Assassin’s Creed Origins is officially eight years old, and conversations around Bayek of Siwa’s adventures in ancient Egypt still haven't lost their luster. Many people, including me, still think that it’s one of the best of the modern Assassin’s Creed games.
The first time I played Assassin’s Creed Origins, it was after I finally got myself a PlayStation 4. I wasn’t expecting much out of it apart from the usual assassin's and templar's story. I admit, I’ve grown tired of Ubisoft’s open-world formula, and after coming from games like Assassin’s Creed Unity and Syndicate, the burnout was real.
Origins was the series’ first venture into RPG territory. No longer tied to the same weapon stats as Ezio and Altair, weapons have rarities and values that can make or break your run. Being the first Assassin’s Creed RPG I played, it was a breath of fresh air. I can’t say the same thing for the next entries of the series, though.
Ptolemaic Egypt was, in some ways, the perfect lure that got me hooked on the game. As someone who’s very interested in ancient history, seeing this moment in time adapted was something I’ve always wanted since the first Assassin’s Creed. Seeing the Sphinx in its full glory and the Great Pyramids of Giza with their original white coating were great sights. And since this was an Assassin’s Creed game, I HAD to climb to the very top of the Pyramids.
Then Bayek of Siwa’s story happened. The first few hours of the game have already given me the tone I needed. Bayek is by far the best Assassin’s Creed character since Ezio, and his performance is made better by Abubakar Salim’s exceptional voice. This Medjay is a man on a brutal path of vengeance. He’s out of blood, hunting the last traces of an ancient cult from dominating the Nile.
One of the things that I’ve also adored about Origins is how you don’t always play as Bayek of Siwa. The story cuts to moments where you control Aya, Bayek’s estranged wife. Her levels are cinematic action pieces and serve as the game’s only naval warfare. This is a breath of fresh air from Bayek’s path of vengeance, and watching Aya and her troops spew Greek Fire from their ships is like chef’s kiss.
Traversing around Egyptian landscapes was meditative. There are somber moments where Bayek reminisces about his time with her daughter, charting the stars as well as sharing stories. These quiet moments are something that I’ve always wanted in an Assassin’s Creed game. It doesn’t always need to be us fulfilling a laundry list of objectives or scaling a building to Synchronize. It needs to pay close attention to its characters. Which is why Ezio and Altair’s story is greatly admired, especially at that iconic moment in Revelations’ ending.
There are plenty of things that Assassin’s Creed Origins did so right. There was so much risk shifting from the usual open-world shenanigans of a Ubisoft game to a more RPG approach. That gambit worked well for Origins as we’re constantly on the lookout for rare weapons and armor, especially when we’re against powerful enemies above our level.
While its RPG systems are subject to many controversies, it was an acquired taste for me.
I love Assassin’s Creed Origins, and it’s definitely right up there with Assassin’s Creed II as my favorite entry of the series. Bayek and Aya’s first steps to create the Hidden Ones are a pivotal moment for the franchise, and I’m glad it’s still being hailed as one of the series’ best.
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