There are 19 ancient tombs scattered throughout the world of Assassin's Creed Origins, keeping the secrets of long-dead pharaohs. Passing these tombs will give Bayek additional ability points, tell you something about the game's universe and bring you closer to owning the Forerunner costume.
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Scattered across the world of Assassin's Creed Origins are 19 ancient tombs that hold the secrets of long-dead pharaohs. Completing these tombs will give Bayek additional ability points, teach you something about the game's universe, and bring you closer to owning the Forerunner suit.
Why look for ancient tombs
In most of the tombs you will find ancient tablets - as a rule, they are located near the pharaoh's sarcophagus. One tablet is one ability point; in total, completing the tombs will give you 14 ability points.In the six tombs of Bayek, fragments of a story about the Assassin's Creed universe await. The Pyramid of Cheops is an exception, here you will find both an ancient tablet and a fragment of the story.
The tombs should be examined very carefully: they contain a decent amount of Quartz, one of the two legendary resources of Assassin's Creed: Origins. Why do you need so much Quartz? To get one special costume.
How to get Forerunner armor
The last tomb, hidden right under the Sphinx, hides not only the sixth fragment of the story about the Assassin's Creed universe. Here you can get a special Forerunner costume, but first you have to run.- First, you will need to complete all 12 Stone Circles. You will find maps with the location of all circles.
- Secondly, to activate the last ancient mechanism you need 50 units of Quartz. That is why you need to examine ancient tombs very carefully.
Where to look for ancient tombs
It remains to collect a sufficient amount of Quartz. Below we have collected maps with the location of all the ancient tombs, good luck. The entrance to the tomb is located in the same place as its icon.Siwa: Mountain of the Dead Tomb
The very first tomb is hidden in Bayek's homeland, Siwa. The mountain of the dead tomb is located on a slope just east of a small lake located on the left side of Siwa. This area is designed for characters levels 1-5.
Giza: Tomb of Cheops
The largest pyramid of Giza serves as a travel point; you will definitely end up in the tomb of Cheops during the “Hyena” story mission. This area is designed for characters level 17-20.
Giza: Tomb of Khafre
To the left and below the pyramid of Cheops, the pyramid of Khafre was built with the tomb of this pharaoh. The entrance, as usual, is through a hole in the wall. This area is designed for characters level 17-20.
Giza: Tomb of Menakura
Have you explored Khafre's tomb? Head southwest again: Giza is a very good place in this regard. There is a small pyramid of Menkahuar with a tomb here. This area is designed for characters level 17-20.
Giza: Tomb of the Devotee of Thoth
Return to the Cheops Pyramid and head due west, towards the mountains. Another tomb of Giza is hidden in the foothills; here lies the worshiper of the god Thoth. This area is designed for characters level 17-20.
Giza: Sphinx
The last tomb of Giza, Eesfet Oon-m "Aa Poo, is hidden deep under the Sphinx - you will find it to the right of Khafre's pyramid. If you have already collected 50 units of Quartz and completed all the circles of stones, you can immediately go inside the Sphinx and get the Forerunner armor. If not - We continue to explore the tombs. This area is designed for characters of levels 17-20.
Nome Saqqara: Tomb of Djoser
You will notice the Step Pyramid of Djoser from afar. Firstly, it has a very characteristic shape, and secondly, there is a fast travel point at the top of the pyramid. This area is designed for characters level 22-25.
Nome Saqqara: Tomb of Snefru
Directly south of Djoser's pyramid there is another pyramid containing the tomb of Sneferu. Several more pyramids were built in Nom Saqqara, but they no longer contain tombs. This area is designed for characters level 22-25.
Black Desert: Tombs of the Nomarch and Seshem.eff Er Aat
The Double Tomb in the Black Desert is located right on the border with Faiyum and the White Desert Oasis. Start from the nomarch's tomb, through it you will get to Seshem.eff Er Aat with an ancient mechanism. This area is designed for characters level 27-37.
Nom Uab: Tomb of the Cynic
You definitely won’t pass by the Cynic’s tomb - there is a real road leading to it. The tomb is located in the western part of the location, below and to the left of Crocodilopolis. This area is designed for characters level 29-33.
Nome Howeris: Tomb of Amenemhet III
On the left side of Nome Howeris, just to the right of Crocodilopolis, there is the pyramid of Amenemhat III with a moving point on the top of its head - you won’t miss it. This area is designed for characters level 30-33.
Nome Howeris: Tombs of Smenkhkare and Eeyoo Sekedoo Aat
Another double tomb was built on the right side of Nome Howeris. Go to Smenkhkare's tomb, from there you will be taken to Eeyoo Sekedoo Aat. Don't forget to activate the ancient mechanism. This area is designed for characters level 30-33.
Deshret Desert: tombs of Set-Anat and Qeneb too Kah "Aiye
In the very center of the deserted desert in the south of the game world, two tombs are hidden at once. First, you will explore the Set-Anat tomb, then go to Qeneb too Kah "Aiye and activate the ancient mechanism. This area is designed for characters level 34-40.
