"Assassin's Creed Origins: The break has worked
26.10.2017
Translation: machine translated
After a much-needed break, Ubisoft's assassin series is back. "Assassin's Creed Origins" has lost some of its ballast and picked up in the right places. However, it now runs the risk of merging too much with Far Cry and Watch Dogs.
Since 2009, a new "Assassin's Creed" has been released every year without interruption. In 2014, there were even two parts with "Rogue" and "Unity". By then at the latest, the façade had clearly begun to crumble, and not just in relation to the face failures in "Unity". New game elements were constantly being added until the overview map looked like a game designer had run amok. The basic game mechanics, however, only changed marginally. In 2016, Ubisoft pulled the emergency brake and announced that it would be taking a break for at least a year. Now the grace period has expired and fans are eagerly awaiting the latest storyline. This much can already be revealed: The journey to ancient Egypt is worth it.
History porn
I'm actually not a particularly big fan of the "Assassin's Creed" series. The same old gameplay got on my nerves after the second instalment. Nevertheless, I was always attracted by the elaborately staged epochs. Italy during the Renaissance, America during the Civil War, France during the Revolution or England at the time of industrialisation. I always find it fascinating how Ubisoft creates these worlds. With Ancient Egypt, "Assassin's Creed Origins" has chosen one of the most interesting and historically significant eras.
I would like to say that I was blown away by the presentation from the very first minute. Unfortunately, I was more surprised by jerky animations that leave an unsightly first impression in one of the very first scenes (PS4 Pro). The next thing I frowned at was the facial animations. They are wooden and rather expressionless. Perhaps Ubisoft was a little overcautious here after the debacle in "Unity". However, as soon as Bayek, the main character of the game, reaches the first inhabited settlement, the usual "Assassin's Creed" woooaaaa moment occurs again. The game may not look that impressive if you look closely at the details, but the overall presentation blew me away. Hectic cities with imposing buildings, villages dotted with palm trees, golden rivers, picturesque dunes gently blown by the wind and the mighty pyramids on the horizon that magically attract you. A glance at the map will also tell you that there is an enormous amount to see. At the touch of a button, you can fast-forward time if a quest is only continued at dusk. This allows you to follow the spectacle of the day/night change, which is usually only reserved for programmers.
By the way, if you miss HDR, you'll have to wait until 6 November. Only then will the function be added via an update.
Something new and something old
"Assassin's Creed Origins" has been simmering for longer than other instalments, but at its core it's still the same game. The Templars are still fighting with the Assassins. The majority of leisure activities still consist of finding people or items and killing them in the process. However, the quests have become a little more varied. The "Tomb Raider"-style tombs are particularly fun to explore. Maybe you're more in the mood for chariot racing. Then visit the Happy Hippo Arena (actually the Hippodrome) and take part in daring races like Ben Hur. The world invites you to explore and usually rewards your curiosity with new items or quests.
Ubisoft has also been spring-cleaning its side hustles. The spiral of more and more has led to the overview map being plastered with symbols. Collect this, collect that, climb this, find that. Anyone with the slightest sign of OCD was driven mad by it. There's still plenty to do away from the main quests, but on a more moderate scale. The tasks seem less contrived, so I was more inclined to be distracted by them.
Unfortunately, Ubisoft still couldn't bring itself to remove all the modern nonsense. You are regularly torn out of the flow of the game and wake up in modern times. You then have to listen to some drivel while you wait to get back into the Animus and dive back into the actual game. Fortunately, these sections are pleasingly short.
Combat and role-playing system
The biggest changes have been made to the combat and role-playing system. Battles are now much more dynamic and require good timing. Enemies attack with various attacks, some of which you can block with your shield or dodge with a well-timed pike roll. The new hit box system ensures that you can also miss. That's why I like to use large, slower weapons such as axes. They allow you to hit several enemies at once. However, I don't find the controls precise enough. I often had the feeling that I wasn't 100 per cent in control of the fight. But it's definitely an improvement on the previous system.
In addition to a well-decorated talent tree, the role-playing instinct is fuelled by a crafting system. You can improve weapons and process them into raw materials. Together with the skins of hunted animals, you can build upgrades for your equipment. With the right skills, you can even tame animals and have them fight for you. Sound familiar? It's not the only situation that reminds you of "Far Cry". Have I already told you about Senu? Senu is a hunting bird that scouts enemy camps or finds prey for you - just like in "Far Cry Primal", "Watch Dogs" or "Ghost Recon Wildlands". Ubisoft's games portfolio is growing together.
For the fast food society
Most of Ubisoft's time in the interim year seems to have been spent on convenience. In contrast to the controls, which almost drove me to despair at the beginning because I had to memorise what felt like 50 functions and certain buttons were assigned twice. Apart from this early stumbling block, Ubisoft has provided numerous small but practical improvements. Quests can be pursued after acceptance with a long keystroke. You can use your hunting bird to select fast travel points from the air. In the equipment menu, you can immediately see what you can currently craft, what you need for it and you can track the necessary resources with one click. Holding down the button to run faster is history. You can now set your speed directly using the left analogue stick.
Best of all, however, is that your mount, which incidentally ranges from camel to unicorn (!), has an autopilot. Simply select any point on the map and ride off. Press the X button (PS4) to automatically follow the road and then click the triangle button to navigate to your chosen destination. Although it doesn't usually take the most direct route, you can easily grab a coffee in the meantime.
In order to keep today's oversaturated gamers in line, every action you take is also acknowledged with acoustic and visual feedback. No matter whether you pick up a few gold coins, find a new weapon or complete a quest. There is an immediate golden glitter and a satisfying sound. Level progression in particular hasn't felt this good since "World of Warcraft". The people at Ubisoft know what makes us tick.
Conclusion: Welcome back
The break has been good. Ubisoft, because they could take more time to work on their new game and the players, because we could really look forward to a sequel again. I can't say 100 per cent what was more decisive for me having a really good time with "Assassin's Creed Origins". On the one hand, Ubisoft once again manages to recreate an epic era steeped in history and fill it with life. The streamlining has also done well and the new combat and role-playing system provides more variety. Many processes have been simplified and made more accessible. However, the movement system is still not perfect. Bayek likes to jump into the middle of nowhere or is guaranteed to hold on to the edge of a building when a cohort of legionnaires is hot on your heels. It's a hair-raising experience. I also find it worrying that Ubisoft's open-world formula is being mercilessly exploited, so that "Assassin's Creed", "Far Cry", "Watch Dogs" etc. are becoming more and more similar. Apart from that, the sightseeing trip to the world of ancient Egypt with its majestic pyramids, Cleopatra and Caesar is a journey that not only fans can look forward to.
Philipp Rüegg
Senior Editor
Philipp.Rueegg@digitecgalaxus.chBeing the game and gadget geek that I am, working at digitec and Galaxus makes me feel like a kid in a candy shop – but it does take its toll on my wallet. I enjoy tinkering with my PC in Tim Taylor fashion and talking about games on my podcast http://www.onemorelevel.ch. To satisfy my need for speed, I get on my full suspension mountain bike and set out to find some nice trails. My thirst for culture is quenched by deep conversations over a couple of cold ones at the mostly frustrating games of FC Winterthur.
2 comments
later