of interest within their vicinity as well as paths of their enemies which is all down to DNA. That's all well and good, but until now I think this aspect made the previous games too easy and has been replaced by literal Eagle Vision. Bayek now sees through the eyes of his eagle Senu to scout an area that marks enemies and highlights treasures etc. Senu can be upgraded through use of the skill tree in order to track enemy movements and attack others, however Senu cannot be used indoors to the same effect. Whilst indoors, or not using Senu at all, Bayek has the ability to use 'Animus Pulse' that sends almost like a shockwave through the area to highlight loot and other artifacts but cannot highlight enemies like in previous games adding some level of difficulty and slight realism of looking out for enemies yourself. Therefore I like the fact that there is a possibility of being prepared and unprepared at the same time to adapt to your surroundings. This is not the first time that an Assassin has had a link to an eagle when it came to Eagle Sense as Connor of AC3 also had a small stint which could have been due to his heritage with animal totems etc.

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     The map is huge, probably the biggest in the series to date. When I moved the cursor to see the size of the map I was amazed and the best part is that the map can be uncovered whenever the player wishes; you are not blocked by an inaccessible memory to reach an area like in previous games. However Senu cannot 'defog' the map themselves as Bayek has to physically go to these areas (as seen in GTAV), again prolonging the player experience. I myself have not yet explored maybe even 25% of the map yet but I am stunned with each new area I come across and am glad that I can move freely through the world. As briefly mentioned, Bayek's level can have an impact on the success of defeating enemies where this level can be indicated by the part of the map the player finds themselves in, for example Siwa should only have enemies ranging from 0-5 - this also applies to predatory/large animals you encounter. Speaking of combat, if you hadn't already noticed changes in other aspects of the game then this is the most revamped part. Normally, combat is incredibly predictable with enemies circling you and waiting to attack one by one which can easily be countered with the press of a single button. But now, forget everything you know about the combat system in Assassins Creed because you now face a greater challenge. Enemies are more aware of your presence, and try everything they can to attack you, even it it means all at once. Bayek is able to block most attacks with his shield that the player needs to do using a conscious effort by timing to block these attacks which is best done when targeting his enemy. He can use a mixture of light and heavy attacks from his handheld weapon and can also use a combination of bows against his enemy, and with enough adrenaline from multiple target hits, Bayek can unleash a devastating high power attack that usually kills his enemy in one hit depending on if that enemy is the same level or lower than you. I am yet to master the new combat system with the pressing of different buttons as I'm still used to pressing certain buttons for high and low profile attacks from the previous games. It is something that will come with practice over time but I very much welcome this added challenge, especially as Bayek is currently a Medjay and I feel would not be as expected to enter and exit most areas undetected.
   
     Lastly, it isn't the first time that we've seen that we've seen a variety of wildlife in game of which to hunt for crafting purposes such as in AC3 and Black Flag. Hunting and defending oneself from predators feels so much different in this game mainly again due to increasing difficulty in areas that you come across them. Aside from this, you must hunt in order to improve your armour and hidden blade. I find this fun to do, especially running away from hippos. You can also sell what you gain from animals for extra in-game currency to upgrade current weapons, buy new threads or get a new mount.

Who is Bayek? *SPOILERS*

     Bayek of Siwa (where he grew up/resides) is a Medjay of Ancient Egypt who is seen as a protector of the land with elite training and supposedly the last of his kind. I only had an idea of the purpose of Medjay from the original (and personally best) The Mummy films. Bayek therefore appears to be respected by his people and others around Egypt who learn of his background. He does not however appear to be welcomed by those in power and namely, 'The Order of the Ancients' (who have such values like that of the Templar Order).

Bayek & Aya- Image by: NeKroZy via Flikr.com

     It wouldn't be an Assassins Creed game if the story-line didn't include loss, revenge, retribution or love and this is what I can gather as the narrative from the limited time I've played. I have not made enough progress in the story to talk about the game as a whole and what happens to Bayek throughout this time period but I can set the scene. From the start of Origins we realise that Bayek has been away from his duties for some time, but why? Prior to when we meet our protagonist, Bayek is captured along with his young son Khemu who tries to attack one of the captors. Bayek then attempts to protect his son but in doing so, accidentally kills him as a result of the captors attempt. Upon escape is where we see the element of the game with the objective of assassinating all those involved with his sons murder and starting the path of retribution. He and his wife Aya work together in order to do this. Aya's character is quite interesting and the love they have for one another is strong. So far, I really like Bayek as a character and he reminds me of when I first started playing as Ezio, he can be witty, charming and is loyal to his cause. Side quests as mentioned before really help with the character development.

Ancient Egypt

     Ever since it had been announced or rather leaked, I was so excited of the prospect of playing in Ancient Egypt during the Ptolemaic period. I enjoy learning about and watching series based on Egypt and the Roman Empire, so the fact that parts of this story explores the history of Cleopatra and Julius Caesar is excellent for me. I can't wait to play the quest elements for this part of the game. Another thing I am looking forward to is climbing famous ancient Egyptian landmarks such as pyramids and the Sphinx that are things I would like to visit in real life, but the prospect of visiting today and turning around to see a McDonald's  would kind of spoil the immersion. 

Personal Favourite Feature 
     There are so many beautiful landscapes and epic moments in the game that photo-mode allows you to capture. I love that more and more games are including photo-mode as an option and for me, it brings a whole new level of appreciation for the time and effort that developers put into the game. Sometimes I might not even take a photo, but use it to stop time and admire the world around me and the physical animations used; I especially love doing this during combat, or when viewing animal behaviour.  I believe it is also a good element for game developers and consumers alike; the more who are using photo-mode and posting them to social media and creative outlets such as Flikr or using them for their own projects, the greater the game exposure. This, linked with all the revised developments on previous games, could have contributed to the 100% increase in sales in its first 10 days compared to Syndicate - I was stunned by this figure when I first saw it, but it is unsurprising given the outstanding critical reviews ranging from 8/10 to 10/10 from what I have observed. 

If you've played:

- What is your favourite feature?

- What do you think of Bayek as the main protagonist?

*Assassins Creed: Origins - Out Now*