Lonely Desert: Golden Tomb and Oun-mAa Niye Ressoot
There are three tombs in the Secluded Desert. Two are built nearby, almost in the center of the location and just south of the Rift of the God of Hope: enter through the golden tomb and you will find yourself in Oun-mAa Niye Ressoot with an ancient mechanism. This area is designed for characters level 37-40.
We have prepared tips for beginners Assassins Creed: Odyssey, which will help players during the game. In our new guide Assassins Creed: Odyssey we will tell you what to do with weapons and armor, how to improve equipment and how to properly fight mercenaries.
Parse weapons and armor for resources
When you play Assassins Creed: Odyssey, you will collect tons of weapons and armor. And you may be tempted to sell them for a quick buck. But no matter how much you would like to do this, we strongly recommend saving them. Since in Assassins Creed: Odyssey it is now possible to disassemble an item into useful resources.
When you complete main and side quests, or kill a bunch of enemies, you still get tons of money. Therefore, it is better to disassemble all equipment into resources.
They will be very useful for upgrading your equipment in the future, as well as your ship. Also remember that now in Assassins Creed: Odyssey, getting resources is much more difficult than money.
Improve your equipment with engravings
Speaking of gear upgrades in Assassins Creed: Odyssey, one nice thing is that you can upgrade your gear to keep up with your current character level. The blacksmith will provide this service to you at a small price. In doing so, you will need resources. Therefore, you should always disassemble the weapons or armor you find if possible.The gear upgrade process is useful in that it effectively upgrades a piece of low-level gear to your current character level, meaning you gain stronger attack and armor.
But at the same time, one of our main tips for newcomers to Assassin's Creed Odyssey is to upgrade your equipment carefully. We recommend upgrading only purple or yellow epic and legendary items. These types of equipment have three or four engraving slots.
Don't do too many side missions
Another key tip for newcomers to Assassin's Creed Odyssey that we want to share in our guide is that you don't need to worry about completing each side quest before continuing through the storyline.As your character levels up, the recommended level for completing main missions also increases.
For example, the recommended level for completing a quest may be lvl 24. If your level is higher than from completing the side quest, the main quest's level will also increase.
Keep this in mind, it is best to do enough side quests to reach the next main level for the quest, and then complete the story mission and return to the side quests.
Be careful with Mercenaries
Mercenaries in Assassin's Creed Odyssey are a new type of enemy with whom you need to be extremely careful. Until you get a completely overloaded mercenary scale. If you are caught committing "reprehensible acts" in the game world, you will receive a reward as soon as your generosity reaches level 1, a mercenary will begin to hunt you. The more the scale fills, the more mercenaries will look for you.For the most part, fighting mercenaries is always good. By fighting them you can get even better equipment. And as you progress through the mercenary tiers, you'll also get better prices on blacksmiths. But remember, it is better not to meet with mercenaries when you are exploring the surroundings of the next fort. Since if you encounter a mercenary, then all the mercenaries who want to kill you will immediately begin to gather at the Ford. And most likely they will kill you.
To avoid situations like this, it may be worth clearing your reward when it gets too high. Simply open your card, then press and hold the triangle button to quickly redeem it.
At the beginning of 2016, Assassin's Creed surpassed the mark of one hundred million copies sold. To date, this is the youngest game series that has managed to achieve this, and it took less than ten years. Gradually, Assassin’s Creed is ceasing to be a purely gaming franchise - books and comics are being published in full swing about the centuries-old confrontation between the assassins and the Templars, and at the beginning of 2017, a film adaptation. On this occasion, we decided to remind you of the main milestones in the history of Assassin’s Creed.
At the beginning of the 21st century, Ubisoft successfully rebooted the cult Prince of Persia series. Work began on a sequel, and then producer Patrice Désilets had the idea of replacing the main character. The nameless prince was to be replaced by an assassin, and his adventures would unfold not in magical Persia, but against the backdrop of real historical events. The studio bosses did not want such radical changes in the famous series, but gave Desile the go-ahead to develop an independent project.
When the original Assassin's Creed was first released to the public, it would seem that players would be in for a historical adventure about a swashbuckling assassin during the Third Crusade. This turned out to be only partly true. As the release approached, hints began to appear in promotional materials that everything was not so simple and that the events of the past were somehow connected with the present.
The hidden blade is the favorite weapon of assassins and one of the symbols of the series
Indeed, the game took place in two eras at once. The plot of Assassin's Creed was based on the idea that a person has a genetic memory that stores information about the lives of his ancestors. A machine called the Animus, created by Abstergo Industries, extracted genetic memory from a person's DNA and allowed him to experience episodes of the life of his ancestors as his own.
This idea allowed the developers to easily transfer the action to other eras in numerous sequels. And the plot of the entire series is based on the conflict between two secret orders, which has been going on for many centuries in different parts of the Earth.
Parties to the conflict
Forerunners
Humanity is not the first intelligent species to appear on our planet. Long before the rise of our race, the Earth belonged to the Isu people, also known as the Forerunners. Outwardly, they looked like people, but had a completely different DNA structure. The Isu civilization reached outstanding heights in science and created homo sapiens in its image and likeness - our distant ancestors were servants of the Forerunners. With this creation the Isu laid the foundation for their destruction. People rebelled and, thanks to their numerical superiority, brought their former masters to the brink of death.
