[Serenity]

Malankazooie, on 05 June 2018 - 12:13 PM, said:

It was one of my criticisms of the game. While the setting is beautiful and fun to explore, the ? on the map that end up being yet another enemy encampment or stronghold where you have to kill the captain and commander and steal the treasure just became a wash and repeat drudgery. The animal hunting became a similar experience too. Just too many similar tasks that didn't offer much in the way of variety.

To break things up, I would go explore the pyramids and other hidden tombs, as at least they are more of an exploratory nature.

Since you started Origins, I recommend completing it first, because you may experience some weird cross pollination head fuckery and get all spun around with what is going on. In fact, after finishing Origins, I recommend you play a different game before jumping back into Assassin's Creed so you don't experience burn out on the series.

That's far too sensible! But equally very wise. I know what you mean about the cross pollination - especially with regard to the controls (although I have been using the alternate scheme in Origins as it's a bit closer to Black Flag, even though I'd only played 4 or 5 hours of that).

Sounds like you felt the same as me about it, so I obviously need to get to the pyramids and find some tombs. And make some money, as it seems hard to come by.

[Serenity]

Killed the first Phylakes, The Other, last night. Took four attempts, mainly because patrols kept coming along and confusing things. Second attempt I actually killed him at exactly same moment that I got killed, and when I loaded back in he was alive and well again. To say I swore a bit and nearly broke the controller and the tv at that point would be an understatement

[Malankazooie]

In my play through, I avoided the Phylakes for the most part. There was one instance where I was outside the main population areas, so didn't have to worry about riding my horse into anything, so was able to create enough distance with my horse while focusing on the target and just let the arrows fly. Other then that, I just kept tabs on where they were at on the map and of course when that horn was blown to let them know they are near.

[Tiste Simeon]

I got to a point where I went actively hunting them. Stake out a spot and make sure I had enough arrows for my flaming predator bow and snipe him for a while before charging in and taking him on. Made for a fun little game for a while.

[Serenity]

The second one, the lvl 22 one (Ptolomy's Fist), went down first time. I was lvl 23. Just kept backing away from him landing headshots with my hunter bow. He didn't damage me at all. It helped that the nearby enemy's were being kept occupied by a bunch of rebels.

[Serenity]

Got to Giza eventually and, yeah, exploring the tombs is fun. The lighting in this game is fantastic, so I'm finding those bits are very atmospheric. I think I'm over the hump where I was finding it a bit too repetitive, for now at least. I was really getting back into it yesterday.

[Serenity]

Made some decent progress over the weekend. Lvl 30 now, in Memphis having had the snake vision and assassinated the Lizard, which was bizarre cos he was one of five priests in the huge, heavily guarded temple, so I expected it to be a pain. Walked in, straight past the guards, and he was the first bloke who wondered by. All done within a minute

The only thing I'm wondering at the moment is how much I am missing out on with regards to the present day Layla stuff, not having played the previous games. I've had precisely two visits to the present day so far and made a point of reading all the documents on her laptop, many of which were - I'm guessing - referring to characters and events in previous games. I don't really want to play all the others (although IV is definite) so I'm guessing searching out a YT video that details the story to date might be worth it at some point. That said, the Ezio Collection is going for £13.99 on the PS Store at the moment.

[Malankazooie]

What you described was pretty much the totality of my Layla and present day Abstergo experience in Origins. Pretty much exit out of the Animus and then explore around a bit. I sort of remember there was something to be found, but it's escaping my memory at the moment just what that is. Just explore and it should trigger it. Other then that, yeah, it boils down to reading all the files on the computer. Then back into the Animus to Egypt. That was my experience anyway. Never came back to Layla after that first time either, so not sure if there is some additional interaction that occurs/is triggered by your advancement in Egypt.

