I recently finished Assassin’s Creed Origins after having it on my want list for years. Being a fan of both the Assassin’s Creed franchise and Ancient Egypt, I always knew that I would ultimately play this game but I was skeptical about whether I would love it like some of the past Assassin’s Creed games or whether it would end up being just a forgettable entry. I am so glad to say that I downright loved the game. In this post, I will share some thoughts about Assassin’s Creed Origins in 2024.
The following post contains no spoilers.
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The Good
There was just so much good in the game. The first thing that got my attention was the gameplay change from previous Assassin’s Creed games. This was no surprise to me as I knew what was I getting into which was an RPG open-world game. To me, it felt a refreshing change from the heavily stealth-focused previous entries. The stealth is still an option in Origins but now it just adds much more to the gameplay.
I also really liked the weapons in the game. Having to choose from a variety of different types of melee and ranged weapons was a fun experience for me, especially the choice of a cursed weapon with a high risk-reward ratio. The combination of a spear and a strong sword did the trick for me mostly but I also experimented with other weapons as well.
Assassin’s Creed Origins had a good story albeit a very standard one. A father seeking revenge for the death of his child. However, I loved how the story ended with the formation of the actual Assassin’s Creed.
The characters both fictional and historical were also well designed. While some were better than others, overall Origins had a solid cast. One of my favorite characters was Aya, the wife to our main protagonist Bayek. Aya wasn’t a standard female video game character. I found her to be very well-designed and well-written. Throughout the story, she had her own goals but at the same time, she was very supportive of her husband’s ambitions. Getting to play with her occasionally was also a breath of fresh air. She also had a very major role in the story of Assassin’s Creed Origins. One may argue that she might be more important than Bayek himself.
Another good thing about Origins was the inclusion of mythology in the game. I have always loved mythology whether Egyptian, Greek, or any other. By the inclusion of myth, I mean the game going bonkers and adding supernatural stuff for the player to interact with. Origins did that both in the main story and the side missions. In the main story, one of the boss battles was a giant mythological serpent and I guess that was it. I am glad they didn’t overdo it – at least in the main story. The side missions that include battles with Egyptian deities seem quite extra for an Assassin’s Creed game but it can be overlooked as those are optional quests.
The Bad
My major problem with Origins was the forced grinding. After completing some story missions, the game forced me to do side missions in order to level up myself for the next story missions. I don’t mind the grind in video games but in Origins it felt very frequent and forced with little incentive.
Speaking of the side missions, they were okay-ish in general. While some side missions were quite fun and exciting, there were a vast number of others that I found very redundant, and lackluster. For example, quick assassination of a target, investigation, or rescuing of some generic NPCs. Maybe this was the reason, these felt like a grind. Or perhaps this is because I played Assassin’s Creed Origins in 2024. It is a time when the bar of side missions has been set very high by the likes of Cyberpunk 2077, Witcher 3, and more.
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The Beautiful
I cannot write about Assassin’s Creed Origins without mentioning how gorgeous the game’s world was. I loved almost all of the places on the map from the oases to Alexandria to the deserts. There were plenty of moments when I just stopped playing in awe of my surroundings. Despite being set in deserts, all of the places felt distinct from each other. At times, it felt less like a game and more like an interactive art piece. I knew that due to my interest in desert-like landscapes, I was going to like Origin’s setting but I didn’t know that I would be overwhelmed by the scenic beauty all over the game.
Lastly, like every Assassin’s Creed game, Origins also included major historical events and characters like Cleopatra and Caesar. The inclusion of history in the Assassin’s Creed franchise has always been my favorite thing about it and I loved that too about Origins.
Now, I am going to end this post with a rather unpopular opinion which is that despite being very different from previous games in the franchise and having drastic changes like RPG mechanics, mythology, less parkour, and combat overhaul, Assassin’s Creed Origins still felt like a true Assassin’s Creed game to me. It had all the core elements that make an Assassin’s Creed game: Targeted Assassinations, History, Exploration, and the Creed itself.
That’s all on the Thoughts about Assassin’s Creed Origins in 2024. Don’t forget to share your thoughts in the comments. For more content like this, keep visiting this website.