The war, however, was costly for both sides - they did not notice the impending global catastrophe, which destroyed most of the world's population. After this, the Isu people finally ceased to exist. People were able to recover from the disaster and began to build their own civilization.
The old masters remained in the memory of mankind only as mythical gods. However, vague legends are not all that remains on Earth from the Forerunners. The Isu artifacts, nicknamed the Pieces of Eden, survived. These are objects of incredible power, allowing, for example, to subjugate the consciousness of people or create a protective field around the owner.
In addition, a group of Isu scientists (their names remained in history: Jupiter, Minerva and Juno) shortly before the disaster created a system of temples that could protect the Earth. They were not put into action, but they, hidden from view, stand waiting for the hour when they will be needed again. And they contain messages for those who will try to save the planet.
In the main temple, the consciousness of Juno herself was preserved, who, unlike her colleagues, did not pursue noble goals, but strived for power over the Earth. Juno was able to preserve the consciousness of her husband Aita through manipulation of human DNA. Over the centuries, Aita has been “reborn” more than once in the bodies of different people.
Assassins
Historical chronicles say that the order of assassins appeared in the Middle Ages. However, he existed long before he declared himself publicly. He operated from behind the scenes, striving to make the world a better place - including through murder. The ideal of the Assassins is freedom of society, personality and thought, and for its sake the members of the order shed a lot of blood. They fought on the side of many revolutionaries and challenged tyrants. Xerxes I, Alexander the Great and Gaius Julius Caesar fell precisely at the hands of the ancient assassins.
Templars
Eternal opponents of assassins. Their order was also founded long before the first mentions of it appeared on the pages of chronicles. Their goal is approximately the same as that of the assassins - the prosperity of humanity, but the way to achieve it is radically different. The Templars are confident that most people are weak and unable to control freedom, and in order to prevent chaos and anarchy, humanity must be kept under strict control. Many great dynasties and rulers of the past came to power thanks to the help of the Templars. And in order to strengthen their power, they are looking for artifacts and knowledge of the Forerunner civilization.
Warning, there are spoilers for older games below!
First open confrontation
For most of history, the confrontation between the Assassins and the Templars went unnoticed by ordinary people. Both orders kept a low profile, not advertising their existence or ambitions. Therefore, the pages of the early history of the orders are shrouded in mystery.
The period when the Assassins and Templars declared themselves and acted more or less openly was short-lived. This happened during the era of the Crusades - both orders openly participated in the struggle in the Middle East. However, the Assassins and Templars were not only interested in power. Both orders sought to take possession of the Piece of Eden, kept in Solomon's Temple.
Forerunner artifacts grant their owners incredible powers.
The brightest hero of that era was the assassin Altair ibn La-Ahad. In his youth he was distinguished by recklessness and self-confidence, which cost one of his comrades his life, and himself his reputation. But Altair subsequently restored his position in the order, skillfully eliminating the Templars and their allies. One of Altair's victims was the Supreme Master of the Templar Order, Robert de Sable.
But the main enemy of the order turned out to be not the templar, but... the head of the assassins themselves, Al-Mualim. He rejected the teachings of the order and decided to use the power of the Piece of Eden to enslave the Assassins. Altair had to challenge his own mentor.
The further fate of the hero could be learned from the mobile spin-off and flashbacks in subsequent games. After the death of Al-Mualim, Altair led the order, and he soon went into the shadows again. For the outside world, the order disappeared, but in reality it continued the struggle for the ideals of freedom. So, Altair personally went to Mongolia and helped the local assassins kill Genghis Khan.
Parkour mastery is in the blood of assassins
Altair became the main character of the first part of Assassin's Creed, which laid the foundation for the series. A crypto-historical plot where real events were intertwined with the writers’ fiction. An open world based on ancient cities rich in landmarks. Dynamic gameplay, focusing on parkour and cinematic battles.
Unlike most gaming assassins, Altair was not inclined to hide for long and bide his time, waiting for the moment to strike. To pounce on a victim from a height like a bird of prey, and then instantly disappear into the crowd - that was his style. And he entered into battles with enemies without any problems - his assassin training allowed him to deal with an entire squad alone.
However, for all the merits of the first Assassin’s Creed, it was a kind of test of the pen. There were plenty of interesting gameplay mechanics and ideas in the game, but they were not always implemented at the proper level. The monotony of the missions was frustrating, and there weren't many interesting things to do in the open world.
Renaissance
By the time of the Renaissance, the orders of the Assassins and Templars officially ceased to exist. In reality, they simply stopped conducting business openly and resumed the secret war. During the Renaissance, an intense struggle unfolded in Italy, where the Grand Master of the Templars, the notorious Rodrigo Borgia, was striving for the papal throne. In an effort to subjugate Florence and get the Piece of Eden stored there, Borgia weaved a network of cunning intrigues, one of the victims of which was the noble Auditore family.
