The highly anticipated Assassin’s Creed title has finally been unveiled. With a mesmerizing trailer and grand showcase, we known know that the game we’ve been eagerly waiting for since we first started smelling rumors about (which The Codex reported back in January 2016) is a reality and it’s set in Ancient Egypt, starring a brand new protagonist, Bayek (reported by The Codex in March 2017). Fortunately, after the grand reveal, Assassin’s Creed: Origins is now the cover story of Game Informer magazine. Here’s a recap of the most important points of the story:
DEVELOPMENT
Creative Director Jean Guesdon stated that work on Assassin’s Creed: Origins began as early as 2014, right after Black Flag, with prototypes and conceptualization, and Ancient Egypt was chosen as the setting based on strong demand from the Assassin’s Creed community over the previous years. Production began months before Assassin’s Creed: Unity was released.
Guesdon also added that the one year gap in 2016 allowed them to take they bold direction they needed to go and developing all the necessary systems to “develop the promises of Egypt” as well as crafting a brand new fight system and A.I. and with more time, they managed to make maintain the stability of the project.
Director Ashraf Ismail determined how big the game can become, but made sure that the goals are achievable and presentable in high quality.
PROTAGONIST
Bayek, a man who will eventually form the Assassin brotherhood, is the protagonist of Assassin’s Creed: Origins. He’s also a Medjay which is a term for a Police Officer of that era and is regarded as a protector of his own community and a member of the Nubian warriors and mercenaries. He’s neither sarcastic, impulsive or flirtatious like Ezio Auditore and Jacob Frye. Instead, he’s powerful and carries himself with deadly intensity.
SETTING
Bayek’s tale is set against one of history’s most well-known rules, Cleopatra VII. Assassin’s Creed Brand Historian, Maxime Durand stated that Cleopatra’s story is incomplete and that she was an unusual figure as she’s the only known female figure who ruled alone in that time period. While history claims that her tragic end was due to her committing suicide by allowing a venomous snake to bite her, in the Assassin’s Creed lore, we know that the Assassin Amunet was the one who brought the snake. It isn’t known if the event will be shown in Origins.
The Ptolemaic Era of Egypt, around Cleopatra’s time was chosen over the Old Kingdom era because it represents one of the greatest moments of Egypt, the rise of Rome and while the Old Kingdom, it would’ve only had one city and the pyramids and that’s it.
In the game setting, there’s a variety of places to visit which are more than pyramids, sands and dust. There’s the Nile Delta which is a flat, lush and green area which is also very dangerous because of the crocodiles and the creatures hiding in the swamps, and there’s a varying range of landscapes from sand dunes, to white deserts with amazing shapes of salty rocks.
Among the cities Bayek will visit are Memphis and Alexandria, which are two huge cities, the latter being very Greek/Roman in terms of architecture as well as the minimalist and impressive Egyptian style. The pyramids are reportedly covered in sandstone and can be seen from a specific time period of the game. The lighthouse and its legendary library can be visited in the game, as well as the Sphinx before its painted exteriors were scrubbed by the sands of time.
OVER-ARCHING NARRATIVE
Ubisoft Montreal’s lips remain tight-lipped regarding the First Civilization story and the Modern Day segment of the game, but Game Informer speculates that there’s a longer time between the construction of the Pyramids and the Ptolemaic Era and Bayek’s times than the game between our time and Bayek’s, which makes it more likely that such a great civilization in the distant past might have had strong ties with the Isu, who might have played a role in their creation.
GAMEPLAY
Tomb Raiding
Tomb Raiding and Puzzle solving are back with few alterations. Bayek travels across Ancient Egypt and explores tombs and pyramids which require puzzle solving. This time, the focus is more on platform balancing and weights than on pushing switches and pulling levers. Bayek will explore at least one Pyramid in the main campaign and there are over 20 sites to explore which includes pyramids, tombs, temples other treasure-filled points of interests, to explore optionally.
Wildlife
Animals will attack Bayek and each other, and it’s up to the player to take that fact to their advantage.
RPG Elements
Ashraf Ismail shed light on the RPG elements of the game, stating that there’s brand new graph system which allows the player to evolve and develop Bayek as they see fit, without having to go a linear path of upgrading skills throughout a tree menu. The system will focus on non-linear graph of skills which is similar to the Sphere Grid in Final Fantasy X. Players can choose to evolve in three main paths; The Seer, The Hunter and The Warrior and Bayek can reach a maximum level of 40.
Stealth
Ash also added that the game is split 50/50 between stealth and non-stealth, without emphasizing on one “correct” style of playing.
Online Elements
Guesdon confirmed that multiplayer will not be returning in Origins, yet there will be connectivity which will focus more about collaboration than competition.
Choices and Consequences
Ubisoft Montreal also stated that there will be missions when the player is given a choice to let a man live or die, and while there are no consequences for either choice, it only helps shaping up the protagonist according to the player’s mentality, whether Bayek is a man of mercy or rage.
Combat System
Bayek is a great warrior and he carries a shield and when arrows are fired, they stick into the shield and he can use them and fire them back on his enemies.
Exploration
Eagle Vision will return to its most raw and literal form as Bayek will team up with an eagle named Senu and he becomes his second pair of eyes. By pressing up, the player’s vision switches to that of Senu and he flies, giving Bayek and the player a different and a broader perspective.
Bayek can climb every cliff, rock, face and mountain in the game.
Outfits
Bayek can put on a variety of different outfits which ranges from full outfits like traditional Egyptian garbs and other era appropriate outfits, as well as outfits which fit the player’s fantasy of Ancient Egypt such as the Anubis outfit which is complete with a golden mask to complete the Jackal-headed god’s look, while another outfit is inspired by mummies. Costumes also have multiple colors and material variations as well as special visual effects.
Crafting
Players can upgrade Bayek’s bracer, breastplate, stabilizer, pouches and hidden blade via crafting materials and each item has its own stat boosts.
Arsenal
Players can access a wide range of weaponry with varying strength and ranges. A loot system is established and it features common, rare and legendary items.
Assassin’s Creed: Origins is coming October 27th for PlayStation 4, Xbox and PC. Pre-order today!
