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Is Assassin’s Creed Origins Truly Reinventing the Series?

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A new Assassin’s Creed game is just around the corner. It’s been two years and not a single major AC game  has been released, which on Ubisoft’s watch, must feel like an eternity. We all remember back in 2015, after AC Syndicate‘s disappointing sales, when Ubisoft announced they would be taking a two year break in order to reinvent the next instalment of Assassin’s Creed, starting from scratch. This came as a relief to fans of the series, as Ubisoft’s business plan to churn out an AC game every year, as they had been since AC Brotherhood, was severely diminishing the quality of the series (I’m looking at you, Unity) and causing it to go very stale indeed. Hence, this year at E3, Ubisoft proudly presented us with a first look at their brand new AC game, Assassin’s Creed Origins. But at first glance, is it everything it’s cracked up to be?

Now I want to make it clear, I’m a big fan of the AC series. I’ve played every major instalment, including Syndicate and Unity, and despite the many, many flaws the games have overall, I generally enjoy the experience. I poked fun at Unity earlier, but the truth of the matter is, I actually thought it wasn’t all that bad. However, I did avoid it entirely up until recently, when it was going for cheap on the PS store and has had most of the major bugs fixed. But I digress, the point I’m trying to make, is that I’ve stuck with this series from the beginning and have experienced it throughout all its ups (nodding approvingly at AC2 and AC4) and downs (shaking my head in disdain at AC: Revelations, which I abhorred!) I was truly looking forward to a completely reinvented AC game. What I saw at E3 however, wasn’t that.

One thing that can be said about Assassin’s Creed Origins is that it looks gorgeous. It is by far the best looking AC game to have graced our screens. I’m a big fan of the Egyptian setting. The world looks exciting and intriguing and I would happily spend countless hours exploring it. It’s the gameplay however, that really disappointed me.

Our very first look at the gameplay showed the new protagonist, Bayek, on horseback, making his way through a village, as inhabitants shuffled out of the way and went about their own business. It immediately reminded me of  Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, when Ezio would be on horseback, trotting through the streets of Rome as people shuffled out of his way. The animation, although refined, looked very similar and didn’t have the fresh reinvented look I was expecting. The same could be said when Bayek stealthily makes his way through an enemy fort. There is the usual crouching in the long grass, climbing tress and jumping along the conveniently V shaped branches, climbing up buildings, creeping up behind clueless guards, etc… it all looked the same as any other AC game, only with a different, albeit interesting, setting. It didn’t really appear to be, well, reinvented.

So where is the “new” in this reinvented AC game? “The Eagle!”, I hear you shout at your computer screen. Ah yes, the eagle. They’ve finally got rid of climbing buildings and towers to use as view points. Instead, you have an eagle. The eagle can fly and spot enemies, quest locations, points of interest and more. You know, just like the owl in Far Cry: Primal, or the drone in Watch Dogs 2 and Ghost Recon: Wildlands. Looks like birds and drones are the new tall buildings and radio towers that appeared in every single Ubisoft game since the original AC. “Well, the combat has been improved,” I hear you say. Yes, it has! The combat in AC has always been more of a rhythm based thing, press the button at the right time and watch the brief cut-scene of you dramatically killing your enemies. It had become rather tiresome. The new combat system has you blocking with your shield, side stepping and attacking, slowly diminishing the enemies health bar, you know, like in For Honor. “Well, in this one you can level up and use that to gain perks.” Yes, just like The Division or even Unity and Syndicate. The point being that  Assassin’s Creed Origins isn’t so much a reinventing of the series, more of an AC game with a mixed batch of other Ubisoft game elements thrown in.

Despite all this, come October, I will be playing Assassin’s Creed Origins. I’m sure that, although it’s not the breath of fresh air I expected, I’ll enjoy it regardless. I’m pretty sure the game will be a huge hit and will go on to sell many copies. Here is my concern however: will Ubisoft then rest on their laurels and start releasing AC after AC game using the Assassin’s Creed Origins formula, until once again, it goes stale. Judging by all these similar elements being reused in all their games, it won’t take long for fans to get bored. I mean, the game isn’t even out yet and I’m already bored of taking control of a bird/drone to scan my surroundings. I wish Ubisoft had taken more of a chance and truly reinvented the series, rather than just thrown in elements that worked well in their other franchises. I was hoping for innovation, not replication.

Video games have been a passion of mine from the very first time I played one, at the age of five on Amstrad!( Never heard of it? It was an 80s thing) From then on, I developed a great love for video games and have always owned some form of console throughout each generation of gaming, from the NES to the PS4. Call me a casual if you like, I was probably gaming before you were even born, kiddo.

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Joker’s Free Suicide Squad DLC on PS5

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There hasn’t been much buzz surrounding Suicide Squad since its release in February. Warner Bros. was let down by the game’s underwhelming sales, but they remained committed to turning their live service vision into a reality. An exciting new DLC update has been released, introducing The Crown Prince of Crime to the game.

As the game’s first live season begins, players will have the chance to take on Green Lantern and, in the end, unlock The Joker as a playable character. Which Joker are you referring to? This is quite intricate. Furthermore, players can look forward to the inclusion of a Battle Pass, a variety of new shop items available for purchase, exciting Incursions and Strongholds to partake in, as well as an expanded selection of Infamy Sets and Notorious Gear to amass.

What are your thoughts on this? Does the allure of The Joker entice you to return to Suicide Squad, or have you remained a loyal fan all along? We value your feedback and would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.

 

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Documentary Explores the Making of the Highly Praised Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth for PS5

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Square Enix has launched a captivating documentary series that explores the intricate process behind the creation of the highly praised Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. In the first episode, titled “Shaping the World,” the developer delves into the process of reimagining the expansive PS1 map of the original game into a vast sandbox for the PS5. The film includes personal stories shared by directors Naoki Hamaguchi and Tetsuya Nomura, as well as other important members of the team.

This reimagining of the all-time PlayStation classic was truly enjoyable. In our review, we praised Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth for its ability to enhance the already impressive combat system of Remake. The game truly shines in its portrayal of an iconic RPG setting. If you have a deep appreciation for the original PS1 game and found enjoyment in Remake, then Rebirth’s character-focused adventure will surely captivate you from start to finish.

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Gran Turismo 7 for the PS5 and PS4 shows continuous improvement

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While Sony may not classify Gran Turismo 7 as a live-service game, the team at Polyphony Digital certainly approaches it with a similar mindset. The game continues to impress with every new update, and although v1.44 may be smaller compared to previous versions, it still manages to enhance the already extensive content of this simulation racer.

The update, now available worldwide, introduces three new cars: the Audi R8 Coupé V10 Plus ’16, the Lamborghini Urus ’18, and the Toyota GT-One (TS020) ’99. Furthermore, it introduces three fresh events to World Circuits, an extra menu to conquer in the GT Café single-player campaign, and a collection of livery stickers inspired by the upcoming Highspeed Étoile anime, set to debut next week in Japan.

If you’re not already acquainted with Highspeed Étoile, you can watch a trailer right here. “Sony has announced that a collection of 26 stickers, consisting of 8 title logos and 18 main character stickers, will be made available for a limited time,” stated Sony on the PS Blog. In addition, Fukushima will be included as a backdrop in the title’s beloved photography mode.

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