Only one of the family's sons, young Ezio, managed to escape death. To find the killers and take revenge on them, Ezio followed in the footsteps of his father and became an assassin. The hunt dragged on for many years. By the time the assassin reached Rodrigo, he had become Pope, and Ezio was no longer motivated by hatred, but by the ideals of the order. The Assassin took possession of ancient artifacts and touched the secrets of the previous civilization, but spared the old Borgia.
Many famous historical figures fell in the game at the hands of assassins
Mercy backfired unpleasantly on Ezio - his house was attacked by the papal army led by Rodrigo's son, Cesare. This forced Auditore to draw his weapon again. The Assassin went to Rome, determined to put an end to Rodrigo's power. For several years, Ezio restored the brotherhood of assassins in Rome and undermined the position of the Borgia. Ultimately, his efforts led to the fall of the infamous house. After this, Auditore went to Constantinople to find the key to the library created by Altair.
Ubisoft has dedicated three games to the adventures of Ezio. Assassin’s Creed II told about his youth and attempts to take revenge on the killers, followed by Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, in which Ezio liberated the Eternal City from the power of the Borgia, and in Assassin’s Creed: Revelations the hero went on a journey to the East.
Assassins know how to act secretly, but, unlike many game killers, they are able to successfully withstand many opponents in open battle
These three games polished off the great ideas behind the series. The tasks became more varied with each part. The open world is filled with truly interesting activities. The plot has reached a new level, becoming more cinematic - in this regard, the series has progressed with each new game. Real history was no longer just a background for the assassin's adventures - now the hero participated in important events of the past. And the gameplay mechanics, primarily fencing, have improved noticeably.
However, the Ezio trilogy also highlighted one of the key shortcomings of Assassin’s Creed. The developers began releasing games annually, and each subsequent part was not so different from the previous one. Yes, something new appeared in each one - for example, in Brotherhood they added multiplayer and the opportunity to assemble your own brotherhood of assassins. But it was hard to shake the feeling that Ubisoft had put Assassin's Creed production on an assembly line and that artisanal labor was beginning to crowd out creativity.
Family matters
Using the examples of Altair and Ezio, it is easy to decide that there is an insurmountable gap between the assassins and the Templars. But the orders also had a lot in common - for example, the cruelty of their methods and interest in the heritage of the Forerunners. At times the line between Assassins and Templars became very thin.
Particularly indicative is the example of the Kenway family, which is described in the game Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. The first known representative of this family, Edward, was a famous sea robber and participated in the creation of the pirate republic of Nassau. Along the way, he became an assassin and raised his son Haytham in the traditions of the order. However, Edward died before completing his training. His son made friends with the Templars and joined their order. And Haytham's son from an Indian woman, Connor, grew up without knowing his father and became an assassin.
Both Haytham and Connor participated in the American Revolutionary War, and on the same side. For different reasons, both supported the rebel colonists. A couple of times, father and son even acted together - for example, to eliminate the traitor Templar Benjamin Church. But in the end they fought in a mortal duel.
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag was perhaps the biggest experiment in the history of the series and one of the best pirate games of the 21st century
No less indicative is an example from the era of the French Revolution. Arno Dorian lost his assassin father early. Out of respect for a worthy enemy, the head of the French Templars took the boy into his home and raised him as a son, hiding the confrontation between the orders from him. After the murder of his adoptive father, for which Arno was unfairly accused, the young man met the assassins and joined them, trying to find the perpetrators of the crime.
On the other side of the barricades remained his beloved Elisa, the daughter of Arno's adoptive father. And although the girl became a Templar, this did not stop them from maintaining their feelings and hunting the killer together.
However, one should not think that the enmity between the Assassins and Templars has weakened. Sometimes they managed to find a common language with each other, but there were also plenty of merciless conflicts. A real street war unfolded in London in the middle of the 19th century - the city was under the complete control of the Templars until the twins Jacob and Evie Fry appeared in it. Relying on the criminal world, they tried to destroy the web of power woven by the English Templars.
Belonging to opposing orders did not prevent Arno and Elisa from maintaining feelings for each other
Since the end of the Ezio trilogy, each subsequent installment in the main Assassin's Creed series has introduced us to a new hero and a new era. In the third part, events unfolded in America during the War of Independence. The fourth took us to the Caribbean, to the golden era of piracy. Perhaps this was the most experimental game in the series. The developers decided to move away from the usual gameplay formula and added naval battles - we spent a good half of the game time at the helm of the ship.
With the transition to current-generation consoles, Ubisoft abandoned the numbering of games in the series, so the latest Assassin’s Creed did without numbers in the title. Unity, which takes place in revolutionary France, was the first part of the series where historical locations were recreated in life-size. And in Syndicate, where we are waging a secret war for London, for the first time two main characters with different abilities appeared at once.
Each subsequent game differed in some way from the previous ones, but Ubisoft did not dare to seriously move away from the proven model - the “pirate” part became an exception. The developers produced first-class gaming blockbusters, but rarely tried to seriously surprise.
Thanks to the power of next-generation consoles, virtual cities in Assassin's Creed are more vibrant and closer to reality than ever before.
