Is the DLC for Assassin‘s Creed Origins Worth It? An In-Depth Analysis

The verdict: Absolutely. For fans of Assassin‘s Creed Origins, the sweeping expansions of The Hidden Ones and Curse of the Pharaohs are well-crafted additions that complement the base game wonderfully. They deliver sizable new regions brimming with content, raise the level cap, and advance the lore in meaningful ways. While the DLC costs around $40 total, it‘s hard to put a price on 10+ more hours spent uncovering the fascinating history and mythology of Ancient Egypt through the eyes of the endearing Bayek. This is Assassin‘s Creed DLC done right.

Let‘s dig deeper into what makes these expansions such high quality additions that are absolutely worth your time and money as an AC Origins fan.

Meaty New Regions Worth Exploring

Both DLCs add large new maps with a variety of activities spread throughout. The Hidden Ones introduces the Sinai Peninsula, a rugged desert landscape. Curse of the Pharaohs offers a more vibrant open world in Thebes that contrasts with the base game‘s settings. These new playgrounds feel completely distinct rather than retreading old ground.

Here‘s an overview of how much landscape the DLCs added:

• The Hidden Ones: Sinai Peninsula is about 1/3 the size of the base game world.
• Curse of the Pharaohs: Thebes region is approximately 1/4 the size of the base game world.

Combined they nearly double the explorable area already offered in Origins. These substantial additions are packed with quests, outposts to clear, papyri puzzles, bandit camps, Phylakes to hunt, environmental mysteries like the Stone Circles to uncover, and daunting military fortresses to conquer.

You could easily spend 5 hours alone just traversing and uncovering the rich details of these new maps without even touching the main story quests. For completionists eager to reveal the fog of war, the DLC areas are a blessing.

Engaging New Stories That Expand the Lore

While the base Origins story taps out around level 40, those hungry for more of Bayek‘s saga will relish the meaty narrative content provided in the DLC.

The Hidden Ones sends Bayek to Sinai, following up on clues tied to the Order of Ancients. He becomes a mentor figure, helping a young Tahira establish a Brotherhood that will one day become the Assassins. It‘s a poignant continuation that enriches Bayek‘s character arc and the lore. You‘ll meet historical figures like the Roman general Germanicus Julius Caesar along the way.

Curse of the Pharaohs goes all-in on injecting mythological elements, with Bayek contending with shadowy apparitions of giant scorpions and war elephants, sorcerers, the undead, and visions of various Egyptian gods. The fantastical quest takes you through the afterlife and has Bayek investigating desecrated tombs of legendary Pharaohs like Nefertiti and Tutankhamun. It‘s a wild change of pace from the base game.

Both expansions last around 5-10 hours if you focus on the main quests. But they‘re packed with memorable moments, cool boss fights, and tantalizing lore details. Playing them back-to-back flows nicely as one grand 20 hour encore adventure.

Refreshing Gameplay Changes That Complement Origins

On top of the fresh settings and stories, the DLCs introduce enough new gameplay tweaks and challenges to keep things from ever growing stale.

The Hidden Ones raises the level cap by 5 to 45, giving you a reason to keep pushing Bayek‘s abilities. The expansion leans into the series‘ roots with enhanced stealth and tools like smoke bombs. The new higher difficulty mode amps up enemy awareness and damage.

Curse of the Pharaohs cranks up the dial even further by increasing the level cap to 55. The undead Pharaohs and mythic beasts put up an extreme fight compared to human enemies and require mastery of dodging and parrying. The DLC also introduces a horde mode mini-game and New Game+ to encourage replayability.

Several new ability tree branches are added across both expansions as well. Fun new tools like the Scorpion‘s Sting throwing knife and Shield Bash ability complement what was already available in Origins. There are also full weapon and outfit sets themed around Egyptian gods that change gameplay.

How It Compares to Past Assassin‘s Creed DLC

Looking across the breadth of the AC franchise, the Origins expansions stand among the best in terms of adding value and doing justice to the base experience. Many past titles got lackluster DLC like short 2 hour sequences or filler challenge modes.

The Origins DLC compares very favorably to last year‘s Valhalla Dawn of Ragnarok expansion – it offers richer story content and a bigger world for often a lower price. The level of quality and integration with the base game exceeds DLC like Syndicate‘s Jack the Ripper or AC3‘s Tyranny of King Washington which felt very detached.

In terms of scope and narrative depth, I‘d rank Origins‘ DLC just below exceptional expansions like The Witcher 3‘s Blood and Wine. While not quite on that level, it still sets a great example of how to expand upon a base game meaningfully.

Diving Deeper on Each Expansion

Let‘s break down the pros and cons of each add-on in more detail:

The Hidden Ones

Pros

• Provides great closure on Bayek‘s character arc

• New map region Sinai Peninsula feels completely distinct from Egypt

• Establishes origins of the Assassin Brotherhood

• 4 new legendary weapons and 3 new outfits

• About 30 new quests across 8 story sequences

• Raises level cap allowing more progression

Cons

• Shorter length at 4-8 hours

• Stealth emphasis not for all playstyles

• Lacks jaw-dropping set-pieces of The Curse of the Pharaohs

The Curse of the Pharaohs

Pros

• Mythological setting shakes up the formula

• Epic pharaoh boss battles

• Gorgeous new map region in Thebes

• About 40 new quests across 14 story sequences

• New abilities let you harness godly powers

• Packed with tombs, temples, and puzzles

• Doubles level cap enabling you to hit 55

Cons

• Undead and hallucination themes won‘t appeal to some

• Main story ending feels abrupt

• Repetitive side missions like escorting souls

Bottom Line: Money Well Spent for Fans

Looking at the combined package, the AC Origins DLC provides:

• Over 20 hours of additional narrative content

• Two entirely new map regions totaling over 50 sq km

• Raising level cap from 40 to 55 for extended progression

• 10+ new weapons and outfits

• A dozen major ability enhancements

• Engaging stories that complement Bayek‘s journey

For $40 as part of the season pass, this represents an incredible value – like getting two shorter but high quality sequels. The Hidden Ones and Curse of the Pharaohs are a perfect excuse to spend more time inhabiting the richly realized setting of Ancient Egypt with the charming lead Bayek.

While more casual players who bounced off Origins quickly may not find the DLC essential, for devoted fans it‘s easy to recommend grabbing the season pass when on sale. This is Assassin‘s Creed DLC done right – expansive, polished, and respectful of players‘ time and money.