Which game introduced the ancient Egyptian setting and the RPG-style progression of Assassin's Creed?

Assassin's Creed Origins introduced Assassin's Creed's ancient Egyptian setting and RPG-style progression.

Released in 2017, Origins moved the series to Ptolemaic Egypt and centered its story on Bayek of Siwa and Aya. Its world includes the Nile Valley, deserts, cities, tombs, and monuments, with historical figures such as Cleopatra and Julius Caesar appearing in the narrative.

The game also changed the series' structure. It added experience levels, skill trees, loot with different statistics, crafting, and a stronger emphasis on quests and character development. These systems became important foundations for Odyssey and Valhalla.

Odyssey later expanded the RPG approach in ancient Greece, while Valhalla used it for Viking-age England and Norway. Origins is the entry specifically associated with introducing both the ancient Egyptian setting and this major progression shift.