Learn About The History Behind Assassin's Creed Origins

Assassin's Creed Origins has finally arrived, and it makes some major changes to Ubisoft's popular stealth series. The most prominent is undoubtedly its new setting. For the first time, Origins takes the Assassin's Creed series to ancient Egypt during the time of Cleopatra, recounting the story of Bayek, the last Medjay, and the beginnings of the Assassin Brotherhood.

While the new setting has allowed the developers to introduce many new gameplay elements, from the ability to ride camels and slide down pyramids to vicious hippos and gladiator battles, it isn't merely window dressing for the adventure, but an integral component of the story. Even more so than previous installments, Assassin's Creed Origins is suffused with history, to the point that Ubisoft will release a combat-free Discovery mode next year that takes players on guided tours to better learn about ancient Egypt.

That mode, however, is still several months away. In the meantime, we've put together a historical primer on Assassin's Creed Origins. In the video above, we take a look at the historical events that serve as the backdrop for the game with the help of Assassin's Creed franchise historian Max Durand. Viewers should be advised that the video may contain some slight spoilers.

Assassin's Creed Origins is now available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. GameSpot critic Alessandro Fillari awarded it a 7/10 in our Assassin's Creed Origins review and said, "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." Before jumping into the game, be sure to check out our Assassin's Creed story recap, as well as our roundup of everything you need to know about Assassin's Creed Origins.