Russian trace
There have been rumors more than once that the events of one of the parts of Assassin’s Creed will unfold in Russia during the revolution. But initially the creators of the universe did not turn to this era in games.
The comic book mini-series Assassin's Creed: The Fall and Assassin's Creed: The Chain told about the Russian assassin Nikolai Orlov. In his youth, he made an unsuccessful attempt on the life of the Templar ally Alexander III, which led to the crash of the imperial train. Nicholas then participated in an attack on a Templar laboratory in Siberia where the Pieces of Eden were being researched, leading to the Tunguska Incident.
After the October Revolution, Orlov, tired of the struggle, decided to leave the order and Russia. But before that he saved Princess Anastasia and helped the girl leave the country. For this, Nicholas had to betray the order and oppose his brothers. One of the games, the platformer Assassin’s Creed Chronicles, told about the acquaintance of Orlov and Anastasia and their adventures. And on the pages of The Chain it is told about the last days of Orlov, who was overtaken by the revenge of his former comrades, and about his descendant Daniel Cross, who brought the assassins to the brink of death.
New world
The confrontation between the Assassins and the Templars lasted for many centuries. As a rule, the balance of power was maintained in equilibrium. Every now and then one of the sides managed to achieve an advantage, but the enemy eventually took revenge. In the 20th century the situation changed radically. The Templars launched a decisive offensive on all fronts. It was they who, in an effort to increase their influence, started the Second World War.
Towards the end of the century, the templars managed to introduce the “mole” Daniel Cross into the ranks of the assassins. Thanks to this, they found and destroyed the main bases of the order. Having suffered serious losses, the assassins were weakened and were forced to act even more secretly than usual.
In the 20th century, the Templars acquired a public face: the Abstergo Industries corporation became the facade of their order. The scope of her interests, both official and secret, is very extensive. But, perhaps, the main project of the company was the creation of “Animus”, a machine that allows you to study a person’s genetic memory, “plunging” into the life of his ancestors.
In 2012, Abstergo kidnapped a young man, Desmond Miles. He boasted an extraordinary pedigree: among his ancestors were Altair, Ezio and Kenway. For a time, Desmond served as a guinea pig for Abstergo, but with the help of modern assassins, he managed to escape.
The Assassins managed to recreate the Animus technology, and Desmond continued to explore the life of his ancestors. This made it possible to find the temples of the Forerunners and prevent a repetition of the catastrophe that put an end to their civilization. True, for this, Desmond had to release the insidious consciousness of Juno, which “settled” on the Internet.
Through the efforts of Desmond and his comrades, the death of civilization was prevented. But the secret war for what our world will be like has continued, and now a third force has joined it.
Animus
Animus was developed by Abstergo in the 1970s based on Forerunner technology. Although the development was carried out in secret, in 1977 the assassins managed to steal the drawings of the machine and create their own version. The first tests showed not only the enormous potential, but also the danger of “Animus”. People who used early versions of the machine went crazy every now and then. The "trickle-down effect" caused the ancestor's memories to become mixed with reality in a person's mind. But the same effect allowed the one who uses the “Animus” to adopt the abilities and skills of the ancestor. So Desmond Miles, without many years of training, turned into an assassin as skilled as Ezio.
In 2012, Abstergo developed a new version of “Animus” that allowed you to plunge into a person’s life, even without having a genetic connection with him. It was enough to load suitable genetic material into the machine. So, Abstergo managed to obtain Desmond's body and explore the lives of his ancestors. The new version of Animus was not only used to study the past, but was also released under the guise of a game for open sale - to conduct propaganda, presenting the events of the past in a light favorable to the Templars.
In the Assassin's Creed movie we will see another version of the Animus, similar to a giant metal claw. It allows you not just to immerse yourself in memories, but to physically experience them - to run, jump and fight, as your ancestor did.
In all games in the series, events unfold both in the past and in the present. In the modern-day segments, the gameplay was very limited and consisted mainly of dialogue and puzzle solving that revealed the secrets of the Assassin's Creed universe.
Up until the third part of the series, the “hero of our time” was Desmond Miles. He went from a helpless victim who did not understand what was happening to a real assassin, ready to sacrifice himself to save humanity. Subsequently, he was replaced by nameless heroes exploring the past of the Assassins and Templars. These heroes serve as the player's embodiment in the world of Assassin's Creed. In fact, they don’t have their own history, unlike Desmond.
The development of the Assassin's Creed series has been very intense in recent years. Every year since 2009, at least one new game in the series has been released. And besides them, spin-offs were regularly released - for example, for mobile platforms, cartoons, books, comics and a host of other related products. In a relatively short period of time, Ubisoft has built one of the largest and most successful gaming franchises, the universe of which spans many countries and eras, replete with interesting conflicts and intriguing secrets.
In 2016, the developers took a break and did not release a new part of the series. We hope that this break will help Ubisoft give the series a new impetus for development. The absence of a new part is fully compensated by the release of a full-length film starring Michael Fassbender. Assassin's Creed marks a new leap of faith for the franchise into the unknown - this time into the world of cinema.
