So this is my second review for Assassin's Creed Origins. My first one was a lot more negative than what this one is going to be. I feel that my opinions on some areas of the game have changed quite a bit. Because of that, I felt the need to make a new review.


Assassin's Creed Origins (ACO), is set in Ancient Egypt during the Ptolemic Era. You play as Bayek, a medjay and protector of Egypt. Bayek's story is tragic. He and his wife Aya seek revenge for the death of their son caused by a group of people called The Order of Ancients. The story sees you enacting their revenge as you travel across Egypt assassinating each member of the group.

Whilst this is happening, Egypt is in turmoil with a weak ruler and a suffering population. Egypt is inhabited by various peoples, each with varying political opinions and luxuries that cause conflicts all across the country. Most of these conflicts are caused by The Order of Ancients, so although what you are doing is personal, your actions are helping the people of Egypt.

So how good is the narrative? In short, it's alright. I enjoyed it more this time around. The characters are decent enough and the quality of the writing is great. Where the narrative fails is in its pacing and significance. The narrative structure for most of the game consists of finding somebody and killing them. To do that, you have to travel and investigate to find out who the target is and where they are.

For the most part, these missions are really good. However, the story begins to rush itself in the later hours of the game. Avoiding spoiler territory, Bayek and Aya are developing an idea that pretty much forms the basis of the entire franchise, but the story doesn't give this idea much showcase. Instead, you are thrown back into doing the same loop of activities you were doing before. It gets too easy at this point. This is present in side quests as well. There are many side quests that are simply too short. They end abruptly and leave you wandering what exactly the point of all of it was.

Despite these problems though, I enjoyed the story. It's memorable and has dozens of iconic moments. Bayek and Aya are great characters and although they could've had more character development, they carried the narrative for me. The way the writers were also able to tie in real historic events into the story in an immersive way is also worth some extra points.


If you've played previous entries in the franchise, this game will feel very different to you. Pretty much every area of the gameplay has been improved. They completely transformed all of the previous gameplay mechanics into a much more smoother and open experience. This new style of gameplay allows the player to freely approach different scenarios in the way that they want to.

The best way to talk about the gameplay is to split it into three different sections; combat, stealth and exploration. Each of these sections blend together to create the base of ACO. To clarify, this game is not an RPG. It does contain RPG elements, but these do not constitute a role playing game.

The combat is the most in-depth part of the gameplay. It is designed to be a hitbox system allowing room for maneuverability and creativity. The game has a lock-on system that allows you to target specific enemies, though it doesn't force you to use this. You can turn it off with the press of a button.

There are a wide range of weapons you can use ranging from swords, spears, bows and battle axes. Each weapon type is distinct from the other, and overtime you will develop preferences on what to use. As well as these weapons, the player can obtain skill points. These points are mainly earned via levelling up. They can then be invested into areas that broaden the possibilities in combat.

The game has a really smooth and fluid combat system that makes every combat encounter engaging. You are encouraged to play the way you want. Whether you are sniping enemies with a bow from a distance, charging them head on, or sneaking up to them and killing them with your hidden blade, there is a play style that will fit you.

The stealth in this game isn't mandatory, however, it is foolish to ignore it. There are many moments in the game where charging in and killing everyone you see isn't an option. You can be powerful, but you can easily be overwhelmed when soldiers call for reinforcements.

To help with this, a new feature to the franchise was added to ACO. You have an eagle called Senu. With the press of a button, the player takes the perspective of Senu. Senu essentially acts as a drone. You use him to mark targets and plan your way through a tough situation. It creates a layer of strategic depth that adds to the "being an assassin" niche.

Lastly, there is exploration. The eagle plays a big role in exploration. As well as being able to mark enemies, he can also mark treasures and other points of interest. The map is filled with distinct locations that have their own objectives. Completing these locations gives the player XP, which is vital for progressing through the story and obtaining new skills.

Another benefit of exploring is obtaining resources. Using resources, you are able to upgrade various parts of your character. These upgrades are entirely option, but they do have an impact in how well you play.

