Nile Be Back

After a year off, Ubisoft’s stealthy historical franchise is back with a trip to Ancient Egypt. Louise Blain plugs into the Animus of Assassin’s Creed Origins

Unlike the infamous dusty mummies who no doubt spring to mind when you imagine it, Ancient Egypt is truly alive. With no outstretched arms and undead shuffling required, 49BC is positively buzzing with life. Crocodiles lurk dangerously in the leafy shade of the riverbanks, hippopotami wallow in the deeper water, and boats of every shape and size criss-cross the Nile with their cargoes. Men and women work in the long grass of the surprisingly lush Faiyum region, and gazelle scatter as new hero Bayek’s horse clatters into a small town.

Man with a hood? Beautifully realised historical time period? So far, so Assassin’s Creed, but that’s the only hidden-blade-shaped security blanket you’re going to get. The stealthy franchise is finally getting the origins story it deserves and that means that everything has changed. No, seriously. Everything.

Going hands-on with the earliest Creed to date, the first thing that hits us like a da-Vinci-designed gauntlet to the throat is the lack of a mini-map. Gone is the frankly intimidating chart of things. No more climbing to the top of a tower and unfogging areas of the map until you can’t see the streets for the mass of missions, races, fights, chests, and token collectibles clogging up the area like a murderer’s to-do list. Instead, the team behind Black Flag has given you back the 10% of your screen you didn’t know you were missing and replaced it with a Bethesda-style compass line.

NILE BE THERE

Landing in the sprawling expanse of Ancient Egypt, the slew of question marks above us is a tantalising change. Whichever direction Bayek faces, new quests lurk in the distance just waiting to be discovered – ooh, is that a pyramid we can see? Gazing across the lush world from horseback, accompanied by a gently mystical soundtrack from AC Unity composer Sarah Schachner, the sense of adventure is palpable.