Assassin's Creed: Origins (2017): The Review

Overview

Assassin’s Creed Origins is an absolute treat for gamers, especially anyone spellbound by Ancient Egypt. While the side quests can slip into repetition, the richly drawn characters and the main story’s breadth and variety more than compensate. With a breathtaking world packed with things to see and do, Origins stands out as something truly special.

Score: 8.5 out of 10

The Positives ✅

Assassin’s Creed Origins thrives on sheer spectacle and imagination. Whether you’re scaling the Great Pyramid, wandering Alexandria beneath the shadow of the Lighthouse, racing chariots at breakneck speed, or unearthing secrets in a trap-ridden tomb, the game constantly indulges historical fantasy at its most lavish. If you can picture yourself doing something dramatic in ancient Egypt, chances are Origins lets you live it out. It’s an absolute gift for history lovers and sword-and-sandals fans alike.

That sense of wonder is amplified by how meticulously the world is crafted. Every new location feels like a reveal, and the game never stops showing off its attention to detail. From bustling cities to desolate deserts, Origins continually reminds you why this setting is so captivating. Visually, it’s stunning across the board, whether you’re playing in standard resolution or full 4K, and it’s one of those rare games where a Photo Mode feels not just justified, but essential.

The modernisation of the franchise’s gameplay systems is another big win. While Origins leans slightly toward RPG territory, it never overwhelms the player with needless complexity. Weapon upgrades, light crafting, a manageable skill tree, everything feels streamlined and optional rather than intrusive. The flexibility in how you approach progression makes the game welcoming to a wide range of playstyles, whether you love micromanaging gear or want to keep things moving.

Combat, too, has been meaningfully refreshed. Gone are the rigid animation-based encounters of earlier entries, replaced by a more dynamic system built around timing, positioning, weapon variety, and stamina management. Light and heavy attacks, dodges, parries, combos, and powerful Overpower moves give fights a welcome sense of tension and experimentation, especially against smarter, more aggressive enemies.

The Negatives ⚠️

Not all of Origins’ design choices land quite as well. Outside of combat, the game leans heavily on familiar guidance systems seen in other action-adventure titles. Bayek’s Animus Pulse highlights nearby points of interest, while his eagle companion Senu can pinpoint objectives from above. While the former is optional, the latter is always active, and it sometimes feels like excessive hand-holding in a game that otherwise champions exploration and discovery.

The side quest structure is another mixed bag. While Origins promised a shift away from repetitive mission design, many of these quests still follow a familiar, formulaic pattern. Infiltrate a camp, escort someone, assassinate a target, retrieve an item, rinse and repeat. Unfortunately, completing some of these is mandatory just to stay levelled appropriately for the main story, which can make the repetition more noticeable.

There are also a few minor technical hiccups. Occasional visual juddering and the odd missing dialogue line briefly disrupt the otherwise smooth experience. They’re small blemishes rather than dealbreakers, but they stand out more in a game that’s otherwise so polished.

Lastly, while the RPG-lite systems are handled well, the presence of optional microtransactions may raise eyebrows. You can spend real money to buy currency, gear, or even a unicorn mount, though thankfully the game never pressures you into doing so. Everything remains achievable through normal play, it’s just there if temptation gets the better of you.

The Experience 🎮

Despite its flaws, Assassin’s Creed Origins is deeply absorbing. It works brilliantly as a soft reboot and an entry point for newcomers, telling a standalone story about the origins of the Brotherhood without demanding prior knowledge of the series’ dense lore. The modern-day sci-fi framing is present but largely ignorable, letting the historical setting take centre stage, exactly where most players want it.

What truly elevates the experience, though, is Bayek himself. While his journey is rooted in revenge, he’s written as a fully rounded human being rather than a brooding caricature. He laughs, loves, mourns, drinks, and connects with the people around him. Seeing a protagonist so firmly embedded in his community, rather than isolated from it, is refreshing and gives the story genuine emotional weight.

Exploration is where Origins shines brightest. Amid the more repetitive side content, there are moments of genuine magic: stumbling across a ship stranded in the desert, uncovering secret passageways, deciphering papyrus riddles, or solving a murder mystery steeped in superstition. One standout side quest involving stargazing and constellations is especially memorable, blending quiet gameplay with poignant reflection on Bayek’s past.

In the end, Origins captures exactly why single-player games matter. It’s escapism with purpose, an opportunity to inhabit another life, in another time, within a world crafted with care and curiosity. Educational without being dry, expansive without being exhausting, Assassin’s Creed Origins invites you to lose hours wandering ancient Egypt. And honestly? I’m more than happy to stay a little longer, there’s still a chariot race waiting to be won.