Each section of the gameplay has something that connects it to the other sections. It's because of this connectivity that the gameplay works so well. It all blends together brilliantly, to the point where I don't really have any complaints.


One of my favourite parts of this game was exploring the ancient world of Egypt. The game world is vast, varied, and beautiful to explore. The game covers the whole of Egypt which is an impressive task to achieve. Each section of the map is distinct from the other. The designers were also able to include various historical sights such as the Great Pyramids and the Library of Alexandria!

There is a high attention to detail in every location on the map. There are times where I got lost wondering through vast canyons or exploring the various tombs. I would've enjoyed exploring even more if the optimisation was better than it is. This isn't the worst optimising I've seen but the rapid FPS drops when exploring cities or towns is annoying. My PC is more than capable to run this game, I shouldn't be having issues.

The design of other things such as characters, weapons and clothing is also really good. It all looks authentic to the time period. The animations for the characters could've been better in some scenes but for the most part they are fine. What bothers me the most is the boring cinematography. This is present in the normal interactions that Bayek has with NPCs. Having the player being able to move the camera around as two characters talk to each other whilst looking like robots isn't interesting in the slightest, and it detracts from the experience.

However, despite these issues, the game is still gorgeous to look at. The level designers and the modellers deserve massive praise for this. Their work is phenomenal. Assassin's Creed is known for having interesting and well designed maps. This one is no exception.


I'm glad I gave this game another go. I can't explain why my thoughts changed after playing it a second time. Perhaps it's because I was more patient and took my time with things. All in all, this is a great game. It's not perfect, but it's beautiful to look at and amazing to play. Definitely a step up in the franchise.

-Gorgeous world
-Smooth combat system
-Decent story
-Attention to detail

-Inconsistent narrative
-Boring cinematography
-Poor optimisation

8.5/10

Find more reviews at Balance Patch.

