The new game is much heavier on the action RPG gameplay than Assassin’s Creed releases before it, but is this change for the better? And although Ubisoft has spoken about the series’ time off, saying that the hiatus benefited Assassin’s Creed Origins ‘a lot,’ do critics agree?
Reviews of the game are rolling in now and seem to confirm that Ubisoft has managed to address many of fans’ complaints about the series. After some stumbles and missteps, the Assassin’s Creed Origins has put the franchise back on track.
US Gamer (Mike Williams)
Score: 4.5/5
IGN (Alanah Pierce)
Score: 9/10
GameSpot (Alessandro Fillari)
Score: 7/10
Eurogamer (Christian Donlan)
Score: Recommended
Game Informer (Suriel Vasquez)
Score: 8.5/10
Polygon (Colin Campbell)
Score: 8.5/10
VentureBeat (Stephanie Chan)
Score: Review in progress
The reviews confirm that, while Assassin’s Creed Origins is not a full series reboot, Ubisoft is on the right path. The game properly showcases the historical and political side of ancient Egypt, also managing to recreate its impressive monuments and its gorgeous landscapes.
However, the shift to an RPG system, complete with loot boxes, XP, and different types of loot has not been entirely successful. The fact that there is just so much to do (including tombs to raid) may be a good thing for players with a lot of time on their hands, but others may find it tremendously overwhelming. Technical bugs and crashes also mean that players cannot be fully immersed in the Egyptian experience.
With so many other large games launching today, such as Super Mario Odyssey and Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus, the scale of Assassin’s Creed Origins may make it a second or third choice for newcomers. But longstanding fans of the franchise should be happy with what’s on offer here.
Assassin’s Creed Origins is out now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