Stories about mysterious assassins, merciless killers from whom there is no salvation, excited the minds of Europeans during the Crusades. If the Elder of the Mountain, Hassan ibn Sabbah, the mysterious leader of the order, sentences you to death, you can be sure that you are doomed. The assassins will find their victim. Whether you are a sultan, a prominent military leader or a vizier, the high walls of palaces and numerous guards will not be able to prevent the inevitable.
Lost Traveler
Initially it was supposed to be released in November, but at the last moment Ubisoft made an interesting statement: they say that they are primarily focused on consoles and no one promised that the game would be released on personal computers in the fall. With a light hand, the release was first moved to February, and then completely to the end of March.
You may have heard that the range of opinions and assessments is unusually high. This, perhaps, has not happened since the release. But then at least the press was more or less unanimous, while the journalists also received ratings ranging from 6 to 10 points.
Why did this situation arise, and what is the game really like? Let's try to figure it out together.
Enchanting East
| In between missions, we return to the future to see what happens to another protagonist. |
The game takes place in 1191 in Palestine, during the Third Crusade. To better understand the current situation, let's look at history. More than a hundred years have passed since the first crusade, when the holy city of Jerusalem was captured by the Franks. The Latin states created by Europeans are in great danger.
Saladin, a skilled military leader and national hero, has recaptured Jerusalem and is threatening to put an end to the lingering invaders altogether. Thanks to his efforts, the Arab world is experiencing unprecedented unity and is stronger than ever before. To recapture Jerusalem and help the Latin states, Richard the Lionheart sets out on the third crusade. Having captured the port city of Acre, he gathers forces for a further offensive.
It is in this historical setting that the first plot of the game develops. We play as the assassin Altair ibn La-Ahad. He is a respected warrior and renowned master of his craft. It’s just that he doesn’t have the proper reverence and respect... Our hero is too arrogant, self-confident and indifferent to everyone else. It is because of pride that Altair fails an important task and breaks the main oaths of brotherhood.
Because of his self-confidence, his brothers die, and the crusaders, led by the Templar master Robert du Sable, set off to storm the Assassin fortress. The attack is repelled, but many innocent people die. The assassins' teacher Al-Mualim decides to punish the daring student and deprives him of the title of master. Now Altair is forced to start his journey from the very beginning. To receive full forgiveness, he must kill nine people.
The second storyline of the game describes the distant future. Bartender Desmond Miles is kidnapped by an unknown organization in order to decipher his genes using the Animus device and gain access to the memories of his ancestors. Yes, it is in DNA that the memories of all past generations are stored. Dr. Vidic, the head of the experiment, claims that Desmond belongs to the order of assassins. The main character, of course, denies it and claims that he is a simple person and a long time ago not a killer.
However, words and belief in something have no meaning. Those who ordered the experiment are confident that Miles is exactly who they need. Therefore, if he resists, he will be put into a coma, the necessary information will be taken out, and he will be left to die. As long as Desmond cooperates and is needed by the kidnappers, he still has a chance of survival.
The plots are intertwined with the help of Animus. Desmond Miles connects to a miraculous machine and returns to the past. During this time, we play Altair, complete tasks, learn information and gain access to the next piece of memory. Then we return to the future, try to understand what is happening in general - the action is limited to a small laboratory - and go to bed.
The illusion of existence
When we talked about it in the “Games of the Future” section in the March 2007 issue, we had some doubts about the idea of combining the past and the future in the game. However, in reality there is no discomfort - the plot looks extremely organic. Moreover, the developers turned it to the benefit of the gameplay.
Each city has three districts that gradually open up as you progress. If the character is not supposed to be there, you simply won’t go there. Having heard the warning that this part of the memory is closed to Altair, you will run into a magical wall that is impossible to get around. Considering that the assassin can easily jump across the roofs of houses and can climb almost anywhere, it is difficult to come up with a more elegant solution.
Did you stage an unplanned massacre in the square, littering the paving stones with dozens of bloody bodies? After Altair breaks away from the chase and finds cover, you will hear memory synchronization occurring. In fact, Desmond Miles's ancestor did not do anything like this, so the program returned everything to its original state. A more than plausible explanation for why no one has yet caught the insane killer who constantly kills guards and throws archers off rooftops.
The plot develops very interestingly. In addition to reports to Al Mualim and conversations in the laboratory with Dr. Vidic and his assistant, after each plot murder we communicate with the victim struck by the blade in the memory corridor (this is a kind of astral world). A dying enemy reveals new details, allowing you to connect disparate data into a single whole. After his last breath, Altair dips his pen in the blood of the dead man, and we return to the past and begin to run away from the guards.
Despite the successful implementation of the idea of intertwining the past and the future, perhaps it would still be better if only the past was left in the game. The game's segment with Desmond Miles is intriguing, but it doesn't have a tenth of the charm and atmosphere present in Altair's journeys. In addition, there is plenty of fantasy in games, and the Middle Ages, if you don’t consider fantasy as such, are very rare.
Long journeys
Perhaps the most beautiful thing about the city is its three huge cities and the territory between them. Driving around the “kingdom” - that’s what this area is called - you can see many interesting details. The armies of the Saracens and Crusaders are preparing for the upcoming battles. Wander around the camps to see the life and training of soldiers.
