Assassin's Creed: Origins

⭐ 8.5/10

(Originally written by Joseph)

I've heard it argued that the Assassin's Creed franchise is the most influential IP in the modern gaming era, and I certainly felt it's impact while playing this. I've never actually played one before, yet every single element of this game was familiar. Big open world, stealth/ melee combat, story driven with side quests, camps to conquer, points of interest, fast travel unlocks, etc. It truly is the plainest concept at this point, but for me I don't think that's a bad thing. I kinda love having a game that feels familiar where I don't have to try to learn new mechanics or solve any gameplay. You can just pickup and go with this one. It REALLY holds your hand, always telling you exactly what to do, giving you data showing your progress, and giving you rewards for every checkbox you fill in. Again, I think that's a good thing if you are able to embrace that.

I like to consider this game genre as location tourism, but tourism where you still get to kill people. What could be better than that? Recently, with this kind of game, I've travelled Gotham, Marvel's Manhattan, feudal Japan, Mordor, and now in this case Egypt during the Hellenistic period. You get to see points of interest (Library of Alexandria, Great Pyramids, Alexander's tomb) and meet huge historical figures (Julius Ceasar, Cleopatra). I totally dig that, and this game does such a fantastic job of being rooted in history and transporting the player in time. It was honestly a special feeling climbing the great pyramids and looking over Giza, lame as that sounds. The music is also really cool and adds to the atmosphere.

That said, one thing that gamers like to quip is that a game makes them FEEL like whoever you are. This game, for whatever reason, doesn't really make you feel like an Egyptian assassin. The performance was great, and I liked Beyak of Siwa, but I didn't feel like I was him. Similarly, the story, while at times compelling, also just felt like a generic adventure story. There are cool elements at the start and the end, but similar to many open world stories, everything in-between in pretty forgettable. I really can't remember any characters or their stories after just beating the game, but I still remember a good number from the Witcher from months back.

As for gameplay and the rest, this game is just solid but never amazing. It is a good game in every sense, but will never challenge you in any way - including with the story (every good guy is noble, every bad guy is usually a child slave trader). I will likely remember how it felt to play in Egypt, I will remember the fine voicework by Beyak, and I will remember the music. I may even remember a few story beats, including dynamic stories from Cleopatra, Julius Ceasar, and the cool dynamic between Beyak and his wife. Otherwise, this game is just a solid entry in the murder-tourism genre and I will play these forever (including Ancient-Greek Odyssey in time). Definitely a recommendation for fans of the genre and fans of Egyptian history, but otherwise you just need to find a setting you like.