The Assassin’s Creed franchise used to be a yearly release but, after slowing sales numbers, Ubisoft decided to take a break from releasing new Assassin’s Creed games. That brings us to Assassin’s Creed Origins – the new installment in the franchise. This story takes us back to ancient Egypt to play as a character named Bayek. There are threats inside and outside kingdom that you must deal with as a player. Ubisoft has also introduced some new mechanics that keep the traditional Assassin’s Creed feel while adding some new flavor to the game that some thought was beginning to become stale. Let’s take a look at what you can expect when you pick up Assassin’s Creed Origins.
Levels Matter
In previous Assassin’s Creed games you had a level. This is no different now. However, your enemies now have levels too which are displayed above their heads. These levels matter. Trying to take out an enemy with a level much higher than your own will likely not go well for you. In previous games there were varying strengths of enemies but it was sometimes hard to know if you should approach someone or not. Assassin’s Creed Origins takes away that confusion.
There are also a ton of side quests to check out in the game and they can be very helpful in leveling up. There is a lot of XP to be earned from doing side quests so don’t ignore them in favor of completing the main story line as fast as you can (unless you’re going for a speed run record or something).
This Map Is Huge
Assassin’s Creed Origins is a map you want to explore. There are hidden tombs, sunken ships, and more. Plus, just like with side quests, exploration is a great way to find some extra XP. Explore as much of the map as you can. This is probably the biggest Assassin’s Creed map ever made with perhaps an exception being given to the Black Flag sailing – but aimlessly sailing between islands and exploring Ancient Egypt are two totally different things. Unlocking viewpoints is still a major part of the game so you will have to do a lot of climbing to gain some vision over the map.
Fly Like An Eagle
Your eagle, Senu, is your ticket around the map. You can “become” Senu and give yourself a bird’s eye view of the next big battle or fast travel to other locations in order to replay missions or reduce your time walking across the massive map in Assassin’s Creed Origins. Make sure to use Senu a lot, especially if you are running into trouble with navigating or hidden enemies.
The Pulse Ability
The pulse ability that Bayek has will definitely come in handy if you are looking for loot or mission items. This shows you items of interest in your vicinity so you can pick up loot and get out of there. In some older Assassin’s Creed games you would spend time searching every box and corner to find an item. You can cut time on time searching and make the most of time playing with the pulse ability.
Cursed Weapons
This is another new addition to Assassin’s Creed Origins and really puts you in control of combat. Cursed weapons are clearly marked so you will know one when you see it. The weapons offer greatly increased damage but they cap your health at 33% of its maximum. You will be the deadliest assassin around but just don’t get touched or you could drop quickly. These weapons will come in handy if you are sneaking around, assassinating targets. They might not be so helpful in a big melee battle where enemies have a chance to surround you.
Mounts Are Needed
Getting around this massive map is a lot easier with mounts. Use them to cut down your travel time. They are also required for missions where you need to carry heavy loads like in rescue missions where you are tasked with moving an NPC away from danger. Know your mounts and make use of them.
You Can Hallucinate
Ubisoft did not introduce hallucinogenic drugs into the Assassin’s Creed franchise. However, the hot Egyptian sun can make you hallucinate if you stand outside too long. This may not be helpful in the middle of a mission but, if you are exploring, hallucinations can lead to you to points of interest. Try hallucinating a few times in game and see what you discover.