This is not just another internecine conflict or campaign of conquest. This is a conflict between two religions and civilizations. Soon two magnificent commanders will meet in battle - Richard the Lionheart and Saladin. Nobody intends to retreat. The land, exhausted by a long war, will not soon find the long-awaited peace and quiet.
There are numerous military patrols on the roads, but with some skill and caution, travelers can still move between cities. Despite the martial law, life in rural areas is still in full swing. Fishing boats scurry around the harbor, residents go about their daily business. There are not too many villages, but they are truly unique and each is beautiful in its own way.
If you get tired of admiring the scenery, you can arrange a dashing race. Yes, of course, guards put cordons on the roads, but there are always detours. The soldiers will be disappointed, and the civilians will be very surprised when Altair gallops across the roofs of the huts on his horse at full speed. There is plenty of room for maneuver here. Take, for example, the dilapidated fortifications, which will serve as an excellent obstacle course.
But to fully enjoy the beauty - and the scenery is truly amazing - be sure to climb all the observation towers. They offer wonderful views. When you visit all the towers, you will be credited with completing an additional task. Want more adventures? Try to find all the prize flags. But for this you will have to climb the entire “kingdom” - some flags are located in almost inaccessible places.
Finally, you can start hunting the Templars, who have mysteriously placed their warriors everywhere. Is this not enough? Accelerate your horse, crash into the patrol, and then use your saber to finish off the scattered soldiers. The battle on horseback was performed extremely successfully and believably. You will quickly understand why a mounted warrior must constantly move in battle and how dangerous a horse is for infantry when it develops enormous speed...
Ancient cities
Acre, Damascus and Jerusalem are three ancient cities of the East that we will visit during the game. Developers have tried to imitate city life before, just remember the GTA or Just Cause series. But the then level of technology and power of consoles (unfortunately, the main focus of these projects was on them) did not allow creating a truly high-quality imitation. Cars and passersby appeared in front of the player out of thin air, and the level of detail left much to be desired.
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| The Assassins' mountain fortress is a reliable shelter where you don't have to fear enemies. |
In addition, all the games, without exception, imitated our time and did not dare to leave the 20th century. I won’t judge which is more difficult to recreate, but the difference between a huge modern metropolis and a medieval city is more than obvious. In order for the player to believe in the reality of what is happening, much greater attention to detail is required. The environment and characters must correspond to that time, or rather, to the ideas about it.
The developers did an excellent job with the task - everything looks incredibly convincing. Poor neighborhoods, with low huts and leaky roofs, give way to wealthy areas with sturdy houses and well-kept gardens. Noisy markets and squares, fountains, mosques and luxurious palaces... As far as one can judge, the architecture of that time has been recreated quite realistically.
Each city has a unique architectural style and color. Damascus greets you with dusty brown shades, and Acre with cool blue, as befits a port city. But the main feature is the unique buildings that stand out for their special beauty and size. In the same Acre, this is a Christian cathedral, from which an overview of the entire city and its surroundings opens.
Even though the Third Crusade is in full swing, the streets are full of life. The Crusaders settle into captured Acre, but the destroyed buildings do not allow them to forget the recent siege. In Damascus, a wealthy merchant city, brisk trade is in full swing. There are a lot of buyers and sellers in the markets - you have to wade through crowds of people.
In wealthy areas, respectable townspeople stroll leisurely, and tipsy sailors are rowdy on the pier. On the narrow and dusty streets, townspeople carry on leisurely conversations. Tired residents sit on benches, pacified by the murmur of the fountain. And preachers give passionate religious and political speeches, attracting many grateful listeners.
The townspeople look at Altair in surprise as he begins to climb the wall. “Isn’t this young man crazy?” - comes after us. Once a fight starts, the residents will cautiously move away from the combatants - however, not too far, because curiosity is not a vice. They look in horror at the body that suddenly fell from the roof. We warn you, the shock does not last long, someone will definitely call the guards, who will immediately begin searching for the killer.
A unique simulation of the behavior of civilians, and this combined with accurately recreated cities gives an amazing atmosphere. Something is constantly happening here, the world breathes life. It’s interesting to just walk the streets, studying the behavior of the townspeople. But it’s better to climb one of the many towers to observe the huge human anthill from above.
Master Assassin
Looking at Altair's tricks, you understand that it was not for nothing that he earned the title of master assassin. The creators of Prince of Persia have developed their ideas and taken them to a new level. Altair clings to literally every notch, grabs onto any bulge and makes incredible throws. With unfathomable precision and speed, he jumps from beam to beam, managing to grab the steel crossbar while jumping, so that, using the resulting speed, he throws his body to the next crossbar. It's hard to describe in words, but once you try acrobatics, it will be incredibly difficult to tear yourself away from the game.
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| A counterattack usually ends with such a brutal finishing move. |
However, there is no fantasy, everything looks quite realistic, and it is possible that the developers are right when they claim that all these tricks can be performed by a well-trained person. When you see Altair, what comes to mind is a comparison with Alain Robert, a famous rock climber who rushed through skyscrapers without a safety net, rather than with some Spider-Man from comics. Only jumping from a great height into a haystack raises great doubts.
