Ubisoft brings us their most ambitious project in 'Assassin's Creed: Origins'

Arguably the biggest title in the series, "Assassin's Creed: Origins" will be the most ambitious game in the "Assassin's Creed" franchise. Ubisoft took a year off to craft this game, to prepare for a larger than life Open World setting. It takes place during the time when Cleopatra ascended to the Egyptian throne in 49 BCE. The game follows protagonist Bayek, a member of the Egyptian Brotherhood and the last Medjay (an ancient Egyptian military guard who acted as desert scouts and protectors of areas of pharaonic interest).

Ubisoft Montreal has been the studio behind "Assassin's Creed" titles since 2007, and the team made sure that the game will be as authentic as possible. In a recent statement made by game director Ashraf Ismail, he mentioned that they spent years researching for the game. "Sometimes it’s researching online, finding the people who know the time period well and just contacting them, asking them to help join us or help feed us information," he continued.

Ubisoft Montreal even commissioned historians and Egyptologists to ensure that the game breathes an air of authenticity, if not accuracy. It will be a living sociocultural reconstruction of a long-dead civilization and not just a 3D space of empty structures and huge archaic edifice.

An epic undertaking

Development of the game started as early as 2014, and it was the same time when Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot expressed his desire to improve the quality of individual titles in the franchise. Ancient Egypt became a fan favorite when the team conducted a survey to determine a potential setting for the next big AC game.

Apart from Maxime Durand, Ubisoft's franchise historian, they also enlisted the famous French archaeologist, Jean-Claude Golvin. Golvin made 19 paintings for "Assassin's Creed: Origins." They also asked for the assistance of Egyptologists Perrine Poiron and Evelyne Ferron, in order to establish an authentic Ancient Egyptian language based on research conducted by linguists and dialogue coaches, Julia Lenardon and John Fleming.

The language used by the in-game populace is largely based on Sir Alan Gardiner‘s Egyptian Grammar and the works of James Allen and Raymond Faulkner according to Ismail.

Ubisoft invested in the game's development stage to ensure that they will get the outcome they desire. The team went through all the available resources to ensure that even Egypt's iconic pyramids will at least be a 100% match.

New features and gameplay

After the game's foundation has been laid, the developers at Ubisoft Montreal worked on an important element to take hold of their target players. "Assassin's Creed: Origins" will feature a difficulty selection in an attempt to introduce the game to a more mainstream audience.

A new game mode will also be added to allow players to freely roam the vast expanse of the game's setting, players will be able t explore Egypt's historical landscape without the risk of combat. Players will also be allowed to pet animals to appease their furry urges.