10 Ways Assassin's Creed Origins Has Saved The Franchise
Whether it returns in 2018 or not, Origins is a stellar sequel.
Outside of sports games, Assassin's Creed has had more consecutive annual sequels than any other franchise - a release schedule that's provided just as many ups as downs, culminating in the disastrously unplayable Assassin's Creed Unity in 2014.
Thing is though, at no point did anyone really want the series to pack it in - at least not before AC III.
Until then we were relishing each yearly instalment, and though Desmond's story ended abruptly after he had to sacrifice himself to halt the apocalypse (or something), the very idea of historically-accurate action games is a damn fine one - especially when Ubisoft have the money, time and artistic prowess to do a picture-perfect job.
Cut to Origins, and thanks to relaxing the production line and letting the various developers actually collect their breath for the first time in years, we have a resounding return to form. Downsides come from a rushed opening segment and the occasional programming hiccup where Bayek will auto-jump to the completely wrong place, but top to bottom this is a demonstrable improvement over every instalment since AC: Brotherhood.
Where they go from here is anybody's guess, but at least Ubisoft can rest assured knowing their latest work is also their finest.