Assassin's Creed Origins PS4 PlayStation 4 1

After a pretty lengthy hiatus, Assassin’s Creed Origins plots a return for Ubisoft’s flagship open world franchise. But can it reclaim the property’s past glories? A slew of reviews are in ahead of the Egyptian adventure’s release this week; our copy was clearly intercepted by carrier pigeon (or eagle, whatever) so our verdict is still forthcoming.

Eurogamer.net - Recommended

Last night I moved in on the final boss fight. Then, I moved past the final boss fight and into the most bizarre endgame I can imagine in a big budget affair. And it was bizarre because of the scale Ubisoft was willing to reach for, even now, the places it was willing to take me, even at the end of an adventure, and its sheer unwillingness to stop making improbably lavish new stuff. As dawn rose, I wondered whether this would ever end, and I realised that I didn't really want it to. Assassin's Creed remains a wonderfully foolhardy game in terms of its ambition and its generosity, even if it it is no longer quite as distinct as it once was.

IGN - 9/10

Assassin’s Creed Origins is a deep-dive into a truly stunning realization of ancient Egypt, with a rich series of cultures, genuine characters, and more mission variety than any other game in the series. The combat is challenging and thoughtful, and while the loot system doesn’t match up to games like Destiny 2, there are enough different weapon types and enough enemy variety to keep you swapping between weapons, catered to the situation. The RPG elements encourage challenges of their own, and even despite a handful of bugs, I desperately wanted to keep playing.

Polygon - 8.5/10

In essence, Assassin’s Creed Origins is much the same game as the original Assassin’s Creed, which came out a decade ago. It’s a formula that people like to play, and it’s certainly been honed and improved over the years. Origins is, then, undoubtedly the best iteration of this formula yet. But I yearn for a fresh approach and new ideas, something that astounds the senses as much as the wondrous world this game inhabits.

GameSpot - 7/10

While Assassin's Creed Origins reaches great heights in this new setting, it routinely runs into issues that bog down the overall experience. Technical issues make for an inconsistent experience and its new gameplay pillars wobble under the weight of its systems. But despite this, the world of Origins remains fresh and exciting to explore, which is a testament to the remarkable setting and compelling story. Assassin's Creed has undergone many changes in its long and storied history, and Origins feels like the first step in the start of a new journey. It has its fair share of problems, but the vision for its future is one worth pursuing.

Oh, mummy! So, the reviews for Assassin's Creed Origins are in – are you planning to pick up the title or not? Ride a camel into the comments section below.