Assassin's Creed Origins: how Ubisoft painstakingly recreated ancient Egypt

Ubisoft has enlisted leading Egyptologists, historians and hieroglyphics-deciphering AI to create an authentic experience of the age of Cleopatra

In 49 BCE Cleopatra ascended to the Egyptian throne amid enormous geopolitical upheaval and radical change. With the final war of the Roman Republic brewing, the period has proven hugely influential in fine art, theatre and film, from Shakespeare to Hollywood. But later this year it may be subject to its most rigorous investigation yet: a video game.

Out at the end of October, Assassin's Creed: Origins, follows the story of Bayek, a military officer looking to protect his people as Julius Caesar's Roman army threatens invasion. The game is set to feature a vast open-world recreation of ancient Egypt, featuring several cities as well as stretches of wilderness and ocean. As with all titles in the series, historical events and figures are set to figure, but this time, the gargantuan project isn't just about the game - Ubisoft has more ambitious plans for its rich simulation.