Assassin’s Creed: Origins was playable at the Ubisoft booth during the F.A.C.T.S. convention in Belgium. So close to the release of the actual game, we couldn’t help ourselves to try it out one last time before we jump into the full version of Egypt. One thing’s for sure, this Assassin’s Creed is here to impress!
The gorgeous Egypt
The first thing worth pointing out is that this game looks absolutely amazing. Everything about it is filled with incredible details, making this the best-looking Assassin’s Creed game to date. It’s filled with small details like real star constellations during the night and wildlife everywhere. The small area of the demo already demonstrated the variety the game will offer. We were able to discover villages, walk around in the gorgeous rocky desert or try our luck in the water. During the daytime, the game really shines but even during the nighttime, it’s an impressive game to see in action. This demo didn’t suffer from annoying pop-ins and the drawing distance is truly impressive. It’s good to see that Ubisoft is finally using the full power of the platforms to create one of the most impressive gaming environments to date.
The importance of water
If you paid attention during your History classes, you might remember that water is very important in Egypt. Without the water, Egypt wouldn’t become the powerful empire we all know. Water was important to create life in the desert but also for transportation. It’s nice to see that Assassin’s Creed: Origins enables you to dive into the water and even get on board of small or larger ships.
For this game, Ubisoft created an entirely new water mechanic which enables you to dive and discover the gorgeous details underneath the surface. Our assassin can hold his breath for a very long time but that’s perhaps thanks to his special training. The water looks gorgeous but isn’t always that safe! While you’re in the water, it’s wise to keep an eye out for dangerous animals who will attack you instantly. The water was one of my favorite elements in the game, especially when I managed to ‘steal’ a small ship and reach land way faster than I would have ever been able before.
Improved combat and running
So Egypt looks good and the water is amazing but what about the actual gameplay? Well, this still is an Assassin’s Creed game so if you’ve played other ones, you know what to expect. That being said, the free-running and combat both are improved, let’s start with combat. During fights, you’re able to move around freely. It’s up to you if you equip your shield or not. Even the light and heavy attacks are free to use whenever you want. It’s also possible to fall back, grab your bow and arrow and inflict some more damage while the enemy is approaching. The combat is a lot faster, more fluent and will take some time to master again. It’s a huge step forward in my opinion, finally giving the players the freedom they have been asking for since the franchise jumped to the current generation of consoles.
The same can be said about the free-running. Just like in other Assassin’s Creed games, you’re able to parkour with just one touch of the button. This can be used to climb or to decent, so it works in both ways. Our assassin moved very fluently over the screen and we never jumped from a ledge we didn’t want to jump from. It looks like Ubisoft is finally learning from their mistakes and they are finally fixing these control issues from the older games in the franchise.
Early conclusion:
Assassin’s Creed: Origins is shaping up to be a worthy addition to the franchise. The game looks amazing and plays very fluently. The improved free-running and combat mechanics only add to the experience. This might be one of the best games in the franchise, we can’t wait to discover everything this game has to offer!