So this is my second review for Assassin's Creed Origins. My first one was a lot more negative than what this one is going to be. I feel that my opinions on some areas of the game have changed quite a bit. Because of that, I felt the need to make a new review. [h1]The Story[/h1] Assassin's Creed Origins (ACO), is set in Ancient Egypt during the Ptolemic Era. You play as Bayek, a medjay and protector of Egypt. Bayek's story is tragic. He and his wife Aya seek revenge for the death of their son caused by a group of people called The Order of Ancients. The story sees you enacting their revenge as you travel across Egypt assassinating each member of the group. Whilst this is happening, Egypt is in turmoil with a weak ruler and a suffering population. Egypt is inhabited by various peoples, each with varying political opinions and luxuries that cause conflicts all across the country. Most of these conflicts are caused by The Order of Ancients, so although what you are doing is personal, your actions are helping the people of Egypt. So how good is the narrative? In short, it's alright. I enjoyed it more this time around. The characters are decent enough and the quality of the writing is great. Where the narrative fails is in its pacing and significance. The narrative structure for most of the game consists of finding somebody and killing them. To do that, you have to travel and investigate to find out who the target is and where they are. For the most part, these missions are really good. However, the story begins to rush itself in the later hours of the game. Avoiding spoiler territory, Bayek and Aya are developing an idea that pretty much forms the basis of the entire franchise, but the story doesn't give this idea much showcase. Instead, you are thrown back into doing the same loop of activities you were doing before. It gets too easy at this point. This is present in side quests as well. There are many side quests that are simply too short. They end abruptly and leave you wandering what exactly the point of all of it was. Despite these problems though, I enjoyed the story. It's memorable and has dozens of iconic moments. Bayek and Aya are great characters and although they could've had more character development, they carried the narrative for me. The way the writers were also able to tie in real historic events into the story in an immersive way is also worth some extra points. [h1]The Gameplay[/h1] If you've played previous entries in the franchise, this game will feel very different to you. Pretty much every area of the gameplay has been improved. They completely transformed all of the previous gameplay mechanics into a much more smoother and open experience. This new style of gameplay allows the player to freely approach different scenarios in the way that they want to. The best way to talk about the gameplay is to split it into three different sections; combat, stealth and exploration. Each of these sections blend together to create the base of ACO. To clarify, this game is not an RPG. It does contain RPG elements, but these do not constitute a role playing game. The combat is the most in-depth part of the gameplay. It is designed to be a hitbox system allowing room for maneuverability and creativity. The game has a lock-on system that allows you to target specific enemies, though it doesn't force you to use this. You can turn it off with the press of a button. There are a wide range of weapons you can use ranging from swords, spears, bows and battle axes. Each weapon type is distinct from the other, and overtime you will develop preferences on what to use. As well as these weapons, the player can obtain skill points. These points are mainly earned via levelling up. They can then be invested into areas that broaden the possibilities in combat. The game has a really smooth and fluid combat system that makes every combat encounter engaging. You are encouraged to play the way you want. Whether you are sniping enemies with a bow from a distance, charging them head on, or sneaking up to them and killing them with your hidden blade, there is a play style that will fit you. The stealth in this game isn't mandatory, however, it is foolish to ignore it. There are many moments in the game where charging in and killing everyone you see isn't an option. You can be powerful, but you can easily be overwhelmed when soldiers call for reinforcements. To help with this, a new feature to the franchise was added to ACO. You have an eagle called Senu. With the press of a button, the player takes the perspective of Senu. Senu essentially acts as a drone. You use him to mark targets and plan your way through a tough situation. It creates a layer of strategic depth that adds to the "being an assassin" niche. Lastly, there is exploration. The eagle plays a big role in exploration. As well as being able to mark enemies, he can also mark treasures and other points of interest. The map is filled with distinct locations that have their own objectives. Completing these locations gives the player XP, which is vital for progressing through the story and obtaining new skills. Another benefit of exploring is obtaining resources. Using resources, you are able to upgrade various parts of your character. These upgrades are entirely option, but they do have an impact in how well you play. Each section of the gameplay has something that connects it to the other sections. It's because of this connectivity that the gameplay works so well. It all blends together brilliantly, to the point where I don't really have any complaints. [h1]The Visuals[/h1] One of my favourite parts of this game was exploring the ancient world of Egypt. The game world is vast, varied, and beautiful to explore. The game covers the whole of Egypt which is an impressive task to achieve. Each section of the map is distinct from the other. The designers were also able to include various historical sights such as the Great Pyramids and the Library of Alexandria! There is a high attention to detail in every location on the map. There are times where I got lost wondering through vast canyons or exploring the various tombs. I would've enjoyed exploring even more if the optimisation was better than it is. This isn't the worst optimising I've seen but the rapid FPS drops when exploring cities or towns is annoying. My PC is more than capable to run this game, I shouldn't be having issues. The design of other things such as characters, weapons and clothing is also really good. It all looks authentic to the time period. The animations for the characters could've been better in some scenes but for the most part they are fine. What bothers me the most is the boring cinematography. This is present in the normal interactions that Bayek has with NPCs. Having the player being able to move the camera around as two characters talk to each other whilst looking like robots isn't interesting in the slightest, and it detracts from the experience. However, despite these issues, the game is still gorgeous to look at. The level designers and the modellers deserve massive praise for this. Their work is phenomenal. Assassin's Creed is known for having interesting and well designed maps. This one is no exception. [h1]My Final Thoughts[/h1] I'm glad I gave this game another go. I can't explain why my thoughts changed after playing it a second time. Perhaps it's because I was more patient and took my time with things. All in all, this is a great game. It's not perfect, but it's beautiful to look at and amazing to play. Definitely a step up in the franchise. [h1]Pros:[/h1] -Gorgeous world -Smooth combat system -Decent story -Attention to detail [h1]Cons:[/h1] -Inconsistent narrative -Boring cinematography -Poor optimisation [h1]Final Rating:[/h1] 8.5/10 [quote]Find more reviews at [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/36143846/]Balance Patch.[/url][/quote]