Assassin’s Creed Origins: 10 Things Ubisoft Must Learn From Other Open-World Games

7. Size Doesn't Matter - Shadow of Mordor

Games function as an escape from the real world just as much as other forms of entertainment. So no one wants to sit down and play a game only to find it to become a chore. The previous few Assassin's Creed games had admittedly massive maps but little to no substance in them (as previously mentioned in the last point) making getting from mission to mission a tedious commute.

And so it's important to remember the fact that a more compact and concise map packed to the brim with content can be far more beneficial than a massive sprawling landscape with small pockets of game-play spread thinly across them.

Shadow of Mordor is the prime example, considering how excellently they managed their world space. The two maps they had, whilst relatively large, were self-contained enough to be exciting and packed. Crossing the map never felt tiresome and doing so often afforded a multitude of encounters with new orc captains.

The game either has to take one of two directions: Create a small compact world like Shadow of Mordor or create a vast explorative land like Skyrim. Either one fits the Assassin's Creed mantra, but it's important that they only focus on one and learn from a singular example. Trying to mash both mentalities together will only end in tears.