Assassin’s Creed Origins Combat, Level Design, and Weapon Systems Explained

Assassin’s Creed Origins’ release date is October 27. And while most of what to expect has been leaked intentionally or otherwise - some finer details of the game have emerged in terms of how the game world of Ancient Egypt was designed, how combat plays out, and much more. Here’s what you need to know.

Assassin’s Creed Origins level design borrows from Far Cry

Previous Assassin’s Creed entries could feel like the entire game world was broken down into smaller areas or levels. Particularly the earlier games due to technical limitations. With Assassin’s Creed Origins, care has been taken to show Ancient Egypt as a continuous landmass replete with deserts and pyramids.

It’s similar to Far Cry - Far Cry Primal to be exact - in the sense that opting for a single sprawling sandbox (pun unintended) results in a varied approach to missions. You could scout locations using your eagle to mark targets as well as noting entry points and escape routes. While traversing on horseback, there’s a varied sense of scale with dunes, temples, and rivers dotting the landscape. This could lead to a host of interactions between the player and Assassin’s Creed Origins’ many systems that are as unique and over the top as what we’ve seen in the Far Cry games.

Assassin’s Creed Origins combat wants you to forget what you know

Sure, Assassin’s Creed Origins gives you some skills similar to past titles, but they’re handled extremely differently here with a focus on versatility.

The most prominent upgrade is within combat, which allows you to wade into groups of enemies while carrying larger weapons like swords and axes and deal damage to them all with one strike. Plus, combat system’s extended range of techniques has meant that the buttons are remapped, allowing for a separate shield plus counter-attack button in addition to strong and light attacks plus the ability to jump and dodge as a swift evasion tactic.

Assassin’s Creed Origins weapon system is similar to Final Fantasy XIV

Linked to the retooled combat is an equally exhaustive weapons and tools system, with blades, bows and a wide range of heavier and longer instruments with which to bludgeon enemies into the ground. These can be acquired from vendors or looted from fallen foes, the latter may also be hugely desirable prizes with a degree of rarity attached.

Your weapons and tools grow more powerful with use. They can also be modified using crafting techniques, or fashioned from new given the right components. You may carry two ranged weapons, such bows, plus two melee weapons, each with unique base capabilities and perks. They affect combat performance in terms of speed and strength, and the more powerful they become, the higher your experience level needs to be to wield them. Yes, this is similar to role-playing games (RPGs) – specifically massively multiplayer online RPGs (MMORPGs) such as World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy XIV.

Assassin’s Creed Origins quest structure demands you to level up

Akin to Destiny 2, you’ll have to gain experience to tackle tougher foes in Assassin’s Creed Origins. They’re denoted with red bars that indicate you’ll need to take on other quests before progressing. Early on you can choose of which quests to partake in - be it collecting animal resources or rescuing prisoners before taking on the main storyline. It also could make Assassin’s Creed Origins more of a grind compared to past entries but the upside could be a game that stresses on immersion and exploration over a linear narrative of previous titles.

With October being a crowded month, featuring the likes of Middle-earth: Shadow of War, Forza 7, and Wolfenstein: The New Colossus to name a few, will you be checking out Assassin's Creed Origins? Let us know in the comments.