Moreover, the controls are so simple that you will get used to it within just an hour of playing. For all, even the most incredible tricks, only one key is used. It's easy enough to learn how to climb walls and jump across roofs, but don't think that you can climb any building without problems. Sometimes you have to rack your brains trying to figure out which side you can climb up from and cling to the wall.
The exact opposite of acrobatics is the combat system. It is quite complex and consists of deceptive movements, counter-strikes and throws. During a fight, several keys are used, and each one is responsible for a specific part of the body - the right and left arm, legs. You have to deftly tap out combinations to perform the desired technique.
The guards generally prefer to attack one at a time, but the battles cannot be called easy. You need to carefully choose the time to attack, watch the enemy and change the direction of the strike in time. Artificial intelligence is worthy of praise here too. If at first opponents simply try not to get hit and block in time, then by the end of the game they are already actively using techniques and counterattacks.
True, there were some flaws, but identifying them is not so easy. The fights are not only interesting and clever, but also Hollywood spectacular. This especially applies to counterattacks. The camera takes close-ups, and Altair finishes off the enemy with a skillful blow. The number of countermeasures (and, accordingly, special animations) is indecently large, so watching the fights does not get boring until the end of the game.
The graphics are some of the most advanced to date. No fogs from which objects and people emerge. Climb the tallest building and you'll get a fair view of the entire area. This is amazing - at first you can’t believe that the rock on which you stood half an hour ago is located several kilometers away and does not disappear into the haze. Artists and designers took full advantage of the graphics engine's capabilities.
Incredibly smooth animation surprises more than an excellent picture. During the entire game, Altair did not make a single ridiculous or unnatural movement, be it fighting, jumping or climbing walls. True, sometimes flaws slip through in the post-mortem animation. It happens that a guard twitches with his head stuck in the wall, but this is truly a rare exception.
Plot mess
The only serious flaw in the game is the emptiness of the game world. The cities and the area between them are well designed, the combat and acrobatics are fun, the life simulation is impressive... but there are surprisingly few side missions.
The plot tasks - the very nine kills that the mentor requires from Altair - are done at the highest level. They require a non-trivial approach and advance planning. Don't forget that you still need to think about your escape routes. But the additional tasks, unfortunately, do not make such a pleasant impression.
Not only are there only six types, but they are also forced to perform in order to receive a plot assignment. This is called collecting information, but, whatever one may say, from the beginning to the end of the game you have to perform the same actions - climb towers, steal wallets, eavesdrop on conversations and save local residents from evil guards.
No, they are made quite well, and besides, by completing assignments, you actually receive information that complements the story and helps in the next task. With murders ordered by an informant, you often have to rack your brains. Killing six people in a crowd without raising an alarm, and within the allotted time, is not so easy. But the monotony... There is no escape from it.
Apart from the story and side quests, there isn't much to do. You can climb all the towers, collect four hundred hidden flags, finish off sixty Templars... and that's it. There is nothing else to do in this huge world. All that remains is to travel for your own pleasure. After GTA, and a comparison with it inevitably suggests itself, it looks much more modest.
It is precisely because of the emptiness of the world that almost all reviewers criticize the game. Yes, it turned out to be not such a complex game as the brainchild of Rockstar. Is this a significant drawback that overshadows the atmosphere, acrobatics, combat system and huge world? In our opinion - no. is not a game that strives to give the player maximum pleasure in a minimum of time.
Adaptation to personal computers was extremely careless: stringent system requirements and lack of normal support for wide-format monitors, regular crashes and deteriorated graphics. But management, and this is what caused a lot of concern, does not cause rejection. True, the keyboard and mouse are inferior in convenience and ergonomics to the joystick from the Xbox 360.
Assassin's Creed: Origins has a lot of hidden secrets that will take quite some time to find, but some of them require a certain sequence before you can “unravel” the secret and receive the reward.
In this guide, we will tell you how to get the secret armor of Isu in Assassin's Creed: Origins. You may already be near it, as it is located inside the Great Egyptian Sphinx in Giza, but you will have to do a lot of work before you can get it.
Where to find and how to get Isu secret armor
You can obtain the Isa Armor at any point in the game after completing the main quests in the starting area. First you have to find and activate all 12 stone circles - simple puzzles with constellations. Then you will need to collect at least 50 pieces of silicon (yellow glowing stones), which can be found in tombs. There are actually at least 80 pieces in the tombs, so you won't have to explore them in extreme detail to avoid missing something.
After completing all the tasks, go inside the Sphinx in Giza. The secret entrance is located on the back side of the Sphinx.
Access to the required room will appear after finding all the stone circles. Head inside the sphinx until you find a room with a strange ceiling.
Find a special bowl in this room and set it on fire by interacting with it.
Everything else is simple. Enter the passage that appears and go deeper until you come across a certain device that requires 50 pieces of silicon to activate. Ready. The Isu, or Forerunner, armor is in your inventory.