Ubisoft, over the progression of the Assassin's Creed games, has really muted and reduced the amount of time present day Abstergo is in the games, which doesn't bother me at all. I remember the extensive present day Abstergo part in Assassin's Creed III which was such a drudgery to get through and really added nothing to the game. In Black Flag, I remember you just did a lot of hacking of computers in the office.

BTW.

Spoiler

Rumor is that there will be no assassins in Odyssey. Um, if that is true, and if Odyssey takes place before Origins then that would be accurate right?

[Tiste Simeon]

Yeah I stopped caring about the modern day stuff ages ago. I have no idea who Layla is in relation to everyone else nor how it's all come to this from the original modern day bits (Desmond being captured by Abstergo) not interested at all so I'm glad it was minimal. I think there was about 4 times you went to Layla. All very quick.

[Malankazooie]

Wait, there were 4 times you go to Layla? I only went once. Did I miss something? Does the game prompt you to get out of the Animus back into the present to her?

[Serenity]

It hasn't prompted me for my two visits so far, just sent me back to her after a couple of assassinations, and she had to take some pill or other before she could use the Animus again. I assumed at first that I'd be sent back to her after each one, but it hasn't happened since.

[Gorefest]

You get sent to Layla early on, then again when your wife gets activated for the ship battle. Havent encountered a third time yet. Lvl 30 now. Trying to fight this giant sea serpent thing in a dream sequence but it is a bloody nuiscance. Dodging doesnt work well and it keeps spitting poison and i only have a bow and arrow.

[Serenity]

Gorefest, on 12 June 2018 - 07:33 AM, said:

You get sent to Layla early on, then again when your wife gets activated for the ship battle. Havent encountered a third time yet. Lvl 30 now. Trying to fight this giant sea serpent thing in a dream sequence but it is a bloody nuiscance. Dodging doesnt work well and it keeps spitting poison and i only have a bow and arrow.

Sounds like we're at roughly the same point, as I did that bit over the weekend

[Tiste Simeon]

Yeah that Serpent is annoying you just have to keep moving and firing at the same time.

I never chose to go to Layla it was always part of the story and usually after assassinating one of the Order.

First time you just sort of wake up, have a chat then get back in the animus. Second time you have to do a bit of a cave explore to find something. Third time you have to kill a couple of Abstergo guys (quite easy) and the final time is right at the end and is mostly a cut sequence.

[Malankazooie]

Ok, then I must have been to Layla all the requisite times. I was more or less referring to the cave exploration part, which I only did once.

Yeah the snake sequence is a tough one. Took me many attempts to finally defeat it.

[Gorefest]

Oh great. I thought it was Assassin's Creed, not bloody Dark Souls.

[Serenity]

Took me three goes. The first time it killed me, second time I fell in the water and couldn't get out fast enough

[Serenity]

So last night I went and investigated a green quest marker that had been on the map for ages, solved a sun dial puzzle, and I seem to have ended up with a legendary shield and legendary regular sword from Final Fantasy XV? How bizarre. Apparently I've got a chocobo mount as well, although I wouldn't be seen dead on it

It did lead me to wonder, though. I've predominantly been using Fang, the legendary sickle sword that came with the Gold Edition, leveling it up every 9 or 10 levels of progress I make, cos its attributes are brilliant. I tried a regular sword early game, and dual swords, and a spear, and couldn't get used to any of them after using Fang. I'm currently using it with a shield that has a chance to put enemies to sleep on block, which is quite amusing. Whack! Zzzzzz!

I'm going to have these FFXV things a go, though.

What melee weapons did you guys favour?

[Gorefest]

Can't remember which exactly I got but it is a poison blade, I think it is a sickle sword as well. I walked around for a bit with a swordfish simply because it looked so idiotic, but then I realised that the attribute 'cursed' meant that my health bar got halved each time I equiped it.

[Tiste Simeon]

I used Fang most of the game but I used the FFXV stuff for a while - the shield is pretty good and the sword has a great move for it's Overpower function. Didn't use the Chocobo much because it was a bit rubbish.